Chapter XXV: Third Event, Second Round
UA High School was not what Shoto Todoroki had first expected. He had first thought most of his classmates would all be competitive and almost malicious to each other, trying to one-up the person next to them. Instead, Todoroki was pleasantly surprised by the strange group that had surrounded him from the first day.
Admittedly, Todoroki hadn't thought much about them. A girl that was invisible? A boy whose quirk was a tail? A perverted dwarf that could produce sticky balls? In all truth, he was rather baffled how any of them expected to get far in the world of Pro-Heroes. And then came the first Battle Trial and Todoroki's world view was shattered into a million pieces. Suddenly, those he had looked down on defeated him through smarts and cooperation. From then on, it felt like his eyes had been opened.
One person, though, seemed to catch his attention the most: Izuku Midoriya. At first, he had dismissed him next to the others, but he had that one thing that separated him from any others. In a class of people Todoroki had expected everyone to compete against each other, Midoriya had actually been the complete opposite. He thought highly of others for skills outside fighting, like Iida and Yaoyorozu when they chose Class representatives, he didn't dismiss people based on their quirks like Mineta and Hagakure and he seemed to genuinely care for others, even if it meant sacrificing a victory.
Thus, Todoroki marched across darken halls with a grim face. He had come to respect Midoriya and he did not want to be the one to eliminate him from the tournament. Unfortunately, Todoroki wanted to get the Gold Medal, and no amount of respect would stop him. This was too personal a thing to back down.
Unfortunately, someone was waiting for him, not far from the arena's entrance. That someone was the last person Todoroki wanted to see before a fight.
"Shoto"
Todoroki balled his fists and glared at Pro-Hero Endeavor. The muscular man leaned against a side, his usual stern demeanor baring down on his son.
"I think it is time to get over this teenage phase of yours and finally used my flames" Endeavor proclaimed.
Todoroki squinted at the man.
"It is shameful you to hold back on your full potential like that" Endeavor remarked. "Will you be a Hero with merely half your quirk?"
"I will never use your flames" Todoroki remarked "not after what you did to mom".
"What I did?" Endeavor repeated, baffled. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and sighed. "What happened to your mother was tragic, Shoto, but you must-"
"You don't have a right to talk about her like her" Todoroki spat, marching forward and trying to ignore Endeavor.
Sadly, Endeavor wasn't done talking and grabbed him by the shoulder before he could make his escape.
"You still resent me after she scarred half your face?" Endeavor scoffed. "You are being childish, Shoto. You intend to be a Pro-Hero and hold back? You are destined for more than that."
Todoroki glared at the man but said nothing. Instead, he swatted his arm and kept marching forward.
"You are making a mistake, Shoto" Endeavor grunted as he stomped away.
Shoto, though, ignored his words and kept walking, into the sunlight and towards the concrete battle ring. He tried to avoid thinking about Endeavor's words, but all he could do was grit his teeth. The gall of the man... after all he had done. Absentmindedly, he touched the rough skin of his over his left eye. It was thanks to Endeavor, after all, he bore that scar and that her mother was taken from him.
Midnight and Cementoss were chatting about something in hushed tones. Whatever it was, they seemed rather amused. In fact, Shoto could got as far as to describe them as entertained. Just what was happening? Even if his interest had been picked, he merely marched towards the white painted cross on the reconstructed ring (sincerely, he hadn't known Uraraka had such raw power in her).
"-was priceless!" Midnight chuckled.
"Do you think he'll do something about it?" Cementoss wondered.
"Oh yes, I've rarely seen Shota that angry before" she said.
Todoroki really wanted to know what they were talking about. Shota… wasn't that Aizawa's first name? He could be wrong, though. His musings were interrupted by movement behind him. Todoroki spotted Midoriya awkwardly walking into the battleground, averting his eyes. When the fox boy's emerald eyes met his, a flash of something crossed Midoriya's face. Was it… sympathy?
He overheard Endeavor and me, Todoroki realized.
Midoriya didn't say a thing. Todoroki felt a wave of annoyance at that. He didn't want Midoriya's pity or sympathy.
"Hear ye, hear ye, dear listeners! Are we ready for the Second Round of the Third Event?" Present Mic's loud voice echoed through the stadium.
The crowd, as expected, cheered and cried in response.
"Then let us begin! But before that, let us introduce a very special guest…" Present Mic said, smugness dripping from his voice. "His one tall man, with a very well-known laugh and smile…"
Todoroki frowned. Could they really be talking about… him? By the sounds of it, the crowd was already making their guess, and it sure was slowly making them rather excited. Who could blame them?
"Please, a big round of applause to U.A. newest teacher, the Symbol of Peace, the Number One Hero…" Present Mic trailed off as the audience went deathly silent "…All Might!"
From the sky, Todoroki spotted a shadow. His dichromatic eyes widened as a very familiar massive man dropped from the sky, onto the ground away from the concrete. A cloud of dust concealed him. However, it was hard to miss the fact that that man was All Might. The famous laughter of his was a dead giveaway.
"Have no fear, for I am here!" All Might said, his deep strong voice carrying itself across the stadium like with a megaphone.
If the crowd had been cheering before, it sure had gone insane now. Todoroki was rather shaken by the shouting and shaking of the stadium. He knew people were enthusiastic about All Might… but to such an extent?
"Good to see you could make it" scoffed Midnight as All Might walked to her side. Cementoss had move to the other side of the ring.
"I apologize for failing you" All Might whispered. However, with a loud voice as his, it was nigh impossible for Todoroki not to hear. "I shouldn't have allowed my personal feelings get in the way".
"You should be apologizing to Shinso and Midoriya" Midnight huffed "why are you showing up right now?"
"The organizers didn't want to suggest that Shinso's incident was that serious by me showing right after it happened" All Might responded in his not-so-subtle murmur (could the guy actually achieve subtlety?).
"And you just let them?" Midnight retorted with a scowl.
"W-w-well, th-they are the ones in charge of the Sports Festival and I - well..." All Might stammered in response.
Todoroki would have found amusing how a Pro-Hero like Midnight could make All Might squirm like a misbehaving child. At the moment, though, he just wanted to finish that pointless fight.
"Let's get started!" Present Mic exclaimed. "On the one side, don't stare too long at him or you'll get the chills, the son of the Number Two Hero: Todoroki Shoto!"
Todoroki glared at his feet. Why did it always come to Endeavor? The audience gave him a hearty cheer. It seemed he was the fight's favorite.
"On the other side, he's the lord of chaos and mayhem incarnate, master of mischief and furriness, he's the one, the only: Izuku Midoriya!" Present Mic announced.
The crowd was not as receptive as before. In fact, the clapping was scarce and Todoroki could even make a few people booing in the crowd. Todoroki frowned and looked at the stadium.
"Fighters, are you ready?" Midnight asked.
Todoroki nodded at her, while Izuku offered a lopsided smile and a thumbs up. The two fighters turned towards each other and readied for the fight. This was going to be a tough one. Midnight took a few seconds to study them, before she raised her whip.
"Then… FIGHT!" Midnight shouted, slashing her weapon at the concrete.
Todoroki reacted instantaneously. A massive wall of ice erupted from his right foot and rushed straight towards Midoriya. The Fox Boy foresaw the move and jumped to a side. Todoroki didn't stop. He created another rushing wall of ice. Once again Midoriya dodged to Todoroki's right, but he was getting awfully close to the boundaries. A third time, Todoroki tried to push Midoriya out of limits. However, using his nine tails, he jumped around the walls of ice and onto the empty concrete ground.
"Oy, Todoroki, you missed!" Midoriya exclaimed.
Frustrated, Todoroki sent another massive wall of ice rushing towards Midoriya, intent on pushing him out of the ring. However, once again, he jumped away. As Todoroki felt his right arm run cold from his quirk's overuse, Midoriya landed on top of the ice walls far away… and out of Todoroki's sight.
What is he planning? Todoroki wondered. He hasn't tried to approach me and he seemed intent on making me use my quirk…
There was a loud crash, followed one of Todoroki's walls collapsing into a million pieces. Man-sized chunks fell right next to those the size of a fist. Todoroki frowned as another of his walls was shattered into pieces. Midoriya, for some reason, was destroying the ice perhaps to regain some moving ground.
Before Todoroki could contemplate on the next course of action, he saw what appeared to be nine tails raising from the sea of ice chunks… hosting frozen debris into the air. Todoroki's eyes widened. Midoriya couldn't possibly be thinking of catapulting those ice chunks at him, could he? As it so happened, that was the plan.
Todoroki, as surprised as he was, managed to dodge. In fact, it seemed like Midoriya wasn't really trying to hit him. Then again, Midoriya couldn't actually see him. Instead of answering with yet more ice that Midoriya could employ as projectile, Todoroki tried to understand Midoriya's rather crazy plan.
Why adopt such a strategy? Perhaps after he saw me at the end of the First Event against Bakugo he understood I am not immune to my own ice, Todoroki thought, and yet this plan sounds too brutish and blunt for the likes of Midoriya.
Todoroki frowned as the ice flew over him, scattering all over the battle ring. He didn't get much of a chance to think as a large chunk of ice came sliding across the ground. Jumping to a side, he dodged the ice. However, Midoriya wasn't stopping. He was tearing the tall ice walls Todoroki had created and throwing them pieces of all sizes towards Todoroki.
For a moment, Todoroki got the impression Midoriya was missing on purpose. However, that wouldn't have made much sense. Midoriya's best chance was to keep dodging and then try to use Todoroki's own ice against him. With his eyes forward, Todoroki could only ponder what Midoriya's next would be once he was finish tearing the walls apart.
He's wasting a lot more energy… and he's giving me a chance to regain my body temperature, Todoroki thought, then again, perhaps he doesn't know about my quirk's drawbacks.
In the end, a fully exposed Midoriya paused as he found himself with little ice chunks to shove towards Todoroki.
"Alright, maybe my plan didn't go as I had expected" Midoriya mused, scratching his head.
Midoriya isn't that stupid, Todoroki pondered squinting at the devious fox boy. He has something up his sleeve…
And a plan he did. With a smirk, suddenly Midoriya turned into the Three-Tailed Fox Girl and raced towards Todoroki. She raised a hand and fox fire shot off her hands, creating a massive blue wall of flames in front of Todoroki. All the dichromatic boy could see was the blue fire.
A useful smokescreen, Midoriya, but a waste of your energy, Midoriya, Todoroki scoffed. Admittedly, Todoroki was well aware that Midoriya lost most of his energy when the flames came into contact with injuries and started healing them. Otherwise he could spend the blue fire with complete disregard.
In an instant, a huge wall of ice shot of his right foot and straight into the blue flames. However, it was in that moment the flames vanished. Confused, Todoroki frowned ahead. Half the battle ring had been split in two by his ice wall… and Midoriya was nowhere to be seen.
Todoroki half expected Midnight to announce the battle winner. However, she merely remained standing, with a smile, and watching. So did All Might. That meant that Midoriya hadn't been pushed out of the ring.
As Todoroki looked around, he was suddenly struck with Midoriya's plan. All around him, ice pieces surrounded Todoroki in a sea of ice chunks. Large and small chunks piles side by side with a few open spaces of concrete in between. It was, much to Todoroki's chagrin, a perfect place to hide. He cursed, how hadn't he seen it? Midoriya was setting up the battlefield to his favor!
He snapped his head around, trying to catch a glimpse of the tailed teenager. There was nothing. Todoroki thought of summoning an ice wall again, but the sound of movement behind interrupted the boy. The sound of ice hitting ice to a side only served to confuse Todoroki. Gritting his teeth, he waited… and then, when yet another suspicious sound came from behind, he didn't hesitate and sent an ice wall in that direction, only to hear movement once again behind him. He repeated the attack. And yet, still no Midoriya in sight.
He must be in his Two-Tailed form… or maybe he is alternating between the Two Tails, the sneakiest of his forms, and the One-Tailed form, his fastest form and the one that can shrink in size, Todoroki realized.
As if to confirm his worst fears, he heard the giggling echoing around him. Todoroki felt an eyebrow twitch at that. Was Midoriya mocking him? Why didn't he take his Nine-Tailed form and fight him head on? Midoriya could break through concrete and his ice alike, after all. Why play around like that?
"Is this how you want to fight? How you want to reach the top?" Todoroki angrily asked. With any luck the fox boy would respond and give away his position.
The childish giggling stopped, and for a moment, Todoroki thought Midoriya would verbally respond. Instead, he was hit by an ice ball on his back. Todoroki snapped his body in the direction the offending proyectile came from and created a tall ice wall in ram ahead of him.
Might as well limit his movement, Todoroki thought, only to pause. There was a faint sound behind him. Snapping his attention in that direction, he came across a leaping child Midoriya. Todoroki didn't hesitate and summoned a high pillar of ice, freezing the little critter. This time, Todoroki succeeded and captured the fiend six feet from him with a cold prison.
However, there was a burst of smoke and the fox child disappeared. Todoroki turned around, ready for the next attack, only for his face to be struck by fox Fire. He tried to swat it off, to stop blocking his face, only to realize it had latched onto the left side of his face. To Todoroki's surprise, he felt a tingling sensation there. The blue flames weren't supposed to affect him! They were supposed to heal! Wait… that meant…
"My- my scar!" Todoroki yelled, shocked.
He blinked and snapped his attention around. For a moment, he had forgotten about the battle. However, the thought of those insidious flames undoing the scar… it shook him to the core. Desperate to stop Midoriya, he spun around and started creating ice walls in all directions, until finally the flames ended and he was able to see.
Surrounded by just ice, Todoroki panted, only to touch the left side of his head, in a panic. His hand trembled as it laid on skin… smooth, healed skin. Todoroki's eyes widened. Midoriya's flames could heal scars? And why was he so troubled by it?
Midoriya! Todoroki remembered and he chided himself for lowering his guard. The teenager looked around, worried. Strangely enough, he saw no sign of Midoriya in any direction from any of the empty spaces between the ice walls he had randomly created… no, not all directions.
Todoroki snapped his head upwards, back to the ice pillar he had initially created to capture one of Midoriya's two tails. From its top, having used it to gain altitude, was none other than a smirking Four-Tailed Midoriya. Worse, however, was the cartoonish heart headed his way. Todoroki raised his right hand, ready to respond, but it was too late.
I lost, Todoroki realized.
And with that last thought, the heart struck him on the face. He started falling backwards, his body numb and his mind filled with alien emotions swelling his chest.
How? How could he defeat me? Todoroki wondered, eyes focused on the sky.
A shadow fell over him and, before he touched the ground, clawed hands held him up. Four-Tailed Midoriya smiled at him while she gently lowered Todoroki to the ground. She knelt next to him, using her tails as a cushion.
"Sorry about the scar, love" Midoriya softly said, lacking her usual seductive tone. Her emerald eyes locked onto his with that same sympathetic shine from before. "I had no right to heal it without your permission…"
Oddly enough, in his current position, with his head on the soft tails of Midoriya and with a woman that filled his chest with strange yet suffocating emotions, Todoroki found himself awfully relaxed.
"Midoriya has immobilized Todoroki!" Midnight declared. "One, two…"
As she counted, Midoriya sighed, sending her opponent a pitying look.
"I know this is not my place" Midoriya told him.
"Three, four, five…" Midnight counted.
"But you can't let your father dictate your life" Midoriya said.
"…six, seven, eight…"
"They are not his flames… they are yours" Midoriya told him.
"Nine, ten!" Midnight finished counting. "Midoriya has immobilized Todoroki for over the count of ten! Winner of the fight: Izuku Midoriya!"
With that Midoriya smiled and gently laid his head over the concrete before he transformed into his Zero-Tailed form. He offered a hand towards a blinking Todoroki. The dichromatic boy, in turn, just remained there, a mixture of rage and confusion swirling in his entire being.
"It-It was a good match" nervously stammered the boy.
Todoroki glared at Midoriya and swatted his hand aside. The quirkess-looking boy stood there, shocked, while Todoroki stood up on his own.
"You do not know me" Todoroki spat, glaring at him.
He reached to his left side, unsure how to feel. Shouldn't he be glad he didn't have the scar anymore? Or should he hate Midoriya for using it like he did? He turned around and started stomping away, needing some place to think and process his defeat.
"I don't" Midoriya told him. "But I know what it is like to feel a burning hatred towards someone, someone who tormented you to a breaking point".
Todoroki paused. An image of a smug Bakugo flashed across him mind.
"I probably can't really compare my situation with yours" Midoriya told him. "But as someone who was bullied to the point he repressed his own quirk…" Todoroki turned around, frowning "…latching onto that anger will do you no good, especially if you want to be a hero".
Todoroki scoffed, wanting to dismiss Midoriya's claim. What? He had been bullied? Midoriya had absolutely no idea how much he had suffered every single day since his birth, and not just him. Midoriya had no right to offer opinions or lectures. And yet, deep down, as much as he wanted to deny it, there was an uncomfortable grain of truth lacing Midoriya's words.
Bakugo Katsuki sure wasn't enjoying himself. How could he? His mind couldn't stop annoying him. As he glared at the bathroom's mirror in front of him, he tried to squash the errant infuriating thoughts that besieged his mind.
Who was that stupid Round Face to act like that? She's nothing! Bakugo growled, squinting his eyes shut and trying with all his might to try to dispel the strange emotions coursing through his veins.
However, Round Face wasn't the only one troubling him. His first capture at the hand of the perverted midget's team, his second capture and that slut form of Deku's smugly looking down on him… the door to the bathroom opened, interrupting his thoughts. Bakugo was about to yell at the newcomer, only to freeze. There, by the door, was his homeroom teacher, and boy did he look pissed.
"Bakugo" Aizawa stated. "I've been looking for you…"
Bakugo gritted his teeth. He knew that tone of voice. Even though it sounded calm, Bakugo could feel the burning rage etched to Aizawa's voice. This wasn't going to be nice, was it?
"You alright, Bakugo? You look a bit… tense" Aizawa hummed, staring at him with those judging eyes.
"I'm fine" Bakugo muttered. "Why were you looking for me?"
"You know exactly why" Aizawa grunted, folding his arms. "I leave you to deal with urgent business for one event, just one event… and you go on a rampage on your peers?"
Shit, Bakugo swore. He knew that conversation had been coming.
"I really thought you had understood, Bakugo, but apparently I was wrong. Imagine my surprise when I was comfortably taking a much needed coffee when I was accosted by Vlad King from 1-B and Power Loader. Oh, but far more surprising what that they told me how you acted towards their students. For a moment, I did not want to see the replay of the Second Event. Truthfully, I was an irrational fool to expect you could learn anything" Aizawa muttered.
Bakugo didn't say a thing. He remained glaring at the ground, his pale face wet with perspiration. Yep, this was definately not good.
"I told you to control yourself and what did you do? You go around breaking noses and using your quirk on student's faces, acting like some villain on a rampage" Aizawa stated.
Bakugo scowled. He was no god-damn villain.
"I've spoken to your mother and the Principal, and they've agreed" Aizawa sighed, shaking his head.
Oh no, no, no, no! Bakugo thought, wide-eyed.
"This is your Second Strike" Aizawa told him. "You are suspended until further notice".
Bakugo didn't react. Deep down, he was thankful that was the extent of his so-called punishment. That wouldn't be so bad, right? What's a few days outside of school in comparisson to other punishments? Oh, how wrong he was.
"And forget about the internships, Bakugo" Aizawa said.
"Huh? What the-?" Bakugo exclaimed, only to hold his tongue. He shuddered as Aizawa coldly looked down at him.
"Go on, Bakugo, please, do finish that sentence" Aizawa said.
But Bakugo kept his mouth shut.
"Yes, Bakugo, no internships and suspension. I'll decide how you'll spend the week of internship at a later date… and unless I see substantial improvement, this is merely the beginning of your punishment" Aizawa stated. "Am I clear?"
Bakugo didn't trust himself to speak. Instead, he merely nodded.
"You'll have to learn you can't act like a rabid dog, Bakugo, even if the audience thirsts for the violence. The sponsors and Hero Agencies may love your little performance, Bakugo, but you are still a student of U.A. and you are expected to behave as such" Aizawa said.
"Am I… am I disqualified from the Festival?" Bakugo murmured.
"No" Aizawa said.
Bakugo blinked surprised. To his confusion, Aizawa was smirking at him.
"You are allowed to finish the festival and the competition" the teacher elaborated.
Bakugo frowned, baffled.
"Oh, it is not within my power to do that… but, truthfully, I think these next fights will do you good" Aizawa cryptically remarked. "You'll find your next competitors far better suited for combat at Uraraka." Here, he squinted at her. "Speaking of which, how does it feel to beat Uraraka, Bakugo? Proud, I presume."
"Oy, what- what was I supposed to do? Stand still?" Bakugo huffed. "I have to beat her and I wasn't going to hold back because she was a girl!"
"You could have dragged her out of boundaries or pinned her down and immobilized her. I know you can do so. And no, you didn't have to hold back because she was a girl… you had to do it because she is a fellow human being and your classmate, one who has no proper combat training" Aizawa told him.
"Alright, yeah, I may have been a bit worried back then and I might have overreacted" Bakugo grunted. "So what? It's in the past now. I beat her, so there's nothing I can do now".
"Well… technically Midnight had to intervene so it isn't like you personally defeated her" Aizawa pointed out.
An eyebrow twitched on Bakugo's head. However, to his mounting ire, Aizawa wasn't done.
"And she did have you helplessly floating at her mercy… so I wouldn't be so proud for that so-called victory, especially considering this was a girl who had no prior fighting experience, mostly self-taught and has more of an inclination towards Rescue hero-work…"
Bakugo gritted his teeth, face turning puce with rage.
"That and she did have everything stacked against her, from battle field to any situational advantage. An open concrete ring was truly much to your advantage than hers, wasn't it? Actually, I am amazed you did so poorly against her" Aizawa added with a taunting shrug.
It was extremely difficult for Bakugo to hold his tongue and anger in check. They were all lies! Round Face had been pathetic! What had she done? A last ditch effort? She wasn't going to last! And the first move was a fluke! Thankfully, he managed to avoid messing up and screaming at Aizawa. That was a one-way trip to the Third and last Strike.
"Do as you wish, Bakugo, but this is your last warning. Another classmate of yours ends up with a scar on his or her face… and I will make you regret it. Forget expulsion, you'll go straight to juvenile" Aizawa remarked. "Get your act together, Bakugo, or I swear to God, this will end badly for you".
Bakugo gritted his teeth, clenching his teeth. Why in the world was his teacher such a hard-ass? He had one of the most powerful quirks out there, and he was on his way towards being the next All Might! Aizawa should be proud of him, delighted even! He would be famous for teaching the next Number One Hero… but no matter what Bakugo did, Aizawa's scathing gaze only seemed to burn more and more into Bakugo's heart and pride.
"You think I'm a villain, don't you?" Bakugo growled.
"I wonder why I would ever think that" Aizawa grunted, voice dripping with sarcasm. "It can't possibly be how you scarred your classmates, or how you act like a rabid megalomaniac on a rampage".
"I could quit. Any school out there will take me in. Hell, they would probably treat me a hell of a lot better" Bakugo muttered. "Do you know how many Pro-Heroes and Government agencies are just begging me to join them?"
"I have no doubt about that" Aizawa remarked, amused. "What's stopping you? I am sure your parents will be proud of your decision and your reasoning". Bakugo winced at that. "However, let me give you a warning: if you think the Principal will just allow someone with your issues run rampart outside from his control… you are sorely mistaken".
"Is that a threat?" Bakugo growled.
"That's a fact" Aizawa said. "But please, do not let me stop you from your fight". Here, he smirked at Bakugo "I am looking forward to this battle".
Bakugo squinted at him, suspicious. "Oh, and why's that? You think Shi- Kirishima stands a chance against me?"
"Let's just say… he request a very specific training regimen and I am impressed by the results" Aizawa said with a knowing smile.
"Whatever" Bakugo scoffed. As if a guy with a pathetic quirk like Hardening of all things could hope to stand a chance against his explosion…
As he marched out of the bathroom, though, a sense of dread washed all over him. He had his second strike and that meant any other screw up and he would be on the chopping block. Bakugo froze, red eyes widening with fear, as a thought struck him.
If Shinso tells any of the extras about what I told him… that I passed him wrong information that ended up with Deku attacking him… shit, shit, SHIT! Bakugo panicked.
When Bakugo made it to the concrete arena, he audience enthusiastic cheering felt hollow and did little to comfort him. He didn't wave or smile this time around, a sense of doom stuck in his gut. Even if the audience loved his performance, that wasn't going to help him at all once Shinso run his mouth. He was so screwed… and it was all Deku's fault.
Bakugo reached his position in the concrete ring and stood there. He must have been acting off, because Midnight, Cementoss and All Might sent strange concerned faces. To Bakugo's chagrin, Midnight appeared to giggle and whisper something at Cementoss, who seemed equally amused. All Might merely shook his head at Bakugo, disappointed.
The explosive teen clenched his fists and glared at the concrete floor. This wasn't how the tournament was supposed to be like. This was his moment, damn it! He was supposed to shine and show the world he was the next Number One.
This is fucking Deku's fault… Bakugo mentally growled.
In front of him, Shitty Hair was stretching, all while holding a stupid grin. It irked Bakugo to no end how the redhead seemed unfazed by his presence. In fact, Shitty Hair looked almost… pleased and eager. Did he want a fucking beating or what?
"Ready to go down, Bakugo?" Shitty Hair said with a confident smirk.
"And what's that supposed to mean? Your quirk is pathetic" derissively scoffed Bakugo "you can only harden. What the hell are you going to do?"
"Oh, I'll show you hardening!" Kirishima exclaimed, grin unchanged.
"Alright, young men!" All Might intervene "leave the actual sparring for the fight!"
Shitty Hair and Bakugo squinted angrily at each other.
As if that fucking loser could hope to stand against my quirk, thought Bakugo.
"You remember them from the first round, don't you?" Present Mic started announcing. "On the one side, with a rock-hard determination and hardened spirit, the unbreakable Eijiro Kirishima!"
The crowd, as expected, mildly clapped. Shitty Hair, though, remained confident, smirking all the way.
"On the other hand, he's the explosive mass of unadulterated violence, Katsuki Bakugo!"
Better, Bakugo thought with a scoff.
"Fighters, are you ready?" Midnight called.
"Hell yeah! You are going down, Bakugo!" Responded Shitty Hair.
"In your dreams!" Bakugo exclaimed.
"Don't go overboard, boys" Midnight warned. She took a few seconds to glance at them, before she shouted "Fight!"
Shitty Hair charged at Bakugo at full speed. The explosive teen, in turn, ran towards the redhead and reared his right arm. Then, as Shitty Hair was but a few metres away, Bakugo punched forward and released a powerful explosion.
Instead of smirking, though, a wave of panic washed over Bakugo. He had completely forgotten about Aizawa's warning. Crap! If he had burned the extra's face then-
PUNCH.
Bakugo was sent flying backwards, rolling and scraping on the ground. Confused, he knelt and snapped his head towards the fading smoke. To his shock, Shitty Hair was charging at him, unscathed. How? Even though his shirt was in tatters, Shitty Hair acted as if he was unfazed with smoke trailing behind him.
Shit, that explosion wasn't strong enough, Bakugo angrily thought, standing to his feet.
"Yes… my quirk is hardening" Shitty Hair growled, raising a fist "but if you think a hero is defined by his quirk, then you are an unmanly fool".
Was the extra lecturing him? He saw red. Immediately, Bakugo exploded towards Shitty Hair. The redhead, in turn, held his ground. Bakugo reached him and produced an explosion in front while also producing an explosion below him. In one solid boom, he was somersaulting over the redhead. As Bakugo flew behind Shitty Hair, who was covered in smoke, he produced two massive explosive, this time twice stronger than before and with both hands.
Before Bakugo accelerated backwards and before the explosions fully died down, two large jagged and claw-like hands grabbed him from both side of his face, and suddenly Shitty Hair's hardened forehead came to meet Bakugo's shocked face. Bakugo recoiled, only to feel a massive fist in his gut, followed by kneecap to the blond's chin. Shitty Hair, though, wasn't done, grabbing him by one shirt and punching the explosive teen's face.
Bakugo was sent rolling over the ground, still reeling over what had just happened. Dizzy and confused, he knelt over, unable to believe what he was feeling: a good lot of pain. As he spat on the ground, he froze.
Was that… blood? Bakugo snapped his head towards Shitty Hair. The extra, back to his normal form, glared at him without a shirt. Didn't Bakugo's explosions do anything?!
What the fuck is wrong with him? Bakugo thought, shocked. He- he is still standing after I fucking burned him?!
"I've been looking forward for this fight" Shitty Hair proclaimed, stretching his arms. "I've been training till I dropped and guess what? Your explosions Bakugo will do nothing against me!"
And with that, Shitty Hair, baring a confident smile, charged at Bakugo. For the first time in his life, Bakugo actually panicked against an opponent.
He must be taking trigger! He must be! Bakugo thought as he stood up. He clenched his fists, squashing down his fears. It doesn't matter! I will break him regardless!
When Shitty Hair got close enough, Bakugo roared and started producing explosions. One after the other, he would not allow the crazy extra get anywhere close to him. He would overwhelm Shitty Hair's hardening and teach the son of a bitch a true lesson of what it meant to be a hero. No puny quirk as Shitty Hair's hardening would stop him. Explosion after explosion, Bakugo was ready to go on for as long as needed – until he froze.
Aizawa's warning and words flashed across his mind. Bakugo paused, clenching his fists. He couldn't go overboard… not again.
Before him there was only smoke but he could tell, from the broken concrete ground, that Bakugo had gone a bit overboard. He grimaced, already imagining the lecture he would get from Aizawa, how his – suddenly, something came out of the black smoke. Bakugo's jaw dropped.
Impossible! Bakugo thought, wide-eyed, only for a monstrous-looking Shitty Hair, body turned into a massive jagged and rock-like golem of sorts, to burst out of the smoke and deliver a punch on Bakugo's gut. Bakugo hunched over, only for the monstrous fiend to give one powerful blow on his back.
Bakugo, on his knees, looked up towards Shitty Hair, only for his face to be greeted by a fist, right on his left cheek. Then, the redhead lifted Bakugo up by the scruff of his shirt and threw him with all his strength, straight towards the boundaries.
No! No! I won't lose! Bakugo mentally screamed. His eyes snapped at the fast approaching white line. In a moment of panic, he extended his hands and produced powerful explosions.
Bakug's body met the ground and scrapped himself as he rolled. Thankfully, as he stood up, he discovered he was still within boundaries… by a few inches. One push and Bakugo was out. How in the world had it come to this? Bakugo snapped his head towards Shitty Hair, who was already close to him.
"Not so easy when dealing with someone with my quirk, huh?" Shitty Hair scoffed. "It's time to learn about defeat, Bakugo!"
I can't beat him… Bakugo realized.
His explosions were as good as useless and he couldn't bring himself to go overboard or else he would be expelled (and much worse). Punching and kicking were out of the question. Fighting Shitty Hair was futile.
I can't beat him but I'll still win this! Bakugo thought.
"Time to lose!" Shitty Hair exclaimed, ready to push Bakugo off limits.
"IN YOUR DREAMS!" Bakugo screamed.
Shitty Hair wasn't about to charge at him blindly. He wasn't as stupid as he looked and knew Bakugo could move quickly enough to a side. Heck, by the looks of it, Shitty Hair probably expected Bakugo to explode either up or to the sides. Thus, Shitty Hair lowered his mass with legs apart and leaned forward, ready to push him in that larger monstrous form of his.
Bakugo though had a few tricks up his sleeve. He released a blinding explosion ridden with thick black smoke. Shitty Hair, believing he would escape upwards or sideways, blindly stepped forward. Bakugo, though, dropped into the ground and, with his explosions, scraped forward and right under Shitty Hair's legs. Once past Shitty Hair, Bakugo moved his hands forward and pushed against Shitty Hair, shoulder against the redhead's back. Aided by two massive explosions both flew forward. However, before Bakugo could escape, he felt a rock-like hand grab him and pull him forward.
Both Shitty Hair and Bakugo fell out of boundaries. No sooner had the two touched the ground and noticed the side of the line they were on, they froze. They untangled from the other, keeping a safe distance.
"I pushed you out of limits first!" Shitty Hair angrily spat.
"What? No way! You were out of boundaries before that!" Bakugo exclaimed.
"Hey, Referee, who won?" Shitty Hair asked.
He turned towards Midnight, who was listening to her ear-communicator.
"Let's see the replay!" All Might proclaimed.
Holographic screens materialized in front of audience all around the stadium. There, everyone witnessed the last moments of the fight in slow motion. Bakugo's eyes widened as he saw how, after both Shitty Hair and him were about to cross the boundary line, Shitty Hair managed to pull him up to his own level. In fact, at plain sight it looked like they had crossed the limit line at the same time.
"You've got to be shitting me…" Bakugo's eyes widened.
"Time to enhance the picture!" Laughed All Might.
And enhanced the picture was. Specifically, the frozen image of the two fighters as they were crossing the white delimiting line. It wasn't clear at first, but suddenly everyone saw who had won.
"What? Oh come on! That's what? An inch?" Shitty Hair shouted. "Should have gone for a less spiky hairstyle for the fight…" he grumbled.
Midnight and All Might traded amused faces before laughing. Bakugo wasn't finding it amusing. He fell on his knees, disbelieving. He had won… by a hair? The fuck?
"By less than an inch, Kirishima was pushed out of boundaries first! Winner: Bakugo Katsuki!" Midnight declared.
"Damn, so close" Shitty Hair said, only to grin and shrug. "Guess you aren't such a big deal, huh Bakugo?"
Bakugo, though, wasn't listening.
How? He wondered. What the fuck is wrong with the extras today? Hell, what's wrong with me? I almost lost… the thought made him freeze, disbelieving. And against moron that goes on and on about manliness… no, that's impossible!
And yet, no manner of denial could make him forget the dread he had felt during the fight, to be at the mercy of an Extra. It had happened, whether he liked it or not. His quirk, for the first time in his life, had barely been enough to scrap a win.
No! No! It- it was a fluke! I-I was holding back because of that motherfucker Aizawa and his stupid strikes! Bakugo thought. He stood up, angrily shaking his head and storming out of the ring. I couldn't have been helpless against him! He- he just- No!
And yet, the more he thought about it, the more his mind rebuked him.
The extras are all fucking cowards – and image of Round Face, trembling yet defiant, flashed across his mind – She is just an idiot! And weak! All Extras are weak – but images of Shitty Hair, tall and proud against his beloved explosions, hit a nerve.
"Hey, Bakugo!" Midnight called.
Bakugo paused and snapped his head at her.
"Are you alright?" She asked, worried. "You should check on Recovery Girl after that beating…"
Bakugo felt like a hand had grabbed his heart. That look on her face... she was looking down on her... they all were...
"I'm fine, damn it! I don't need help!" He spat and went back to angrily stomping away.
And with the turmoil of emotions, Bakugo felt something crack once again within his very being, all while he went into the dark depths of the stadium in an attempt to ignore the perilous thoughts that were haunting him.
Izuku Midoriya could not believe what had just happened. He wasn't the only one. At the infirmary, everyone stared at the screen, amazed.
"He almost lost… by a hair?" Ochaco said, blinking at the screen with a wide grin.
"By less, if we are getting technical" Iida said.
It was clear he was trying to look serious, but a wide smile was threatening to crack on his usually stern face. The Usagiyamas, though, didn't have the such reservations. They burst out laughing. Izuku too couldn't help but find it rather amusing, chortling alongside Rumi. Shinso, on his bed, had a smile of his own.
"I didn't know Kirishima could harden that much" Izuku mused.
"Yeah, now that guy right there – he was awesome!" Rumi laughed, pointing a finger at the image of Kirishima marching towards the stadium.
"Should I be jealous?" Teased Izuku.
"I don't know, Fox Boy, Red Head over there sure is ripped…" she added.
Izuku, as much as it pained him to admit it, could not deny Kirishima sure had a muscular upper chest. Glistening in sweat, Izuku could see what Rumi meant.
"Oh come on" Izuku pouted.
"I am just teasing, Fox Boy" Rumi murmured. She leaned over to him and nudged the boy. "Still, you could use with some more muscles".
"Guess I should add that to the list of things to do after the Festival" sighed Izuku.
"Hold on, you've already got a list? Geez, I can't leave you for one second before you start overthinking stuff!" Rumi harrumphed, amused.
"Hey, it's not a long list and they are things I need to do" Izuku shrugged.
"Such as?" Ochaco asked.
"Like healing you guys" Izuku said both to Ochaco and Shinso.
"Right, like you did with Todoroki" Shinso hummed, nodding. He sighed, exasperated "like I said before, you are overpowered Midoriya".
"You don't have to, Izuku" Ochaco said. "You still spend a lot of energy healing injuries".
"How does that work?" Shinso wondered. "He can summon massive walls of flame but healing injuries is beyond his reach?"
"Making the Fox Fire isn't hard. I can do a lot of it. The problem is that it consumes a lot of energy when I try to heal any wound. I haven't have time to improve on that" sighed Izuku. "That's one of the things I want to do: I want to train with my Fox Fire. One way is healing you two, but I… well… don't know… maybe try volunteering at a hospital?"
"You sure that's a good idea? If people get a sniff of how well your Fox Fire heals, they'll come from all places begging for your miracle flames. You won't have time to be an actual Pro-Hero" Rumi worriedly pointed out.
"She has a good point, Izuku. Your flames heal better than Recovery Girl's quirk and many people would expect to get your services for it. In fact, it might draw the attention of many unsavoury organizations and individuals" Iida said.
"Yes, I know that. However, my healing isn't that convenient in comparison to Recovery Girl's. Whereas she could heal a thousand people in one day, I can barely heal eardrum injuries before I pass out" Izuku remarked.
"Still overpowered" grunted Shinso from his bed.
"Hey, guys, we should be planning, right?" Ochaco excitedly interrupted.
Everyone turned their heads at her, confused.
"Next fight is a fated battle of friends turned rivals! Uh, Izuku and Rumi, you should go away while Shinso and I come with a super awesome strategy for Tenya!" Ochaco energetically explained.
"Why are you so excited about it?" A confused Shinso asked, only for his one-good eye to widen "and why are you including me? I barely know you!"
"But we have bonded deeply by our shared experience…" Ochaco sombrely stated "…eating together after a gruesome fight is how men become brothers!"
Everyone sweatdropped at that.
"That's… that's not how it works" Shinso stated, bewildered.
"That's Ochaco for you" Iida told the indigo-haired boy.
"And hey, do you have anything better to do?" Haku asked him.
Shinso opened his mouth to retort, only to close it. In the end, he just shrugged. Rumi and Izuku exchanged faces, baffled, before smiling.
"Whatcha say, Fox Boy, shall we go out and… plan?" Purred Rabbit Girl, waggling her eyebrows.
"You know me. I love… planning" replied Izuku with a mischievous smirk. He turned to his friends. "Whatever you come up with, please, no kicks below the belt".
"I would never do such a dishonourable thing!" Iida vehemently exclaimed.
"Boo! That was my entire plan!" Ochaco exclaimed with a childish pout.
"I was going to suggest that" Shinso admitted, amused.
"That's… that's low of you, guys" Izuku said with a wince, imaging the pain of a leg-enhanced kick down below. He turned to Rumi. "I rather we didn't leave or they might convince Iida to actually go through it".
"Oh come on, you silly Fox Boy!" Scoffed Rumi.
She roughly grabbed Izuku by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him away. He didn't put much of a resistance. Instead, as he was taken away, he gestured at Ochaco and Shinso that he would be watching. The two responded with mischievous smirks. Iida, on his part, stared at his would-be helpers with apprehension. Meanwhile, Haku and Hana sat on an empty bed, side by side, entertained by the entire exchange all while gnawing at peeled carrots.
Once outside, Izuku and Rumi walked together across the dark corridors of the stadium. At first, they merely marched out, no destination in mind. Later on, they started glancing at each other and, before long, they were childishly nudging at each other, chuckling about something only they could understand.
"So… are you up for it?" Rumi abruptly asked.
"To fight a friend for the entire world to enjoy? Never" Izuku remarked. He smiled, though. "But I rather face Bakugo than watch Iida fight him".
"Do you have a plan?" Rumi asked, only to scoff and roll her eyes. "What a stupid question, of course you do!"
"You know it!" Laughed Izuku. "Don't worry. I've got this".
"You know, maybe this Tokoyami guy could actually do it" Rumi hummed, thoughtful. "And Robot Boy isn't that bad of a fighter either, is he? He could actually win against Bakugo".
"Yes, I know they can… but Tokoyami's quirk is already at a disadvantage against Bakugo and, as much as I can't deny Iida's battle prowess… he's not exactly flexible in combat. Bakugo will steamroll him with ease if only by how unpredictable he can get" Izuku said.
"So it might be you against Bakugo…" hummed Rumi. She turned towards him, grinning. "You know, I hope it comes to that. I am sure you'll beat the shit out of him".
"Of course I will" grunted Izuku.
That seemed to please Rumi.
"Keep that attitude, Fox Boy, and I might drag you off to a changing room for some proper… planning" sultrily teased Rabbit Girl.
"Who says I would be against that?" Izuku responded with a foxy grin and waggling eyebrows.
"Oy, it's no fun when you react like that" Rumi grunted as she blushed and gently punched his arm.
He just laughed. In a swift move, he leaned over and kiss her cheek, earning a deep blush from her. With a smirk, she turned towards him and, before he could react, she jumped him, pressing the fox boy against a wall. Rumi held onto him, legs wrapped around him, all while his hands latched to her waist. His nine tails wrapped around them and, for a while, the two ignored everything about the sports festival.
When they broke their kiss, they remained embracing each other, their foreheads pressed against each other.
"Hey, Rabbit Girl… we aren't going too fast, are we?" Izuku wondered. "I mean, we just – oy, no smacking my head. It's an honest question".
Rumi lowered her fist, disappointed, before she gave him another kiss.
"Don't think about it, Fox Boy" Rabbit Girl grunted. "Sincerely, I think we aren't going fast enough…" She gave him another kiss, before she sighed. Reluctantly, she unwound her legs from him and stepped back before snuggling onto his chest. "But I prefer this pace. I don't want… ehm… this" she gestured at themselves "to get in the way of our goals".
Izuku hummed, hands gently stroking her back.
"Just don't think about it, you silly Fox Boy" Rumi hummed, burying her face into his chest. "Let's just... flow with it".
"Easier said than that" Izuku chuckled.
Rumi didn't respond, relishing on the embrace. Sincerely, Izuku had never expected Rabbit Girl to be such a fan of snuggling and hugs. Then again, perhaps she enjoyed all types of physical contact.
"Hey, Fox Boy, I am going to ask a stupid question, alright?" Rumi said.
"I don't need a warning for that" Izuku chuckled.
"Yeah, but I don't like stupid questions so give me a break, Fox Boy" Rumi huffed.
For a moment, she merely kept her face buried in his chest, apparently enjoy the comforting embrace of the Fox Boy. Izuku didn't push her. He knew Rumi, being rather proud, probably needed her time to ask what she could call 'a stupid question'. In the end, she sighed.
"Do you think I'm like Bakugo?"
That made Izuku snap his eyes wide and his tail retract behind him. Shocked, he looked at her, baffled.
"Huh?" He blurted out.
"See? Stupid question" Rumi said with a roll of her eyes. "Never mind, Fox Boy, I am just too infected with a severe case of Fox-Boy-itis".
"Hey, I'm sure that isn't contagious and - well it's just- that was a bit of a mood killer" Izuku said.
Rumi and Izuku locked gazes for a moment, only to burst out laughing.
"You silly Fox Boy" Rumi chuckled.
The two shared a moment to snicker before he answered the question.
"Nah, you're nothing like him… alright, yeah, you are a bit abrasive just like Bakugo… and you do kind of look down on people who don't put effort into their goals… and maybe you should start using people's name instead of descriptive nicknames… and-" Izuku said, only to receive a bonk on his head.
He grinned at her. Rumi, in turn, glared at him.
"Are you trying to convince me I am nothing like Bakugo or do you want me to feel like a miserable arsehole?" Rumi growled.
"Alright, yes, Rabbit Girl, you do share a few things with Bakugo, but other than that you are nothing like him. You are actually nice, for one, and you aren't self-centred. Besides, you've been really helpful in a... ehm... I'll-smack-sense-into-you sort of way. That and you are way better looking. Trust me, I'm sure I am a good judge of that" Izuku said with a wink.
Rumi grinned at that.
"Happy now?" Izuku wondered with a foxy grin.
"Ha! You make it sound like I was troubled or something. It was just a stupid question" Rumi huffed.
Izuku rolled his eyes and Rumi buried herself on his chest again. They remained like that for a while, merely enjoying each other's warmth. However, as all good things, they don't last forever and, eventually, Rumi broke the embrace to look at Izuku into the eyes.
"Fox Boy, since we are here... planning... I want to try something" Rumi stated.
Izuku raised an eyebrow.
"Should I be worried?" Izuku hummed.
"Oh yes, you should. Turn into the Three-Tails" Rumi ordered.
Izuku frowned at her, bewildered, only to shrug and turn into that female form. For a moment, they stared at each other, all while Rumi stared at her. The rabbit girl studied the Three-Tails, as if assessing something. Meanwhile, Izuku offered a sassy smile. What in the world was Rumi planning? Then, all of a sudden, Rumi leaned forward and kissed Izuku, catching her by surprise. However, as Rumi's arms wrapped around her waist, Izuku's arms snaked around her neck.
When they finally broke apart, Rumi's face was as red as a dying sun while Izuku was grinning like an idiot. They didn't speak outright, merely studying each other.
"You aren't going to drag me to a changing room now, are you?" She asked with a satisfied smirk.
"Don't tempt me" Rumi retorted, averting her eyes. She licked her lips. "That was not as weird as I thought it would be…" a grin spread across her face.
"Uh, thought girls were icky?" Teased Izuku.
"You will always be Fox Boy to me no matter what form you take" Rumi rebutted.
"Should I turn into the Four-Tails now?" Mused Izuku.
"L-let's- lets leave it f-for another occasion" a stammering Rumi spluttered.
Izuku, amused, leaned in for another kiss. Rumi's face reddened further but instead of embarrassment, a smug grin crawled on her face. Their lips met once again and, with their eyes closed, they enjoyed the moment as they kissed. They stayed like that for a moment, ignoring the world once again and all their troubles. Izuku's fight would soon begin… but at the moment, Izuku's mind was elsewhere, in a happy place.