Misfit High School!

by Ulquiorra9000

Chapter 14: And the Winner Is... (no hard feelings, okay? OKAY?)

The break between rounds zipped by way faster than Midoriya expected, but then again, Ochaco Uraraka was on his mind the whole time, and how close they had been in the hotel's sunlit park, almost no one around to interrupt them (stupid phone call), Ochaco's sweet scent, how her hair had tickled him when they drew close -

Oh yeah, there was a science bowl on. Sure. Whatever.

"And here we have the team set to challenge Shiketsu high school for the gold medal!" Coach Yagi announced in the packed auditorium as Midoriya shuffled down the aisles with his seven teammates. "Give it up for these eight youngsters!"

Up on the stage, Inasa Yoarashi bolted upright, an eager look on his face. "Wait a minute! No one told me there was a gold medal! I must win it!"

Camie giggled and eased him back down in his seat. "It's just a figure of speech, Inasa. Relax."

"Oh, it's real," coach Yagi told her, his dazzling white teeth glinting.

Camie bolted to her feet, an eager look on her face. "Ooooooh! Gimme!"

"We have to win first, you creeps," Seiji muttered.

Midoriya's mind was still back at the park as the audience clapped to welcome his team onto the stage. He glanced at Ochaco as he took his seat with the others, but she didn't return his gaze. She seemed totally focused on the science bowl.

Then Midoriya's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

What the? Midoriya checked the text message while coach Yagi introduced his team again. It was a text from... Mei?

I see you and Ochaco looking at each other with lovers' eyes. It's plain as day! the message read.

Midoriya jolted and he swear he heard a teapot-like whistle as steam shot out of his ears. He automatically stared over at Mei, who gave him a cunning look.

"Young Midoriya, please put away all personal electronics," coach Yagi gently chastised him. "It's just you and your brain fighting for the top spot!"

"S-sorry!" Midoriya shoved his phone into his pocket and wondered if he could reach the fire alarm from here to make his exit. Forget this fancy hotel! Who needed it?

"And now, we are ready to start!" coach Yagi boomed. "All questions are worth double points, and these will be some tough ones. You lot ready?"

"Yes!" sixteen teenagers declared, some with more enthusiasm than others. Inasa alone could melt titanium with that voice of his.

Coach Yagi did a flourish as he drew the top card from his stack of questions. "Then let us begin! For two points: In the SI system of measure, what is the unit of capacitance?"

Inasa buzzed in like a cheetah on a sugar rush. "Farad!" he declared.

"Very well done!" coach Yagi exclaimed. "Let's move right on... What is 25,000 miles per hour on Earth, and 5,300 miles per hour on the Moon?"

Shoto Todoroki buzzed right in, smooth and cool (then again, so was ice cream). "Escape velocity," he said.

"Correct! Third question..."

Back and forth the two teams went, but Midoriya felt like he was stuck in a tar pit (hey, maybe a question about that would come up). Darn it! Why was the universe teasing him like this?! He'd never had a real date before, and he had so much trouble approaching girls... he had his chance, and yoink! Away it went! Maybe he was doomed to settle for a girlfriend pillow like Aoyama was rumored to have. Midoriya tightened his hands into fists. It was just so unfair! When would he get another chance?

Buzz!

Midoriya blinked. "Huh?"

"Yes! Young Midoriya!" coach Yagi pointed right at the teenager in question, and his teammates were watching him. What was their problem? He started to sweat, unable to say a word.
Wait... did he buzz into a question?!

"Rocks," he blurted out.

Mei dove her face into her arms to hide her laughter while Bakugo made a sour face like he just lost a bet of a million dollars, and Iida leaned a little closer to Midoriya. "Izuku, please pay closer attention, or we will surely lose!" Iida whispered urgently into his ear.

Coach Yagi hesitated. "Uh... that was a chemistry question."

Seiji rolled his eyes and buzzed in. "Carbon isotopes," he answered.

"Correct!" Coach Yagi gave him the thumbs-up, and Seiji rolled his eyes even harder. Seriously, they'd pop out of his head at this rate.

"Deku, are you all right?" Ochaco whispered from behind her cupped hand as coach Yagi asked the next question.

Izuku saw Ochaco's innocent, curious brown eyes and flinched. If only he had a decent blanket so he could hide under it for a few hours. He just couldn't face anyone right now!

"F-fine," he stammered. "Am fine."

Okay, his language center was definitely kaput. Nice knowing you.

"And now, the final question!" Coach Yagi announced in what felt like no time at all. He dramatically drew the final card, and toyed with it in his hand. "Oh, my. Everything comes down this, doesn't it? The final crunch. It reminds me of my third year in high school, when the school's eyes were upon me as I had to take the final shot for the goal..."

Bakugo sprang to his feet. "Ask the stupid question!" he roared. "Get on with it, old man!"

Coach Yagi had a dark rain cloud over his head. "I'm only thirty-four..." He sobbed into his card, and Ms. Joke sprang onto the stage to comfort him.

"There, there..." she consoled him. "I'll tell you a funny joke to cheer you up."

Coach Yagi blinked back the tears. "Does it involve talking animals?"

Bakugo winced. "Uh... sorry, Mr. Yagi. I just wanna win, that's all. We'd love to hear the final question."

"But of course!" Coach Yagi struck a pose like a Greek statue and seemed to radiate cheer and glory. "Silly me. Of course you kids are dying to know how this will turn out! This last question decides everything!"

Bakugo looked a bit happier. "Let's do it." He sat back down and rubbed his hands.

Coach Yagi read the final card. "Besides solids, liquids, and gases, what is the fourth state of matter?"

Even the lovesick, preoccupied Midoriya snapped back into reality when he heard that one. What in the world? That question was so easy! Everyone would pounce on it like hungry jaguars!

This was it. Would Midoriya's days of playing Xbox and his PSP finally pay off with his lightning-fast button-pressing reflexes?! He bore his thumb down on that buzzer with all his might -

Buzz!

"Plasma!" Inasa Yoarashi cried. He threw up two pairs of devil's horns like a heavy metal star.

Coach Yagi tossed all his question cards into the air like confetti. "Correct! Shiketsu high school wins the first round of the second phase! Congratulations, kids!"

The audience broke into applause and Midoriya cautiously checked how Bakugo was holding up, prepared for the molten eruption -

Instead he found Bakugo hunched forward, eyes distant as he muttered to himself Midoriya-style (patent pending).

Momo looked concerned. "Katsuki, what are...?"
"The points don't quite add up... we have a chance if Ketsubutsu high school loses to Seiai Academy... yeah, Ketsubutsu ain't that good, they'll lose to Seiai for sure..."

Ms. Joke frowned. "I heard that!" she snapped. "Now I won't let you hear my hysterical joke about the hungry goat that visits the chicken coop!"

"Oh! I'd love to hear it!" Coach Yagi eagerly leaned in closer to listen like a little boy who expected a popsicle.

Bakugo totally ignored them as the sound effects for "mutter, mutter" swirled around him. "We have the points to beat Ketsubutsu too, if they lose to Seiai, oh, but we needed about six more to get into range to overtake first unless I missed something... and I don't think Isamu Academy high school is even in the running based on how many points they got in the one-point phase... but if -"

Shoto knocked his knuckles on Bakugo's head. "Earth to Katsuki," he said. "We gotta go so the next teams can sit down."

"Don't touch me! Half and half jerk!" Bakugo sprang to his feet in fury, ironically doing what Shoto wanted.

"Hey! Be nice!" Itsuka Kendo scolded him.

Bakugo sighed and finally cooled off a bit. "Sorry. I'm just really pumped to win."

"We all are." Momo gently held Bakugo's shoulders. "We would all love to get that gold medal. But without good sportsmanship, it's meaningless. I'm counting on you to make a good impression of our high school, okay?"

Bakugo grunted. "Fine, fine..."

Iida steered Bakugo toward the edge of the stage with the others. "Well spoken, Momo Yaoyorozu!" he cried. "I couldn't have said it better myself!"

"Oh, I just told him what you'd say," Momo said with a bashful smile. "You're the class representative, after all."

"Momo, you do me much honor."

Mei slapped Iida on the back. "Oh for Pete's sake, just take her out on a date already!"

"What -!" Iida seemed to have a heart attack, and he and Bakugo both sprawled onto the stage in an awkward heap.

Momo went bright red. "Mei, mind your own business, if you please!"

"And you!" Mei draped her arm around Midoriya's shoulders. "You'll get your chance, Izuku. Don't look so down in the dumps! Sheesh!"

"Uh..." Midoriya felt himself blush and he met Ochaco's eyes for just a second before she blushed even redder and glanced away.

"If everyone's done playing matchmaker..." Shoto tried to look grumpy as he squeezed his way through the crowd, but Mei grabbed him by the his shirt collar.

"And what about you, Mr. stud?" Mei teased him. "Half the girls in our school are nuts about you. Surely you like one of them back?"

Shoto tried to escape Mei's death grip. "Someone help me out here."

"Somehow, I don't think I can," Itsuka said with a sly grin. "Sorry, Shoto."

"Don't make me freeze your fingers," Shoto warned Mei. "I can make them numb in two second flat."

"Oh, you wouldn't," Mei said with a giggle.

Shoto sighed. "You got me. I wouldn't..."

No one even noticed the Seiai Academy students walking past them to take their turn, nor did they notice the odd looks the Academy students were giving them. Finally, Ms. Joke gently ushered them away and off the stage.

"Great job, guys," she said kindly as they walked down the steps to the auditorium's aisles. "I know I'm supposed to root for my school most of all, but... well, if my Shota is rooting for you all, then so am I!"

"Just take him out to dinner already," Mei told Ms. Joke, aiming her love-cannon right at the older woman. "Maybe some nice wine will loosen him up."

Ms. Joke gasped. "You're right! I never thought of that! Thanks for the idea."

Shoto gawked. "You can't be serious..."

Ms. Joke made a crafty smile. "I've got to hurry and make a reservation for a table for two... see you all later!" She hurried off, more hearts floating around her.

Midoriya gave Mei an impressed look. "Cupid has nothing on you."

Mei winked. "That kid wishes."

Midoriya felt a little better as he found seats to watch the next round with his teammates, but Ochaco didn't seem ready to be near him again. She made sure that Bakugo, Momo, and Iida were all between her and him, and she kept her gaze on the far wall, her hands loosely clenched into fists on her lap.

Uh-oh... I didn't push her too far, did I? Midoriya went right back into panic mode as a Seiai student buzzed in on the stage. He felt ice-cold dread grip his heart. If I overwhelmed her with my rash move earlier today, and she's confused and resents me for putting all this pressure on her... I could have ruined everything! Or maybe she's into me but doesn't know how to express it... no, she wouldn't look quite so freaked out... I could ask one of her girlfriends what's going on and try to be subtle about what I'm really after... no, I've never been smooth and cool like Shoto is... man, he really is like ice cream...

"Gah!" Midoriya yelped when Bakugo gently conked his fist on Midoriya's head.

"I know that face," Bakugo said with a teasing grin. "Cool it, Deku. Live in the moment. Breathe."

"Yeah, you're totally Mr. Zen, O Lord Explosion Murder," Midoriya teased right back.

Bakugo made a I'll-kick-your-butt-one-of-these-days look and turned his attention back to the stage. Midoriya turned his attention back to the science bowl too, but he was positively dying to leave this emotionally turbulent hotel and go back home, and try to use a combination of calculus, a magic 8-ball, and a few science experiments to figure out just what the hell was going on with his social life. But there was still one other thing he was eager to find out...

*o*o*o*o*

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Bakugo seized his head and wailed when, three hours later, coach Yagi announced that Shiketsu high school won the annual science bowl for the fourth year running. No one heard him, though; the audience was clapping nice and loudly as Inasa and the others bowed in gratitude. But Inasa looked less thrilled when coach Yagi presented the gold medal... which turned out to be a cheap dollar-store toy gold medal.

Camie took it instead and acted graciously, unlike her disappointed teammates.

"Well, there's always next year," Momo said casually a while later as her friends crossed the hotel's lobby to catch their waiting bus. "Still, I had great fun with this year. I feel like I really grew as a person." She smiled.

"Yeah, I -" Itsuka started, until a brawny special someone burst onto the scene.

"Well fought!" Inasa Yoarashi draped one arm over Bakugo's shoulders and the other across Midoriya's. "Whoa, what a great time! I'll never forget this, guys!"

"Oh great, it's you," Bakugo muttered.

"I am so impressed with how great you guys did!" Inasa plowed on. "I mean, second place? That's still incredible! I consider each and everyone of you my honored rivals! I shall work very hard to compete with you next year as well! I shall do my best!"

"Rivals, huh..." Bakugo thought it over, then managed a cocky grin. "Good enough for me! Bring it on!"

Inasa threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, I shall! And with that, I shall say goodbye!"

He firmly patted Bakugo and Midoriya each on the shoulders and skipped off to rejoin his Shiketsu classmates across the lobby.

Momo winced and rubbed her ears. "If he ever gets his hands on a megaphone, he'll shatter the Earth's crust for sure."

"Hey, new science bowl question," Ochaco joked. "How many decibels does it take for a high schooler to shatter stone?"

Momo groaned. "Too many for my taste."

Midoriya smiled and tried to meet Ochaco's eyes again, and she met them with a brief smile before she looked away.

"No more delay. It would be rude to keep the bus driver waiting!" Iida cried, making his usual arm motions. "Mr. Aizawa will surely be upset that we are so late! Hurry!"

But when they got on the bus, they found Aizawa lounging on a seat, reading a magazine.

"Oh. There you guys are," Aizawa mumbled. "Have a seat. Let's go home." He turned a page in his magazine.

Midoriya snorted with laughter as he sat down and the bus got moving. "Bit anticlimactic, huh, Iida?"

Iida's glasses panes glinted. "Early is on time! On time is late! Late -"

Momo gently placed a hand over Iida's mouth, forever robbing anyone of knowing what "late" was. "Hush," she said, putting a finger over her lips. "Let's have a nice quiet drive home..."

"Mmmf-mmmm," Iida responded ever so eloquently.

Momo beamed. "Wonderful."

*o*o*o*o*

It was almost 4:00 in the afternoon when the bus finally arrived back in town and Midoriya stepped out of the bus with the others. It was another chilly afternoon, and Midoriya stretched his arms wide, not liking being cooped up in buses in cars like that. He could really use a bike ride. But it was kind of chilly out...

"See you guys in class!" Midoriya cried, waving as everyone went their own ways home. Ochaco went ahead, going in the same direction as Midoriya's house. She turned long enough to cheerily wave good-bye, then hurried off. Was she feeling bashful? Best to leave her alone for now...

"Kacchan," Midoriya offered as the students scattered to walk home. "Why don't we stretch our legs and visit the manga shop. There might be something new."

"Works for me," Bakugo said with a shrug. "I don't have much else planned for today." He glanced over and watched Ochaco leave. "Hey, Deku. Things are getting pretty serious between you and the Uraraka girl, aren't they?"

"Kacchan!" Midoriya blurted, and he felt himself go red. He shifted from one foot to the other. "That's private."

"Oh, give me a break." Bakugo grinned and gave Midoriya a light punch on the shoulder. "You're just gonna let her walk home alone? You wanna still be single by Christmas Eve this year?"

Midoriya watched Ochaco turn a corner in her neighborhood and vanish from view behind a house. She looked so lovely, walking so happily through the sunlit afternoon, not a care in the world... truly the girl next door. "Well, uh... Kacchan, things feel delicate right now. We had a... a moment -"

"Aha! See?" Bakugo rubbed his hands together. "Now you're becoming a real man, Deku. And real men finish the job."

"But..." Midoriya could hardly explain this to himself, let alone the blunt and aggressive Kacchan. He'd need a counselor at this rate...

Midoriya cleared his throat. "We were gonna kiss -"

"That's my boy!"

Midoriya winced. "But her mom called and interrupted, and she had to go. And now she's kinda avoiding me." He glanced down in dismay, staring at his red shoes. "Now I'm thinking that she's all flustered and doesn't know how to process our budding relationship. What if I push too hard and scare her off?"

Bakugo snorted. "Fat chance. She wasn't scared off by me. What could you do to scare her off, short of chase her with a knife and hockey mask?"

What a visual that was. "Kacchan, I just think I have to give her more time. That's all."

Bakugo sighed. "Scaredy-cat Deku strikes again. You're wastin' the gift I gave you, man. I went on a lame date with her just to make this possible."

"I swear, I'll get there." Midoriya puffed out his chest and made a brave smile. "You know me, the stubborn kid. I'll find a chance. I can make anything happen."

"For better or worse." Bakugo made a casual salute and walked off to go home. "Best of luck, Deku. Don't crash and burn."

"Just keep your quirk to yourself, and I won't," Midoriya teased back.

Bakugo chuckled and trotted off.

That was when Midoriya's phone rang.

"That's gotta be mom..." Midoriya drew his phone from his jeans pocket and blinked at the unexpected caller ID on the screen. He accepted the call. "Denki?"

"M-Midoriya!" Denki's voice blubbered on the phone. Whoa, Midoriya could smell the pathetic from here. "I-I'm in trouble, man!"

"Whoa, just settle down," Midoriya said. "What's the matter?"

"J-just come here!"

"Okay, be right there..." Midoriya felt apprehension as he shut off his phone and jogged to the Kaminari house, which was just a block away from here. Did he break a leg or erase all the music on his computer by accident? Was he being chased by a madman with a knife and hockey mask?

That wouldn't be the weirdest thing that ever happened to Denki...

"Oh, Izuku. Welcome," a blond man who was no doubt Denki's dad said when he answered the door. "Are you here to see Denki? He's not feeling well."

"Yeah, something like that. Thanks for inviting me in." Midoriya changed into guest house slippers and followed the directions to Denki's room. He knocked on the door, and a low moan answered. Taking that as a yes, Midoriya rolled his eyes and stepped inside.

Denki sat huddled in blankets in the middle of his queen-sized bed, a box of tissues nearby whi8le about a thousand crumpled, used tissues lay around him. Even worse, a sad breakup song played on his laptop's speakers.

Aside from all that, this place was a little more gaudy than Midoriya expected; the blankets were weird colors, and Denki had a strange assortment of a dartboard, a collection of baseball caps, a basketball, and action movie posters on the wall. The room had a delicate scent somewhere between stale Doritos and used basketball shoes. Terrific.

Midoriya shut the door behind him. "So, what's the emergency?"

"I-it's Mina!" Denki sniffed and reached for another tissue. "She won't answer my texts or calls at all, man! She's givin' me the cold shoulder, and it's freakin' me out!"

Midoriya sat at the desk's chair and lowered the laptop's speaker volume. "What was the last thing she said to you?" he asked politely. His friends liked to say that he was the Steve Harvey of their group, so here he was, dispensing more relatively good advice. At least, it always beat the gems that Aoyama and Mineta managed to come up with.

Denki blew his nose, tears bubbling in his eyes. "Uh, she said... she said 'Denki, I need more time to think about this. Give me some space.'"

"Uh-huh?"

"Don't 'uh-huh' me, Deku!" Denki threw up his arms in dismay, scattering crumpled tissues everywhere like popcorn. "That's where relationships go to die. I think..." He slumped forward and went face-down on his bed. "I think she broke up with me, Deku. It's over, isn't it?" He groaned and moaned like a ghost fighting indigestion.

"Not necessarily," Midoriya said, trying to sound helpful and not show his hard he was mentally rolling his eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself. You and Mina just recently got together. She needs to figure out the pacing and what she wants out of the relationship. Normally, this is the honeymoon period for a new relationship, but I guess she's being more cautious than that. It's not necessarily such a bad thing."

Denki sprang back upright with a disbelieving look on his face. "What are you, Cosmopolitan?"

Midoriya snorted. "You called me here."

Denki made a faint grin. "Oh, yeah."

"Seriously, though, it sounds like you're making things up, Denki."

"No I'm not!" Denki seized his head and made another groan. "She's been giving me the silent treatment, and before that, she started acting all moody and kept being all passive aggressive! And yes, I can spot those things for myself!" he added, giving Midoriya an accusing look. "I-I think she can't stand me, Deku! She totally hates me!"

Midoriya racked his brains. Mina was one of the most popular girls in the school, always gossiping about others and getting gossiped about in return (what a life). Did Midoriya's ears catch anything about Mina recently? Well, Jiro voiced an assumption that Mina was going to get braces soon, but that didn't seem relevant... a girl from class 1-B criticized a hair accessory Mina once wore, but that wasn't relevant either... hmmmmm...

Denki sniffed again. "What do I do, man? Either she broke up with me, or she's gonna do it soon!"

Midoriya exhaled slowly. "Let me guess: you haven't had a chance to talk it over with her?"

"I can't even get a 'like' from her on Facebook."

"Whoa, that's rough."

"So what do I do?"

This wasn't how Midoriya planned to spend his afternoon, but hell, Denki was a friend, and so was Mina. Looked like this was a job for the Steve Harvey of this harebrained town!

Midoriya grinned and clasped his hands together. "I'll get everything ready by tomorrow," he said. "You get all the dudes in classes 1-A and 1-B ready."

Denki looked hopeful. "What for? Do you have a plan?"

"Just let me work my magic."