Midori the Villain
Chapter 21: Round 1
Shigaraki lounged back on the couch as he watched the UA sports festival display on the wide screen TV. While the recreational games took place off screen, the commentators went through the previous rounds from each grade, starting from the third and second years.
"With that said let's check out the roster for the first year students."
The screen changed to the full roster with names. The reporters sitting in the booth with the high energy crowd behind them smiled at the camera.
"So far it's been an exciting and close race between three particular students, but with these one on one matchups anything can happen. Tanaka who do you predict will come out on top?"
"I gotta go with the son of Endeavor, Shoto Todoroki. He's been amazing thus far. Took first in the obstacle race and just narrowly lost to Izumi Midoriya in the Cavalry battle. He's well rounded, physically fit, and has the lineage to back it up. I say he's gonna go all the way."
"He is impressive, but speaking of Izumi Midoriya... How do you see her chances of taking home the gold?"
"Doubtful," The male reporter waved his hand in the air as if to bat away the notion. "I'm sorry. The girl is good, but she's got Katsuki Bakugo as her first opponent in the tournament round. Not only did he place second and third in the prelims, but he's really catching the attention of many of the pros with his tenacity, and battle gusto. He's got a real hunger to win and it's something Midoriya is going to have a hard time overcoming. Even if she somehow manages to pull out a victory over him I don't think she'll be able to make a full recovery to take on Todoroki in the finals. I say Son of Endeavor all the way!"
"Karma wouldn't be pleased to hear the lack of confidence in her abilities." Kurogiri suddenly spoke from behind him. Shigaraki tilted his head back grunting at him.
"Kurogiri… did you find him?"
"There are reports of the Hero Killer being in Hosu. The Hero Ingenium and his sidekicks are currently in pursuit but they've yet to track him down." He reported. "I've a couple of informants in the area that will keep me posted on the progress."
"Humph this guy had better be worth the wait." He scratched at his neck, his irritation growing as they went over highlights of the cavalry round. The sight of his woman being held up by two young men had his jealousy raging hot. "Why does she insist upon going to this lame school?"
"She's still young and learning. As impressive as she is now the hero school will hone her skills even more so and keep her close to All Might and the other heroes." Kurogiri responded watching the broadcast intently as they went over play by play.
"Not to mention the naive and handsy adolescent boys who ogle her like a prize." He snarled as the camera panned to Izumi blushing in the rabbit costume. He stood and punched his fist through the TV. The screen cracked and blood dripped down his hand.
"Mind your temper, Shigaraki." Already prepared for such behavior, Kurogiri came around and proceeded to clean and bandage the injured hand. "She's your queen… these boys are nothing but peasants for her to play with. They hold no threat against you."
"Any of them try to take her from me I'll turned their faces inside out." He threatened and snagged his hand away holding it. "I'm putting on that stupid disguise and going for a walk." He walked away, snagging the wig and face mask on his way out the door.
"Where are you going?" Kurogiri asked with some concern.
"Karma told me to make friends…" He slipped the disguise into place and peeled down the mask so his wide grin split his face. "So I'm gonna go make some friends."
~Back at The Festival~
"That's more like it…" Izumi grinned as she flexed her hands in and out. Her body felt invigorated and back at full strength. She would be in tip top form in her battle against Bakugo. She was unfamiliar with some of the other participants, but she knew Bakugo in and out. She knew his strengths, his weaknesses, his patterns and habits. She was confident she could handle the battle no matter how intense it got.
With that in mind she focused on gathering Intel on the opponents she wasn't as familiar with. The class had all gathered in the assigned viewing section and she took a seat up front for a decent view. The fighting stage was almost complete and soon Iida and Shoji would step out to battle. She pulled her notebook out scanning through the notes she'd made of her classmates.
"Hmmm Iida vs. Shoji… in terms of strength Shoji clearly outclasses Iida, but in order to make use of that superior strength he'd have to find a way to catch him. The battle would really depend on whether or not Iida can outmaneuver Shoji long enough to catch him off balance and knock him out of the ring, either with his recripro burst or just some fancy dancing." She murmured to herself and added a few extra details to Iida's page. "Shoji will need to play it smart. His strength is clearly in his brute force and tank-like body… but if his brain and tactical prowess aren't up to snuff it could be a waste of a clear advantage."
"Midori-chan!" Uraraka bounced up beside her taking a spot next to her. Izumi snapped out of her mutters and lifted her head to the girl. "You got here early, did you get a chance to watch any of the recreational games?"
"No, I was focusing on regaining my strength." She admitted and closed the notebook offering a polite smile. "I see you and the rest of the girls changed."
"Tohru didn't want to, I really think she likes that kind of stuff." Uraraka laughed and Izumi gave a small chuckle of her own.
"I couldn't get used to it." She tucked a stray curl out of her face. "I felt so out of place that time you guys found me at the restaurant. I only ever wear stuff like that for meetings and dates, I feel so much more comfortable in my training gear." She admitted and turned her eyes to the stage when Present Mic called out for the start of the Tournament. Iida and Shoji's pictures flashed up on screen and both contestants strut out tall and confident.
"You really pull it off though." Uraraka complimented and also looked to the stage. "Not everyone can just slide into the upper crust of society so seamlessly. You just have a knack for it. You're so confident in yourself and your abilities." Uraraka lowered her head ashamed a little. "I'm a little jealous of that."
"I'm only confident in the things I'm good at." Izumi told her fisting her hand around her pencil. She couldn't tell Uraraka, or anyone for that matter, that her confidence stemmed from necessity. If she let others see her insecurities then it was just asking to have them poke and prod at them.
Sensei was a selfish and greedy man but he'd taught her a great many things. He'd taught her how to overcome insecurity with confidence, shield hurts from her past by cutting off her fear and replacing it with anger. Most importantly he taught her how to calculate and predict the reactions of others and prepare an immediate response.
She was still working on the last one. The calculating and predictions were easy… but reacting to them just right was difficult. Her emotions could become so turbulent. More often than not her "true" self, and her "improved" self battled for supremacy, making her thoughts and feelings cluttered and disordered. The USJ incident had tested her on that, constantly pulling on her loyalties, emotions, and thoughts until she just wanted to curl up and cry.
She'd survived it though…
Not only did she survive but it had awaken her to a whole new purpose. It had awaken her to freedom, to clarity, and to leadership. She and Shigaraki would head the League now. He was King, a symbolic position that gave him power without making him take too many careless steps. She was his Queen, a person of great power and moved everywhere and anywhere just so she could protect her King and those that followed him.
Without realizing it Izumi's eyes turned coy and a confident smile spread across her lips. She lounged back in her seat tapping her pencil against her lips. She wondered how Shigaraki would feel about that analogy. She wondered how he would feel knowing she saw him as someone she wanted to save and protect. If it was her she wouldn't care for it a bit, but she was the aspiring hero not him. His entire life he hated heroes because no one had been there to help him when he needed it. The only person who had tried to "save" him had only used him.
Now that she thought about it clearly, she didn't just want to be Shigaraki's girlfriend and lover. She wanted to be his hero. She was the one person who actually cared for him, and was willing to give up her life, her morals, and even her dreams to save him.
"You are my hero."
The thought of hearing those words from him, of looking into those beautiful ruby red eyes and know that he meant them… would mean everything to her.
"SHOJI IS OUT OF BOUNDS!" Midnight shouts from the ring and cracks her whip in Iida's direction. "Tenya Iida advances!"
Izumi snapped out of her daydream to eye the stage with a wide eyed stare.
"Well I'll be damned, he did it." She watched the small replay of the winning move; Iida going in for a slide kick tripping Shoji up in his full sprint and making him fall out of the ring. "Nice going, Iida."
~Meanwhile~
Todoroki heard the announcement of Iida's success and he stood up from the chair in the waiting room. He wished he'd gotten the chance to watch the fight, but he had needed time to think. After everything he and Izumi had talked about he was more revved up than before.
He didn't think any of his classmates would understand his motives, but Izumi did. She understood what it was like to be oppressed. She knew what it was like to be shoved into a mold, and forced to meet expectations.
She just understood him. Period.
He rounded the corner and into the hallway, his eyes narrowed when he spotted his father waiting for him.
"You're in my way."
"You're acting disgracefully, Shoto." He spoke sharply, not even bothering to look at his son. "If you'd used your left side, you would have had a devastating victory in both the obstacle course and the cavalry battle."
"Tch…" Todoroki walked forward, strutting right past the brooding hero and kept his focus on his match. Just ignore him, he told himself, don't listen to a word he says.
"Instead, you let yourself be beaten by a girl." Endeavor sneered. "A coy and shameless harlot who relies on her physical appeal to distract her opponents."
"What?" Todoroki halted suddenly, and he slowly looked back glaring at him.
"That girl is a distraction, one you can't afford to partake in. Any attention she gives you is strictly for her own benefit and you're better off ignoring her and focusing on the task at hand."
"I don't need you of all people to tell me that!" He turned his back to him clenching his fists. "You don't know Midoriya, and you have no right to talk about her that way. She understands me more than you ever have."
"Stop being so naive and childish and remember your responsibilities! You've a duty to defeat All Might. You can't do that if you're distracted by some girl and her pathetic mind games."
"Shut up! I don't need your half assed pep talks. I will win…" he snarled in response and kept walking faster now. "... but I'll do it my way! I will win using only mom's power! I won't give you the satisfaction of seeing me use yours!"
"Even if that works for this tournament… you'll soon reach the limits of that power." Endeavor warned and turned to take his position back up in the stands.
Riled up and blinded by his anger Todoroki walked out onto the grand stage, his eyes shaded by the slight drop of his chin and bangs curtaining down. How dare he talk about Midoriya as if she were some whore selling her body. Did the man have no shame?
Sure Midoriya liked to flirt, and okay she kissed him hoping it would distract him but she was more than that. She didn't do it out of spite, or for the thrill, she did it to win. She was focused on her goal just like the rest of them were, and she was using every advantage at her disposal. She warned everyone during her speech she'd do exactly that.
His father was the fool, looking at her as nothing more than a mere shameless distraction when she was so much more dangerous than that. She was smart, and strong. She had drive and purpose. She didn't just play on her looks, she played on everything. He KNEW what she was, what she capable of and he didn't care. She already had her claws in him, but that didn't mean a damn to him.
No matter what she did…
"A damaged and broken heart can keep beating…"
No matter what she said...
"Show him what a true hero looks like."
No matter how he felt about her…
"Shoto…"
He would still beat her!
"START!"
His eyes slowly lifted to his opponent. Setsuna rushed at him, her body spread out across the stage ready to attack from all sides.
"My Apologies."
He unleashed a barrage, the entire stage and half the arena frosting over as a giant iceberg formed and spiked out at the tippy top. Izumi nearly leapt out of her seat her notebook and pen dropping at her feet as she held her hands out preparing to shield herself.
She went white as a ghost, her breath catching in her throat and sweat dripping down her temples. What the hell… what in the fucking hell was that?
She stumbled out of her seat and moved to the side so she could look down at Shoto. The sight of his slouched body and hung head made Izumi think something must have riled him up. He looked so sad and hurt as he melt away the ice with his left hand. He thawed out his opponent who was immediately rushed to the infirmary. He turned a slow circle until his eyes finally cast up in her direction and they locked onto each other. The intensity of his gaze added weight onto her heart.
No, she thought to herself when she caught the look in his eyes on the big screen. His face was twisted up, but there was a sternness in his eyes. She thought the ice barrage was him releasing stress perhaps unloading the tension he'd felt before the fight… but that wasn't it. He was challenging her. Despite their brief moment of attraction and understanding in the hall he hadn't forgotten his goal to win. That barrage was a warning not to get in his way.
"Well too bad…" her smile came slow and confident and she put a hand on her hip. "I'm not afraid of you, Todoroki-kun. I accept your challenge."
~Later~
Izumi returned to her seat when the ice melted down and she picked up her notebook and pen from the floor where she had dropped it. Taking a deep breath she turned her focus back to the matches and carefully added notes all the while making predictions of the upcoming battles.
Kirishima and Sero's battle had come out just as she believed. Without any kind of elevation or high surface for him to gain momentum on Sero couldn't adjust his fighting prowess to take on the tank that was Eijiro Kirishima.
Uraraka was next, and despite her efforts to offer the girl some battle advice Uraraka refused to hear any of it. She wanted to battle and learn on her own, which Izumi couldn't blame her.
"Midoriya." Iida sat next to her smiling. "I just saw Uraraka on my way up here. She looked good and ready to take on the challenge."
"Let's hope she's up to the task." Izumi smiled back and turned to Kendo's page. "I don't have much information on Kendo because I didn't really get the chance to go up against her. Do you know what her quirk is?"
"Todoroki-kun and the rest of our team went against hers when she tried to go for the ten million points. Her fists can grow to a large size, and from what I saw during the recreational games she's very limber and cunning on her feet." He explained and held his chin studying the two carefully.
"Which probably means she has some kind of gymnastic or martial arts background." She scribbled in notes narrowing her eyes. "Hmmmm if her primary weapon is her fists this will give Uraraka an advantage... If she can avoid being grabbed by Kendo's fists and just focus her quirk correctly she can float Kendo right off the stage without any need for further physical attack."
"Mmm you're right… so it all comes down to whether or not Uraraka-kun can dodge Kendo's initial attack."
"Let the match… BEGIN!" Present Mic signaled the start of the battle. Uraraka pressed her fingers together lightening her body and preparing to dodge. Kendo, however didn't move. She stayed stagnant on her side of the ring.
"Hmmmm?" Izumi frowned and chewed on the end of her pencil. "Why is Kendo just standing there? She should be-" her thoughts drifted off when Uraraka started rushing forward. She could see it now, see the thought process of Uraraka's opponent. "URA-CHAN NO!"
Shit, Izumi thought with gritted teeth, too late. Kendo saw right through Uraraka's initial strategy. Enlarging both her fists she bat her hands like large fans creating gusts of winds. At less than half her initial body weight Uraraka felt her feet lift off the ground and she fell back and slid through the air unable to properly balance or weigh herself down.
"Release…" Uraraka pressed her hands together so her body could land but the damage was done. Knocked off her feet Kendo went in for the final strike. She bat Uraraka off the stage like a fly sending her skidding across the ground and out of bounds.
"Uraraka is out of bounds! Kendo moves on to the next round!" Midnight struck her hand through the air declaring Kendo's win.
Izumi grit her teeth as she looked down at her friend curled up on the grass, her fists clenched and body shaking. Sympathy tugged at Izumi's heart.
"Ahh she lost…" Monoma peaked his head over the wall his face twisted up in a sadistic smile. "Isn't class 1A supposed to be the superior class? Yet she lost so easily. Hey, isn't that strange? Isn't-" he choked on the last words as Izumi's sharp pencil tip appeared right between his eyes hovering there and threatening to spear right through his forehead.
"You talk pretty big for someone who lost in the preliminaries." Izumi growled her hair floating and eyes as sharp as her pencil tip. "I suggest you shut your trap before I rip out your tongue."
"Eh.. ah…" all the comebacks he'd had drained out of him as his gaze shifted down to Izumi. He'd been ready to smack her down for speaking like a villain, but the threat in her eyes was real. He fell limp and disappeared behind the wall, his legs going to jello. "Right."
Izumi called back her pencil and looked back at Iida.
"Let's go check on Ura-chan."
"Good idea." Iida nodded and the two of them raced up the steps and hurrying to meet up with Uraraka. Bakugo said nothing to Izumi as she passed by him, but his eyes followed her all the way. He hadn't said a word to her since he found out they'd be fighting each other. He didn't want to give her the chance to throw him off balance like she had when the tournament first started.
Still he'd watched her… and had seen the same look that had turned Monoma's legs to jello. The words she had spoken hadn't been empty threats, those words were spoken of someone who had every intention of carrying them out should her word be tested.
He stood up, stuffing his hands in his pockets he walked up the steps, deciding to take a walk around the arena to clear his head.
"It's times like that…" he whispered, more to himself than to anyone else in particular. "I wonder who the hell you are."
~Waiting Room A~
Uraraka had done her best to wave off her defeat greeting them both with a smile and voicing her frustrations… but Izumi had seen through it all. Too often did Izumi hide her own weak emotions with anger or laughter… and now to see it from Uraraka of all people damn near broke her heart.
"You fought hard, Ura-chan. Your strategy was right, but you let her goad you into making the first move. It was an honest mistake, and one you can learn from." She pat the top of her head. "You're strong, Ura-chan… but you don't know how to hone your strength yet that's all."
"Midoriya is right." Iida motioned in his usual robotic movements. "You charged head first into battle, that's not a sign of a coward or weakling. Grow smarter, grow wiser, and you'll undoubtedly grow stronger for it."
"Thanks you guys…" Uraraka pulled back wiping and sniffling. "I'm sorry I'm blubbering all over you like this, Midori-chan."
"Don't worry about it… I've been there, believe me." She pat her head. "Now come on, Yaoyorozu's fighting Tokoyami and I don't wanna-"
"YAOYOROZU IS OUT OF BOUNDS!" They all heard Midnight's voice over the loud speaker and Izumi's breath caught.
"What? Already!?" The three of them rushed up to the main floor just in time to catch the replay of the quick fight. Tokoyami had practically ushered Yaoyorozu out of the ring, careful not to hurt her by focusing his attacks on the shield she'd created to protect herself.
"You gotta be kidding me…" Izumi whispered and clenched her fists. Yaoyorozu was the top quirk user in their class. Her athletics and skill were above reproach and could only be challenged by Todoroki… and yet Tokoyami had beaten her so easily. "What the hell, Yao?"
"She barely did anything… all she could do was defend… she's gotta be so hurt and frustrated." Uraraka felt tears welling up again.
"Don't start that again." She slapped a palm against Uraraka's back. "Snap out of it… I'm gonna go have a talk with her." She walked away from Iida and Ochako to race down the levels and to Yaoyorozu.
She heard Yao's crying and turned the corner ready to comfort, but paused when she saw Bakugo standing over her scowling down.
"Oi! Creator chick!"
"Eh!?" Yaoyorozu gasped, her head shot up and stare up at Bakugo who sneered at her. "Bakugo-san? What are you doing here?"
"Don't look into it, I was going for a walk and you're in the way." He grunted when her head hung low. "Suck it up. Just because you lost one stupid match doesn't mean shit."
"Eh?" Yaoyorozu blinked in surprise, and Izumi also raised a quizzical brow. Was Kacchan… trying to comfort her? Why?
"Like I said don't look too much into it. I'm just tired of looking at your stupid sorry face! Where the hell is that woman who had no problem telling me everything I was doing wrong in battle practice, and who scolded me and Icy Hot about our behavior in rescue class? Have a spine where it counts!"
Izumi pulled back leaning against the wall and holding her heart. Something about what he said, something about the way he spoke to Yao was tripping her heart, making it pound and skip. The fact that Yaoyorozu immediately perked up from his rough comforting only made it worse.
"Thank you, Bakugo-san!" She said with a bright smile.
"Tch… please. Don't make me gag… out of the way." He shoved past her, and sneered ahead. When he turned the corner and found Izumi there his face went bright red and he stammered. "Usagi! You.. How… grrrr why are you just standing there?!"
"Eavesdropping" She admitted leaning back against the wall and staring up into the face of her childhood friend. "You said pretty much everything I was going to say… only with less tact." She offered a genuine smile. "I never considered you the compassionate type."
"Shut the hell up, I didn't do it for her benefit. Like I said I was sick of looking at her pathetic face." He turned his back to her and stuffed his hands in his pockets irritably.
"It's frustrating to lose…" Izumi admitted and she lay a hand on his back. "What's even more frustrating is the way you lose. Shoji, Setsuna, Uraraka, and Yao all lost against their opponents but I think Yaoyorozu has it the worst. The others lost taking the initiative, fighting against their opponents with everything they had… but all Yao could do was defend… she couldn't find any moment to attack so in the end she felt helpless and even more defeated."
Bakugo said nothing but he turned towards her. The hand she placed on his back now gripped his forearm and squeezed tight. She trembled and grit her teeth as the next words she spoke came out shaky and full of temper.
"I won against you in Combat practice… but despite what I said and did it wasn't a true victory for me. Did you think I wouldn't notice that you held back? Did you think I wouldn't notice that you were trying to get me to back down so you wouldn't hurt me?" She lifted her head the tears welling up in those green eyes, and for a brief moment he saw his Usagi, and his face softened. "You've always had your own way of showing that you care… you've always done what you could to protect me even if it meant shoving me down where you thought I'd be safe."
"Usagi…" he lay a hand on her cheek rubbing a tear away and she lifted her hand over his cupping it there.
"I know it… I've always known it… but I hate it!" She admitted openly. "I hate being protected all the time Kacchan, that's not who I want to be." She paused when Reiko of class B walked past them, giving them wary stares. When she finally turned the corner and was out of ear shot Izumi continued. "There's one fight left before we have to take the stage. I don't want another empty victory like before. Not with you." She stepped back from him and those weepy eyes turned confident and her smile brazen. "I want an undisputed victory against you… so don't you dare hold back. Come at me with everything!"
Bakugo stare at her a long time, for once in his life having no real idea of what to say to her, or how to respond. So he did the first thing that came to mind.
He kissed her.
Grabbing her face in both his hands he plundered her mouth with his own, the kiss so turbulent Izumi felt as if she were riding a tornado of emotion. When they parted both were breathless and trembling from the wild ride of it. Bakugo placed his forehead against hers and his grin spread wide.
"I'll fucking destroy you." He promised and had her own confident smile spreading.
"I can't wait to see you try."
~Ask Briry~
Briry: Took me a couple days before I was satisfied with this chapter. I based this story off the same timeline as Midori the Rabbit but I didn't want to directly steal from the original fic. So what I did was select what I thought were the key ingredients I needed to really flesh the chapter out. I hope you enjoyed it.
Next Chapter: Usagi Vs. Kacchan