Dreaming of Stars

by Gushy48

Sanji Inochi, a selfless man who is unable to use his Quirk—Dreams, being considered Quirkless. Through luck and seemingly-impossible odds, he finds his way to U.A. High School in Class 1-B. With what Life brings to 1-B, the society that they live in—the Hero Society—will forever be altered. (x-posted on AO3 and Quotev/bi-weekly schedule)

33. To Fight

Sanji Inochi

It's the final day of the Hero Course Tutoring program. The media is making a big deal out of the last exercise—a series of fights that's a little bit similar to the tournament during the Sports Festival. Out of the twelve General Course students, they're divided into six among the two Hero Courses: A and B; and, one student from each class will fight each other. The first-years, my current grade level, aren't the only ones who're participating in this exercise. The second and third-years are participating in it as well. Since students in the Hero Courses, especially those in U.A., are treated as mini-celebrities, the media naturally focused on the General Course students who show great potential to transfer. That means they have an influence on who gets transferred and who doesn't. It might not be a big influence, compared to the Pro Heroes who'll watch the exercise and give their feedback on each student, but they have an influence nonetheless.

Personally, why would U.A. let the media in? Their presence will bring out the worst in people. Given how prideful the General Courses are—in my experience anyway—they'll be fighting not only each other, but fighting for the spotlight. I might be worrying too much about this, who knows, but there could be at least one who wants to hog the camera. At least one… Jeez, at least I'm not fighting today. My body's sorer than usual—from training and the other exercises—so I don't wanna push myself too hard. That's the reason Itsuka gave me, anyway.

The match-ups will have the first-years going first, which is appropriate. We'll be fighting Class 1-A again, but through proxies. Monoma is, for the lack of better words, excited. So excited that Itsuka is also excited to harm him. I can't let her hurt him, guess that'll be my job today. For my job right now? Food. I'm on food duty. I'm the fetch-it guy, which I don't mind.

The only thing I mind is…

"Tetsutetsu, help…"

I'm carrying a mountain of food that makes my arms look like twigs in comparison. Tetsutetsu isn't helping me! He has a giant turkey leg in his hand! I get that Lunch Rush makes amazing food, but now isn't the time to eat! No, "eat" isn't a good word to describe it! Tetsutetsu is devouring that turkey leg like it killed his family! I beg him, "Tetsutetsu, please help me… I'm strong, but I'm not this strong…"

Tetsutetsu swallows a massive bite of his turkey, wiping his mouth with a free hand. A free hand! A hand that could be helping me carry Shoda's bento box! "Huh? Did you say something, bro? I couldn't hear ya, sorry."

"Tetsu… I need your help. I'm not meant to be a pack mule," I plead, trying my best to carry the mountain of food I have. Lunch Rush makes amazing food, but that means everyone wants a snack. Why did I drew the short end of the stick today…?

"Oh shoot! Sorry!" Tetsutetsu shoves the rest of the leg in his mouth, and it comes out clean, very clean! Holy crap, he can do that the entire time? He just sucked all of the meat off and left no scraps! Don't tell me that he's been practicing eating techniques to help improve his Quirk! That sounds like something Tetsu would do. He throws his spotless bone away and literally takes everything from me. His eyes go wide in shock, exclaiming, "Inochi, this doesn't weight that much! It's just hard to carry, kinda like a big bulky box!"

"Y-Yeah… Thanks." I bow my head in appreciation, and he shoots me a smile back. We start making our way back to Battle Zone Central where the final exercise—dubbed "Proxy Battles!"— is taking place. The Battle Zone Central is similar to the Sports Festival Stadium, but it was made with the sole purpose of having a sparring arena near the main building. It's large enough to fit the entire school and then some. It consists of four rectangle sparring arenas with bleachers along the walls. It was built to be near the school for convenience, which is why the cafeteria is flooded with students and guests alike. One could get a quick snack from Lunch Rush and head over to Battle Zone Central. If we compare this to the P.E. Grounds, which further away and more suited for private class instruction, Battle Zone Central is meant to be in the public's eye.

Tetsutetsu marches joyfully as ever. He's enjoying the workout. "Hey, how's your training comin' along? Bet you're one step closer to unlocking your Quirk, right? Just a stone's throw away? Right? C'mon!" he asks, urging again.

"Afraid not," I answer as a few people make room for us to pass. "I'm at the same place where I was at the beginning of the year. What about you? Think you're harder than Kirishima yet?"

Tetsutetsu sighs, shaking his head. "Sorry, I wanna say that I am, but Momma told me to never lie. It's like a video game, man. Kirishima is at Level 10 in Hardness, while I'm stuck at Level 1." That's like me and everyone else. My class has a high level of skill with their Quirks while I'm forcibly stuck at Level 1. That's my max level; it cannot be changed. However, I'm high-leveled in martial arts while everyone—except for the obvious red-headed girl—is low-leveled. What if I apply this thinking to Tetsutetsu? Wait, this reminds me of Rin…

"My Scales aren't that durable, Inochi, but they allow for high-damage attacks. If you think of Scales as a Hardening-type Quirk, it's a terrible one. However, it's a great Quirk if you look at the offensive capabilities."

Tesutetsu is like Rin. That's it!

"What if you can't increase your Hardness Level? Steel, your Quirk, is not actually iron, right? It's a metal alloy, so a supermetal. Hayami taught me that. With that knowledge, you can't improve on super unless through dangerous means," I theorize, putting my finger up. Tetsutetsu picks his head up and listens closely like a puppy.

"Bro, what are you saying…?" he mutters, his eyes sparkling.

"You're like Rin, Tetsu. Rin can spread his Scales throughout his skin like Hardening and Steel, but out of the three, Scales is the weakest defensively. However, that makes Scales the strongest offensively. Hardening is the strongest defensively, because it can continuously be improved on by Kirishima, yet his offensive capabilities is limited.

"For you, I think you're right in the middle. You have set amount of hardness that cannot be increased, not yet anyway. Instead of focusing on how to get harder, then maybe you should focus on fighting! There has to be an offensive aspect to Steel! That's what separates you from Kirishima! He's the unbreakable wall, but you could be the iron fist that breaks through anything!"

"Is that my destiny?" he asks, his eyes turning from sparkling into glowing. "That… That must be my fate, isn't it?! Everything makes sense now! If I can't get harder than Kirishima, then I'll crush his Hardening into dust! I'm meant to be the unstoppable fist!"

This man is too easy to influence…

Sniff sniff!

And he's tearing up again…

"Tetsu… You're going to make everyone's food salty," I warn him. He sniffles and shakes his tears off. Tetsu's face stiffens. Is he…? I think he's trying to look determined. It's either that, or he needs to use the bathroom.

"Inochi, when we graduate U.A., I will earn myself a place on the top ten with you! Y'hear me?! We'll be like Hawks! He got himself into the top ten when he was eighteen! We gotta do that within our first month!" he promises with intense drive as his aura. There's no doubt that he'll be a powerful Hero. This year marks a new generation of upcoming Pros. Just wait until Japan sees my friends as the greatest Heroes in history. Hopefully, I'll be there with them.

"Of course, Tetsu. I'll hold you to that promise—"

"HEY!"

What the—?!

A girl, a teenage girl that's probably no older than I am, is incredibly close to me! I don't think she knows the meaning of "personal space"! Behind her too… There's more teenage girls! They don't belong to U.A., nor I don't think that they're involved with the media! How did they get into this event? I meekly answer, stepping back, "Can I help you—?"

"Keigo, you mentioned him. Do you know where he is? Don't you dare lie to us!" she demands! I can feel the fierce intensity in her voice! How can a regular girl like her emit such a powerful energy?! All of the girls are just from evil glares alone! I glance over to Tetsu and he's quaking in his shoes! These girls are no joke! They might be…

The most powerful Villains in the world!

"Uhm…" I need to say the right thing. If I say something wrong, then I'll surely lose my life. "I'm just a U.A. student… What about you? Do you have any business with Keigo—I mean Hawks?" Dangit, I didn't mean to refer to Hawks by his first name!

"Naturally! My name is Tadaka Junhiko, the president of the official Hawks Fan Club! We pride ourselves on the going-ons of Keiko Takami, also known as Hawks—the No. 3 Pro Hero!" Junhiko answered with beaming pride. She's lying about the "official" part, isn't she? And she believes her own lie…

"Did he give you passes to this event? Because, if I'm honest, having you girls here could cause another controversy like the U.S.J. Incident," I tell them. Junhiko pouts, putting a hand on her hip.

"We're responsible enough! Even so, if Shigaraki attacks, Keigo will be out in a hot minute to put his ass into Tartarus! Why are you worried anyway? We should be the ones worried about Keigo's safety! He's the most handsome Hero of all time!" she argues, stepping forward again! What's up with her?!

Tetsu comes to my defense, "Hey! What do you think about Inochi? He's gonna rise up to be a top ten fast like Hawks! Just you watch!"

The girls behind Junhiko murmurs…

"Inochi? Wait, is this guy—?"

"He's the Quirkless student!"

"You guys didn't know? His face was plastered all over TV after the Sports Festival."

"I didn't think Quirkless guys could look so cute…"

Junhiko looks at her girls before looking back at me with a small scowl. "This is embarrassing… I managed to forget one of the hottest topics of heroism gossip—you. You're quite famous, you know. Might be for the wrong reasons," she says, her voice suddenly getting a lot more serious. Her eyes lit up when we were talking about Hawks, but now, it feels like she's analyzing me.

The girls behind her whisper to one another.

"Is it me, or he's a lot taller in person?"

"Stronger too."

"I heard he might be a top ten when he graduates…"

"His Quirk better be good."

Junhiko sighs, batting her hair. "As you can hear from my friends, everyone knows at least one thing about you. There's a still a ton of jealous mooks who hate your guts, but your fanclub is increasing in numbers daily. I guess people really love an underdog, don't they?"

She pulls out a slip of paper and a pen, handing it to me. I ask her, "What is this supposed to be?"

"An autograph, duh. It's for my little cousin. She's annoying, but she's a big fan of yours, especially since she's Quirkless too. I'm doing this for her, so don't get any wrong ideas," Junhiko answers, tapping her foot. "Her name is Ichiko Tazawa, by the way. Make sure you write something good down, even if it's cheesy."

An autograph? This is my first autograph? I'm famous enough to get asked for autographs… I don't like the idea of fame, but it'll be disgusting if I refuse this. I need to write something meaningful then.. Tetsu inches over behind me and whispers, "Bro, your first autograph! Write something down like 'You're the greatest weapon in my Armory!' or 'My fans are the sharpest weapon I have!'. Just wait until everyone else hears about this!"

Those are good ideas, even though they're corny, yet I don't think I should write something like that. Maybe…

"From your words, dreams are the most valuable treasure one could have. They need a protector, Young Inochi. They need you."

I ask Junhiko, "What's your cousin's dream?"

"Eh? Her dream? Why are you asking that?" she replies back with a question of her own. Tetsu tilts his head, being confused too.

"Please answer my question," I urge.

And she gives in, "Well, she wants to be a veterinarian. She loves animals." I nod, quickly writing my message down. Ichiko Tazawa, I will remember that name. If I could inspire her to chase her dream, even if it's just one person, then I'll be happy. Still, I don't believe that I could become the protector of dreams, but I can be something close to it. For now, Armory will be the man who wields Japan's swords. Dreams can come later.

"Here." I finish up, giving Junhiko the note and pen. "I hope she likes it!" I say with a smile. Some of the girls behind her blush. ("He's even cuter when he smiles!") Tetsu tries to read the note before I hand it back, but it was too late. Sorry about that…

Junhiko reads it out loud:

"Ichiko Tazawa, don't let any obstacles come in your way! Pursue your dream as a veterinarian and save animals like how a Pro Hero saves those in need! I'll be rooting for you - Sanji Inochi

"And remember: Dreams have the power to overcome the impossible! Yet, it's not enough. Work hard and you'll see the true strength of your dream! That's why you should never underestimate yours! Go beyond, Plus Ultra!"

"Like a true Pro," Tetsu compliments me. Aw, that means a lot.

Junhiko seems content. She folds the paper and puts it in her pocket. "Well, looks like Keigo isn't here, but at least I did something productive. Let's go guys." She walks past us with the rest of the girls. Some of them giggle and glance over at me. Tetsu nudges me with his elbow, signaling me to get going. Yeah… Guess so—

"Oh wait," Junhiko calls out to me, "you're a good-looking guy, Inochi, but you aren't Keigo-hot. Just for your information." She grins with a wink, like she's teasing me or something. Then, she disappears into the crowd. That was a strange encounter, but a welcomed one. First autograph down, first dream cherished.

I look down at my hands—And I somehow got ink all over them. Tetsu notices and immediately looks at me with pity. "You should head over to the bathroom, Inochi, don't worry 'bout me! I can handle the food all by myself! Call me 'Tetsu the Food Destroyer'!" Yeah, that's why no one wants to sit next to you at lunch…

"Thank you, Tetsutetsu. I'll be with you before you know it!" I bow my head before walking off to the boy's bathroom.

Tetsu should be able to deliver food to our friends, right? I hope so. He's a dependable guy. If I need anything, he'll be one of my first choices. Well, everyone in my class is a first choice, but with that much people, none of them would be my "first choice" by definition. Really, if I need something, and that "something" is really important to me, then I would go to…

"Sanji…"

Yeah, I would go to her first above everyone else. It might sound a little rude, but I trust her the most.

Squirt!
Hsssss!

Anyway, let's just focus on washing the ink off. Simple as that. Nothing life-changing will happen here—

FLUSH!
Click!

?!

"Jeez, I might be the No. 3 Hero, but Lunch Rush is No. 1 in making my stomach happy, y'know? Of course you know, you're a student here! Those P.E. uniforms are a bit tacky, by the way. Doesn't even have holes for wings, what a shame…"

Hawks?!

He just came out of one of the stalls! Oh crap, he's right beside me! He's washing his hands beside me! And, I don't mean to insult him, but he's a bit shorter than I expected! I thought he'd be a taller, more handsome man! Wait, I shouldn't think that! Like what Junhiko said, Hawks is a very attractive man! Damnit! I need to get a grip on myself! I can't lose my cool here, especially not in front of Hawks of all Heroes!

I try to say something, but all that comes out are mumbled words! That isn't Japanese, Sanji! It's an alien language!

"Yeah, I know the feeling. Sometimes, food is too good that you start speaking in alien. Remind me to ask Lunch Rush for his recipe for his chicken and white rice. Heaven on a plate, I tell you…" Hawks says, laughing to himself. He lets out a sigh, like everything is great in life. Just from his tone, Hawks is a carefree man. Who wouldn't be? He has wings; the skies are no longer his limit unlike the rest of us.

"Mister...Hawks, it's great to see you in person," I finally find the words to say, turning off the sink. I awkwardly inch towards the paper towel dispenser. Try not to be a doofus… Just dry your hands like a normal person.

Rip!

There you go, like a normal person! No more ink to speak of! Now I don't look like I killed a man who bleeds black blood!

Hawks puffs his cheeks and...makes a weird expression that I didn't know humans could make, but it eases back to his cheerful self. "You're a pretty cool guy, Mister Sanji Inochi. Do me a favor—gimme a hint on what your Quirk is. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I'm a trustworthy man."

"You know my name?!" I exclaim, taken aback.

Hawks laughs and rests his hand on the back of his neck. "Who doesn't? Oh by the way, I fired that guy who harassed you, you're welcome." I was harassed? When?

I bow, exclaiming, "Forgive me, but I don't know who you're talking about! How did I get someone fired?"

"Figured that you don't remember. It was back in September. You were walking around Musutafu like a mindless zombie until you accidentally ran into the guy. He shouted all kinds of nasty things at you, threatening that he'll ruin your life because he works—well, worked for me. Then, out of the crowd, a beautiful girl named Itsuka Kendo rescued you, a stranger wearing a white hoodie. That was the first day where Sanji Inochi set foot within the City of Heroes."

…!

How could I forget…? Jeez, I can't tell Itsuka that I forgot how we first met. Wait a second, how did Hawks perfectly recall that day while I couldn't remember it until now? "How did you—?"

Hawks answers my question before I even finish, "I was watching you on top of a skyscraper. My feathers caught someone saying my name, so I decided to listen in. Who knew that, about nine months later, you'd become one of the most famous first-years in U.A.? 'Specially with a smack-ton of mysteries surrounding you. So…"

He walks up and slings an arm over my shoulder, bringing me close. With his other hand, he pulls out his smartphone—he has stickers of himself on the back of his case—and opens the Camera App! Crap, is he really—?! "Say 'cheese'!"

Click!

Hawks lets go of me, focusing on his phone. "There we go! This encounter of fate will be memorialized! On social media. With millions of followers. On each platform. Yup, I think I got it all. Anyway, you should start getting involved yourself, Inochi. You're ahead of the crowd in terms of fame. It's rare for a first-year to have a fanclub, even when there's a swirl of hate and resent around you."

I look away from him, stuffing my hands in P.E. uniform's pockets. "I'm not...fond of attention and fame, honestly. It's selfish, and they'll lead to bad things; you saw what happened to 1-B after the Sports Festival. It's why there was so many people who called for my expulsion. I haven't forgotten about that."

"No reason why you should let the negative stuff limit you. Why do you think All Might is the greatest Hero? He's powerful and popular. He wouldn't be All Might without one or the other. Once people see him, they think, 'All Might is here! No one gets hurt on his watch!' It's a merit that a Hero should be judged on—the ability they can calm a crying child by their presence alone, no words spoken.

"And sorry for being a bit morbid, but Japan isn't the perfect place that the world makes us out to be. It's cruel sometimes. For a few kids, the image of a Hero is the only thing that keeps them going in life. If that Hero wasn't there, then we'd lose them forever. That's the power of fame. One time out of ten, it'll destroy a man's life; but, nine times out of ten, you're saving a life without meeting them in the first place. Do you understand, Inochi?"

…

"Yeah, I do." I stare down at the floor.

"Great!" Hawks exclaims before he heads towards the exit, his wings brushing against me. "Now, I need to do what U.A. wants me to do. See you around, Inochi."

"Oh!" I stop him. "You should be careful. Your fanclub is here. I ran into them earlier, and I somehow signed my first autograph for the president's cousin." Hawks's eyes go wide, not at the part about his fanclub, but about my autograph.

"Well look at you! Someday, you might be as famous as me. I'll be looking forward to it, Hero!" he says, then he leaves. Heh… Hawks is so cool! And approachable too! I never felt a twinge of fear when I was around him. No wonder he's the youngest Hero to scale the top tens in a short amount of time. What he said though… He makes a few good points…

Dang though… It's been nine months ever since I came to Musutafu, huh? Nine months and my entire world was turned upside down. I should head to Battle Zone Central before the first few fights start. Everyone's waiting for me.

---

…

"Kuhahahahaha! If 1-A was so great, then why haven't any one of you signed your first autograph?! I thought you were the more popular class, aren't you?! How bizarre! How terribly bizarre is that?! It's almost like you aren't famous as you once thought, 1-A! Maybe you're dirt?! No, worse than that! You're utter garbage that ought to be—!"

CHOP!

"You idiot… I let you out of my sight for one second… I ought to treat you like garbage," Itsuka mumbles before turning to 1-A, who're staring at us like freaks. "Sorry guys! Monoma is having one of his moments again! It would've helped if someone dealt with Monoma sooner."

I have a feeling she's talking about me. I hold my two skewered chicken, one in each hand. "Yakitori."

"This is the guy who signed his first autograph? Jeez Sanji, you're a mess..." she comments, hoisting Monoma onto her shoulder.

("Todoroki, you have a fanclub too, dontcha? Why haven't you signed your first autograph yet?")

("Oh c'mon Sero! You don't know that Todoroki's fans are comprised of women? Every time they see him, they're so stunned that their hearts explode outta their chests!")

("I'm able to make women's chests explode?")

("No, that's not what I meant, Todoroki...")

"Yakitori," I repeat, smiling. Itsuka gives me a look of disgust. But, I have one counter: Yakitori, it's delicious. I got two because...well, I wanted to share one with her. Anyway, weI should head back to our seats. I glance over to 1-A and say, "See you later! Midoriya, we should talk later about your current training, okay?"

"Oh, alright! See you later!"

"See ya, Ally of Love!"

"Make sure you give Monoma a good smack on the head!"

"He won't be doing that, Toru…"

Me, Itsuka, and Monoma head over to our section of the bleachers. She delivers the currently half-conscious half-unconscious Monoma to Kaibara, who accepts him without a word. (I personally give Kaibara a wink, but he shrugs it off.) After that, we find a seat on the second-to-last bench near the top. There we go! We could see the entire ring from here! Instead of the four sparring rings, it'll be combined into one massive ring. It's about the same size of the one in the tournament back in the Sports Festival. Well, I think. As of now, our proxies are at the bottom of the bleachers, ready to be called up.

"Yakitori?" I ask Itsuka, gesturing to one of my sticks. She sighs and takes one, finally giving up due to my persistence. Good, if she didn't accept, then I'd stuff it down her throat. And that sounded a lot more violent than I had anticipated. But this is too delicious to pass up! Each bite is better than the last!

I check on how Itsuka's doing, and she's staring at me with a little red in her cheeks. Huh, is hers spicy? I got two flavors, didn't I? I got Korean BBQ and I gave her the sweet and sour. None of them is spicy, or it shouldn't be. Itsuka catches me looking at her and frantically looks away. "D-Don't look at me like that!"

"Sorry! Did I give you the spicy yakitori? I swore that I gotten something else… Lemme taste." I take Itsuka's hand, the one that's holding the yakitori, and bite one of the pieces of chicken off. She sputters and pulls her hand away while I'm just munching. Yup, this is sweet and sour. Not spicy whatsoever. "Sanji?! You jackass!"

"Heh, sorry about that! I had to check since you were red," I apologize, offering my stick to her. "I'm a firm believer in equality, so please take a bite out of mine." Itsuka glares at the stick, still blushing. She...isn't doing anything. Does she heard what I just said? Please tell me she didn't forget how to eat. "Itsuka?" I check up on her.

"Why don't you just feed her, Sanji?" a voice emerges behind me.

"Good point, voice behind me—Wait?! Voice behind me?!" There wasn't anyone on the top bench! Who the heck could it be—?! Shojo?!

Itsuka exclaims, "Shojo?! Why are you hiding under the bleachers?! How did you even get up here?! We're near the top! You do realize that there's seats right?!" Oh my God, Shojo is behind the bleachers. All I can see is her glasses and her eyes! Why is she hiding there?!

"Yes, I am completely aware of that fact," she deadpans, kinda like Yui.

"Why are you behind there then?" I ask, inching away from her. Shojo was behind me this entire time. I thought she was in the 1-H stands with Hatsume and all the other Support Students.

"Large crowds scare me. And…" Shojo's presence suddenly gets darker. "Humans are evil. They are the most terrible, vilest creatures that ever roamed this planet. If I ever become God, then I'd wipe them off the face of the earth."

"Someone took the last lemon dango?" I say. Manga told me that Shojo always gets that at lunch.

"Someone took the last lemon dango," she confirms. Wait, didn't Komori said something earlier…?

"Hey guys! I got the last lemon dango! Today's my lucky day!"

Oh, that's not good. I look at Itsuka and we're both thinking the same thing, We can't let Shojo see Komori. I'll just divert the conversation that isn't about delicious, sweet lemon dangos. Crap, now I want one now… Ugh! Focus! Itsuka handles the next question for me, "So Shojo, why did you climb up here? Aren't you supposed to be with your class?"

Shojo replies, shrinking a little, "My class is full of demons. Yesterday, I walked into my homeroom and someone made a snowball cannon. It's summer! Oh, don't get me started on Hatsume. She's been chasing me around, begging me to beg you guys for any costume improvements. So I decided to make these bleachers my permanent home. Say goodbye to my social life, I'm a troll under a bridge now."

"You can't live there forever, you know…" I say, wincing a little.

"You can't stop me, Sanji. People overestimated the value of human interaction, but I haven't! I don't need it! I lived my life as a hermit before, I can certainly do it again! Just watch me!" she resolves, bouncing her head up and down—

BONK!

And she banged it right against the bleachers above her… Yeah, that looked like it hurt. Shojo whimpers, giving us the sad puppy eyes. Itsuka lays back and shakes her head. "Alright, you're a smart girl, Shojo..."

Shojo nods, letting her voice go soft as she speaks, "Y-Yeah thanks, but you see… I need something from you guys… When I saw you two coming up, I wanted to talk to you, so I climbed and climbed until I ended up here. But here's the problem, it's a very funny problem, please don't laugh, but—"

"You can't get down, can you?" I immediately cut to the chase. Shojo pouts, but she nods. She definitely nods. Well, I'm not going to let her fall to her death. I entrust Itsuka with my heaven on a stick before I reach down to Shojo. "C'mon, I got ya."

I grab and carry her out, placing her right next to me. She murmurs, embracing the new air, "Artificial light, oh how I missed thee…"

Munch!

"Wow, Korean BBQ is pretty good!" Itsuka comments, finishing the rest of my yakitori. I had three pieces left too… "What? Don't pout. You said that you're a firm believer in equality."

"For one piece." I hold up one finger. "You ate three." Then three fingers. "I expect two pieces of sweet and sour chicken to make up for this lost." Finally two fingers. Itsuka rolls her eyes and shows me the two...clean...skewers. She finished them both?! How cruel… I will never forget this act of betrayal…

Shojo sees me downtrodden and for some weird reason, her face lights up. "I got the perfect response! Sanji, seeing as you aren't repaid for your lost snack, you should kiss Itsuka, tasting the Korean BBQ through her mouth!"

"..."

"..."

Itsuka and I turn our backs to her. Shojo says, being depressed, "In shojo mangas, the male lead usually does that to their partner… Sanji seems like the type of guy who would do that…" I'd say that this is real life, not a manga, but what's the point? Sometimes, I feel like my entire life is just fiction, words on a computer screen that people can read. How creepy is that? Feels like my thoughts are being violated by people I don't know. I wonder if anyone else feels the same way? Perhaps all of us are just—

"Sanji's spacing out again," Itsuka says, pinching my arm. I yelp and tear my arm away. "Hehe, I had to get you out of your head somehow. Now, what should we talk about that isn't our nonexistent romance?"

Shojo taps her chin before coming up with an answer, "Conversation starter! I came up with a really good one! Sanji, on Flutter, Hawks posted a selfie with you and him. He captioned it with 'Found #Armory'. You're trending from the last time I checked!"

I… Huh, I don't know what I should've expected. Hawks is really famous. Anyway, I say, "Not surprising. Hawks is a really cool Hero. I can see why so many people adore him, and I'm no different. In fact, Itsuka, he remembers the time when we first met."

Itsuka has a confused look. She looks like a lost chipmunk, I have to be honest. "We never met Hawks—Wait, we did meet that asshole who worked for him! How does Hawks 'remember' us exactly though?" Oh, she remembers how we met. I'm the only one who forgot…

"During the time, he was eavesdropping during one of his patrols. After what happened, Hawks fired the guy," I explain, looking down at the arena, but I'm not staring at specifically anything. "Y'know, that was nine months ago, Itsuka. Think about how much had happened in nine entire months…"

She laughs and moves closer to me, our shoulders touching. If I could, I'd move even closer, but that'll make her turn red again. I don't wanna embarrass her too much. Doesn't mean I won't. Itsuka jokes, "And it was a nightmare. Living with an incredibly kind man, who does his share of his housework, makes coffee for me every morning, and is my equal in every way… Yeah, it's been a real nightmare."

Itsuka gets closer. I can't help but smile. I reply, "It has been. There was this girl that, starting out, we were complete opposites—a timid man and a brave woman. As I got to know her, I was inspired more and more by her confidence. I looked up to her, you could say. In the end, I took some of her confidence as my own. She helped me break out of my shell and made me the goofy guy I am today."

"Sounds like a jerk, honestly," Itsuka insults herself. I nudge her and she laughs. "Yeah, yeah… There's a guy I know who really wants to be a Hero. He barely sleeps, so he spends all that time training like the world depends on it—and I guess, in a way, it does. That only scratches the surface though. He doesn't take care of himself. He's always running into these stupid situations that'll get him hurt, or worse.

"I get that it's a good quality for a rising Hero to have, but I can't stop myself from feeling this way. Ever since I stepped foot into U.A., I knew I had to take care of everyone; my friends, my family, and especially him. I am The People's Fist, the one who protects the weak, but that protection extends to everyone I hold dear. I guess what I'm trying to say is—I care about this guy a lot, t-too much if i'm being honest."

This isn't new information, but this is the first time she's directly telling me this. Whenever she got mad at me for being reckless, I knew she cares about me more than anyone else. Itsuka will always worry about me. Even if I fight a weak Villain, she'd still worry for me then. She wants to protect me, and I want to protect her. I want to protect all of my friends too. We aren't that different from each other.

I say with a massive smile on my face, "Well, I'm not worried about this girl. She's tough in both body and mind. She doesn't need anyone to take care of her because she's taking care of everyone else, especially me. God knows how much she hurts Monoma, despite me scolding her, or how she keeps Awase and Tsuburaba in line. Yet, I won't let that stop me. No matter how strong she is, I want to be the one who protects her. It sounds a bit corny or cheesy, but that's how I feel.

"She does so much for me, so it isn't fair if I don't do the same for her. But, I'd be lying if that was my only reason. I admire her so much, even though I don't say it or show it as much as I want to. I guess… I guess I'm trying to say that she's really important to me. That's the truth."

"S-Sanji…" Itsuka mutters, getting so red that I even feel the heat coming off of her face. Well, I think I made her really embarrassed. So much for preventing that, but it's great seeing that side of her. Having her flustered around me, her letting me see her vulnerable side, it makes me feel special. "I—"

Scribble scribble scribble!

The sound of someone scribbling interrupts her. We look for the source and it's Shojo, who I completely forgot about. She has a large drawing pad out with pen and pencils, scribbling like her life depends on it. I hear her muttering like Midoriya, "Cute! This is such a cute scene! Reminiscing on the past, reflecting on the bond that they have? Perfect recipe for romance! The girl who protects everyone and the selfless boy who cares not for himself! They find love in caring for each other, but never themselves! Such a sweet couple! Dangit, didn't mean to mess up there! C'mon Shojo, get it together—!"

"Ahem," I clear my throat.

"Ahem," Itsuka clears hers.

Shojo looks up, her glasses drooping a little. "Don't judge me. The scene I'm seeing is so sweet that my heart is dying from a sugar overload. I can't help but to memorialize it as a manga panel! Right now, it's a sketch, but just you wait! Oh, you guys know I'm writing a manga, right?"

"Your Quirk is literally named 'Mangaka', so I somewhat expected it," I say. Itsuka mumbles to herself and scooches away where we aren't touching shoulders anymore. She sounds a little upset judging from the tone of her mumbles.

Shojo raises a finger, beaming proudly. "Good! I'm glad you know me well! You see, since 1-B is a little unpopular relative to 1-A, I decided to detail your journeys in a manga. It's nonfiction, but I exaggerated a few details here and there. It has a working name too!"

Itsuka whispers to me, "Oh jeez, why do I have a feeling it's a bad name?" Honestly, I'd reprimand her for her lack of faith in Shojo's names, but I have the same feeling as well.

"'Hero Class 1-B is Good Too!'" she exclaims. That's not a bad name, but…

"That sounds more like a light novel than a manga…" I give my opinion. Shojo shuts her mouth and pouts. Her cheeks grow three sizes too… I think she's mad at me. I think she's really mad at me.

Oh, she isn't looking at me anymore. She refuses to even make eye contact with one of her best friends! I gave my opinion. I didn't mean to say daggers that cut deep. Though, when I'm looking at Shojo now, she looks pretty cute when she pouts. Awase would love this, since he's basically in love with Shojo.

Itsuka puts her chin on my shoulder. She's pouting too! What did I do this time?! She's staring at me like I know what you're thinking, you disgusting pervert. Jeez, one moment, I was talking to Itsuka about how much she means to me, and I somehow got both her and Shojo angry. Go me…

Wait, where's Setsuna? If she was here, then she would've ran up here and started to beg Itsuka and I to confess our love to each other. I haven't heard her voice anywhere! I ask Itsuka, "Have you seen Setsuna?"

Itsuka stops pouting and takes her head off, thinking for a second. "You're right… It's oddly quiet. I haven't seen her yet. Where is she?"

"I don't exactly know. Earlier, I swore I saw her dad talking to uhm… What was his name…?" His name… The man was a businessman like Mister Tokage. He's a redhead, his hair a bit darker than Itsuka's, and he has a weird pointy nose. I saw him before in the news. His name… I got it! "I remembered! It was the founder of Deternat Company, Rikiya Yotsubashi."

"Think Setsuna's with them?" Shojo cuts in.

I scratch the back of my head. "Well, I—"

"YOOOOOO!" It's Present Mic.

The Proxy Battles are starting.

---

Shinzo Mantora

The first match is Honoteru Nichirin versus Kingo Wakuri. I think Wakuri's Quirk is called Dust. He can telepathically control any dust particles in an area. It sounds simple, but the applications are dangerous. I don't doubt that he could create dust storms. It wouldn't kill a person, usually, but it'll feel like torture. Your eyes being pelted, dust filling your lungs, most people wouldn't be able to take it. Dust is a Quirk fitting for making Villains surrender willingly. We won't encounter Villains like Tomura Shigaraki on a daily basis. Realistically, we'll meet common thugs who're wimps. Any sign of trouble, they'll scatter or give up. It's rare to see a thug that's headstrong.

But Nichirin, he's stubborn. There's no way that he'll lose by surrendering. You have to render him unconscious to win. For Wakuri, he has to choke Nichirin out without getting hit with his energy attacks. Unless Wakuri is agile like Inochi, then he can't dodge his attacks. I don't know Wakuri all that well, but the only ones who has the agility like Inochi are in the Hero Course. He won't win. Nichirin will beat him.

"Lemme hear you say 'Heck yeah!'" Present Mic yells, trying to hype the crowd. A majority of the crowd are grown adults on the job. So no one, even students like me, says anything. A loud and incredibly awkward silence rings throughout Battle Zone Central. We could all hear how silent the building is. If it didn't work with eager teenagers in the Entrance Exam, then it won't work here.

"He tries too hard…" Suzuki says next to me, huffing and crossing his arms, "Mantora, who do you think you'll go up against? Your beloved girlfriend?"

"I hope not. She'll enjoy being beaten by me," I reply. Kazeha is a unique woman. Because she's so unique that I can't help but to think to myself, Why is she obsessed with me? She is a national treasure and it'll be selfish of me to keep her. It's the only reason why I want to give her away. If anyone says I'm lying, then they're wrong.

"Wow Mantora, how cold. You can't deny that your nymphomaniac is cute. Some men, I definitely know a few, would gladly date and have their way with her," Suzuki tells me while raising a finger. Hmph, Suzuki and I probably know the same few guys. I rarely get disgusted, but the thought of one of them together with Kazeha… Ugh.

"Suzuki—"

He grins. "You're gritting your teeth. Looks like you're currently attached to Kazeha—don't lie. I have too honestly—not romantically because hell no. Don't tell her this, but she's fun to have around." Teasing me, without insulting me, is not like Suzuki. He's nicer today, which is weird. I had a feeling he enjoys Kazeha, but him admitting it is off-putting. It must be from his tutoring session with Gera.

"Uh huh. How's that German book? Did you get what you want out of it? Whatever it is?" I ask him. I overheard his conversation with Gera the day before while Kazeha was trying to kill me. I didn't enjoy that.

Suzuki nods, crossing his legs. "Mhm, that's why I'm in a better mood. Thank God that I discovered that book. It's the testament to what kind of Heroes that our society is brewing. No wonder the Commission banned this book. It's controversial like the Meta Liberation War, but not many people know about it. It's not in the curriculum too."

"Suzuki, I won't lie to you, but you're so obsessed with Inochi that you read a book in order to insult him more. You have problems," I say, turning to the field. I ignored what Present Mic said. It's probably how the Proxy Battles will work. Twelve students with six in Class A and B each, six matches, most points win. There's a five minute time limit and if no one wins, the match will be considered a draw. In a case where both teams have the same amount of points, an extra match will be fought as the tiebreaker. Oh, you can win by knockout, pushing your opponent out of the arena, or by forfeit. That's about it.

Nichirin and Wakuri step up to the field. Suzuki sighs, saying one last thing to me, "Shut up, Mantora. Let's focus on the match." Nichirin is in his costume and so is Wakuri. Wakuri is wearing a beige peacoat with a collar that covers the bottom half of his mouth. He seems like the silent type.

Present Mic announces, "Kingo Wakuri of 1-A, the King of Dust, is fighting against The Solar Knight of the Sun, Honoteru Nichirin of 1-B! Let's talk to Nichirin first, shall we?! Will the honored warrior of the Nichirin Family be the victor against the controller of all dust?! What do you say, Honoteru Nichirin?! Are you ready?!"

"Splendidly ready! I may be a knight of the sun, but a king will not topple me! I draw my power from the supreme source—the sun! Come Wakuri, I will give you a dazzling battle that will be recorded in history!" he loudly states to the entire crowd.

Present Mic claps. "Beautiful! Now onto you Kingo Wakuri! Are you ready?!"

"Mhm."

"Is...that all?"

"Mhm."

"Okay!" Present Mic says after Wakuri meagerly responds. He's different than I expected. Wakuri's stoic, standing with a strong posture. Silent but serious, those types of men has power to back it. Anyway, Present Mic continues talking, "Let this battle commence! Three! Two! One! Fight!"

"Here I come, Kingo Wakuri!" Nichirin shouts, his veins glowing yellow. He's still absorbing the heat in the air. Wait, Battle Zone Central is air-conditioned. I don't think he has nearly enough power as compared to fighting outside in the sun. He might be at a disadvantage here. But, Nichrin laughs. "Take this!"

SHINING STAR CRESCENT!

That Super Move, Shining Star Crescent, I saw it earlier with his fights. It was a lot brighter back then. Here, it's dim and slower. So I thought, Nichirin is less powerful in a colder environment. Yet, he's acting like he doesn't know his limitations. He's either arrogant of his own abilities or he's acting, maybe both. This puts things into perspective. Even in this environment, Nichirin still has a strong Quirk. Inochi is really skilled if he was able to defeat Nichirin when he was at his strongest.

"Hmph." Wakuri steps forward and—

CLASH!

"Impossible!" Nichirin exclaims. Huh, Wakuri willingly got hit by the Shining Star Crescent. There isn't a scratch on his body, only a slight scorch marks on his coat. He took Nichirn's attack like it's nothing. That's impressive. Not only Wakuri's Quirk sounds strong, he's resilient as well. Suzuki swears under his breath about something. Wakuri says, "Here."

He brings his hand out.

Whooosh!

The wind picks up. Dust starts to condense in front of Wakuri. It's thick that I can't see the other side. Nichirin yells, "You're a resilient man, are you not?! In that case, I'll barrage you with so much attacks that you have to go over your limit!"

"Okay," Wakuri replies before his miniature dust storm flies towards Nichirin. It picks up dust, growing larger and larger until it envelops a quarter of the arena. Everyone in the audience move back as the storm grows even larger than that. "Nichirin," Wakuri says, "take deep breaths."

SAHARA DUST!

The dust storm takes up half of the arena, the wind howling around us. Hoashi cowers, trying to find a place to shield himself from the wind. Nichirin, like always, is standing tall. His smile disappears though, frowning.

"You brute!" Nichirin shouts as the storm roars closer. "Manipulating dust to create such a storm?! Such power, but I'm afraid this isn't enough to fell me! Come, I'll set this dust ablaze!" He raises his hand towards the storm and fires a small ray towards the base. What is he trying to do—?

"—You?!"

BLAZE!

Present Mic yells, "WOAH! Nichirin, you're getting reckless!"

Akagawa swears, "That crazy bastard, what is he trying to do?!" Nichirin just set the dust storm on fire. Not only he has to worry about a dust storm, he also has to deal with a fire storm too. What is he thinking? He'll burn the entire building down. I didn't think that his Quirk could set things on fire, actually, but it did. The fire must've sparked upon impact. It has more than enough oxygen, which is the bad part.

Suzuki watches the storm closely, explaining, "You forgot how Nichirin's Quirk works. He doesn't take up light, remember? He takes up heat. That storm, well mini-tornado if you wanna be literal, is taking up all the air in the building—the cold air. By lighting Wakuri's dust storm on fire, he's creating more heat for himself to use. Nichirin might be haughty, but he isn't dumb. He turned his poor circumstances into his favor, inflicting Wakuri with a disadvantage in return."

Nichirin puffs his chest as his veins glow brighter and brighter. Wakuri, from the look on his face, realizes what's going on and thrusts his hands forward, slowing the wind. He disperses the storm all over the arena, destroying the storm and extinguishing the fire. There's still a few specs of fire strewn on the field, but they're small and unimportant to the fight. Nichirin laughs, raising his head high. "Kingo Wakuri, let's try this again, shall we?!"

SHINING STAR CRESCENT!

He unleashes another crescent from his chest. It flies faster, brighter, stronger towards Wakuri. It's the same strength when he was fighting out on a sunny day. Wakuri puts his arms up as his crescent hits him again in his chest. This time, it deals more damage. His peacoat is cut open, revealing his skin underneath. Wakuri grunts in pain, stepping forward with his hands out. "Ah—! You—?!"

"Concede," Nichirin states, standing tall. "Your Quirk is powerful, but I'm your perfect counter. Anything you do, it'll only make me stronger. No matter how many dust storms you create, I'll use them as energy, if they don't burn Battle Zone Central to ash. If you continue to fight, then I'll simply have to pummel you until you go unconscious! As your opponent, I must suggest otherwise! It's better for both parties if you surrendered."

"Okay," Wakuri accepts? Did he accept defeat? That easily?

"What the?!" Present Mic yells into his mic. "Kingo Wakuri admits defeat so easily?! This is unexpected! What a turn!"

Wakuri nods. "Nichirin is right. No matter how many storms I can send out, Nichirin will ignite them. If I let them be, he'll absorb the heat, so I'm forced to dispel them unless I want to kill everyone here. That means Nichirin made my attacks useless, putting me in an impossible position to defeat him. Of course, I could send dust directly down his throat and into his lungs, but that would kill him. No one wants to see that."

He walks towards the center of the arena. Nichirin does the same. When they meet, Wakuri extends his hand and Nichirin takes it. They shake hands. Wakuri says, "Congratulations, Nichirin. This was a good fight."

"Would you look at this?! Honoteru Nichirin of 1-B wins! Mark the first fight for 1-B, why don't you! They gotta be happy now! Look at Neito Monoma!" Present Mic says as everyone stares at Monoma.

"Hahahaha! Already?! 1-B won their first match against 1-A! Bakugo, I thought you said that you'll win 6 to 0, you arrogant-minded numbskull! Oh wait, does this mean that 1-B is better than 1-A in this case?! Ohohoho, I thought—!"

CHOP!

Kendo knocks Monoma out again. She raises her hand, apologizing, "Sorry! I should control him better! C'mon Monoma, you're sitting next to me." He groans as Kendo drags him to her seat.

Alright then.

---

The workers finally cleaned up the arena for the next match, which Present Mic introduces just now, "The arena is ready once again! Here comes the second match! Coming all the way from 1-A is Roku Hosoo, the man of all three dimensions! He's up against the mirror master himself, Jun Hoashi of 1-B!"

They walk up to the field. Hosoo has a stride that says he's full of himself while Hoashi is walking like a stiff piece of wood. Present Mic asks, "Dimension Man, are you ready to fight?!"

Hosoo, his Quirk is called Dimensional Shift. He can shift his body between all three dimensions. The function doesn't sound as interesting as the name itself. He says, "Ready as I'll ever be. No hard feelings, Hoashi, but I'm gonna win. No doubt about it."

"How prideful! Jun Hoashi, what about you?! You ready to fight like your life depends on it?!" Mic asks, yelling at Hoashi who recoils under the noise.

"Y-Yes…" he meekly responds. I have a feeling that the fight won't turn out well for Hoashi.

"Awesome! Let the fight commence! Three! Two! One! Begin!" Present Mic starts the match. Hosoo runs towards Hoashi with a grin on his face while Hoashi stands there, shying away from his opponent.

Suzuki says, "Hoashi isn't gonna do anything. He'll lose." He's right. Hoashi isn't doing anything. He's just standing there, waiting for Hosoo to take the opportunity to defeat him.

Hosoo finally sees this and slows down to a walk, approaching Hoashi face-to-face. He asks him, "Hoashi, this is a fight. Fighting is something we do, but you're standing still and trying to look away from me."

"M-My Quirk is useless here, okay?! There's nothing reflective here! I didn't think I would join the H.C.T.!" he cries before turning around. He's walking towards the outer bounds of the arena. "I-I can't be a Hero at this rate… I can't win…"

And he goes out of bounds, forfeiting the match. Akagawa remarks, shaking her head, "Poor guy. His Quirk isn't all bad. It's the man who controls it. His self-esteem is so low that he won't believe in himself."

Present Mic, his voice soft-spoken, says, "Then, Roku Hosoo of 1-A wins the battle. The score is 1 to 1—"

"I believe in you, Jun-Jun!" Tsunotori stands up on the bleachers. She cheers for him louder, "You can become a Hero!"

"...!" Hoashi stands there, staring at Tsunotori.

Komori joins Tsunotori. "That's right! If she believes in you, then I do too!" Komori tries to drag Kuroiro up with her while Tsunotori does the same to Kamakiri.

"The girls are correct! Hoashi, you are the master of reflection! If I had to choose a Hero to fight alongside me, I'd choose you within a heartbeat!" Nichirin announces.

Fukidashi stands. "You might not have any faith in yourself, but we have faith in you. Take it from me, the scrawny nerd who's afraid of everything. This really does make your heart go 'BA-DUMP' doesn't it?"

"Ugh, fine!" Kamakiri throws his hands up in the air, doing what Tsunotori wants. "Look, you ain't useless. If you were, then how the hell wouldja get into U.A. in the first place? Even if you don't believe in yourself, you got plenty of idiots who're sticking by your ass 'till the very end. Sure, they're rude as hell, but they're all you got. 'Specially this dope right 'ere." He pokes Tsunotori's cheek.

"That's right. With you on our side, I knew that we could defeat even Charon, and we did." Rin's next.

One by one, more of 1-B stand up for him before everyone joins in. Out of respect, I stand up with Suzuki who's smiling to himself. Jeez, I didn't expect this to happen. With what happened with Inochi, something as kind as this wouldn't have crossed my mind, but it happened. Because of it, Hoashi is crying. He wipes his tears off his face, but they keep flowing. All Might approaches him and wraps an arm around his shoulder, walking to the exit together.

Everyone chants, "Go Jun-Jun!"

Heh… Everyone needs someone to back them up. He's lucky that he has the entire school rooting for him. One way or another, we can relate to him. Feeling weak or worthless is something that everyone experiences, even guys like Bakugo. Seeing Hoashi embody that extreme brings out the same emotions in all of us. So, just this once, everyone can come together—no matter how weak or strong they are—and give Hoashi the motivation he needs. Even All Might is supporting him. That means everybody, doesn't matter who, was in Hoashi's shoes before. Those who say otherwise are liars.

As All Might and Hoashi leave Battle Zone Central, we calm down. Suzuki says, "That was a pleasant surprise. I won't lie, Mantora, but I thought Hoashi did the least in The Six Wanderers exercise."

"Because he had no faith in himself, you jerk," Akawaga scolds Suzuki, hitting him over the top of the head. "Self-esteem can do a lot more than you imagine."

Suzuki yelps, rubbing where she hit him. "I know, I know… Glad the entire school is with him. I hope that Hoashi becomes a good Hero for himself, I guess." He shrugs. We turn to the rest of the stands and bleachers. The Pro Heroes are amused, chatting to each other about what happened while the media is eating this up like it's candy.

Then, Present Mic clears his throat, ushering a silence that sweeps the building. "Woohoo! That is what U.A. stands for! Cheering one another on despite our faults! It's what makes this school great! Plus Ultra even! Yahoo!"

"What's the next match, Present Mic?!" Akagawa shouts, loud enough that it echoes. Everyone goes silent and stares at her, but she doesn't care.

"I'm glad you asked, June Akagawa! This next match is awfully funny, actually! This is the Battle of the Shinsos! The Brainwasher of the Weak Hearts, Hitoshi Shinso from Class 1-A! He's up against the Frightening Boy with the Golden Heart, Shinzo Mantora from 1-B! Which heart will shine the brightest? Which will be taken over by force?! Let's find out! Come on up to the plate!" Mic announces my match. At least I'm already standing.

Before I go, Suzuki advises me, "Remember Mantora, don't talk to Shinso. If you say a single word to him, he'll brainwash you and that's the match. You're not immune to him unlike Midoriya; hell, I heard rumors that Inochi is immune too." Yeah, I remember. During the Sports Festival, Shinso brainwashed Ojiro, Shoda, and countless of other students too. If I do get trapped by his Quirk, I don't have any way to snap myself out of it, which is what Midoriya did, pun not intended. It should be an easy match if I don't answer any of his questions. Just get in close and take him out.

"Got it, thanks," I say, walking off to my side of the field. Shinso stands on the other. He has his hands in his pockets with a blank expression. His costume is just his P.E. uniform, but there's white binds wrapped around his neck. It's like Eraserhead's. So the rumors are true—Shinso is being tutored by him. Don't think he's trained with it though. Right now, Shinso is staring at me, measuring me up, trying to find what ticks. It'll be hard though. I've been told that I'm an inexpressive guy—many many times from Kazeha.

"Hitoshi Shinso, the only General Course student who got into the Sports Festival, you prepared to fight your other heart?!" Present Mic screams into his mic.

"Ready. What about you, other Shinzo?" he asks.

"..." I don't answer.

He tells Mic, "Shinzo's ready. He's smarter than he looks, if he can even see through his bangs. Can you see?"

"He'd better see me! I'm rooting for you, Hentai Protagonist! You got this!" Kazeha yells from 1-A's stand. Gera sits her down and makes Kazeha bow her head. She's whispering something to her. Well, I'll just ignore what she called me.

Shinso shakes his head. "I'm too tired to even ask about that..."

Mic berates her, "School appropriate, Kazeha! Please, school appropriate words! Don't make us treat you like Midnight! She has to take faculty meetings every week on what's allowed in a school environment! She learns nothing!"

"Hizashi, you dumb man!"

"Wait Nemuri, I—?! Ack?"

BANG!

I think that was the sound of a head slamming against a desk. Midnight comes on the mic, "Hehe~! Don't worry about a thing! Shinso and Shinzo, please start your fight while we deal with some technical difficulties!" We hear gurgling before another bang. I look at Shinso and he looks at me. We mutually agree to not question the "technical difficulties".

With our match officially started, I dash towards Shinso. He steps backwards and with his right hand, he grips his binds. He's trying to capture me before I reach him. Shinso grits his teeth and whips the binds towards me, but his movements are stiff and slow. I side-step his binds, easily dodging it. He shouts, "Damnit! You—?!"

Grasp!

Before he pulls his binds back, I grab them and yank him towards me, causing him to go off-balanced. Unless he wants to fall, he needs to take a few seconds to re-balance himself. That's all I need to close the distance. I let go of the binds and run forward; Shinso takes the time to stand himself up again. He grits his teeth as he sees me getting closer. There isn't enough time for him to attack with his binding weapon again, but he has enough time to do something. For some reason, he's standing still, glaring at me. "Shinzo Mantora! Glowing Heart is such a good Quirk! Yet, you're just a lazy slacker who doesn't do anything good with it!"

"..." I run in with my right fist clenched.

"You can heal like Recovery Girl, punch like Midoriya! Who isn't envious of that?! This must be the first year where the General Courses could actually stand up to Class A and B without being sweeped away like dirt!" Shinso taunts me again.

"..." I'm closer.

His body goes stiff. Shinso glares, staring at where my eyes are supposed to be. He isn't trying to parry my attack. He isn't doing anything. The only thing he does is whispering, "Do you think you can be a Pro Hero, Shinzo Kichoki?"

?!

"How do you—?!"

BRAINWASH!

"Shinzo Mantora is spelled?! I thought that boy had nerves of steel! What did Shinso say to him?!" Midnight… That's...Midnight…

My fist stops...right before...Shinso's face… He smiles and...pats my shoulder...rewrapping his binds around his neck. I can't...move...

My mind is...drawing blanks…

"Shinzo Mantora, do me a favor and step out of bounds." Shinso...asks…me…

My legs are...moving on...their own…

I can't...see...how far I am… Everything's...gray…and dark…

I see the line… I…

I walk out of...bounds…

"Hitoshi Shinso is the winner! That's two points for Class A and a single point for Class B!" Midnight… I—?!

SMACK!

Principal Nezu. He hits me over the head, freeing me from Shinso's Quirk. The world becomes clearer again. He says to me with a slight frown, "Well, I didn't expect that, Mister Kichoki. I'll fetch Shinso and we'll have a talk, okay?"

"Okay…" I reply, looking back at him. Shinso stands in the middle of the arena with a soft smile on his face. We hear his classmates cheering for him, chanting his name. Eraserhead is by the 1-A stand, impressed. Damn…

He won.

---

Karisuma Suzuki

"Seems like Nezu is taking the Shinsos out for a talk. Got any ideas why?" Usami asks, nudging me with her shoulder. She doesn't know the answer? It's obvious. It must be the reason why Mantora answered Shinso's question. What did Shinso say that rattled his bones?

"It's about what Shinso said. If Nezu is involved, then it must be really important, or Nezu is Nezu. You can never know in this school," I answer, crossing my arms. Please don't tell me that not only Inochi and Midoriya are special, Mantora is too. Kazeha calls him a "mystery", so I swear to God if Nezu is addressing that mystery, I'm going to take a swan dive off a cliff. Wait, it means Shinso knows the mystery too. Ugh, just what the hell is going on?

"Yet, did you take a gander at Mister Aizawa? Shinso had the same restraining weapon as he did. The rumors are true, aren't they?" Nichirin rhetorically asks next, beaming with joy. "What a lucky man! Having a Pro Hero as a tutor must be dazzling! I fear that favoritism will play a role in deciding the transfers, but Shinso is a very lucky individual!"

Akagawa shakes her head. "I'm not getting transferred for sure, Hoashi too. If Eraserhead likes Shinso, then there's no chance that anyone else in 1-C will get transferred. With this many students in the H.C.T., U.A. will probably choose one kid from each class. Shinso is guaranteed to be the 1-C transfer, and with how All Might treated Suzuki, he's the 1-D transfer. Favoritism like that? Freaking obvious."

She has a lot of conviction saying that. It's coming out of a place of jealousy. I can see Shinso being the 1-C transfer, but me? Gera has a better chance than I do. She has a clean record and a better Quirk. Because All Might called me out directly, everyone thinks I'm a special case, which means I'll be favored over other students. I'm only being treated like that because I'm one step away from explusion, and I have the desire to change. That's why All Might took an interest in me. He wants me to chance.

"Then I'll be the 1-E transfer! I am impressive enough to join the mighty ranks of Heroes-in-Training! Don't you three agree with me?" Nichirin swears, his hair flowing in the wind, but there's no wind in here…

"Whatever you tell yourself…" Akagawa says.

"Honestly, no!" Usami weirdly exclaims.

"Sure, why not?" and I give him my thoughts.

Nichrin pats his chest, having his hand over his heart. "I'm taking your answers as a resounding 'yes', my dear friends!"

Click!

"Ahem, forgive us for our, uhm, 'technical difficulties'. It was...hard to resolve," Present Mic comes back, being the announcer again. "Now! Let's move onto the next half of the Freshman Proxy Battles! It is time for Sakuna Kazeha, the Sakura Bloom of 1-A, fighting against June Akagawa, the Miss Issac Newton of 1-B! Come on down!"

"Welp, wish me luck," Akagawa says, entering the arena with a walk that says, I'm badass and I know it. Yeah, she's a punky girl. On the other side, Kazeha skips to her end. She doesn't seem that bothered that her boyfriend ran off with a man with the same name as him.

Mic screams like an annoying banshee, "Alright! Sakuna Kazeha, the next Midnight, are you prepared to fight the Physics Punk?!"

"Ready as can be! Try hitting me when I'm sakura petals, Akagawa!" she taunts, leaning forward with a seductive smirk.

"Such confidence! But June Akagawa, think you can beat The Sakura Maiden?!" Present Mic asks Akagawa next, shouting into his mic. There must be so much spit on it.

She nods, smirking. "Naturally! I'm not only a punk, but I'm a smart punk. C'mon pretty girl, you're lucky that we aren't goin' fist-to-fist. I don't even need to touch you to win." This fight might turn out like Tokage's, but worse. Kazeha's a lot faster with her Quirk, smaller too. But, she can't fight with her petals. She has to reform herself to do any attacks, and that's a little risky.

Present Mic warns, "Kazeha, remember the out of bounds rule! If a single petal falls out of bounds, then you'll lose!" Kazeha responds with a thumbs up. "Alright then! Let the battle begin! Fight!"

Kazeha bursts into a flutter of sakura petals, flying extremely fast towards Akagawa, who widens her eyes. She shifts one of Kazeha's petals away from the crowd. Oh, she's been doing her research. Kazeha's unable to reform herself unless all of her petals are close together. If one is separate from the crowd, she can't be whole. Present Mic narrates, though no one's asking him to, "Only one?! Akagawa only shifted one?! What will she do now?!" Huh, so petals don't count as living people.

Akagawa smirks and starts running right towards a corner. Ah, I see what she's doing. Usami facepalms beside me. "Is she running out of bounds too? Or is there some masterplan that I'm not seeing because I'm an idiot?"

I snark, "You're an id—"

"Rascal, don't finish that sentence," she replies, trying her best to not laugh at herself, "tell me what Akagawa's planning."

"I think Akagawa just came up with the plan on the spot. Present Mic said that not a single Kazeha petal can go out of bounds, and Kazeha probably knows that Akagawa's Quirk only activates on what she sees. She would try to move out of her line of sight, but Akagawa knows that. That's why she moved to the corner. Do you see what I'm saying?" I ask, letting her finish my thought.

"That genius!" Nichirin stands up—he's not the one I wanted to answer. "She's forcing Kazeha into her line of sight so Vectors can take affect!"

"If Kazeha remains in her petal state. Because, from the looks of it, that's not the case," I tell them, watching the battle closely. Akagawa is standing at a corner, ready to intercept Kazeha. She regroups herself and swoops towards Akagawa. Before she could use Vectors, Kazeha does exactly what I think she'd do—

LOVE FLUTTER STRIKE!

Love Flutter Strike, it's a Super Move that Kazeha invented. Using the momentum of her petals, she reforms herself, still having the momentum from before; thus, her attack will be stronger. There's no way that Akagawa can stop her in time, but she had bragged something earlier, didn't she? Something about fighting Kazeha "fist-to-fist"?

Kazeha flies towards Akagawa with her right leg extended straight out, aiming for Akagawa's chest. This tactic is risky, because if the kick connects, Akagawa will be pushed out-of-bounds. "Sorry about this, Akagawa!" Kazeha exclaims.

"Like hell!" Akagawa snaps, hands ready. Before I know it, they connect.

BAM!

Akagawa catches her foot, but she doesn't budge a single centimeter, a millimeter even. Kazeha's eyes widen, and within a blink, Akagawa throws her out of the arena. She tumbles over, stopping a few meters before the 1-A stands. Kazeha picks her head up and pouts. "Jerk."

"Woah! June Akagawa of 1-B is the winner through toss-out! What a move! I'm impressed! The score is tied with two points for each class!" Mic says, and the 1-B stand goes wild. Nichirin gives Akagawa a round of applause; she gives him a wink in return. Kazeha and I catch each other's gaze at the same time. I stick my tongue out and she frowns, shaking her head in disappointment. Aw, she's getting grumpy.

Monoma exclaims near the top of the bleachers, "That's two points for 1-B! Ha—!"

"Monoma!" Kendo says before she chops him again—Actually no, Inochi catches her wrist. I wonder how many times he had to stop her from attacking Monoma? Too much to count, honestly.

Akagawa returns, sitting down and crossing her legs. After a few minutes of mindless chatter—thanks to a scheduled commercial break—Present Mic announces the next match, "The fifth match! It'll be Gera Rudolphus of 1-A, the German Seismic, against Kyoko Usami of 1-B, the Woman Born From the Mist!"

Usami spits her water out. "I have to fight Gera?!"

Akagawa smirks, playfully hitting her back. "Rest in pieces!"

I nod, glancing at Gera who's flexing her arms. "Have a good dirt nap."

Nichirin bows his head in respect. "Please try your best."

"I hate you three so much!"

---

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Wow Usami, guess you're like a rock stuck in a hard place, huh?" Honenuki makes a pun. We, except for Nichirin, shoot him a stare that says, Go jump off the roof and die.

Awase grabs Honenuki by his collar and pulls him back. "Yeah, he only wanted to make you feel better, Usami because, uhm, y'know… You're kinda…encased in stone at the moment."

"You think? I thought it was rock therapy. It's supposed to calm your body by sticking sharp jagged rocks very close to your heart. You should try it out sometime!" Usami says as a couple of workers try to chisel her out of Gera's trap. That's one of her Super Moves that she's been working on—The Deep Terra. A pun, it's a stupid pun. I hate her because of it. Only Honenuki would do that, and she stooped down to his level. What a shame. She's my friend, but now I'm disowning her.

"Yeah… Anyway…" Awase turns to me. I can tell he's trying his best to not tell me off. He adjusts his headband and says, "Suzuki dude, the score's up 3 to 2, and 1-A's winning. We can't let that happen again. Everybody's gonna think that we suck, and that's a stinking lie! I'm counting on you to bring the score to a tie."

"Everyone is," Rin adds, nodding. "I'm not one to focus on fame much, but we need to beat 1-A. That's why we need you to beat Yutani. We just need to figure out the volunteer for the tie-breaker match afterwards." Heh, I'm honored to have 1-B putting some amount of faith in me. They hate me, but they value beating 1-A over their hatred. That's sweet of them… Anyway, let's think about Asuka Yutani. Her Quirk is called Keratin Control. She can force herself to produce a ton of keratin—her nails and hair—using them at her disposal. Her nails become a weapon and her hair transforms into a restraining weapon like what Mister Aizawa uses.

"Suzuki!" Mister Kan says my name, walking up. He glances at Usami and winces before looking back at me. "I'm sure Awase and Rin already told you, but you're our last chance from a lost. You need to win this match, else Aizawa will win again. Damn those kids. They're great students, don't misunderstand, but their strength is immeasurable compared to previous years."

"You're really jealous of Eraserhead, aren't you, Mister Kan?" I ask, smirking slightly. He frowns, not because I told everyone his real feelings, but because I'm being smug about it.

"Yup, Class A and B are natural rivals. It's been that way since U.A. was founded. Midoriya, that kid, is special, Bakugo is a prodigy, and Todoroki is Endeavor's son. Compared to us, we have the granddaughter of Master Kendo, the grandson of Qinglong, and whatever Inochi is," he tells us, looking up at where Kendo, Monoma, Inochi, and Fukidashi's sister are sitting. (I don't know why she's with them considering she's in 1-H, if I remember.)

Rin speaks up, "I mean no offense Mister Kan, but our blood relations don't matter much. It doesn't define our morals or our values. Sure, we can be born with a great power, but if we're cruel with them, the power will go to waste."

"That's true, Rin. Whoever Shigaraki's father is, he did a good job at raising a Villain. Yet, your grandfather, Qinglong, taught you morals that you brought into 1-B. Kendo's grandfather taught her everything he knows in martial arts and how to protect the weak. Blood relations don't define you, but it defines your past, and that defines the kind of Hero you are today. Personally, we should be reminded of our past on a daily basis. If we forget where we came from and only focus on the future ahead of us, then…"

Mister Kan looks at Midoriya, who's currently talking with the screaming Bakugo. "We would lose ourselves. That's the difference between us and them. They can easily adapt in combat, considering they went up against the trash that's called the League of Villains, but their teamwork is abysmal. Their heroism was forged in fire, but not their hearts. Compared to us, we've been walking through hell, being criticized on whether or not we—my students—can become proper Pros. But… Heh, I never felt so close to my students before, I won't lie to you, but this is the first. That's why I believe that by forging our hearts first, our ideals of heroism will be stronger than theirs."

The 1-B students around us blush, feeling Mister Kan's love through his words. And then there's us General Students. We don't exactly fit into this conversation, but oh well.

Honenuki asks, pointing at Bakugo, "Even with the angry blonde pineapple over there? He's stronger than all of us. You think his heroism is strong too?"

Mister Kan laughs, patting Nichirin's shoulder only because he's the closest to him. "Of course not! I talked to Bakugo a few times. He only cares about winning and uprooting All Might as the top Pro! Those are shallow dreams compared to yours. Like I said before, his heart isn't steeled yet. When it does, we'll get to see exactly how his heroism cracks."

"You sound way too happy about that, not gonna lie," I comment. Mister Kan, Honenuki, and some others frown. I react by raising my hands. "What? It's true. I get that it's Bakugo, he's an asshole, but still!"

"My dude, that's ironic coming from you," Awase says, and I can't get mad at that. It's very true.

"What's going on?" Inochi comes down from the stands with his friends. Kendo and Monoma is with him while Fukidashi, girl Fukidashi, goes up to her brother. Inochi asks, "Are you guys talking to Suzuki about the last match?"

"He needs to tie the score! Else, we'll have another defeat by 1-A's hands! Something like that is unacceptable!" Monoma exclaims, standing up tall.

"For you, a pompous idiot who cares way too much about fame for his own good, definitely. Me? It's not the end of the world, though you'd surely cause it," Kendo comes in, putting a hand to her head. "Jeez though, Suzuki, just don't kill Yutani. I swear to God if we're going to have another incident like Golden Week—"

"If you have faith in me, then put it there. No need to threaten me again, or have your boyfriend punch me," I interrupt her, glancing at Inochi. He crosses his arms, showing no remorse whatsoever. "Remind me, he punched that livestreamer about a month ago, right? Lucky he wasn't sued or charged with assault."

Mister Kan clears his throat. "Moving on. Kendo and Inochi, I know you two aren't fond of Suzuki, but I know you respect him at the very least. And Suzuki, please don't say anything to provoke them for goodness sake. You're on the edge of expulsion, no need to look down the cliff."

I salute. "Roger that, captain."

Mister Kan rolls his eyes, then turning to his two star pupils. "Anyway, I was talking about how 1-A compares to 1-B, and that some of us here are related to great Heroes of the past. Inochi, remember anything about your family? Just out of morbid curiosity."

Kendo huffs, puffing her cheeks. "Mister Kan, I don't mean to be rude, but that's a sensitive subject for Sanji. You shouldn't ask a foster kid about their parents; it's like telling a girl that they gained weight." That's the first time I heard that analogy and it oddly fits.

Mister Kan sighs, giving into what Kendo said. He apologizes, "Sorry Inochi. You might hate it, but I wanted to brag to Aizawa that you're related to someone great as well."

Inochi replies, "I don't mind, really. A teacher should be proud of their students, and vice versa. So far, you've been great, Mister Kan. I can't ask for a better teacher."

("Why am I here? Please kill me," Usami says in the back, still stuck in Gera's prison.)

Mister Kan smiles, crossing his arms. "No need to get sappy, Inochi, but I appreciate it."

"Allllllllright! It's time for the final match of the Freshman Proxy Battles! Asuka Yutani, the Mistress of Keratin of 1-A, is fighting the infamous Karisuma Suzuki, the Raging Kitsune of 1-B! Come on up would ya?!" Present Mic tells us the final match. Welp, off I go. Better not disappoint 1-B—more importantly, I gotta impress U.A. and the other Heroes here. They have their eyes on me. All Might, Endeavor, Hawks, and the rest of them. Can't back down now.

"I give you my best wishes!" Nichirin exclaims with a hand on his chest.

"Good luck, don't mess up," Usami deadpans. She's almost free...almost.

"Yutani won't win against you. That's a guarantee," Akagawa says, smirking.

"Don't tuck your tail under your legs and run!" Honenuki makes another stupid pun. I appreciate the thought, but seriously, I hate it and him.

"Bring this home for 1-B! C'mon, we gotta get a win against 1-A!" Awase tells me, sneaking a glance over to girl Fukidashi.

"How ironic that our once-foe became our greatest hope! Carry us the way, Suzuki!" Monoma says. If this exercise means so much to him, then I feel sorry. I have more stock in this exercise than he does, but okay.

I look at the last three: Mister Kan, Kendo, and Inochi. The only thing they give me is a nod for good luck. That's just about what I expected. I leave the 1-B stands behind and walk to the arena. In front of me is Asuka Yutani, who's wearing an orange and black bodysuit. She has long gray hair, but she doesn't look like a grandma though. I wave, asking, "Yutani, how's your day?"

"Good, please go easy on me~" she says with a wink. She's definitely flirting with me. That's a good strategy though. Any guy would get their head messed with from that, but come on. I'm the king at taunting. She's awful at trying to distract me.

I say back, putting a hand on my hip, "Your definition of 'easy' is different than mine."

Yutani laughs, batting her hair off to the side. "That's funny, but the show has to go on. Let's have a good match, Suzuki." We go to our ends of the arena.

Mic, starting with Yutani first, asks, "Asuka Yutani! The Gray-Haired Mistress, think you can bring the trophy home to 1-A?!"

She replies, asking, "There's a trophy?"

"I'll take that as a 'yes'! What about you, Mister Mythological Kitsune?! Do you believe you can tie the score for 1-B?!" Mic asks me next. So loud… I think I feel his spit hitting the back of my neck.

"Sure, I'm ready. Hit me with what you got," I say my thing, keeping it brief. I grow two tails out. That should be enough to win. I'm still not able to utilize Fury Of the Nine Tails, but that's expected. It's only been a couple of days after all. Even then, it seems like a really hard to skill to use, let alone master to its fullest potential—if I manage to become a Pro Hero. I can't stress out about it, so I just gotta fight like normal.

Mic sighs and we hear him banging his head against his desk. "I thought you'd say more, but I'll take it. Now, if Yutani wins this battle, 1-A wins the Freshman Proxy Battles! If Suzuki wins, then there will be a tiebreaker match! Those are the stakes, so c'mon Heroes! Three! Two! One! Fight!"

Yutani doesn't give me a chance to blink. Her hair splits apart into five separate binds, all flying towards me in varying speeds. Seriously? She can control her hair too? That makes things a lot more annoying, especially with this many coming at me at once!

I find an open space to my right and duck into it, avoiding Yutani's attempt to bind me together. She smirks, causing my senses to flare up. Shit, I can feel her hair coming around to try another damn time. I dash forward, moving closer to Yutani, following the trail of hair that leads to her. Her eyes widen before narrowing—heh, she must be thinking that I'm trying to attack her or something! No, that's a stupid thing to assume! I'm not an idiot like Gera!

"Coming at me, huh?! Take this!" she says.

I feel the tips of her hair—!

LEAP!

I flip backwards, letting her five split ends fly pass where I once was. I land right on her hair, the part where it isn't split, trapping it with my feet. I take out my claws and give her a haircut courtesy of the best barber in the world! My nails go cleanly through her hair. It falls onto the ground useless. Alright, that's one problem down, another to solve! When I was running towards her earlier, she wasn't able to grow her hair out of anywhere that isn't the ends! Once I cut her hair, I made the new ends right underneath my feet, meaning that she'll bind me if I don't move right away!

"Y-You—?!" Yutani stammers before I sprint towards her again. I run with my body low to the ground, slashing and cutting and dicing her hair into pieces! I'm not going to let this flirt bind me so easily! She has to try a lot harder than that! She exclaims, "From my Quirk, the keratin proteins in my hair are more durable than the average human's! How are you cutting them?!"

"From overpowering you, you dumbass! So what if your hair is tougher?! It's nothing compared to a sword, in this case nails, that can cut anything!" I snap back, getting close to her. Only a few meters left! Yutani swears under her breath before moving her legs slightly apart, having her hands out. She's gonna show off her claws now!

"Then I'll prove that my claws are sharper!" she says before her nails grow out to be as long as short swords on both hands! Damnit all! Yutani raises her arms and—!

SWIPE!

SLIDE!

I slid right through her legs as the tips of her claws scrap against my white hood. That was a little too close for comfort, but I'm unscathed. Yutani yelps, realizing what I just did. "You just slid through my legs! You—!" Uh oh, she's attacking again!

Yutani twists her waist, swiping behind her with her right hand. But I'm sorry to say, I'm not there anymore! I pivoted myself to her left before she even thought to attack behind her! Once she sees I'm no longer there, I swipe her legs out from under her, knocking Yutani on her ass. She yelps in pain as I stand above her, placing my foot on her chest. "Sorry, but forfeit the match. Like I said before—I overpower you. What's an ant to a boot? A child to a giant that's able to touch the clouds?"

"I'm not weak, damnit! I'm strong, just you watch!" she pleads, struggling under my foot. A few people in the stands, all from the Support and Management Department, start to boo me. "See! They think you're being unreasonable! This is not how you treat a woman!"

I roll my eyes, glaring at the people who're booing me. Some are even shouting insults. Jeez, here I thought they loved me. "I'm seriously being heckled right now? This is unbelievable. I thought I was disliked, but holy shit, I was wrong."

"Yeah…" Yutani growls. Weird, her voice got deeper. It's like she's…

"Suzuki—! —air! —air!" Akagawa shouts from afar. Damnit, I can't hear parts of her sentence. She can't be talking about "air" since that doesn't make sense whatsoever. It kinda sounds like she's saying…

Yutani's hair wraps around my ankle, the foot that's pressed against her stomach. Fuck! That's why Akagawa was shouting! Hair! She meant "hair"! She was telling me that Yutani's making her move while I was distracted!

I raise my right claw—Yutani binds it. I raise my left—Yutani binds that too. She binds my other foot, making all four of my limbs immobile. Damnit, I shouldn't have let myself get bothered by those stupid Support and Management Courses!

"Fufu, I told you I was stronger!" Yutani exclaims as she raises me in the air. Her hair is strong enough to lift a man from the ground? Ugh, I really hate metaology sometimes. This girl, I don't know her that well—I mean, she was one of the ones who really hated Tokage and Inochi during the Sports Festival—but she seems like a real vixen. Best that I don't turn my back on her, else I'll find a knife in my spine.

Yutani stands back up before a strand of her hair wraps around my neck and—?!

"Ffrk—!" She chokes the air of my throat. The hell?! Is she really trying to kill me?! How did this psycho get into U.A.?!

"Something wrong, Suzuki? The reversal of fortune is terribly sweet, isn't it?" this bitch taunts me. The audacity… This girl's arrogance, it's like mine before I knew I had to change… I think… I think I could…

"I-I..." I struggle to say, choking on my own words. Yutani loosens the hair around my neck; I can start breathing again. She brings me closer so she could see my vulnerable and pitiful eyes right in front of her face.

"What was that? Speak up," Yutani demands, dragging one of her stupidly long nails across my cheek.

If the queen demands, then I say, "I-I knew you would do that, you dumb bitch!" My vulnerable and pitiful eyes? It's nothing to the weak ones she has.

I pull my head back and—!

BAM!

I used my forehead to make a dent in that pretty face of hers! She cries in pain, her hair around my wrists and ankles slip off like it was never there in the first place! I fall back onto my feet at the same time as Yutani stumbles back, creating some space between us. I charge forward, not wasting this chance, and jump, spinning around in the air and landing a kick right in the middle of her chest!

KICK!

She got sent flying down the arena, rolling and tumbling on the hard floor until friction stops her from moving any further. The entire building gets quiet as everyone watches Yutani slowly rise up, glaring at me. She puts a foot back, her gray hair levitating in the air. Looks like she's still ready to fight, however… "Karisuma Suzuki of 1-B wins! He tied the score 3 to 3!"

Hurray.

"Wh-What?! Impossible! How did I—?!" Yutani looks down at her feet. She's out of bounds. That's sad. She looks sad. I almost feel sad for her, but no. I don't feel any hint of remorse in my body. Call me "heartless", but I just don't care about a bitch like her.

Anyway, she isn't my problem anymore. My job is done; 1-B is happy; my friends are happy; everything is great. ("Come back here, you asshole! We aren't done yet! I'll prove to you that I'm strong! I'm stronger than your foxy ass! C'mon!") Huh, I think I hear an ant whining. Ah, it's too high-pitched for me to hear and way too annoying. There should be a nice boot that crushes the ant. Talk about doing society a favor…

I walk back to the 1-B stands where everyone's waiting for me. They run up and give me high-fives, pats on the back, good words, and everything else in-between. Would you look at me? I'm popular again. I might be a proxy—since "Proxy Battles" is literally the name of this exercise—but it's nice being the center of attention again, in a good way. Even Kendo is happy. I know her enough that she's happy because everyone else is, not because I won. Mister Kan breaks up the crowd, announcing, but smiling, "Now now! We still have to decide who's going to fight in the tiebreaker match!"

Everyone goes silent and looks at us four—me, Nichirin, Akagawa, and Usami. Hoashi and Mantora are still out.

I sigh, scratching my cheek. "Well… I think—"

---

Shindeka Oji

"My prince, that Suzuki boy really changed his act, hasn't he?" Claude says, looking at the posters of All Might and the other U.A. alumni. That's a bit odd question since we're no longer in Battle Zone Central anymore. We've returned to the main building where scarcely any people remain—only a few students who're skipping, a few reporters, and U.A. staff.

"Yes, but he still has a long path ahead of him. Even though All Might cares for him more than the average student, it doesn't mean he'll be transferred into a Hero Class. His relationship with Inochi and 1-B will play a big factor in U.A.'s judgement, so he has to amend that or he'll continue to stay within the General Department," I say, nearing the cafeteria. This isn't our destination, but Claude wanted to get a drink before we search for Principal Nezu.

Claude steps in, saying, "Finally! I love this place! Such a warm atmosphere—"

"Okay, okay! You gonna tell me that Mikani, this static girl, will fuckin' win?! She's a one-dimensional character like your damn head, Cartoony! Even Pony agrees with me, you uneducated nerd!"

"Kamakiri, hear me out! You only watched the anime, okay?! Just the anime! You haven't read the manga like I have! She will rise up to the top of the list, winning Daiji's heart and scores better than the other girls! Shojo agrees with me! You?! You only disagree with me because you and Pony are anime-onlys! You guys are so narrow-minded that it's stupid! So please: Read. The. Manga."

"Bitch, the only thing I'm readin' is you! All I see is stupid lil' words comin' out of your mouth that doesn't make no damn sense whatso-fuckin'-ever! Mikani does nothin' for the entire season! The creator gotta do some one-eighty reverso magic 'cuz I don't see this cardboard box goin' anywhere but livin' with ten cats, which by the way, is her only personality trait!"

Claude and I stand at the side, silently watching Manga and Kamakiri argue. Manga notices us and exclaims, "Grandmaster! Count! You agree with me, right?! Mikani is the best girl in Superb Sixtuplets!"

Claude raises his hand. "Before that, how did this argument start?"

Kamakiri starts to explain…

---

Manga Fukidashi and Togaru Kamakiri

"Y'know Kamakiri, I'm gonna put this out there—Superb Sixtuplets is one of the best harem stories out there."

"Uh huh."

"I'm serious. Mikani's gonna win—"

"Take that back."

"What?"

"Dumbass, you heard what I said—take it back."

"No! I'm standing my ground! She's the wife!"

"That's it, we're fightin'."

"Fighting?!"

"Bet your ass we're fightin'! All I'm smellin' is bullshit from you!"

"It's not bullshit, it's facts! You don't like the smell of facts?!"

"It ain't facts if they're fuckin' wrong!"

"You're only saying that because Pony hates Mikani!"

"No, that's one of the many freakin' reasons why Mikani's awful! Just tell me how she's the wife! C'mon! Say it!"

"Well—!"

---

I ponder for a brief second—for dramatic effect really—and say, "For your information Jack Mantis, I never took you as a man to enjoy the genuine article of what Japan is known for. I'm impressed. You are a man of true culture."

"Grandmaster, with all due respect, please shut up," Kamakiri snaps at me while Claude tries his best to not laugh like a howling wolf. Kamakiri though, I notice that he's holding a candy apple in his hand, which looks quite delicious. I suspect it's not for himself though. Rather, it's for Pony Tsunotori. He's grown awfully fond of her lately, hasn't he?

Manga's on his phone, reading something, an article I presume. "Hey Kamakiri, My Neighbor's a Pro Hero?! is having a second season. As the one who read the manga, you're not ready for the The Villain Overlord Arc." The Villain Overlord? That's one of the stories that was birthed in the Vigilante Era, or the Origin of Quirks. It's a story that's equivalent to… Well, All For One. If only these two men knew how ironic this is.

Claude speaks up, "Does this manga often adapt Origin of Quirk stories into material? That's a little odd, but then again, there is a story where historical and mythological figures are used and, excuse my language, bastardized to an extent."

Kamakiri nods, crossing his arms. "Yeah, in that universe, every single one of those stories are true. The Winter Samurai, Eternal Bein', Villain Overlord, Celestial Dragon, an' all the others I forgot. Really, ain't the...uhm...Order of Assassins the only confirmed story out there? 'Cuz y'know, they're raising havoc in the Middle East, ain't they?"

Manga answers, "As much as people like to deny it, yeah, the Assassins exist. Thank goodness that they're just at Iran or whatever it's called—"

"Syria," I correct him.

"Syria, yeah. Either way, they're not in Japan! We're not under the constant threat of being assassinated. We just have to worry about Shigaraki and his master, which if we combine the powers of U.A. and the Pros, it should be a piece of cake, right Grandmaster?" he asks me.

I look over at Claude and ask him with my eyes, Should I lie to Manga? He becomes offended and steps back, replying, Why are you asking me? I don't know anything about Shigaraki's master. That's all you, my prince. I sigh, shaking my head. Yes, but I don't want to make Manga panic. For Kamakiri however? He'll most likely be unfazed.

"Why are you two havin' a conversation with just stares?" Kamakiri breaks the silence, tapping his feet on the pristine floor. "Lemme guess, Shigaraki's master is a lot more of an ass than we expect."

"Obviously, since he's Shigaraki's master for a reason," Claude tells him, then flashing me a wink. "Seriously my boys, don't think the future will get easier. It'll be the opposite of that, but you have Shindeka and I with you. Oh! Speaking of that, you haven't given us your answers for your internships. Are you still working with us after you get your Provisionals?"

Manga looks down, trying not to meet our eyes. "I dunno. I do want to work with you two again, but I might try to, y'know, have some agency and convince a Pro to take me in. The only reason I was with you two was because of Catharsis." He's not incorrect…

Kamakiri's next, answering, "An' me? Pretty much the same thing. You two are great guys, not gonna lie, but I wanna try lookin' for a Pro myself. But if I can't find shit, then consider me apart of your team again. That sounds alright?" Claude and I nod, we both having smiles on our faces. Seems like only Kendo and Inochi is confirmed to follow us. Tokage is the only one who hasn't answered yet.

"I appreciate your answers. You two are becoming more mature by the day," I compliment them, bowing my head in respect. "I look forward to seeing Comicman and Jack Mantis on the TV."

Manga looks up and raises a finger. "Uhm, I do have a question though. I asked Principal Nezu about the first-year Hero-Workplace Studies. He said that 221B wasn't an agency that students can intern under? Is that right, or am I horribly wrong again?"

"You're always horribly wrong, Cartoony."

"Shut up, Kamakiri."

I didn't expect Manga to research that on his own time, but he's correct. Technically, 221B Agency isn't a valid agency that first-years can intern under. Second and third-years, yes, but not first-years. U.A. wants trusted agencies that has a lot of experience in protecting Hero Students and ensuring that they'll come back home safe. However, Claude and I are on the cusp of having first-year interns. It's why we're speaking to Principal Nezu after this, if we can find him. So, I answer his question, "First-years, no. However, we'll be speaking to your principal after this so we could have Battle Fist and Armory intern under us."

"You basically made an empty promise to them after Catharsis, didn't you?" Kamakiri says, and he's not technically wrong per se. He uses harsher wording than necessary, but it's the truth somewhat.

"That is not the case—Oui, that's the truth…" Claude immediately admits, bowing his head in shame. "Please don't let them know. Sanji won't mind, but Itsuka will mind very much." Manga and Kamakiri nod, vowing to keep it a secret. Well, let's hope I don't get a phone call from one of the Kendo ladies…

"Anyway, we shouldn't bother you any longer. I know Kamakiri has a date with Miss Tsunotori and Manga should look after Shojo. Before I left Battle Zone Central, I thought I saw Mister Awase talking to her—"

"That slimy bastard!" Manga shouts, already sprinting out of the cafeteria. "I'm gonna kill Awase!"

Kamakiri promptly slaps himself out of sheer annoyance before sprinting after him. "You dumbass! You're gonna tire yourself out!"

And that's that. I look at Claude. "Well, are you going to get your drink? That's why we came here in the first place."

"Oh right, I'll get on that."

---

"Principal Nezu, there you are!" I exclaim, approaching him with Claude behind me, trying to find a place to smoke. Principal Nezu is just outside his office with a carefree smile on his face. "Is everything sorted with Mister Mantora?"

"Mhm, and I assume you want to speak to me privately, don't you? What about your partner, Claude LeNoire? Is he...okay?" Principal Nezu inquires, looking behind me. Claude is looking all over for an area that's designated for smoking…

"Claude, for God's sake, go outside if you want to smoke. I'll talk to Principal Nezu by myself, do you understand?" I tell him, and he tips his hat, walking away. There, now it's only Nezu and I. As much as I want Claude with me, I believe that Nezu knows what I'll ask about, and so the conversation will drift to something I'd rather keep a secret…

"Come inside, Grandmaster! We have many things to speak about!" he says, ushering us into his office. It's nothing impressive. Nezu's office consists of a singular room with partitions, dividing the space effectively. However, I would think that Nezu would have more posters of U.A. alumni, but it seems like I was wrong—and that everything here would be Nezu-sized, but they're made for the average person. "So, do you like my crib?"

"Your what?"

"Crib. That's what the kids are calling their spots, hangouts, place-to-be; y'know, things like that! Am I right?" Nezu asks, and I am not sure how to respond to that.

"Let's move on to more pressing topics, Principal Nezu, instead of...trying to use slang that makes my insides turn inside out," I say, finding myself a seat on his couch. I put my cane aside as Nezu stands in front of me, his smile never once breaking. "I wish to speak to you about—"

"You want Sanji Inochi and Itsuka Kendo to intern under you!" he exclaims what I was about to say. "However, U.A. hasn't put the 221B Agency on the potential agencies that first-years can intern under. And I know this because I made that list! You're here to convince me otherwise, aren't you?"

"That is correct. I believe it's beneficial that Claude—Pardon me, The Count and I have them as interns rather than any other Pro Heroes. It's not because I believe I'm superior to them, but rather that… Yes, rather that I have their interests, and to an extent, Japan's interests at heart. It might sound arrogant to you, but this is the truth. You're aware of the declining state of heroism, Principal Nezu. I can feel Japan shifting ever so slightly, inching its way into chaos and anarchy, and it's all stemming from Tomura Shigaraki, the leader of the League of Villains. With his master—"

"All For One," Nezu says his name. I knew he was one of the few men that's aware of All For One's existence and name, but I was never certain until now. "You want to prepare Battle Fist and Armory to fight All For One and Shigaraki. Who was it again…? Ah, Sorahiko Torino. He's the one who introduced you to our war."

I nod, putting my hands together. "Correct, when I was starting out as a Pro Hero. At the time, he didn't make me aware of All For One's existence, but I put the pieces together as the years went by. Nana Shimura was the seventh holder of One For All, then Toshinori Yagi, and finally Izuku Midoriya. It's ironic that for the past two generations of One For All, both its holders are Quirkless." I don't believe that Nezu knows about the fact that All For One slaughtered Shimura's bloodline. It's best to not tell him. I'm still sworn to secrecy by Gran Torino and Master Kendo.

"You know that All Might and Midoriya are Quirkless? Did Master Kendo or Gran Torino tell you that?" he asks.

"No, I deduced it myself. One For All is a stockpiling Quirk, correct? It's an addition to the user's Quirk, not replacing it. Considering that All Might and Midoriya use One For All in the same manner suggests that they have the same original Quirk, yet they aren't blood-related whatsoever. When researching Midoriya, he was originally listed as Quirkless for most of his life. If a Quirkless uses One For All in that manner, then it's safe to assume that All Might was Quirkless as well."

Nezu chuckles, obviously pleased. "You really are Sherlock Holmes! Why did you take on the name 'Grandmaster' anyhow?"

"Chess, actually. When I was a Hero Student, I was excellent in chess. In fact, I was one of the best in Japan. So, I was given the highest title a chess player could have—grandmaster. I decided to take on the title as a Pro Hero," I answer, faintly sighing. That was decades ago. I can still play chess at my prime, but I only play it once in a blue moon. Heroism, and certainly Claude, take up most of my time.

"How interesting! Can I ask you about your partner, The Count?" He asks, and I nod. "Hmm, how do I word this…? Aha! How are you two able to keep such a professional attitude? The Count is surely a flirtatious man."

...Damn, my face is warming up. "I'm not sure what you imply with that statement, Principal Nezu—"

"You two are in a relationship, are you not? Just earlier, I noticed how you looked at him! Those eyes aren't seeing The Count as a work partner, but as a different partner altogether. I do have to say, Grandmaster, you're excellent in acting like you have no romantic interest in The Count! You kept your relationship a secret from even the internet! That is impressive!"

I hide the bottom-half of my face with my coat collar. "F-Fine, I'll admit it… Claude and I have a relationship. I don't want it to go public, so he respects my wishes. We've gotten good at concealing it, though he loves to tease me from time to time. I'm… Ugh…"

Principal Nezu shakes his head. "You don't have to go on. This secret will be safe with me, but there is a reason why I wanted to ask this. In a case where both The Count and your interns are about to be killed by Villains, only you can save one of them. What happens then, Grandmaster? Who will you choose? Claude or Inochi and Kendo?"

"..." I go silent for a few seconds. I never want to imagine that situation, but it's plausible. It's plausible that I have to be forced to choose between the man I love and the future Heroes who could save Japan from ruin. If such a choice happens, I'd wish that I sacrifice myself instead, but if I truly had to choose…

"Inochi and Kendo," I say, giving him my answer. "I'll choose Inochi and Kendo. I...I love Claude, and I know that, in this situation, my body would turn to save him first. Yet, Claude would refuse. He'd refuse to be saved. That's why he would force me to save Inochi and Kendo instead of him. Really, this isn't a choice that I make. Claude will make it for me, and I'm simply carrying out his will. That's the truth."

I realize that I'm clutching onto my pants. I let go, putting my hands on my cane. Nezu has a glum look on his face, his hands folded on his lap. "Are you sure, Grandmaster? Are you sure that you want to take these two on as interns? The responsibility on your shoulder will be astounding, more than you might think. By taking Inochi and Kendo on, you would be carrying Japan itself."

"I'm sure… I refuse to stand idly as Japan sinks into chaos. All for One is coming, All Might will retire. When the time comes, it'll only be a matter of months until the League lays siege on Japan, trying to stomp out peace as the setting sun! I refuse to stand by and let it happen! All Might will teach Midoriya to be the next Symbol, and I will guide Itsuka Kendo to be The People's Fist and whatever Sanji Inochi becomes! He'll—"

"Here's something interesting about that, actually. Just the day before, All Might confronted Inochi about what he'll become. All Might wanted him to become the 'Symbol of Dreams', but Inochi refused," he tells me.

"Then so be it. I'll guide Sanji Inochi to become the Symbol of Dreams as he was meant to be. I'll aid him to discovering his Quirk and his past! Out of every student in U.A., he has the most potential!"

"Even if you have to sacrifice your life?"

"I will gladly die if it guarantees Japan's safety."

"What if All For One passes his Quirk to Shigaraki?"

"It won't matter. I'm sure Midoriya and the others will still defeat him."

"What if Japan loses hope?"

"You underestimate humans, Principal Nezu."

"What do you mean?"

"There will always be hope, no matter how infinitesimal it may seem."

"You underestimate anger, Grandmaster. If Shigaraki uses anger alone as his power, then Japan would already be destroyed. Do you have any hope yourself in the future?"

"Yes."

"That's strange, I thought you were a pessimist."

"That's correct. The worst will happen, but the worst won't persist forever. That's where hope comes in. Hope is the belief that the worst is temporary, not permanent. But hope is not for a man like me."

"Really?"

"Yes. I firmly believe that the future will kill me."

"You can stop the future though."

"I could."

"But you won't."

"I won't."

"So the future kills you both ways, doesn't it?"

"Simply, yes. I only became a hero through my intelligence and nothing else. I'm quite lucky, Principal Nezu."

"No, like what you said, you're a genius! I think I'll accept your proposal, Grandmaster. You can take on Armory and Battle Fist as interns and whomever you want as well! Will that be fine?" Nezu says, and I nod. He stands up and marches over to the door like he's in a marching band. "But first…"

Nezu opens the door.

THUD!

Claude falls in the doorway. He was eavesdropping. "I wasn't eavesdropping!" Claude lies to me. Nezu sighs and kicks his arm, gesturing him to stand up. Claude gets on his feet and picks up his fedora, putting it back on. "So, I heard an 'All For One'. Is that who we're up against, my prince?"

I nod.

"Mon Dieu, what an awful name."

"Seems like we have lots to talk about, gentlemen!"

---

I'm sorry that it took 3 weeks to publish the chapter, but I was moving to a new house and I wasn't on my PC for two weeks. But hey, at least you got to see this chapter! It's a bit sub-par in my opinion, but let's move on and not dwell on the bad chapters.

The next chapter is called: The Next Stage of Battle

Post-chapter business:

Sanji is getting recognized for his talents, finally! And there's a massive callback to the first chapter. You guys thought that I forgot, didn't you? Nope. Anyway, Shojo finally gets some screentime again after interrupting more moments of Sanji x Itsuka. After the Hero Course Tutoring Arc, I'll try to spend some time on these two, but again, it's transitioning into the Final Exams Arc, where Monoma and Kuroiro shine. The next chapter, The Next Stage of Battle, will actually introduce the antagonists of the I-Expo Arc, taking place after the Final Exams. I hope you like the antagonists because they're from canon material, not OCs like Catharsis.

Shinzo Mantora is revealed to be Shinzo Kichoki, but what significance does that have? Find out next chapter. I already foreshadowed the reason behind why Shinzo went under a fake surname, so let's see if you can catch it. Suzuki is Suzuki, nothing major happens in his scene. (Writing six fight scenes in one chapter was really exhausting my god.)

Which leads to the final scene with Grandmaster. It's confirmed that he's in a romantic relationship with The Count (hurray), but there's something more important than that: the future. I've been foreshadowing hard about the Kamino Arc, where All Might retires. As you can tell, that Arc is where the story in MHA changes. (Shigaraki becomes independent and the Symbol of Peace retires, ushering Midoriya's era.) How does that apply to Dreaming of Stars and specifically, Sanji Inochi? If you remember, I replaced the Kamino Arc and I didn't reveal its name. The name of the Arc will spoil the story, but know that the story shifts *extremely*. All of the build-up pays off here, leading into the Provisionals and the Nomu Trinity Arc, also known as the Internship Arc.

Anyway, that's in the future. Leave a comment, favorite, something to let me know that you enjoy this fanfic, alright?