Magnus: I apologize for the delay, but several distractions piled up and had my attention away from writing. The Sports Festival is here though, so now you can enjoy a little bit of canon.
Disclaimer: I had the intention of having the first two rounds happening in this chapter, but it would have been too long, and would have required further weeks of writing.
Cursed Blood
Chapter 25
A sinister team.
Izuku Midoriya wasn't as happy as he should have been today.
Discovering the extent of the Board's machinations had been a real blow to the green-haired teen, and his recovering self-worth. While the rules and regulations he'd be forced to participate under weren't technically directed at him alone, the condemnation, or at least the clear discrimination to see the 'lesser' garner the least amount of attention as possible, still hurt.
After years of wallowing in self-loathing, being mistreated by the biased society he lived in, and eventually even living with the hatred and fear others held for his Quirk's less than heroic nature, Izuku had finally tasted validation. His existence had been accepted, his efforts praised, and he'd even scored more than a few meaningful victories.
The young necromancer's life of being functionally alone and miserable had seemingly ended with a single incident. Tsu-chan had become a principal instigator in turning his entire world around, the frog-girl's love and support was more than Izuku had ever expected to have. Then his new light in the dark had brought her mother in, and the force of nature that was Beru Asui had stood squarely in his corner ever since. Even the Musutafu Police Force, those who knew of his involvement anyway, now acknowledged his value as a person and a future hero.
Was it any wonder the young hero-in-training would acquire a desire for more of the same? Was it any wonder that the verdanette now felt that the Sports Festival should've been his opportunity, his golden chance, to show the public who he really was and what he could do?
No. It was not.
As the last of the Business Course students shuffled onto the field, the riotous crowd that had cheered on the first years to varying degrees quieted. A multitude of spotlights blazed through the energized stadium, converging one at a time on a single raised podium. Revealed to have been standing on the raised platform the entire time was Midnight, the 18+ Heroine.
"AND LET'S HERE IT FOR OUR REFEREE FOLKS!" Present Mic's amplified voice boomed through the speakers, injecting a fresh dose of energy into the air. "SHE'S THE HEROINE THAT'LL WHIP YOU INTO MORE THAN JUST SHAPE, IT'S MIDNIGHT!"
As the camera drones zeroed in on her, the voluptuous heroine plastered on a bright smile and waved to the roiling waves of fans now cheering and chanting her name. It was always nice to see her popularity hadn't waned too much since she'd started her teaching career and had to cut back on hero work.
Turning to wave to another portion of the stadium, a flash of emerald green caught Nemuri Kayama's eye. A flicker of hesitation was all the pro heroine allowed herself as her gaze crossed one Izuku Midoriya's before she continued on her circuit of crowd reception.
There went her good mood.
Not that it was the cinnamon roll's fault.
Nemuri was far from an airheaded bimbo who only knew how to use her body and Quirk to make it in life. She'd worked hard ever since she'd accepted as a child that her Individuality wasn't combat-oriented to follow her dream of being a hero. She'd overcome the circumstances of her youth, put in months—years of hellish training to get her body and skills to peak condition, dealt with the consequences of her life choices, and had stood firm against every naysayer who'd looked down on her through it all.
And after a lifetime of similar struggle, Midoriya's situation really ground her gears. And it wasn't just that the Board had kept to their policies of thinly veiled discrimination against non-Emitter-type students. This year, the meddlesome old fucks had stepped onto her territory, and put their hands more directly on the Sports Festival than they ever had before.
It wasn't a widely broadcast fact, mostly due to more machinations of the Board, but by rights the highest scoring participant in the practical exam was supposed to be given the mantle of Freshman Representative every year. The title was mostly a badge of honor, but it did entail being given the noteworthy task of giving the Sportsman's Oath before the First Year events began. It was a chance to scream to the world you were entering the festival as the best of the best.
And it should've been Midoriya's chance, his right.
However, the Board, in its infinitely petty wisdom, had decided that this year, UA needed a more 'stable' candidate to give the Oath. The reasoning given was that the rightful candidate was still in the midst of controversy due to the publicized attack at the courtroom, and while he'd won the role of Representative fair and square, it might give the wrong impression if the institution allowed him his deserved spotlight after the events of the USJ Incident.
The crusty fucks had then had the gall to 'ask' Midoriya, to his face, if he'd willingly give the opening speech over to one of his classmates.
Nezu had been beyond incensed. The Quirked animal had still been furious even hours later when he'd called Nemuri and told her of the new machinations she'd have to navigate the next day.
Under her expertly crafted mask of licentiousness and sensuality, the Pro Hero known as Midnight stewed in her impotent rage. A roguish grin hid a burning spark that had caught fire in the woman.
This affront would not go unanswered. No sir.
Down below the surreptitiously fuming heroine, and unaware of the new supporter her boyfriend had recently gained, amongst the assorted First Years Tsuyu Asui leaned against Izuku's side and gave the verdanette a tight hug.
"I know I agreed that a little revenge was in order, kero…" the frog-girl whispered into the smirking verdanette's ear, "…But I think you might've overdone it…"
Shrugging minutely in response, Izuku continued to smirk as Midnight finally ended her crowd greeting and turned back to the gathered students.
"Alright everyone!" The pro-heroine called, all eyes on her as her hand mic spread her voice throughout the stadium. "Before we begin, let's hear it for the honored student chosen by the First Year Representative to give the opening Sportsman's Oath!"
Confusion spread through both the students and surrounding crowd at the announcement like a virus. Representative? For many, it was the first time they'd ever heard of such a position. And it was this student that had chosen another to speak before the first event? Why hadn't this Representative done it?
"Tenya Iida! Come on up!"
A quick pat on the back from a shocked Uraraka snapped the wide-eyed speedster from his own disbelief. The bespectacled teen didn't know who this Representative was, but as he stiffly walked up to the podium Iida silently swore to himself that he would track said student down and thank him or her.
Izuku suppressed a snort as he watched Midnight pass her mic to his 'replacement.' Iida's nerves visibly kicked in as the poor bluenette stiffened up like a statue—or a robot. There was a moment of silence as the speedster stood there, looking back at an expectant audience. He opened his mouth…
The Board wanted flashy? They wanted stable? Then how could they say no to Tenya Iida, younger brother of the current Ingenium and youngest of a family of popular heroes?
Iida began to speak, and it was only because of the numerous cameras set up to record the Sports Festival from all angles that anyone would ever remember what was said.
10 Minutes Later…
"…And that is why we, the newest generation of hero-prospects shall all do our utmost best in the following festivities. Thank you."
There was a moment of silence.
Was it over?
Midnight shook herself, tearing away the daze that had settled over her and all present as the youngest Iida had given his… was that a speech… or a lecture? Maybe a eulogy? The 18+ Heroine wasn't sure, and she sure as hell wasn't going to waste any more time figuring it out.
A smattering of confused applause, augmented by the sheer size of the stadium's seating capacity, was cue enough to get the ball rolling.
Snatching the mic from her student, Midnight gently nudged the rigidly standing speedster from her podium. Once Iida had returned to his place beside his classmates, Nemuri kicked back into gear.
"Thank you very much for that rousing speech Iida-san," the 18+ Heroine shouted, breathing a little life back into the audience, "Now how about we jump right into the first event? How's that sound folks?!"
If Iida had gotten an applause for his serm—oath, then Midnight received a standing ovation for that single line. Grinning like a cat that had eaten the canary, the pro heroine gestured behind her as a giant holographic spin dial came into being.
"So what's the first event going to be?!" Midnight questioned, her expert showmanship shining bright as the crowd went wild even before the enormous wheel began to turn. "There she goes folks! Where she lands, nobody—eh?"
The rest of Nemuri's rhyme was cut short as the wheel spun faster than the eye could follow before stopping on a dime. It was arguably the fastest a Sports Festival event had ever been chosen.
"Well I guess I'm not the only one who's eager to see these hot-blooded freshmen in action!" Midnight shouted, recovering quickly from the unexpectedly quick selection. Unbeknownst to the pro heroine, she was far more on point than she knew. "And it looks like…!"
"An obstacle race?" Izuku asked out loud, parroted by many of the other first years around him, "Seems kind of basic. But then again, UA is infamous for changing the details of their events every year so even a repeated one would be entirely new."
As the young necromancer had spoken, he and Tsuyu had filed over to the starting line, or rather, the tunnel they'd just walked through to enter into the stadium's main field.
"I don't know about that, kero," the frog-girl replied, frowning as an idea of why such an event would be first formed in her head, "But I think they're trying to set the students against each other."
Izuku frowned as well, considering his girlfriend's suggestion. It unfortunately made more sense than not.
The objective of any race was to, obviously, come in first place by the end. In a race against a great number of others, as well as there being obstacles to overcome, it was clear that the intended purpose wasn't only to win this time, but to show off one's individual capabilities while doing so.
The verdantte frankly thought that such a mindset was stupid. It was pointless to use placement in a race to measure heroic potential. Anyone with a Quirk that offered physical reinforcement, regardless of whether or not that was its main function or just a side effect, would outperform the rest of the competitors. The glaring favoritism rankled against Izuku's sense of fairness.
"Such a trivial task…" Fumikage groused as he took a spot next to Izuku against the wall of the tunnel. "This will set loose the dogs of war, mark my words. The seeds of desire for baleful, empty glory will be planted amongst fertile soil with this."
While overly dramatic, Izuku could see where his friend was coming from.
"I mean, they could be trying to show off how quick we all could be to get to disaster zones in emergencies," Kyouka threw out as she meandered her way to the group of friends, "But honestly, I think they're just trying to eliminate the least athletic and flashy."
Fumikage briefly caught the eye of the musically inclined heroine-in-training, the two looking away just as quickly. Kyouka suddenly coughed into her arm, covering her slightly blushing cheeks.
"Which sucks," the punk rock teen continued, doing her best to ignore what had just happened, "I hate these types of competitions. I'm not built to run like a horse."
A passing student, a foreign girl with large horns sticking out of her head and hooves for feet, made no reaction to Kyouka's words, unable to follow the musical teen's quick speaking.
Izuku's other friend also had a point. While being able to get to the scene of a crime, accident, or disaster quickly was paramount to heroes being able to do their jobs, sadly, not every pro was the epitome of physical fitness. From his years of observation, many rarely even engaged in anything more strenuous but the most basic forms of athletic activity, just enough to keep their bodies slightly above the average citizen.
Overuse of Quirks, leaning more on the clever application of tactics, teamwork… these were all alternatives that allowed the lesser capable to outshine the lone wolves who were the pinnacle of what used to be seen as peak human fitness.
Wait…
That gave Izuku an idea.
"Do you think there would be complaints if we team up for this?" the young necromancer asked, looking to his friends and girlfriend. The three gave the verdantte questioning looks. "I mean, I haven't heard it being forbidden."
"ALRIGHT LITTLE LISTENERS! BEFORE WE BEGIN, REMEMBER, ANYTHING GOES!" Present Mic's Quirk amplified voice pierced into the tunnel like there wasn't tons of concrete separating the man from the competitors. "OH WAIT, NO TRYING TO HARM OR IMPEDE YOUR FELLOW LISTENERS! BUT THAT'S IT! WE START IN FIVE MINUTES!"
The four friends exchanged glances.
"Fuck it! I'm in," Kyouka said, grinning widely. The musically Quirk's teen was sure she'd have come close to middle of the pack anyway, but why not cause some chaos with her pals?
"Kero!" Tsuyu croaked in agreement.
"I shall join you in this revelry my friends!" Fumikage announced grandly, Dark Shadow poking out of his stomach with a thumbs up, "Let us show these knaves that our mad banquet of darkness can shine like the brightest of lights!"
Slightly ahead of the now pumped up quartet, one Shoto Todoroki was fighting through one of his own moments of darkness.
'These upcoming events will be your first official public spotlight on your own.' Rumbled a deep voice, swallowed in smugness, 'You will drop your childish tantrum and blind everyone with your fire.'
Todoroki ground his teeth, forcing the bile in this throat down. Since he'd been a child, he'd done everything he could to become the opposite of his father. And just like that, the bastard had swept it all aside as if it meant nothing and had made his demands.
'We're the same Shoto,' the burning source of all of the aforementioned teen's rage said, 'You and I are the best of the best. And the best won't stand to lose.'
"I'll never be like him…" Todoroki hissed under his breath, glaring at his left hand. The hatred seared through the bile in his throat, but the heterochromatic forced that down as well. "And I'll never use his power."
His bastard of a father wanted him to burn through all of the competition? Well, Shoto Todoroki would succeed, no doubt, but he would do so without letting out so much as an ember. His mother's power was more than enough for him to climb to the top; Endeavor could burn himself to ash for all he cared.
"I refuse to carry on that man's legacy…" Todoroki continued, reaffirming his personal oath. An eye of turquoise and an eye of grey stared ahead balefully, nothing but aggression visible. "And no one's going to stop me."
"AND GO!"
In seconds, Izuku discovered another major flaw in the first event.
Absolutely the bare minimum stuck to the spirit of heroism.
"Get off my foot!"
"Shut up and get outta my way!"
"Like hell I'm letting you get out before me!"
It turned out that the first obstacle of the race wasn't the bottleneck created by the starting tunnel at all. No, the true hurtle to clear was the ambition and selfishness of the other competitors. Forget being crammed shoulder to shoulder from the start, the pushing and shoving as everyone fought to get to the entrance was nightmare all on its own.
"How do we get out of this mess?!" Kyouka shouted over the bedlam, ducking under a stray elbow to look back at the rest of her team. "It's worse than some of the mosh pits I've been to."
Without looking, Izuku pointed up.
"The ceiling isn't crowded."
The musically Quirked teen glanced up, as did the avian and amphibian teens beside her. Fumikage facepalmed.
Faster than their eyes could follow, Tsuyu used her powerful legs and leapt onto the wide-open ceiling above. With a gracious smile, the frog-girl happily shot out her tongue and wrapped it around Izuku, pulling her boyfriend along with her as she began to crawl forward.
Not to be left behind, Fumikage silently called forth Dark Shadow, the Quirk entity billowing forth in the dimly lit tunnel. Steeling himself, the avian teen bent down and picked up Kyouka bridal style before the punk rocker could react—and he could second guess himself.
Precious cargo secured, Dark Shadow unsheathed his otherworldly claws and climbed up to the ceiling before following Tsuyu toward the entrance. The weight of its two passengers hardly seemed to slow the Quirk entity down a bit.
Others, seeing the unconventional tactics four of their competitors were using, began to think of ways to follow the examples shown.
Momo wasted no time and created a set of climbing gear, using her newly forged ice axe, rope, and carabineers to move laterally along the wall above the still thrashing mob.
Itsuka did much the same, only the martial artist used her Quirk-enlarged hands to dig out handholds. The redhead soon found herself racing the ravenette climbing across from her.
SHRREECCCCK!
In a flash, the entire floor of the tunnel was suddenly frozen with an inch thick layer of ice.
Todoroki, seeing that four of his classmates had taken the high ground, and inspired others to do so as well, had made his move.
Outside the Tunnel…
"AND THE FIRST TO EXIT THE STARTING LINE IS… TODOROKI FROM CLASS 1-A!" The booming voice of Present Mic announced as Todoroki, riding a lance of ice, spearheaded to the front of the competition.
Upon reaching the open air, the heterochromatic found his path blocked by a group of monstrously sized robots, each painted with a giant zero pointer.
"THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS!" Present Mic screamed through the loud speakers, "IT'S… ROBO INFERNO!"
The numerous titans of iron and steel flickered to life, a multitude of red lenses coming online as their attack parameters were finally met. With only one target visible, the entire lot began to move in towards Todoroki.
"We told the students to avoid these Zero Pointers during the entrance exam's practical," Eraserhead's calmer voice took over, a drastic contrast to his spastic companion. "But now they won't allow anyone to pass without a fight. It'll be up to each and every student to handle such opposition the best they can."
Inside their own press box, none of the roaring crowd could see that while the two pro heroes presented in vastly different styles, both wore serious and had grim expressions.
Certain sponsors had always lobbied the Board for the Sports Festival to implement 'requirements' that came down to thinly veiled discriminatory favoritism for as long as either man could remember. They'd experienced it during their own festivals, and had dealt with the fallout as teachers later in life.
But this was the first time they knew of that Board had capitulated so completely and allowed said sponsors to exert such control. Handicapping specific students when the Sports Festival should be every competitor's time to shine?
Eraserhead and Present Mic might've held different beliefs when it came to how to handle children with Quirks of a 'darker' nature, but both teachers agreed that the outside interference their students were going to suffer this festival was something that needed to be avoided in the future at all costs.
"I don't have time for this!" Todoroki grunted, his monotone almost rising to that of a shout as he evaded multiple titanic fists from a trio of Zero Pointers.
The heterochromatic teen had tried to evade the first obstacles of the race and just carry on to his inevitable win, leaving the robotic behemoths to the rest still behind him, but he'd encountered a problem. The mountainous machines turned out to be incredibly stubborn. Zigzagging did nothing to throw them off. Doubling back only allowed them to encroach further toward him. Mild counters to otherwise devastating attacks seemed to have no effect.
Scowling, Todoroki weaved his hand through the air as he stopped and stomped his foot at the annoyances still pursuing him. Glacial winds burst into existence and in a split second, the titans of metal, and the entire field around them, was frozen solid. Apparently not satisfied, the dual-colored hero-in-training stomped again, spikes of ice spearing up from the ground at irregular intervals from his feet to the behemoths.
"WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT?! IN AN AMAZING DISPLAY OF POWER, TODOROKI NOT ONLY DEFEATED THE FIRST OBSTACLE, BUT HE ALSO OPENED UP A PATH FOR HIS FELLOW STUDENTS!"
Present Mic's color commentary fired up the awed spectators, the crowd quickly roaring in support of the heterochromatic teen.
However…
"I wouldn't be so quick to hand the kid a medal if I were you…"
Like a bucket of cold water, Eraserhead's grizzled voice dampened the audience's enthusiasm with confusion just as the rest of the competitors began to arrive at the first official obstacle's zone. The underground hero's words appeared almost prophetic, as after only a few steps onto the still frozen field, the newly arrived students were forced to stop as the Zero Pointers collectively shook off the icy frost that had clogged their systems.
Unfortunately for them, the frost coating the ground and the towering spikes of ice remained, making a difficult situation that much harder to navigate.
"Todoroki didn't do anyone any favors," Eraserhead clarified into his mic for those still unable to comprehend what was going on. "He only intended to clear the obstacle in front of him. If he planned for his method to inconvenience his competition… it'll have to go under review."
While the words were spoken in a neutral tone, and the crowd accepted his words easily enough, back inside their press box the underground hero was giving his co-announcer a meaningful look. Silently, both teachers agreed to follow up on this behavior. While it was understandable that in events such as this students were expected to look out for themselves, the way Todoroki had blocked the path for the rest of the competition was in no way heroic. At all.
Down on the track, the rest of the students had almost ceased advancing entirely. 'Robo Inferno' had become a combat zone, the Zero Pointers releasing their smaller brethren once they'd acknowledged the presence of more targets, and no one could evade both the titans of steel while also being harassed by the quick One and Two Pointers.
Progress seemed only a pipe dream… until a commanding voice rose up above the chaos.
"DON'T PANIC! WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IF WE WANT TO CLEAR A PATH TO THE NEXT OBSTACLE!"
There was a second of silence, nobody moved. Then, as one, every remaining competitor turned to look at who had had the balls to try and take command of a situation meant to showcase individual skill and demand teamwork.
Izuku stood, tall and proud, and took the questioning gazes with aplomb. The verdanette was flanked by his girlfriend and their two friends, each stared right back at those examining them with challenge in their eyes. It cut for quite a striking impression.
Internally, Izuku was struggling to manhandle his nervousness into submission. His heart felt like it was beating a mile a minute, although he knew Cursed Blood wouldn't have allowed that. Swallowing his nerves defiantly, the young necromancer stepped forward, keeping a strong visage as all eyes returned to him.
"He's right!" Itsuka Kendo suddenly agreed, seconding the vice-president of 1-A's suggestion. "We won't have a chance of advancing at this rate. Working together is the only way right now!"
The quick support of their Big Sis easily gained 1-B's backing, the normally combative teens scrambling to gather around their leader. Meanwhile, 1-A had already edged their way to their second in command, even Ojiro, though the tailed teen kept a frown the entire time.
And just like that, the cooperation of both heroic classes was all but assured.
For now.
As the two classes came to terms with their temporary truce, the class president of 1-B found herself wrestling with her inner thoughts, her emotions a mess. And it was all because of the teen she'd basically just pledged to support through this 'Robo Inferno.'
While the rest of her classmates had unanimously agreed not to look into or even think about their failed test's proctors after the fact, Itsuka had struggled through her two days of mandatory therapy until her therapist had come up with a solution. To prove to herself that there was no way she or any of her classmates could've beaten their proctors, and gain closure with the events she'd gone through during the test, Doctor Tsunemori had convinced her to do a little research on Osowiec in spite of 1-B's promise.
It had been all too easy to connect the dots when the redhead didn't feel like she was about to die every other minute. One quick search on the Internet had given Itsuka far more information than she'd needed to piece together the truth.
She'd been so angry with what she'd found that if she'd had a fire-based Quirk the martial artist knew she would've burned her room to ashes.
Osowiec.
World War One.
The Attack of the Dead Men.
Each clue led to another, and even if those hadn't been enough, then the number of minions and their names would've been dead enough ringers to figure it out. The proctors had in fact been Izuku Midoriya of Class 1-A, his girlfriend Tsuyu Asui, and the verdanette's zombies.
Itsuka had no way to confirm her suspicions, or any way whatsoever to even find evidence to support them. But she had found a multi-award winning essay from back during the entrance exams. The report had centered on what it had meant to be a hero in the era before Quirks, touching on the siege of Osowiec as a key example. After binge-reading the entire paper in one go, it had come as a slap in the face when the redhead had read the name of who wrote the piece and found it to be none other than the wielder of the Cursed Blood.
She was ashamed to admit it now, but in the moment, it had taken everything Itsuka had believed it meant to be a hero to keep her from spilling the beans to the rest of her classmates in a bout of petty revenge.
Fortunately, her ideals coupled with the fact the redhead had been able to remember how immature her classmates were had allowed the class president to abort any impulsive actions before it was too late. Class 1-B was already in hot water as it was for their previous altercations with the verdanette, and deep down, Itsuka knew the vice-president of 1-A had only meant to help them learn an important lesson in the long run.
Back in the moment, remembering that two students and three zombies had obliterated her entire class also helped Itsuka finally cool down and decide that peace was the better part of valor.
Seeing that he had the support of the two most combat-oriented classes, Izuku moved to put his plan into action. He needed to hurry, the Zero Pointers were closing in and the mobs of One, Two, and Three Pointers were growing in size faster than the other departments could deal with.
"Momo, prepare a heavy-hitting, long-range weapon! Iida, draw the attention of any Zero Pointers that get too close away from Momo!" The orders of the young necromancer were quick, crisp, and clear. There was no hesitation on his end. "Kaminari! Kirishima! Divide and conquer with the rest of our classmates. We weren't fast enough to keep a majority of the Business and Support students from being taken out, but now I want you to TRASH THOSE ROBOTS!"
"Tetsutetsu! Shishida! Take a few others with you and back up 1-A!" Itsuka shouted, doing her best to quickly adapt to the situation. Thinking quickly, the class president did her best to fortify the strategy she could see forming before her. "Kamakiri! Pony! You're with me. We're going to protect Yaoyorozu too!"
A series of nods and murmured acceptances were given before the combined forces of UA's First Year Heroics students moved in tandem to complete their orders. Seeing his plan set, Izuku moved as well, leading Tsuyu, Fumikage, and Kyouka into position.
In the comfort of their seats, the general public was beginning to notice that the first obstacle of the obstacle race had become something… else.
"WHAT A DEVELOPMENT FOLKS!" Present Mic narrated, the pro's own surprise bleeding through his high volume. "INSTEAD OF COMPETING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, IT LOOKS LIKE… YES, IT LOOKS LIKE BOTH HEROICS CLASSES HAVE DECIDED TO TEAM UP!"
The festival's audience, in the stadium and watching around the world, weren't quite sure how to take the unexpected development. But as usual, the immediate and more vocal responses were from those who spoke first before thinking too hard.
"Really? Can't they do anything on their own?"
"That ice boy was way better."
"Just goes to show that weaklings need to join forces if they want to achieve anything…"
The criticisms of those blinded by the flashiness of the world of heroes flowed unending, each and every one borne from a fool who was too quick to judge. However, the seasoned heroes, the real veterans of the field, who'd survived the reality of the streets, watched on and appreciated the brilliance of the two First Years taking command. These select pros knew that, out there in the field, teamwork was the true cornerstone of victory.
If not a part of a team themselves, even the 'solo' heroes knew that they needed assistance on the daily to succeed at their work. Police worked in every capacity outside the actual hero work, licensed navigators led them through the local urban jungles, hell, there was a whole business built around Support!
"That kid is an awfully good leader, nya," Nyanta purred, the diminutive supervisor also appreciating the leadership displayed by the target he was ordered to keep an eye on. "If he can keep a level head in a situation like this… imagine what he could do in the future…"
While the senior QRA agent was singing praise, the pro hero Endeavor watched on in disdain.
'What the hell is this?!' Raged the Flame Hero in his mind, the fire covering his body reflecting his violent emotion. 'My masterpiece continuing to refuse its full capabilities is bad enough… but my new target ALSO keeping its true power under wraps?! UNACCEPTABLE!'
Back down on the track, what had once been a chaotic battlefield now had order and cooperation reign supreme. The students of Class A had fallen in line with Izuku's orders because even those who disliked the cinnamon roll couldn't deny his intelligence and talent for tactics. Their sister class, 1-B, had obeyed Itsuka more because they trusted their Big Sis more than anything else; it was the natural thing to do.
Even the few surviving members of the Business and Support Courses, who'd missed or resisted following the commanding voices of the two hero students, wisely decided not to get in the way of those working together against the robotic horde.
BANG!
An unusually loud gunshot suddenly tore through the cacophony of battle.
BOOM!
The following explosion came from a Zero Pointer, the titan of steel and circuits toppling as it seemed to be ripped apart. Many stopped completely, too shocked to do anything else other than stare in awe at the destructive force they'd just witnessed. As the slain goliath finished its collapse the silent observers turned to search for the source of such power.
Their gazes found a grinning Momo, the mature young woman now holding a massive rifle-like weapon in her hands, its stock planted in the ground between her long legs.
"Izuku-kun was right," Momo said, pulling the lever of the monstrosity she'd created, expelling the used shell from its barrel. The ravenette took aim at another Zero Pointer, the mechanical giant seeming to hesitate as its programming recognized the threat pointed at it. "Guns are fun."
BANG!
BOOM!
Momo Yaoyorozu had received her own Quirk Analysis only a few short days ago, six to be exact. The notebook entries Izuku had shown her had included so much useful information and thought provoking ideas that the mature young woman had grabbed the verdanette up into a hug without thinking. She'd even been able to ignore the death glare sent her way from Tsu-chan, who'd she'd just hugged afterwards too.
In his notes, Izuku had brought to Momo's attention a glaring weakness the 'Creation' user had grown complacent with, her slow generation speed. According to the young necromancer, the limitation had actually come as a result of her rigid thought processes; her creations being exact copies of items she'd previously studied the main problem.
For simple creations, like melee weapons, this wasn't too much of an issue, as it ensured the build came out sturdy enough for its purpose. However, for more advanced and or complex designs, exact replication meant more time for a perfect replication.
Momo had read the description of herself with pride… until Izuku had flat out called it a waste of time. The following pages had held extensive notes on how to cut corners, forgo complexity, and substitute simplified systems where possible. There'd even been a hypothesis that she could entirely replace the material of a design she'd studied with something else if she memorized suitable alternatives.
The mature young woman compartmentalized all of those wandering thoughts and yanked back on the bolt-action lever of her massive rifle. The resounding click of the next and final round of ammo loading into its chamber made the ravenette's grin turn truly predatory. There was no need for a scope; iron sights enough for such a large target.
BANG!
BOOM!
The hybrid weapon she currently held was the end result of hours of study after taking her vice-president's analysis to heart. The rifle only required a cannon's barrel, a loader, a trigger, iron sights; the stock was actually just a reinforced structure sunk into the ground to withstand the firepower of her creation. Straddling the weapon kept Momo from having to waste time on creating a recoil compensator or even worry about a shoulder cushion.
In fact, the hardest pieces to create had been the heavy-payload explosive bullets.
Many would agree that the self-satisfied smile the ravenette gave was terrifying. She didn't care though, she was too busy remembering how the monstrous gun had taken less time to create than a rudimentary canon had once taken her.
"Why do I feel like I created a monster?" Izuku asked to no one in particular. Deadpan stares greeted the verdanette from his girlfriend and two friends. "Anyway… now we can—"
The young necromancer was interrupted as a stampede of students nearly trampled him.
The moment the last Zero Pointer fell, the hearts of the competitors immediately fell to the craze once more. The truce was over, and it was every man and woman for themselves.
"So much for working together," Kyouka snarked, the punk rocker stepping around a few more desperate students. "Shouldn't we get going too?"
The question was directed at the de facto leader of the group of four, but unfortunately he seemed… distracted.
Izuku was staring at the remains of the destroyed robots, only… it wasn't his own eyes looking out at the scrap and slag. The few parts still intact were beginning to look like the pieces of something else to the verdanette. Knowledge he'd never had before, of the inner workings of robotics, flowed like expectant whispers into his ears. The hero-in-training felt his hands twitch, suddenly eager as if they knew just how to move to turn the junk before him into something new.
The young necromancer looked down at his hands, then back to the wreckage, then back to his hands. A tug in the back of his mind finally connected the last dot for him.
He was looking at the world with Saki's eyes.
"My friend?" Fumikage questioned, the avian teen somehow sensing something had happened, "Has your darkness begun to rebel against your soul?"
The raven-headed hero-in-training got his answer when Izuku turned to look at his three teammates and stared at them with eyes of glowing ruby.
"I have a plan…" Izuku stated, sounding just slightly more wild than normal. "Let's fuck everything up!"
While Fumikage and Kyouka shared confused glances, Tsuyu turned to look back at the seating area where she knew the zombie-girls to be. Izuku had told the frog-girl that he suspected the bond he shared with his partners worked both ways. Saki had already confessed that she had experienced a bit of a brain boost lately, so it stood to reason that he would somehow benefit from the blond delinquent's expertise where machinery was concerned.
Meanwhile, at the Front of the Race…
"AND AFTER ACEING THE PIT, TODOROKI HAS FINALLY BEEN BROUGHT TO A HALT BY THE THIRD AND FINAL OBSTACLE!"
Present Mic's announcement was a tad redundant, but did little to highlight the heterochromatic's true predicament. After creating an ice bridge fragile enough to collapse after he passed over the massive second obstacle, the dual colored teen had found himself in a truly disadvantageous position.
Using his ice would make things quick, but even if he thawed it afterwards, the mines he'd have covered would most likely still be deactivated. Shoto didn't want to leave a clear path for any of the competition behind him.
"While the mines are obviously non-lethal, they still pack a punch. If Todoroki let's himself get hit it'll surely slow him down long enough for the others to catch up. The 'solution' here may be obvious to him, but will he accept the repercussions?"
Eraserhead's grave voice was enough to push Todoroki into action. The heterochromatic decided he'd take slow and steady over giving anyone else an advantage. It wasn't like he hadn't put enough distance between himself and the competition anyway.
"AND THE REST OF THE STUDENTS BEGIN TO HIT THE PIT!"
Present Mic's announcement directed the public to the chasm that made up the second obstacle, where rock pillars stood as makeshift platforms across the gaping wound in the earth. Everything from pipes to cables, and even sometimes thick rope, connected various pillars; bridges for those without the ability to fly.
"Unexpected teamwork overcame the first obstacle, but this time there's little room for handholding."
Eraserhead's words rang true for many, and students who'd only just worked together against a robotic horde from hell steeled themselves to face off against their friends. None could see a way to use each others' strengths here.
"It's time for my babies to shine!" Mei Hatsume screamed as she dashed right by the stymied competition and off the edge into the Pit. With the click of a button, the inventor's boots flared to life, and the hover-tech she'd built into the clunky footwear increased the pinkette's speed and jumping ability tenfold.
It wasn't enough. The next closest platform was still too far away—
"And after a good jumpstart…!" Mei continued, smiling widely as she knew her move had caught the eye of a majority of the crowd, a crowd that the representatives of major support companies were currently a part of. Everyone would be looking at her, the Support student who dared to challenge the Hero Courses. "My grappling babies will do the rest!"
From the pinkette's belt, two gun-like gadgets poked out and fired grappling hooks. The projectiles rocketed towards the pillar, digging deeply into the stony earth. Secured, Mei braced for impact and allowed her hover-boots to take the brunt of the collision. Flipping a switch, the mad inventor's grappling hooks began to reel in, carrying their creator up to the top of the platform faster than many could follow.
Envy flared in many of the competitors as they watched such a daring move. Having such gadgets would've been a godsend for them.
"I can do this… I can…" Iida muttered to himself as he examined the task at hand. He knew he could pull this off, but he'd have to sacrifice speed if he wanted to keep proper balance along the pipeline he'd selected. It would be unsightly, but his plan would be a fair bit safer than recklessly trying to jump from platform to platform. He needed to keep his Engines in the green for the next events anyway.
Suddenly, Iida felt a familiar weight settle onto his back.
"Let's join forces Tenya-kun!" Uraraka cheered as she climbed the stern speedster like a squirrel for a piggyback ride. "I just bet we could fly together!"
Without waiting for Iida's answer, the brunette brushed a hand against the bespectacled teen's cheek, activating her Quirk.
Now weightless, Iida realized Ochaco was the only thing keeping him earthbound, which was actually perfect. Many wouldn't know it by looking at him, but the speedster was in reality a fairly heavy guy; his Engines and his body's natural Quirk adaptation for denser muscles and bones not doing him any favors in that department. Only having to carry the brunette's mass would allow him to move at incredible speeds for relatively little wear and tear.
However, the sensation of flight had come for an entirely different reason.
"Of course! Hold fast Ochaco-chan!" Tenya shouted, revving his Engines as he got into a runner's start position. "TOGETHER WE CAN FLY!"
With the massive reduction in weight without the sacrifice of any power, Iida flew through the air like a skipping stone, bouncing from one platform to another with barely any effort. In fact, the hardest part for the speedster was hiding his blush.
Essentially being tightly hugged by the girl he was dating, in public, made concentration difficult. Not impossible, just harder than he'd expected.
And calling it dating might've been a bit of an exaggeration.
When he'd brought up the fact that he'd shared a number of meals and one-on-one chats with the anti-gravity girl to his big brother Tensei, the pro hero had been all too quick to label such outings as dates. The elder speedster had been proud that his little brother had been starting to mature and loosen up. Of course, denials had flown vehemently in response, but it hadn't mattered in the end.
When Tensei had suggested he try to ask Ochaco out on an actual date, Iida hadn't been able to come up with a logical excuse not to.
On her side of things, Ochaco had been understandably surprised when the boy who'd become her shoulder to cry on had suddenly made such a proposition, and she'd been quite reticent to accept as well. She might've thought about approaching Izuku for a life of plentiful money once-upon-a-time, but it would've been money the two could've earned together through hard work and determination. Accepting Tenya threw that out the window, as the money was already there, and she would no doubt be labeled as a gold digger regardless of her intentions.
Even so, the brunette had still been interested. After an afternoon full of chatting over tea and mocha, the two teens had finally decided to call their outings training dates instead of the real thing. Both had discovered a desire to practice dating for if, and when, they eventually found the right person while at the same time keeping their families happy and not cause any problems for their school life. So that is what they'd agreed on.
And if they found that they were that right person for each other along the way? Well, that would be just fine too.
"What the—?"
"CHEATERS!"
The cries and shouts from their competitors did little to stop the glide-skipping couple. In no time at all, the two found themselves hitting solid ground on the other side of the chasm. Taking a moment to look back, the duo couldn't help but grin at the still struggling students they'd left behind.
"There's no cheating in teamwork. Being able to synergize strengths in the field is an invaluable skill for any hero in the field."
Hearing their homeroom teacher validate their tactic filled Iida with elation. Engraving the rare praise in his heart, the speedster ensured Uraraka was still well secured on his back. The brunette had to bite her lip as she nearly yelped in surprise at the reaffirmed grip of her partner. She'd expected him to put her down once they'd cleared the second obstacle, so they could continue on their own. It warmed her heart to know she meant that much to him.
The duo could hardly get two steps however before they were faced with the sad truth of the universe…
There is always someone better.
"AND HERE COMES THE EMBODIMENT OF TEAMWORK! WORKING WITH THREE OTHER COMPETITORS, THE MONSTER OF UA IS MAKING AN UNBELIEVABLE COMEBACK!"
"Mic! We do NOT call our students monsters!"
Eraserhead's reprimand did little to avert the attention of the public, now fixated on a new exciting development.
It was like something out of a bad post-apocalyptic movie.
Speeding along the track, on a direct course for the chasm of the Pit, Izuku, Tsuyu, Kyouka, and Fumikage rode on what could only be described as the nightmarish lovechild of steam-punk and a hovercraft. Built from the shielding of a couple of Two Pointers, kept together by foraged wiring and reinforced cabling, and powered by the boosters, rockets, and thrusters from various robot types, the vehicle was as crude looking as it was effective.
Izuku and Tsuyu had the cabling wrapped around their arms, the two working in concert to keep their craft together. Fumikage had Dark Shadow act as a two-in-one steering wheel and rudder, the Quirk entity taking no damage from dragging it's arms along the ground. Kyouka put her focus into fueling the numerous boosters and thrusters with her Quirk, powering the craft with her thundering heartbeat.
"There's the Pit! Dead ahead!" Izuku shouted to his crew. "Fumikage! Get ready to have Dark Shadow spread his wings! Kyouka, I need you to dig deep, and go beyond!"
"AYE-AYE!"
The two replied as one, enjoying the chaos of the wild ride their friend had gotten them into, and all the trouble they were causing by breaking all expectations.
When the hovercraft reached the edge of the Pit, Kyouka clenched her eyes tight, reached out, and grabbed Fumikage's hand. With a sudden jerk, the propulsion system kicked into high gear and the jerry-rigged ship began to take off. Clearing the edge, wings of solid shadow spread wide, catching the air underneath. Against all odds, the hovercraft remained airborne, gliding over the canyon with ease like a bird of prey.
Iida and Uraraka could only watch as the crude vehicle flew over the entire chasm with four passengers aboard and landed with the barest minimum of grace to keep a straight line.
"WOHOO!"
The raucous scream of joy from their punk rock classmate snapped the two from their stupor.
"Quickly!" Uraraka shouted, bopping Iida on the head in panic. The blows were hardly felt by the now enraged speedster. "We can't let them be faster than us!"
Back at the Front of the Race…
Shoto Todoroki was halfway through the minefield. So far, his strategy had paid off; the only students anywhere near him were those who had some ability to fly. And of course, those who had been able had used up most of their stamina crossing the chasm, leaving them too tired now to want to risk speeding forward and stepping on a mine.
The rest?
The heterochromatic would've been surprised if anyone else would cross the Pit before he crossed the finish line and obtained his goal of first place.
BOOM!
An exploding mine grabbed the dual Quirk-wielding teen attention, bringing back to the task at hand. So some fool had tried their luck and failed? Oh well.
BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cascading eruptions forced Todoroki to turn around. Mismatched eyes widened in muted surprise; it was the team that was turning this entire competition inside out!
Their… craft… was activating mines as it sped over the field, but instead of falling apart, the contraption was somehow fast enough to clear the blast radius of each mine it set off before the blast could affect its trajectory.
And it was approaching him fast.
Too fast!
And worse yet, the damnable thing was clearing a path for the rest of the students to bum-rush behind it.
Todoroki frowned, but realized quickly he had no other option if he wanted to secure his place at first. Stomping hard, the heterochromatic froze the ground around him, shooting a path of ice forward thick enough to disable every mine in front of him. Picking up speed, it took only a few seconds for the mouth of the tunnel back into the stadium to come into view.
The final stretch!
BOOM! VRRRM!
"So long!" Todoroki snapped his head to the right, shocked that the strange craft had caught up to him so soon. The sound girl, Jiro, was leaning over the side and waving smugly. "SUCKER!"
Looking back, the son of Endeavor would realize it wouldn't be that light insult that would cause him to react. No, it would be catching sight of Midoriya's face over the punk rocker's shoulder that would ignite a burning desire to win in his stomach.
Midoriya, the emerald necromancer, the monster of UA, would be smiling. The wide grin would be that of a winner, one savoring a victory but also enjoying the competition along the way.
Overwhelmed with emotions he couldn't place or name, Todoroki would take a step too hard, push too far, and the ice that would race from his right side would spear outward like lancer's blade. The unintentional construct would clip Midoriya's craft and the four teens, not expecting the move, would be flung from their spiraling creation.
CRASH!
"GHAAA!"
The quartet of friends screamed in surprise as they instinctively tucked and rolled after they were flung from their hovercraft. Scrambling to their feet, the four would realize they were thankfully unharmed, only to wince as their creation flipped one final time before colliding with the side of the stadium.
BOOM!
Staring uncomprehendingly at the fireball that had been their ride, the four friends only just managed to catch sight of Todoroki as he passed them by, still running at full speed. Izuku clenched his fists as he stared after the heterochromatic, the verdanette never before having felt the need to punch someone so hard before.
His friends could've been hurt by that stunt!
"OOOHHH! IT SEEMS ENDEAVOR'S SON MAKES A LAST SECOND MOVE, AND TAKES BACK FIRST PLACE!"
"Using his Quirk to sabotage the competition was clearly stated as being against the rules before the first event began. Such an act will come with a penalty."
Izuku shook his head, somewhat mollified that Todoroki would face repercussions for his actions. Turning, the young necromancer was about to ask his friends and girlfriend if they were alright, when his entire world went dark.
Dark Shadow rose up, enlarged hand and arm lifting Izuku up into the air. Below, Fumikage's avian features were pulled tight as the dark teen allowed his raging emotions to strengthen his sentient Quirk.
"YOU… SHALL NOT!" Fumikage roared, rearing back his arm as if to throw a baseball, an act that Dark Shadow mimicked, "STEAL MY FRIEND'S VICTORY!"
Fumikage swung, and Dark Shadow pitched. And just like that, Izuku was launched through the air at inhuman speeds straight for the mouth of the stadium's final tunnel.
Todoroki could only blink as a green missile shot by, landed a handful of meters in front of him, unfurling into Midoriya, and immediately took off after gracefully transitioning into a full-on sprint. The heterochromatic teen snapped out of his daze and redoubled his efforts. He had to gain more speed! He needed to surpass the competition, be the best!
But he couldn't.
The final three hundred meters were torture, a test of every ounce of years of physical training and suffering under the hand of the bastard who'd hurt his mother. His leg muscles ached, feeling like lead. His lungs burned, hardly able to keep the oxygen flowing.
And through it all, Midoriya just kept that optimal speed he'd had after being thrown. Close, but unreachable.
And then… the race was over.
Bursting through the tunnel, reality set in as the lights of the stadium lit the world.
Shoto Todoroki, son of the Number Two Hero, had finished the first round of the Sports Festival in second place.
The ensuing celebrations, especially the one between Midoriya and his friends, didn't even register in the mind of the troubled teen. Midnight's words of stunned praise to the verdanette hardly reached his ears.
All Todoroki could see was a wall that had risen up to block his way to the top. A wall he would need to overcome.
Magnus: If you think Todoroki is beginning to get a little OOC, remember that without Bakugo in his class, there was no example of bad behavior to keep him from going down a slightly different path.
Omake – Momo's Woes
Momo Yaoyorozu, class president of UA's Hero Class 1-A, slammed into the school's third floor girl's bathroom running full tilt, barely making it in time to an empty stall before vomiting up whatever was in her stomach.
"Ugh…" The ravenette groaned, fighting her stomach's urge to turn inside out yet again thanks to the aftertaste in her mouth… and the smell, "Why did I forget that…?"
Momo's current woe was the result of accidently walking into a most gruesome scene.
Right after their post-trauma test that proved she and her classmates were ready to continue with their studies, Aizawa-sensei had announced that after conversing with Izuku-kun, he'd be utilizing sweet Lily and her Quirk to strengthen the class. It turned out the adorable little girl possessed a Quirk, Dissonant Song, which could take down any emitter-type if used long enough.
Five seconds was all it had taken to cause massive widespread damage at the USJ.
However, there was a problem with Lily using her Quirk. The power of Dissonant Song was too much for the poor girl's vocal chords, and actually hurt the bluenette with each 'song.' Luckily, with Izuku-kun there, the wounds could be healed relatively quickly. Still, mindful of causing undue suffering, Aizawa-sensei had limited the training to once a week exercises.
Each exercise would consist of being exposed to a single second of dear Lily's Quirk and then attempt to continue working on whatever task Aizawa-sensei would think to put them through at that moment. Emitters would have it the worst, and transformers would get sick, but the mature class president had understood the necessity of learning to work through pain and disorientation.
Dissruptor Quirks weren't that uncommon. To neglect developing a resistance to such abilities wasn't logical.
However, much to her shame, Momo had been brought to her knees during that day's exercise. Even a second of Dissonant Song had sent her head spinning and weakened her entire body.
That wasn't what had brought the class president to this moment over the porcelain throne though.
"Urgk… Why can't I just forget it?" Momo asked the dirtied toilet water she was staring into. "That… sensation… that taste… why is it still there?"
After recovering from the exercise, Momo had wanted to cuddle with her little sister, the bundle of joy and merriment surely needing some love and reassurance that her Quirk was being used to better 1-A and she was an angel for sticking it through and helping them get stronger.
When she'd eventually found the bluenette however, Momo had found the little girl sitting in Izuku-kun's lap… gleefully licking at the verdanette's bleeding hand…
Just thinking of the scene almost caused the mature young woman to vomit again. Not for the first time, Momo cursed as her mind was cast back to the past, to the exact moment that had given her the hemophobia that plagued her…
=Flashback=
She'd been just seven years old when she'd been invited by her father to learn dinner etiquette one night. It was tedious, but a needed lesson for the heiress of their family and company. Business meals were important ventures after all.
"Tonight we start with the basics," The Yaoyorozu patriarch had said softly, easing his little princess into things. "We'll focus on silverware and manners first, before moving on."
Momo had meant to merely nod and take her lesson silently. Even at a young age, the ravenette had always been like that, capable of fully focusing on learning without a single objection.
It was something her parents had come to regret only a day previously.
A tutor the elder Yaoyorozu had hired had gone a little too advanced, a little too soon. High intelligence was all well and good, and advanced lessons were obviously required to foster such a brilliant mind, but teaching a child about menstruation, in graphic detail no less, was unacceptable.
The woman had been removed immediately, but the damage had been done. Little Momo had the knowledge of what awaited her in womanhood seared into her young mind. Understandably, she'd been beyond disturbed and unsettled.
"Father?" Momo had called, instead of merely nodding, "I know today's lesson is not about enjoying the food, but, may I ask to share your favorite dish?"
Thinking for a second, the Yaoyorozu patriarch had considered the request. He could see no problem with getting a little more father-daughter time in while continuing the lesson.
"I don't see why not…" Momo's father had said easily with a smile, "But could I ask why?"
Young Momo had nodded enthusiastically, happy she was being allowed her request.
"You always seem to enjoy it with great gusto," Momo had eventually replied, a sparkle in her eyes. "I merely wish to share that experience with you."
Her father had chuckled, enamored with his daughter's manners and honest eyes. The Yaoyorozu patriarch motioned for the servant to come over, and gave the man the addition to the planned meal.
A cut of medium-rare steak. With grape juice instead of wine of course.
The lesson had continued on as intended. Little Momo had correctly identified each piece of silverware after only a little coaching, and had selected the proper instrument for each course of the meal. She'd even shown above-expected skill in handling the various forks, knives, and spoons.
The young ravenette had then focused on mimicking her father's movements while eating, taking to heart the way the man's focus never wavered from his imaginary companion. The Yaoyorozu patriarch could eat his meal and hardly look at the food before him for more than a single second.
So focused on emulating her father was she, that little Momo didn't notice when her steak was placed before her, or that the meat was, as its nature intended, still red in the middle. When the seven year old had placed a piece of the steak in her mouth, an unknown, unexpectedly ferric taste had invaded her taste buds. A nearly viscous texture had then met her tongue as she'd prodded the strange thing she'd taken a bit of.
A reddish liquid spilled from her mouth, and when she'd looked at the handkerchief she'd used to wipe up the offending fluid, she'd screamed.
Somehow, someway, little Momo's mind linked the crimson liquid staining the handkerchief with the red that had filled the lesson her ex-tutor had given her the day before. All the ravenette had known at that moment was that she'd somehow started to bleed, and the fear of blood that had been sown during the previous day blossomed.
=End of Flashback=
"I really love my Lily-chan…" Momo murmured to herself as she left the bathroom, "But I really need to remember to refrain from being present when she needs to… eat…"
Momo nearly retched again, but managed to swallow it down through sheer force of will. Now she really needed to cuddle with the little idol, and it would surely heal both of them.