As the cheers from the crowd began subduing, with the excitement still at it's pique, they were already setting up for the next event that was taking place inside the arena; without much equipment to be propped up, the audience was revving up for the starting announcement. "Wake up, everyone! Our second event is about to begin, are you ready?!" Exclaimed Present Mic, hyping up everyone as they roared with enthusiasm. "For our second game, students will be playing Don't Wake Hound Dog: the objective of this game is to make it to the other side of the field, using any means necessary, without 'waking up' and getting caught creeping by Pro Hero and U.A. Japan's Lifestyle Guidance Counselor, Hound Dog!" Presenting Hound Dog on stage, he was dressed in light blue footie pajamas with a dark blue paw print pattern and matching night cap, his normal muzzle, and holding a baby blanket and teddy bear while standing next to an comically-sized bed and alarm clock. "The first four to cross the finish line, wins! So nestle up and get cozy, because we're about to begin!"
"First up, Japan's 1-A verses International 3-A!" With both teams already positioned on opposite sides of each other, the underclassmen noted an inkling from their opponents: while three of them were standing grouped up, Fatima was clung to Omar's back as he held up her legs- a visible indication of weakness in numbers. "Are we ready?! Get set-!"
"Would you be quiet?! I'm trying to sleep here!" Shouted Hound Dog, making himself comfortable in his bed.
"H-He yelled at me." Present Mic whined.
"I think he might be taking this role a little too seriously." Followed up Aizawa.
"In any case, go!"
At the start of his bid, Class 1-A took haste, putting themselves ahead of their competition; taking what they had observed from the previous event and applying the new rule set to create a more effective strategy, despite uncertainty, they were more prepared than before. Uraraka and Tokoyami used their quirks to cautiously soar to their destination while carrying Asui and Hagakure, leaving everyone else to tiptoe on the ground. Simultaneously, over at 3-A's side, Chelsea flattened the crown of her top hat and passed it to Omar, who activated his quirk then handed the hat over to Bassam as he pulled back his arm and threw it similarly to a flying disc; while he was able to pick up the distance using brute force, Omar had to assist him with his accuracy, maneuvering the hat to glide over the line, but 1-A paid no mind to what was happening on the opposite side, not when they were so close to crossing the finish line- when the crowd was putting their hearts into their vociferous cheers for the home team, and even though they had lost the first event, it didn't mean they were out of the competition or that they weren't capable enough. When they put their heads together and focused on the mission, their wasn't anything Class 1-A couldn't accomp-
Brrrinnng!
The alarm clock. How could a miscellaneous object like that make such a blusterous noise?
The sound completely startled those in close proximity, including the few who were close to finishing first: Uraraka stumbled mid-air with Asui still in reach unlike Hagakure, who slipped out of Tokoyami's grasp but was caught without hesitation. Their movements, however, were animated seconds too late, turning the attention of Hound Dog as he indescribably snarled and began chasing them back to the starting line- leaving everyone else on the field frozen in place (except for Mineta). When the commotion subsided, Bassam removed the cloth draped around Omar's torso and handed it to Chelsea, unfolding the fabric to it's full width before tousling the length of the fabric around and over their group; when the match reseted, with one hardy swoop- "It seems International 3-A isn't messing with perfection, they've disappeared! Again!" Present Mic whispered loudly into his microphone as Omar's cloth fell gingerly to the ground.
As Class 1-A realized they were falling into the same ploy, they hustled their progression despite Hound Dog's aggressive tossing and turning, but just as they lunged towards the finish line- as Hound Dog was waking up, the crown of Chelsea's hat sprang up; popping around sporadically, Chelsea herself appeared from underneath and with charismatic showmanship, she tipped her hat down from her head and reached inside, pulling up the rest of the team who were dressed appropriately for the act, oddly enough. With their opponents piled on top of each other: Asui's tongue, Shoji's appendages, Jiro's earphone jacks, Yaoyoruza's various elongated objects, and everyone's hands were outstretched towards the finish line, but none of them touched. "Winners, International 3-A!"
"International 1-B verses Japan's 3-A, are you ready?! Go!" And with that, 3-A was well on their way towards the finish line smoothly and quietly while 1-B bounced idly back behind the start. "Okay Mick, what's the plan?" Estelle asked, amping herself up as she kept her body moving.
Mickey, with a vacant look in their eye, stood silently for a moment, "Huh? . . . Oh right, the plan!"
"W-Wait, didn't you say earlier you knew how to get us over there without anyone even noticing?" Ximena questioned unnervingly.
"Yeah, yeah- hah, um . . . Hmm . . ."
"What are you doing?!" Estelle shouted.
As Mickey visibly pondered, the other three watched with audible disarray as their opponents were inching closer to their goal, "We're going to lose!" Cried out Javier.
"Why haven't they left yet?" Whispered one of the upperclassmen.
"Maybe they didn't understand the directions?" Another one questioned.
Brrrinnng!
That ringing was not unwavering, but unlike the students before them, 3-A had collectively settled themselves closer to the ground to avoid the inevitable result of the shrill noise. When Hound Dog awoke, he noted that no one was moving on one side of the field while the other remain completely empty. *"What are those kids up to?"* He thought to himself as he turned the key behind the clock and resumed sleeping.
Just as the match started up again, Mickey snapped their fingers, a lit light bulb appearing near their head, "Guys, guys-" they spoke nonchalantly as they quickly took the light bulb and tossed the object inside their cranium compartment, then wrapping their long arms over their friend's shoulder and bringing them uncomfortably close together, "You got to start trustin' me more-" Mickey smirked, keeping their friend's irritated. "In an unknown turn of events, it looks like 3-A will be taking Japan's first win of the day!" Exclaimed Present Mic, the crowd thrilled beyond capacity; everyone's eyes were fixated on the imminent victory, the entirety of their class feeling spry, and the weight of their harsh loss was being lifted. Until . . .
They only looked away for a second, but a second was all it took. They don't know when, or how, they didn't hear a peep, but their they were- standing over the finish line, not an ounce of sweat or fatigue to be seen. As far Class 3-A knew, none of the international students besides their own had any teleportation quirks or moves, but there was no doubt that was them right in front of them; even the majority of their group was awed and confused.
"I don't know what you're so worried about, I told you I had a plan, didn't I?" Remarked Mickey as they filed their nails with a nail file over their gloved hand, implying they had been waiting an outlandish length of time for the other class to finish.
"When did-?! How'd you-?! You were over there but now you're here?! What the-?! Ahh!" Present Mic, just like Aizawa, Hound Dog, and the whole arena, were completely flabbergasted.
"Mickey . . . W-What just happened?" Stuttered Javier.
"How did we get here?" Ximena uttered softly.
"You never told us you could teleport!" Estelle clamored.
"What do you mean? You're kidding, right?"
"What?"
"Umm . . ."
"I mean, this isn't what I had in mind but hey, it worked."
"E-Excuse me . . . ?"
"Whatever, I give up! International 1-B wins!"
After a brief intermission, "Japan's 1-B and International 1-A, this is your last chance to earn some big points!" Present Mic declared as both teams were locked in a fierce stare down.
"It's pay back time, assholes!" Yelled Kamakiri; in between 1-B's jeers, Arjan had been secretly taking off one of his boots as the rest of the team grouped together to obscure him from the others. Once his clothed foot touched back onto ground, he began tapping and swaying his foot then bouncing his toes faintly against the terrain a few times until stopping his movements completely.
"Let's get readddyyy, and go!"
Scrapping their previous strategy from their last match, 1-B began working quickly but opted going forward right away: with Kuroiro on his back, Honenuki leaped over the starting, activating his quirk once his feet touched the ground. As they waded through the mucky earth, Kuroiro used the blackness of his quirk to prevent himself from becoming completely stuck, moving quietly gripping onto Honenuki without alerting Hound Dog. At the same time, Shelby had lifted the bottom of her mask with hand while the other appeared to be adjusting something underneath.
Proceeding with the next step of their plan, Honenuki and Kuroiro were almost half way to the finish line with no indication of their opponents making an attempt to move forward; whether they were going to make a move to stifle the others wasn't known, but precautions were made readily available. When Shiozaki's vines were making their way across the field, the boys climbing over the finish line were carefully wrapped around the waist before pulling back to tighten the stems. "Incredible! Japan's 1-B has pulled off what the previous classes couldn't! Things are looking very promising!" Rejoiced Present Mic, dialing himself back to keep Hound Dog from giving him dirty looks, and just as Pony and Komori started to slowly climb along the vines-
Brrrinnng!
Dead stop- shaken, but unmoved for the short reset duration. With a sigh of relief, the girls continued to push through the time consuming task, visibly making more progress than 1-A. They had gotten far enough. Arjan, kicking the ground in a swift downward strike, created a large crack that trailed over to opposite side of the starting line; they scrambled out of the way to avoid the attack, however, they didn't account for the huge trapping pit the crack would expand into. Using everything in their power to catch themselves from falling to the bottom, there was very little to be done to help those still on the surface as they were being dragged down the field, "You're making too much noise!" Spat Hound Dog.
To prevent 1-B from making an expeditious recovery, Arjan slid his foot to the side before following a clockwise motion upwards until his foot was hovering above his head; while repositioning his body, his hand concurrently dragged along the turf to complete the one- eighty. This abrupt action cause a large wave of dirt and lawn to taper off and begin filling the hole, but with Tsuburaba's quirk, he was able to create a barrier out of the air over his classmates to prevent them from being entombed. "So this was their plan, huh?" Monoma contemplated out loud, "To pull us into an open grave then bury us alive with little to no hesitation . . . How morbid, and yet you consider me the villainous one!"
"Shut up, Monoma!" Class 1-B yelled.
"Kuroiro, Honenuki, Pony, Komori," beckoned Kendo, "Don't worry about us right now, as long as you're up there, you can still cross the finish line! We only need four people to win, so work together to make it over there without getting caught! Just don't let 1-A get the last win!"
As Kendo was making her call, Yemi, Shelby, and Arjan positioned themselves accordingly on Keali'i and with a forward leap, he activated his quirk to moonwalk onto the field. With a facile pace, the group was already making more progress than 1-B had before them; in an effort to get back into the game, they altered the original plans in attempt to combine them, but were faltering on the execution. Stirring underneath the comforter, Hound Dog was incited by a particular noise, one that he could not entirely discern, however, the unacquainted melody soothed him, as if every part of him had succumbed to relaxation.
Then suddenly, he was out like a light, and no one was none the wiser- except for Aizawa, who furrowed his brow at insolence of his student's quirk use. Now that Hound Dog was asleep, 1-A took the opportune time to steady themselves as an act of mildness, knowing that neither team was in harm of receiving any penalties. Though their efforts were not recognized, their opponents continued to strive for victory in their desperate attempt. In the end, they only delayed the inevitable, and they knew that, and whether that was callous or not wasn't up for debate at the moment, it was best to just get it over with.
Brrrinnng!
"And in the knick of time, International 1-A snags the last win of the first half of U.A.'s Battle Royale, but don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, we have plenty more to come right after our halftime show, so stick around!" During the brief announcement, lingering members of the facility were having difficulty getting Hound Dog to wake up; a cautious yet hard pinch between sensitive skin was the only solution in the matter.
