"You better not hold out on me like you did with Round Face," Bakugo said to his opponent. "I'm not a damn weakling like her."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. "She isn't weak. I held back out of misguided kindness." The teen flexed his hands. "Something tells me you wouldn't like that."
Explosions popped in the blonde's hands. "You're fucking right. I don't want to fight a damn softie."
"Start!"
Both the boys' eyes shot open, their concentration heightened. Bakugo rocketed at his opponent. Nathaniel stood firm and cupped his hands, firing a blast of radiation. The blonde used his Quirk to throw himself out of the attack's path. This placed him to the other teen's left. Nathaniel swiped his arm at him, sending an arc of energy at Bakugo. The blonde unleashed a counterattack that dispersed the radiation. He then blasted straight towards the other teen. "Stop throwing weak-ass attacks, you bastard!"
Nathaniel glared and radiation ignited in his palms. The energy rocketed him up and over his opponent. Radiation then sparked to life from his hero costume boot. Then using bursts from his hands, he spun back with his leg outstretched. Bakugo only managed to turn his head just as the kick connected. The radiation-covered sole smashed into his cheek and then the silver-haired teen ignited it. The resulting explosion added more impact to the kick, sending both boys flying back from each other. Katsuki ended up hitting and rolling while Nathaniel broke his fall with one arm and flipped back onto his feet.
Bakugo growled as he wiped his cheek. "Damn, Blind Boy…"
He then heard a booming noise resonating from behind him. He turned to see Nathaniel gunning at him, red-speckled blue energy bursting from his hands and feet. The blonde cursed and tried to ready his arms for an explosion.
"Too slow!" his opponent exclaimed. He brought forward his left arm and clotheslined the blonde. He caught him right in the throat, causing Bakugo to choke. The teen grunted when his back hit the concrete. He then let out an "Oof!" when something landed on him. His red eyes focused to see Nathaniel was settled on him, his knee on his chest and his hands pinning the blonde's arms above his head.
"He managed to pin down Kacchan!?" exclaimed Deku. "He moved so fast not even someone with Bakugo's reflexes could dodge," Kaminari said nervously as Sero gapped next to him. Ochaco stared down at the scene. "He… really held back against me."
Bruce's eyes narrowed as he watched. "What's Adams doing? Don't tell me…"
Katsuki snarled and struggled against his opponent's grip. "Get the fuck… off me! Blind Bastard!" Nathaniel's scowl deepened, and he tightened his hold on the blonde. "As much as an annoyance you are, I really don't want to hurt you." That caught Bakugo's attention, and he stared into his opponent's eyes. "So this is your only chance to withdraw."
The blonde just stared at the silver-haired teen. Then slowly his face shifted to one of pure rage. He could feel a vein throbbing on his temple. "You… fucker! Did you just tell me to give up!?" The surge of anger allowed Katsuki to lurch forward with enough force to dislodge his opponent's knee and free his arms. His forehead smashed into Nathaniel's face, knocking the latter back. Before he could recover, Katsuki grabbed the front of his uniform and his arm. "Don't you dare fucking underestimate me!" He threw the other teen over his shoulder, using his Quirk to add more force to send Nathaniel flying. Bakugo rocketed at him before he hit the ground. The other teen saw him coming and used radiation bursts from his hands to swing his lower body upwards. Radiation once again coated his foot, and he landed a kick to Bakugo's chin. The kick did knock the blonde's head back, but he remained on course, firing a massive explosion at his opponent. Nathaniel propelled out of the way, spinning then rolling onto the ground. He quickly readied himself into a crouch. The silver-haired teen clasped his hands together and light from the build-up of energy seeped through his fingers.
"Alright, can you handle this?" Nathaniel thrust his hands forward just as Katsuki landed on the concrete. A beam of blue energy emitting red sparks shot out towards him, and the blonde barely leaned back in time to avoid getting a face full of radiation. The beam hit the stadium wall behind him, causing a large explosion and a rain of debris. Bakugo didn't have time to recover from his shock since his opponent proceeded to throw two spheres of energy. He tried to use his Quirk to propel himself out of their path but didn't account for them to curve with one heading for him. It hit him in the abdomen and detonated, sending him sprawling onto the concrete.
"He can change the shape of his attacks? It seems like those laser and energy ball forms are compressed so they are stronger than the usual blasts," Deku murmured as he scribbled away in his notebook.
Both Classes 1-A and 0-JL watched with intensity. Though Bakugo had taken the most hits, Nathaniel was also panting heavily.
Bakugo spat out to the side as he steadied himself onto his feet. His opponent breathed and exhaled deeply as he wiped sweat from his cheek.
"You ready to finally take me seriously, Blind Bastard?!" Bakugo shouted as he rocketed at Nathaniel. The other teen's glare intensified and he bared his teeth. "Fine! If you want me to show off what I can do, then here!" he angrily yelled. Radiation burst to life in his hands. The energy flames condensed into spheres so Katsuki readied to completely dodge them. Only the spheres shrunk down, and Nathaniel brought his hands together. The energy balls then began to combine into a single large one between them. Once the merging was completed, the growing light emitting from the radiation was so intense that Bakugo had to stop to shield his squinting eyes.
"Atomic…"
Bakugo's eyes briefly widened in realization before braced himself.
"Burst!"
Nathaniel thrust his hands forward and unleashed a wide beam of concentrated radiation. It increased in width the further it reached in front of him, covering much of the stage. Concrete was torn up and the stadium wall behind was shattered.
Bakugo was thrown back and was beginning to back-flip towards the boundary. Not like this…! I won't lose like this…! He used his explosions to direct himself to the ground. His hands scraped against the concrete as they splintered as he held onto the crack on the stage and began pulling himself forward against the blast's force.
"Damn… Bastard!"
The attack finally ended, dust clouding much of the area and red sparks dying in the air. Nathaniel panted, his shoulders moving up and down with his heaving. That attack used up a lot of energy. It'll take a while for it to build up again.
"Blind Bastard!"
Bakugo blasted out of the dust cloud. His skin was scuffed up, his sleeves were torn, his nails bleeding, and his expression was near-feral. He rushed at a surprised Nathaniel.
He managed to stay in bounds? Radiation ignited in his hands. Am I going to have to beat him down?
Bakugo briefly stopped his explosions to bring his hands forward and together. The explosions built up between his hands, creating a sphere of bright light.
"Stun Grenade!"
Nathaniel snapped his eyes shut. Dammit! I can't see! His eyes shot open when something slammed into his face. Bakugo snarled as he gripped his opponent's lower face. "You've been holding back! I know that your Quirk is strong!" He pulled the other teen close then let go when he slammed his knee into his chest. Nathaniel coughed harshly, his eyes bulging. The blonde then fired an explosion right into his face, throwing Nathaniel's head back.
"I want a definite win! A definite No. 1 spot! So I want you to give me everything you've fucking got!" Bakugo screamed.
He grabbed the other teen by the head and shoulder and flipped over him. The blonde flung him into the air, with a couple of explosions added for good measures. Nathaniel grunted as he hit the ground hard and rolled before he skidded to a halt on his feet. He slowly stood up, panting heavily. He wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand. Nathaniel then instantly straightened, radiation flames igniting on his forearms and face. His hair was once again a mix of hair and energy blaze, and red energy flickered from the corners of his eyes.
Both boys glared at each other, though Nathaniel had a scowl while Katsuki had a wide sneer.
"Alright, let's get serious then, Adams!" the blonde yelled as he ran at his opponent.
"Adams! Out of bounds!"
What? both of them thought. A quick glance down proved it. The heel of Nathaniel's right foot had crossed the line.
"Bakugo advances!"
The stadium cheered though Classes 1-A and 0-JL were silent. The latter because their classmate just lost and the former because they knew that their classmate would not be happy. Especially Izuku.
"Kacchan…" he murmured. He watched the stage warily.
The teens on the stage stood dumbly still. The radiation died down as Nathaniel stared down at the ground. "I lost… I lost…" he softly repeated to himself. "No… not like this…" The silver-haired teen looked up to see Katsuki stalking slowly towards him. "This is a technicality… this isn't definite…" His face gradually became contoured with rage. "This isn't over! You will finish the fight, Adams!" The blonde ran and then lunged at the other teen who threw up his forearm to defend himself.
Then a pinkish mist filled the stage. Katsuki collapsed mid-lunge and Nathaniel fell onto his side. Both boys were now in deep sleep. Midnight sighed as she stopped her Quirk. "Get these two to the nurse's," she ordered the conveyor bots arriving to the stage.
"Amazing, their fight was so dynamic," said Hal. "Yeah," Shayera agreed, "Too bad Adams lost. Things looked like they were about to get good." "So, what's the next fight?" J'onn asked. "It's Todoroki against Midoriya," answered Bruce. "Awesome! It's a 1-A versus 1-A fight!" Wally said excitedly. Then the redhead felt a vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his phone, and his eyes lit up. "Excuse me, I've got to take this." He quickly left the seats and made his way to an empty hall. Once there, Wally answered the call.
"Hello, Uncle Barry!"
"Hey, kid. Sorry for not calling sooner. I saw you on TV. You did great!"
Wally smiled sadly. "Not really. I wasn't able to make it to the final event."
"Come on, you were amazing. I saw you leave Ingenium's younger brother in the dust. Oh, speaking of Ingenium, I'm gonna be going on patrol with him soon. Hopefully, the media will stop pushing the idea we're better rivals."
Wally laughed. "Yeah, two speedsters are better than one. Say 'Hi' to him for me."
"Will do Wally. See you tonight."
"Bye Uncle!"
The call ended and the redhead began running back to his class's stands. "Maybe I should partner up with Iida in the future."
Nathaniel slowly woke up. He blinked at the white ceiling and became aware that he was laying on something soft and there were things on his face. He gingerly traced the outline of band-aids. The cot groaned as he sat up.
"Oh, you're the first to wake up," Recovery Girl said as she looked up from her clipboard. Nathaniel blinked and glanced to his side. Bakugo was laying on the cot next to him. "How are you feeling? Any lingering pains?" The teen shook his head and stood up. "Everything is fine. Thank you Recovery Girl." The elder hero smiled. "Alright. If anything starts to feel odd, don't hesitate to come see me. Now hurry on out of here. I'm sure you want to see the next fight, and I think we both know that it'll be better if you aren't here when he wakes up." Recovery Girl jerked her head towards Bakugo and Nathaniel nodded in agreement. He waved good-bye and exited the room, ready to head back to his seat. He wasn't prepared to see someone waiting for him. Nathaniel's blank eyes stared into a heavy-lidded dark blue one as Arthur leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Yo, Adams," the blonde greeted. "Hey, Curry… what are you doing here?" he asked. Arthur glanced away for a bit. "... I wanted to see if you were okay. Bakugo surprisingly is as much bite as he is bark." Nathaniel smiled. "Anyway, let's get back to our seats. The next fight is starting soon, swish," his classmate said casually as he ran his hand through his long hair. The other teen nodded. "Yeah…" he agreed softly. Arthur noticed his class rep's tone of voice and turned to face him. His eye the widened to its full wide size, a rare sight.
"Adams, why are you crying?"
"Eh?" The silver-haired teen wiped his cheek and realized he did have tears running down his face. "Oh… I guess… me losing really hit hard. I just feel… like I've taken a step back from my goal. I won't be able to help my parents as quickly as I want to now." The teen sniffed and wiped his eyes. The pair were silent before Arthur walked closer to Nathaniel. He looked up just in time to feel a stinging pain when the blonde flicked him hard in the forehead.
"Itai! What the heck was that for?" cried Nathaniel, his hands flying to cradle the red spot blossoming of his forehead. More tears comically bubbled in his eyes. Arthur frowned though it was different from his usual stoicism. It wasn't angry just disapproving. "Don't beat yourself down like this. Your journey to become a hero may have been slowed down, but it hasn't ended. Don't waste these emotions on tears; use them to push yourself forward." As Arthur said the last sentence he jabbed his thumb at his chest where his heart would be. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before the blonde glanced away. "Plus, I don't think your parents would want you to feel this way," he said with a frown. Nathaniel smiled as he rubbed the sore spot. "Thanks, though you still didn't have to hit so hard," he complained. His friend side-eye glared at him. "Shut up. I'm not good at this pep talk crap, swish," he pouted. The other teen burst out laughing.
The two made their way back to their class. Once they came into view, Nathaniel was bombarded with statements of praise and questions about his well-being. He timidly thanked and reassured his classmates. There was still a few minutes before the next fight, some time to relax. Too bad someone else had another idea.
"Where is he!? Where the fuck is that Blind Bastard?!"
"Bakugo! Come on man, please! Stop!"
"Kirishima, it's no use! He's gone rabid!"
Class 0-JL turned to see Katsuki at the entrance, dragging a struggling Eijiro who was futilely trying to hold him back by the shoulders. Kaminari trailed close behind, his hands hanging in the air like he wanted to assist but hesitated because he feared they would be bitten off. The enraged blonde furiously scanned the seats, and then his red eyes landed on Nathaniel. He gritted his teeth and began stomping down the stairs.
"You motherfucker! You help back against me because you were underestimating me! I'll teach you to look down on me!"
The blonde took a step towards the aisle Nathaniel was seated in only to stop when Arthur stood in his way. His angry red eyes met a scornful blue eye.
"Back off," the taller blonde growled. Bakugo's eyes narrowed, and he snapped, "Get the fuck out of my way, Sharkface!" Arthur snarled, showing off his serrated teeth. The 1-A student glanced around the other teen to glare at Nathaniel. "So what, you need a goddamn bodyguard, Blind Bastard!?"
"Fuck off!" Arthur angrily shouted and he harshly shoved at Bakugo, causing him to stumble back. "He doesn't need protection. You're just someone no one wants to deal with." The other blonde lunged at him, though his two classmates were able to restrain him enough that he didn't reach his target.
"Who the fuck do you think you are, Sharkface!? Where do you get off acting like you own the place?!"
"That's real ironic coming from you. It's pretty obvious that you're the one always looking down on others," a cold voice cut in.
Everyone turned to see Bruce walking up the stairs. Bakugo glared at him with absolute hatred. "Stay the hell out of this Rich Boy! This has nothing to do with you!" The other teen's eyes sharpened. "When my classmates are distressed then it does involve me." He walked up and stood face-to-face with the blonde. "No one is at fault for how the fight ended, especially Adams. Just take your win and your inferiority complex and leave us alone."
All the students were stunned by Bruce's blatant insult in the literal face of danger. Steam was practically pouring out of Bakugo's ears. Kaminari glanced nervously at Bruce.
"Um, dude. You might want to back up or else he'll actually kill you," he warned. Bruce rolled his eyes. "Please, I'd like to see him try." Bakugo's face deepened into a dark crimson while Kirishima and Kaminari stared, jaws agape. "Tell us… do you fear anything?" asked the latter. The black-haired teen glanced dismissively away. "Of course I do. It's just he isn't anything to be afraid of." He nodded his head towards Bakugo. "I find clowns to be scarier." Then Bruce paused in thought as Eijiro and Denki held back an increasingly irate Katsuki. He brought his finger to his chin and tilted his head a bit. "Though I guess that makes Bakugo the exception."
Sassy! Class 0-JL collectively thought as many tried to stifle their laughter and failed.
Bakugo was all but foaming at the mouth. He thrashed against his classmates' grips though they miraculously managed to keep him restrained. "You think you're fucking funny, Rich Boy!? Or do you just have to talk tough shit to make up for the fact you're Quirkless trash!?"
The atmosphere instantly changed. The air was thick with tension and Kirishima and Kaminari broke into nervous sweats. They glanced around the Class 0-JL students. Their expressions of mirth at the expense of Bakugo had been replaced with varying levels of disdain. The most intense were those that didn't openly show their rage, such as Jason's practically glowing slit pupil or J'onn's completely blank expression, his eyes wide with his irises condensed in small circles. Bruce, surprisingly, looked off to the side, his bangs shielding his eyes though his dark scowl was evident.
Katsuki, either not being able to read the room or just not caring, shouted, "What, no smart-ass comeback, Rich Boy? Probably because you know what I said was true!"
"That's enough!" Shayera was storming up the stairs, her wings trembling behind her. "If you don't learn to shut up, I'll gladly help you by breaking your jaw! Just because Wayne's Quirk isn't the most flashy doesn't mean he's useless. In fact, he's far better than you since he knows not to be a callous jackass," the redhead defended her friend. The blonde glared at the girl. "Fuck off, Chicken Bitch." "What the hell did you just call her, you scumbag?" Hal exclaimed angrily as he jumped up from his seat.
"You really should leave," Bruce coldly said, his icy eyes peeking out from under his bangs. Katsuki returned his attention to the teen. "So you are scared, huh Rich Boy? Guess all you can do is-" He was cut off when Bruce sprayed him in the face with a canister that resembled pepper spray. "Aggh! What the fuuuck… did… yooo…" he trailed off and his head slumped down. Eijiro and Denki stared in shock at Bruce. "It's sleeping gas. I only gave him enough to knock him out for a few minutes, so I suggest you take him and leave. Now," he ordered through gritted teeth. The two nodded dumbly and carefully but hurriedly left. As they did, the two heard Jason stage-whisper to Zatanna, "No wonder Class 1-B possesses such animosity. Who's to say some others aren't as arrogant." The girl shook her head. "I wouldn't go that far… but that guy definitely fits the role of 'villain' better than 'hero'."
When Kirishima and Kaminari returned to their seats, their classmates awkwardly glanced at them, having obviously heard the whole disaster. Class 1-A sat in silence after the unconscious Bakugo had been secured with copious amounts of Sero's tape.
Meanwhile, completely oblivious to the mess that had occurred in the stands, Midoriya and Todoroki stood oppose to each other on the stage. The former knew he was in for a tough fight. Even if his opponent refused to use his left side, his ice powers were no joke. Still, Midoriya couldn't afford to lose. So many people had supported him, and he wasn't about to let them down.
Todoroki stared at his determined classmate. He would win this, he told himself. He would win this whole competition with just his mom's power and reject his father's with his victory.
Both knew they had to attack from the get-go and readied themselves for the first strike.
Above, Bruce watched closely. Even if he still was ticked after his encounter with Bakugo, these were still his Sensei's students. These two, in particular, evoked certain levels of interest from him.
Midoriya… somehow you're connected to All Might. His secretary is your mentor and you both gave off the same feeling. Those heartbeats… His eyes narrowed at the green-haired teen. I want to see everything you can do. His gaze then shifted to Todoroki, and his intrigue changed to something else. ... Seeing him… really pisses me off.
"Start!"
As soon as Present Mic gave the signal, ice shot towards Midoriya. He readied his hand as he sent One for All to his finger.
Smash!
With just a flick, he shattered the ice and sent currents of frigid wind out into the crowd. Midoriya completely stopped Todoroki's attack, at the cost of crippling his finger.
Bruce quirked an eyebrow. "Super strength with the drawback of self-injury. He's kind of like you Kent." His friend glanced at him and nodded. "Yeah. Though it looks like he can't restrain himself." Bruce shook his head. "No. I think he can but he wasn't able to gauge how strongly Todoroki would attack so just went full power for security. Reasonable but not the best strategy."
Todoroki sent another wave of ice. Deku easily obliterated it, sacrificing another finger. He grimaced as he held his wrist.
Todoroki always attacks in an instant, so my data on him is limited. I just know that I definitely need to find an opening.
Bruce observed the battlefield and saw what Deku did. Todoroki's put up an ice barrier to keep himself from being blown back. Midoriya's purposefully limiting himself to his fingers so he can give himself more chances to attack. His eyes fell on the freckled teen. Still, he's only got six chances left. One more ice attack was unleashed, and it was swiftly negated. ... Make that five.
"Todoroki can cover so much ground with his Quirk," Diana observed. "Mm. Midoriya will be reaching his limit soon," J'onn stated. "Don't be so sure." Bruce's friends turned to look at him. "Quirks are physical abilities. Overusing them like overusing a body part will eventually wear you down. I'm certain Midoriya knows this too." J'onn blinked. "Oh, I see. So what he wants is…"
"... an endurance match," Shoto realized. "Then, I'll just end this quickly."
Damn! Smash!
While Deku recoiled from the pain of using up all his right hand's fingers, Shoto began to close the distance between them by forming an ice ramp for him to run on.
"Dammit…! Smash!"
Deku aimed and flicked one of his bandaged fingers. He managed to destroy the ice, but by then Shoto had already leaped off and was heading straight for him. He managed to dodge his opponent's punch however Todoroki quickly directed his ice at him. It caught up with Midoriya and took hold of his foot.
Oh no! He got me!
Deku had no choice. He spread One for All's power to his entire left arm and unleashed a punch. The resulting blast of wind was even more powerful than the previous ones. Todoroki was blown back so much he had to create an even thicker ice barrier.
Izuku stood slumped, his arm hanging uselessly to his side. He glared up to see his opponent still standing tall albeit with frost beginning to form on him.
It isn't just his Quirk. Judgment, application skills, mobility…
Everything about him is strong, Bruce thought. So why is this whole fight so damn irritating?
"Are you done? You look pretty beaten up for just defending and running away," Shoto commented. Izuku glared at him only to notice something.
He's… shivering? Izuku gritted his teeth. So that's how it is…
"Sorry… but thanks to you, his face is now clouded with anger." Shoto glanced to the side at Endeavor who watched the match with displeasure. Izuku felt something grow in him. Something… with a fury. "You can't fight anymore in your condition. I'll finish this." With that, Todoroki unleashed the final attack. Or so he thought.
"Where the hell have you been looking?"
The ice shattered and the gust of wind completely took Todoroki by surprise. It nearly pushed him out of bounds until he managed to create a strong enough barrier. He stared at his opponent. "You used your broken finger? What are you trying to do?"
"You're trembling, Todoroki."
Shoto blinked at the statement. "Quirks are physical abilities, too. So there's a limit to how much cold your body can take, right? Couldn't you fix that problem by countering it with your left side?" Shoto glared at Deku. The teen struggled to lift his hand. "Everyone here is trying their hardest to win… to be No. 1. And yet you want to win with just half your strength?" He returned his classmate's glare. "This whole time you haven't managed to get a single scratch on me." He clenched his broken fingers into a fist.
"I want you to come at me with everything you've got!"
Bruce scowled at the scene, having read the fighters' lips. "So that's really why, huh? No wonder I'm so pissed."
Shoto glowered at his classmate's demand. "You want me to give you everything I've got? What did my monster of a father bribe you?" He took off towards Izuku. "Now you've done it!" Deku observed a change in his movements. They've…
... slowed down, Bruce noted. The frost on his body is a clear sign that he can't take much more of the cold. Yet he still… He watched as Izuku managed to a solid hit on Todoroki; the first real one in the whole battle. Even though he's broken his fingers, he's still fighting so hard. He's either really determined or just not thinking of major consequences. Maybe both. Bruce's hand trailed to rest over his scarred side. Even so, it doesn't really look like he is just fighting to win now. Midoriya… don't tell me… you're going to risk it for… he really isn't worth it.
The fight continued on. Todoroki's ice had slowed down, allowing Izuku to get more hits with his Quirk. His fingers had gone from red to a concerning purple. Yet he still fought at full power.
Bruce's eyes widened as he watched Deku flick his thumb with his cheek to send a blast of wind at Todoroki. "He really is going so far for someone like Todoroki," he muttered. Clark glanced at his friend. "Wayne?" Bruce glowered and his fingers dug into his crossed arms. "Everyone is giving their very best, yet he wants to win with only half his power? Just to reject his father," he practically hissed. Clark looked uneasy about the other teen's anger. "Well, I'm sure he has his reason…" Bruce's temper finally peaked. "I don't know his reasons, and frankly I don't care! If he wants to reject his father, fine! But he has no right being No. 1 if he isn't going to use his Quirk's full potential!"
Unbeknownst to him, Midoriya had shared his similar thoughts to Todoroki at that very moment.
"Everyone's giving it their all, just like you should be! There's no way I can understand your circumstances or your resolve, but for you to win without giving it your all just to get at your father… Right now, you should quit screwing around!"
Everything came flooding back.
He remembered his father's brutality and how his mom took so many blows protecting him. How he wasn't allowed to be with his siblings because every day he had to train. How everything drove his mom to pour boiling water on him and yet she was the one locked away.
It was his fault. Everything was Endeavor's fault. That's why he had to reject him.
"I… refuse to use his fire…" Shoto said as he struggled to his feet after when thrown back by one of Midoriya's punch.
Deku gritted his teeth and shouted, "It's yours! Your Quirk, not his!"
"You aren't a prisoner of your blood. Be the hero you want to be."
The flames erupted, pillaring into the sky.
Bruce squinted at the sudden brightness. "So he's using his fire now. This is what you wanted, right Midoriya?"
"It's so hot. Even from here the heat's intense," commented Wally. He was startled when J'onn abruptly stood up. "I need to leave," he heard his friend said. Wally looked up and saw that J'onn had an expression of absolute terror. His head was looking down and cold sweat dripped down his face. The green-skinned teen then took off up the stairs. "Hang on! J'onzz!" called out Wally to no avail. He glanced back at the fight before running after his friend, their departure going unnoticed by the others.
Back on the stage, Izuku stared at his opponent's power. "Weren't you the one telling me to not screw around? And yet, you helped me…" Todoroki's fire burned brightly. "I also… want to be a hero!"
"Midoriya's smiling," Bruce observed. "He really is crazy." This fight is nearing the end.
The two fighters powered up for the final strike. Todoroki sent a huge wave of ice at Midoriya who easily leaped over it by pouring One for All into his leg.
Get in close and hit him with everything! Show me your full power, Todoroki!
Shoto reignited his left side as Izuku closed in, One for All sparking to life in his right arm.
Midoriya… thank you.
Just before full contact, cement walls were sprung between them. However, they only did so much to lessen the impact. There was an explosion that sent chunks of debris and immensely powerful winds throughout the stadium. Everyone cried out from the display of such power.
"That's… amazing!" exclaimed Clark as he shielded his face. "Can anyone see what just happened?" Diana asked while her hair whipped through the air. Bruce squinted his eyes nearly shut. "The cold air was suddenly heated and rapidly expanded. Thus the explosion." So this is what some of Aizawa-sensei's students are capable of. Then the steam began to clear. He quickly found Midoriya's unconscious form as he slumped against a wall.
"... He lost."
***This is a little something written for me by a wonderful reader, leonardo18anime. Check out their account here.
They PM'ed me this little section they wrote that takes place between Bruce knocking out Bakugo and the Deku vs Shoto fight. I cleaned it up a bit, but the original idea was leanardo18anime's. And I have their permission to add it here.
I wish I had come up with something like this in the story, and unfortunately, this section is non-canon.***
The class just stood there in the silence, watching Kirishima and Kaminari drag the unconscious Bakugo out of 0-JL's stand and back to 1-A's. Bruce just stood there with an emotionless look in his eyes, while he placed the sleeping gas canister back in his belt.
"Honestly, so much potential lost to unchecked pride," said Bruce.
"Wayne are you okay?" asked Diana. He saw his entire class was looking at him with concern.
"Yes, I am fine. It takes a lot more than some high school insults to break me down," said Bruce, stone-faced and curtly.
You are so cold, most of the class thought.
"Nicely done, Wayne. That asshole deserved it," said Arthur.
"What is that guy's problem? We've done nothing to him and he just barrages in to pick a fight with everyone," growled Shayera, brimming with anger. "Yeah. He's the one insulting us and calling us nasty nicknames. How the hell was he accepted into the hero course?" asked Hal, his eyes still glowing green.
"It's pretty obvious Jordan. He is a strong fighter as well as a smart one," Bruce answered. "He is right. He may be a brute, but he managed to keep me on my toes during our fight," Nathaniel agreed.
"So the guy has a good Quirk and that gives his behavior a pass," muttered Helena as she crossed her arms. "It seems so Bertinelli. Nowadays flashy Quirks are essential to be a hero. Honestly, it is a miracle that Wayne and I passed the entrance exams," Vic said.
"Don´t be so negative, Sage. You two passed because of your strategies and intelligence. So what if you two don't have flashy Quirks? Hank and I also don't have a specific way of combat, but we make up for it with our teamwork," said Don. "Damn right, little brother," agreed Hank, patting the blonde on the shoulder.
"You know, once he wakes up he is gonna come for your head," Zatanna piped up, a bit worried.
"I am not afraid of him," said Bruce.
"You're so confident 'bout that," said Greg.
"Well, don´t worry Wayne. If that guy comes after you, I'm pretty sure the class will fight for you," declared Wally. The redhead had his fists pumped to the sides of his head, a determined pout on his face.
"Yeah," the rest of the class proclaimed. That caught Bruce off-guard, seeing all of his friends and classmates ready to stand up for him. He never once had this kind of treatment before.
"You'd all do... that for me?" he asked with emotions building in his chest.
"Of course! You are our friend and vice president," said Dinah.
"Without you, we would have lost in so many ways. You're truly amazing," said Clark.
"Well... thanks," Bruce said with a gentle smile, much to his classmates' surprise.
"Aww, he's smiling again," Shayera teasingly cooed. "It's a miracle!" exclaimed Wally as he bounced on his toes.
"Yeah, it's real nice," said Bruce, going back to his usual serious expression.
"There's the frown that we know and love," laughed Clark and the entire class followed.
"Let's go back to our seats," said Bruce.
"Yeah," everybody responded. Once they were all settled, they couldn't help but talk about Wayne's feats.
"It sure was impressive that Wayne stood up against Bakugo and didn't even flinch," said J'onn. "That jerk needs a good beating to bring him back down to reality. He seems like the kind of person that is convinced he is invincible. I would love to bring him down to his knees, but I guess we will have to wait for either Wayne, Kent, Prince or Blood to do that," said Helena. "I can see either Prince or Kent taking him down. They are the strongest of the class. Wayne is super smart, but his fighting skills aren't gonna be useful against those explosions, and if he manages to pass Etrigon, it could be an easy defeat for Blood," said Dinah.
"Come to think of it, it's pretty surreal that Wayne came this far with a very useless Quirk. Uh, no offense though," said Mari as she glanced at the black-haired teen.
"None taken. It took a lot of work to get where I am, and I am not about to quit just because some dick told me to," said Bruce.
"That's the way, Wayne," said Justin.
"Hey, Queen," Hal called to his fellow green hero. "Yeah?" replied the blonde. "You're almost as rich as Wayne. Have you ever seen him using his Quirk in any way?'' the brunette asked. "Well, our families were not that close personally. We did business deals before…that night. I've only seen him once or twice as a kid before U.A., and we didn't really talk. He was always serious, reading all those books and constantly taking notes. I swear I sometimes heard him mumbling things like 'To make up for it'," said Oliver, remembering a young Bruce being super serious and pretty closed off. Any other ten-year-old with a stoic demeanor, slicked-back hair, and tailored business suit would have been comical, however, Bruce managed to pull it off while being pretty damn intimidating. Oliver had never seen so many men nervous about upsetting a little kid. Then again, it was their fundings they were risking and not a temper tantrum.
"He built himself up to the person he is today," commented Vic.
"Well, I'm pretty convinced that our class can still win the festival. We have the most participants, so we have a good chance," said Diana with small red cheeks, her mind praising a certain friend.
"Yes," agreed most of the class.
"Oh yeah. I'm sure you can predict the future. Bunch of newbies," came a voice over the 1-B wall. Everyone glanced to the side and saw a blonde guy with blue eyes smirking at them.
"Who the hell are you?'' asked Arthur.
"Neito Monoma. From class 1-B."
"I don´t care," the other blonde replied bluntly.
"How dare you say that, you fishery boy. I knew it: Class 0-JL is just as arrogant as class 1-A," said Neito.
"What?!" most of the class exclaimed, completely insulted.
"Hey, don't go dragging us into your childish rivalry," said Jason. "Yeah, leave us alone," added Zatanna.
"Oh, it seems that this class looks out more for itself than for fame. It looks like you..'' began Neito. The blonde's classmates groaned as he started his usual arrogant speech. Itsuka sighed and stood up to wrangle in her problem classmate. However, someone beat her to it.
Bruce calmly walked to the wall, hoisted himself up, and grabbed Neito by the collar and tugged him close. "Hey. Shut up, why don't you?" Bruce stage-whispered to the other teen, his voice calm and eerie. It caused a chill down everyone's spine. Bruce's face was so close that no one but Monoma could see his expression. The black-haired teen released his shirt, and Monoma went back to his seat. The blonde sat with his hands in his lap, his face blank and his eyes wide.
"Whoa, he actually scared Monoma," said Tetsutetsu. ''I wish he was in our class," Awase bemoaned.
"Nicely done Wayne," praised Justin.
"Listen, I may be the vice representative, but I don't want any of you trying to get attention for our class. We need to focus on saving people and building towards a better future. Fame is something that is not essential to accomplish; a good hero is one that does things for the people," said Bruce. He had a determined glare while giving his rousing speech to his friends. Everyone nodded, very impressed and amazed at his words.
"You are so inspiring Wayne," complimented Prince, a blush blooming across her cheeks.
"Yeah. You talk like a pro," said Hank.
"I didn't enter this school unprepared. I believe in all of you, and soon we can all make a great team," said Bruce
"You are totally right Wayne," agreed Clark, nodding at his best friend.
The class was ready to go. They could take whatever came at them.
Updated Character Profiles (* New Info)
Hal Jordan
Birthday: February 20
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Height: 181 cm (5' 11")
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown, Green (when using Quirk)
Quirk: Willpower *
Status: Alive
Likes: Yogurt, jets
Seiyu/English VA: Mamoru Miyano/Newton Pittman
Shayera Hol
Birthday: June 19
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Height: 170 cm (5' 7")
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Green
Quirk: Hawk *
Status: Alive
Likes: Oysters, cop shows
Seiyu/English VA: Ami Koshimizu/Caitlin Glass
Nathaniel Adams
Birthday: May 3
Age: 15 (debut), 16 (current) *
Gender: Male
Height: 192 cm (6' 4")
Hair Color: Blue gray
Eye Color: White
Quirk: Quantum Field
Status: Alive
Likes: Hambagu, organization
Seiyu/English VA: Hiroshi Kamiya/J. Michael Tatum
Justin Sir
Birthday: December 27
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Height: 167 cm (5' 6")
Hair Color: Platinium blonde
Eye Color: Blue (varying shades)
Quirk: Holy Conjure *
Status: Alive
Likes: Rice, horseback riding
Seiyu/English VA: Junko Minagawa/Josh Grelle
Jason Blood
Birthday: March 29
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Height: 190 cm (6' 2")
Hair Color: Crimson (main color), white (streak in bangs)
Eye Color: Light green
Quirk: Etrigan *
Status: Alive
Likes: Oranges, card games
Seiyu/English VA: Junichi Suwabe/Troy Baker
Zatanna Zatara
Birthday: May 20
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Height: 152 cm (5')
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Cyan
Quirk: Backwards Incantation *
Status: Alive
Likes: Green tea, magic tricks
Seiyu/English VA: Saori Hayami/Brina Palencia
Dinah Drake
Birthday: April 10
Age: 15 (debut), 16 (current)
Gender: Female
Height: 160 cm (5' 3")
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Quirk: Canary Cry *
Status: Alive
Likes: Curry bread, karate
Seiyu/English VA: Nana Mizuki/Laura Bailey
Okay, I finally got this out. I've been sick for a while but recovered enough to post this. I'm nearing the end of the Sports Festival Arc.
From now on I will include updates characters profiles when new info comes up.
Be sure to comment and leave constructive criticism.
