It was as Jomei went through his daily routine that Tuesday morning that he cautiously considered himself to be the luckiest person in history. Really, he was shocked. Shocked at how their friendship evolved into more over the years. Shocked at how nothing remotely resembling the disasters or missteps he'd feared had come to pass. He was especially surprised that he now found himself thinking of Akiko as not only his best friend, but his girlfriend.
His girlfriend. God, that was going to take some getting used to. He was in a relationship now, and even compared to the stroke of indescribable luck that provided him with the Quirk he had, he considered Akiko to be the infinitely more valuable thing right now.
The night was simple. The night was wonderful. Akiko was wonderful. Deep within his heart, Jomei knew that his partner was a profoundly amazing person in every conceivable way, not the least of which being how utterly beautiful she managed to look no matter what she did.
That much was instantly clear when she rested her head on his shoulder, electrifying his heartbeat and taking his breath away all at once.
And looking at his phone that morning and seeing her slightly mushy text, how happy she was to have had a night away from her family, a night with him. It convinced him that she was totally feeling the same way too.
So yeah, he was extremely lucky. And as if his first date ever going so well wasn't good enough, the fact his mother had actually shown mercy when asking about how his night out went was the icing on the cake.
And thus, with the Sports Festival on the horizon and the warm fuzzies still in his heart, Jomei was on cloud nine, and he didn't feel like coming down any time soon.
He didn't know what becoming 'official' would mean for them. From this point forward, he was completely in the dark, but he was confident that they'd be able to find their way through what it meant to be a couple just fine. He needed only to look so far back as the improvised nature of the latter half of their date to know that was true. There had been many unknowns then, and they'd been fine. No number of other unknowns moving forward would change that.
As a matter of fact, Jomei was looking forward to where things would take them. He wasn't looking to rush anything, and he'd ride the euphoric high he felt now for as long as he could before he started to worry. And honestly? He wasn't worried. If he could go through his first date and somehow manage to end it on a high note, he was optimistic that he wouldn't quite manage to bumble things up moving forward. He had a frame of reference now – don't be afraid of opening up, be supportive, and appreciate every moment he and Akiko spent together.
Basically, he just had to be himself. He could do that.
Headed downstairs after getting ready for the day, Jomei set his sights on the pantry for a quick breakfast, but not before he noticed that his mother was on the phone with someone. Without any intent to listen in on what could likely be just a business call of hers, he instead busied himself rummaging around for food. He eventually triumphed when he got a hold of some breakfast pastries, and as he grabbed a plate and tore into the foil wrapping, Ayane noticed him out of the corner of her eye.
She stopped speaking and put a hand over the microphone to greet him. "Good morning, Jomei. How'd you sleep?"
"Pretty good. Fell asleep right after I came back inside," he said around a mouthful of pastry. "Who are you talking to?"
"Your father."
Jomei paused, and swallowed, and had to hold back the urge to grab the phone right from his mother's hands. "Wait, what? I thought he wouldn't be able to call us for at least another week, right? Isn't he way too busy after his gig with Auditiva?"
"Well, he made time," Ayane said, and she started wheeling herself over before offering him the phone. "So, would you like to speak to him?"
"Y-yeah…" Jomei said, and he quickly took it from her. Still in slight disbelief, he spared a look at the ID to assure himself it really was his father and lifted it to his ear. "Dad?"
Haruto's response was immediate. "H-hey, Jomei! Buddy! How've ya been?"
"Good. Better than good, actually," he said, his words rushing out, "but… how do you have time to call us right now? I thought your gig with Auditiva got all your shows for the next few weeks completely booked?"
"Eh, kinda sorta," Haruto dismissed. "But don't you worry about me, bud! I know how to run like the wind when it comes to getting from one place to another. Seriously, though, let's not talk me. Let's talk you! Hell, it's why I called. How's life at the big 'U.A.' treatin' ya?"
"It's treating me well. Aside from one jerk in class and, well, the USJ incident, things have been really good."
"Awesome! I know your mother already told you this, but I'm glad you made it out safe. Did your old man proud when I heard what you guys did to those villains!"
Jomei's heart warmed. "Thanks… but yeah, it's been cool, meeting all our Pro Hero teachers in person. Cementoss and Ectoplasm are sometimes serious, but they're still approachable, and All Might… he's different than what I expected, but he's definitely the number one hero for a reason. Akiko's been great too, if you were wondering."
"I was actually about to bring her up! I heard you two finally went on a date – I'd give you a high five but… phone. Still, how'd it go?"
"It went great. Way better than I expected, even. It felt like we were just hanging out like normal but towards the end, things just kind of…" Jomei paused, searching for words.
"Clicked?"
"Yeah."
"And I knew it would! Ayane always harped on about letting you do things at your own pace but I knew, I just knew that you had it in you! You have the ol' Nishimura blood in ya!"
Jomei smirked. "It did take Mom talking to me to really get things rolling though…"
"Eh, details!" Haruto dismissed. "Point is, I knew things would work out! And I think they'll keep working out, so long as you want them to. Knowing Akiko, I think it'll be way easier for you and her to balance things out than it was for me and your mother. I mean, you remember how we met over a noise complaint filed against me? Compare that to you two meeting in junior high and you guys were practically set from the start."
"Heh. Yeah…" Jomei trailed off wistfully.
Haruto's tone fell. "Jomei? You ok there, bud? What's on your mind?"
"Nothing, it's just…" He paused. "I miss you."
"Oh."
"Yeah. I-I know it isn't your fault that things got really good for you lately, I'm happy for you, honest, but… I just wish sometimes that you were here to see me when some of this stuff happens. Now the Sports Festival is coming up, and… I wish you could be there too."
"I know, buddy. Listen, I understand that it sucks I can't be around right now, and it really does break my heart knowing I have to be away from home for so long, but I will be watching it, no matter what," Haruto assured. "I'll fight tooth and nail to make sure I have all the time I need to watch my son kick some ass in the biggest sports event in Japan, alright?"
"Y-yeah. I'll do my best to make you proud!"
"You don't have to make me proud, Jomei. I may not be around as often as I should, but no matter how far apart you and I are, I couldn't be prouder of the man you're already shaping up to be. You're on the track to doing what you wanna do, you're finding your footing with Akiko, and it doesn't matter what the result of the Sports Festival is for you – that isn't changing."
If Jomei's heart possessed the same mood-expressing trait as Akiko's crystal core, he was sure that it would have glowed. He couldn't see the look on his father's face, but he could tell from his voice alone that his expression was one of pride as he spoke those reassuring words.
"Thanks, Dad… I love you."
"I love you too, bud. I'm gonna go get ready for the gig, but I'm still calling next week to keep up, alright? Kick ass, take names, and be good to your mother for me in the meantime, alright?"
"Right. Bye, Dad."
The call ended, and Jomei stared at the phone in his hand for a while before he looked up to find a knowing look on his mother's face.
"So… how're you feeling?"
He smiled somewhat. "Good. Dad's going to be watching the Sports Festival now."
"I figured, judging by how easy it is to read you two," Ayane mentioned. "So what're you going to do now that you have that in mind?"
Jomei donned his bag and stared at his father's ring determinedly between his fingers.
He looked back at her as he opened the front door. "I'm going to go beyond. Plus ultra."
As of Monday, when Aizawa announced the imminence of the Sports Festival, the event itself was merely two weeks away – starting one full month into the school year. The whole thing would be aired live on TV, with all the over-the-top festivities, advertisements, and media coverage that could be expected of an event that functioned very closely to Japan's very own Olympics. There was no doubt that whoever impressed the audience of millions would stand a better chance of becoming a Pro Hero someday, with the difference between fame and being forgotten laying in their hands depending on what they did.
That said, no one would know what the games would be until the first day, and in a world of Quirks, they could very well be just about anything; thus, everyone needed to prepare for all the possibilities. There would be no second chances.
Class 1-A all trained in their own ways, though most focused on preparing for the potential physical element of the upcoming event. Kirishima and Sato tested the limits of their strength and durability against one another in brawls. Shoji, Hagakure, and Midoriya trained the whole of their bodies in the gym every chance they got. Uraraka and Ashido traveled the furthest for their training, going all the way back to the USJ to improve their technique without fear of causing too much collateral damage.
Still, many other would-be participants trained in seclusion, either trying to keep some new techniques or facets of their Quirks secret, or simply maximizing their effective training time by distancing themselves from any distractions.
Jomei certainly couldn't blame anyone for that. He'd developed his Flashbang beneath everyone's noses, and its very existence remained a closely held secret between himself, Akiko, and Tokoyami. But he was by no means shirking on his training duties either. He spent every moment he could pushing the limits of his speed with Iida. On the track, where the class rep focused on moderating his engines' heat output to avoid stalling, Jomei worked to effectively master Light Speed, reducing the technique's already minimal drain on his gases over time to an even more negligible amount. At the same time, he also tested the strength of his Phosphor Beams against Aoyama's Navel Laser.
And as it turned out, Aoyama's Quirk was way stronger than Jomei's Phosphor Beams when used in short bursts.
Akiko was another sparring partner of his. In their brief battles, she assisted him in improving his accuracy and letting him truly go all-out against an opponent he knew everything about and vice versa. Never before had they been able to fight one another, but it felt exhilarating. To fight an opponent who knew his every move was something rare, but the input such an experience provided in the way of strategy was invaluable. It almost felt liberating, to see that their sparring dynamic was in no danger of changing in a hurry despite how eagerly they'd opened their hearts to one another.
It seemed to do Akiko good too. It helped her fine-tune some of her modes' fundamental techniques to the point of becoming second nature, and the spontaneity of strategy that fighting Jomei forced upon her brought forth new depth to her array of tactics.
Beyond Jomei, Ojiro also helped her understand how to better control her air mobility if the need ever arose, alongside filling what gaps he found in her knowledge of martial arts with his own expertise. Thus, it became readily apparent that the master of hand-to-hand combat possessed something of a kindred spirit with her, at least so far as their shared understanding and interest in martial arts went.
It all made the two weeks they had to prepare fly by and before they knew it, the day of the Sports Festival had arrived.
With it, the chance to let the world know they were here had come.
Festive fireworks burst in explosions of color. Crowds filled the authorized walkways of U.A. in droves, a palpably electric sense of anticipation in the air as everyone traveled to the monolithic Sports Festival Stadium. Along their paths were all manner of pop-up market stall confections and Pro Hero merchandise shops alike, each hollering for the attention of potential consumers.
Pro Heroes could be found spruced in throughout it all, with pros like Death Arms and others standing guard alongside breakout successes such as Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods. Word from the grapevine was that excitement abounded for the first-years' stage to an almost abnormal degree, and it was no secret that the USJ incident had a hand in that rumor.
Regrettably, Jomei didn't see any of this. Long before any civilians had arrived on the scene, Class 1-A had been told to change and await further instructions in their class' own waiting room. Lockers lined the sterile walls, and everyone was clad in their U.A. sports uniforms.
As he was doing lunges to keep himself warmed up, as many of his peers were in their own various ways, Ashido broke the odd quiet in the room. "Aw, man! I dig these sports uniforms, but I totally wanted to wear my costume…"
"At least everyone will be in them," Ojiro responded. "That'll keep things fair, right?"
"Yeah," Jomei agreed, "but what we're wearing isn't my biggest concern right now." Finishing his lunges, he rose, narrowly avoiding bumping into one of his peers.
"Easy for you to say," Hagakure harrumphed, "You've got it, like, so easy when it comes to standing out!"
"Not what I was going for just then, but still, sorry!"
"I wonder what they have in store for us for the first round," Sato wondered nervously.
"No matter what they've prepared, we must persevere," Tokoyami intoned.
"Right," Shoji said.
The door opened. "Everyone, your attention, please!" Iida boomed. "It's time to put your game faces on, I've received word that we're entering the arena soon!"
'Already, huh? Guess it's showtime, then. I'm coming, Dad.'
Jomei looked to his partner, who was sitting down. "You ready for this, Akiko?"
She stood. "I am. This is way too important for me not to be ready for it."
"Nice. I'm happy for you!"
"It's like I said before – I have to fight for myself more often. Of course, I've got to start somewhere, right? This is going to be big for me, for both of us, so why not here? It'll keep the pressure off you, at least."
He nodded. "True, but don't think I won't be around if you need me. Maybe not every step of the way, but… you get what I mean."
"I know," Akiko said, her eyes holding his gaze.
Before Jomei had a chance to blush, Todoroki caught their attention as he moved purposefully towards the middle of the room.
"Midoriya," he said.
Midoriya turned to him, his brows a nervous furrow. "Uh, hey, Todoroki. What's up?"
All eyes fell on the pair, and Jomei felt the tension fill the room.
"From an objective standpoint, I believe it's pretty clear that I'm stronger than you," Todoroki asserted.
"Uh-" Midoriya tensed for a moment before he sighed. "Y-yeah…"
"However… you have All Might in your corner helping you out. Talking to you during lunch, dragging you away under vague reasoning to speak to you about who-knows-what. I've noticed, even if everyone else hasn't." Todoroki's inexpressive mask didn't budge. "I'm not going to pry into what this means; he could just be buddying up to you because you two both possess strength-augmenting Quirks. But know that I'm going to beat you."
Jomei looked towards Todoroki's mismatched, unfeeling eyes and a wave of both surprise and confusion washed over him. Todoroki wasn't shy, but he wasn't one for idle conversation either. It made his present confrontation all the more perplexing.
"Whoa, what's with all the declarations of war lately…?" Denki nervously said.
Kirishima stood and put a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "Yeah, what's the big deal? Why're you picking a fight all the sudden, and right before we're gonna get started?"
Todoroki twisted his shoulder free from Kirishima's grasp and started to walk away. "I'm not here to make friends. Don't forget this isn't a team effort."
"Wait a sec, Todoroki," Midoriya said.
He stopped.
"I don't know what's going through your head, or why you think you need to tell me that you'll beat me. Yeah, of course you're better than me. In fact, you probably have more potential than most of the people in the hero course. That's why you got in so easily."
Jomei came up beside him. "Hey, you're being too hard on yourself. The rest of us, too."
"No," Midoriya denied. "He's right, though. All the other courses are going to be coming at us with everything they've got. We're all going to have to fight to stand out." He glanced at Jomei before looking determinedly at Todoroki. "And I'm going to be aiming for the top, too."
Todoroki's expression remained unimpressed, and he spoke only one word in response.
"Fine."
Before long, Class 1-A was on the move. Everyone seemed to radiate fiery determination as they walked in silence, and Akiko knew that no matter what tension she felt deep within her gut, she could not let it stop her now. The Sports Festival was an opportunity many would kill to participate in and letting herself worry too much about what was coming next now would be tantamount to self-sabotage. So, as difficult as it was, she forced herself to focus solely on the present, as that was where she'd stand the best chance of triumph over the concern that so often gnawed at her insides.
The start of the first years' day, their day of the Sports Festival, was just a few moments away now. And she could easily recognize that Jomei couldn't exude any more excitement if he tried.
"Hey!" Present Mic announced. "Make some noise all you rabid sports fans! Get those cameras up and running, media orgs! We're about to be bringing you some of the hottest performances in all of Sports Festival history, guaranteed! Are you ready!? Let me hear you scream as our students make it to the main stage!"
Even through the dim tunnel, the cheers were deafening. The daylight at the end of it was blinding, a portal into an entirely different world than one anyone in Class 1-A was familiar with. As they all stepped out into the spotlight, Akiko knew the eyes of an entire nation were on them. She imagined Takai, her teachers, and hundreds of thousands beyond peering down at her and her peers, but she only allowed herself to think one thing as she entered the place in which heroes' stories were forged.
'This is it.'
Their group headed towards the center of the field and the dazzling cacophony of excited cries of encouragement poured forth. Present Mic continued, "This first group are no strangers to the spotlight, folks! You know them from withstanding a villain attack! The dazzling set of students lighting up your TVs with their solid gold skills… it's Class 1-A!"
Akiko looked around in awe as the three-tiered megalith of a stadium's scale began to sink in, much like most of 1-A, but otherwise remained silent.
"I could get used to this…" Jomei whispered to himself. "But, hey, Akiko. You good?"
She took a deep breath, and even surprised herself as she found her crystal core a determined orange in color. "I am."
"Heh. Awesome… then let's show the world what we're made of, alright?"
Akiko only returned a nod.
"Whether we're all confident or not, I sincerely hope that we're all able to put on our best performances, at least. With so many eyes watching us… but I suppose this is just another aspect of being Pro Heroes that we need to get used to," Iida said.
"Present Mic sure hyped us up a lot…" Kirishima muttered. "Kinda makes me nervous. What about you Bakugo? How are you feeling?"
"Better than ever. This kind of attention just makes me want to win this whole thing even more," Bakugo practically growled.
"This next group hasn't been getting nearly as much screen time, but don't you dare count them out yet, because they're ready, roaring, and chock full of talent! Welcome hero course Class 1-B!" Present Mic shouted.
To Class 1-A's left, their counterparts in 1-B emerged with just as much confidence as their self-imposed rivals. Tetsutetsu spearheaded the march forward, and Akiko noticed Jean energetically waving out towards the stands, seeming to relish the intensity the crowd thrust upon her. Thad was walking alongside her, utterly inexpressive save for the barest hint of incredulity that he displayed at his fellow American's exuberance. The rest of Class 1-B kept their eyes on either the stadium or the crowd ahead, though all of them looked distinct in their own ways. All fit to be seen in the ranks of the hero course.
"Next up, general studies courses C, D, and E!"
Akiko instantly saw Shinso at the front of his class, but he didn't spare so much as a glance towards anything but what lay in front of him, determined and almost lazy in his stride. His peers, however, looked less than happy to be at the Sports Festival to begin with.
"Now don't you forget the up-and-coming costume creators and gizmo gods – support courses F, G, and H!"
Salmon pink hair in dreadlocks and a steampunk hat. Solid steel gauntlets and suave combat boots attached to a silver-skinned scientist in the making. The support courses' students walked out with exhilarated glints in their eyes and most trained their attention solely on the booths of the stadium dedicated to the official support company spectators in attendance.
"And finally, business classes I, J, and K!"
The final trio of classes appeared through their tunnels, gaudy hairstyles distinguishing them from those who came before. They carried themselves with purpose, clearly aware of the importance of the event they'd been privileged to participate in. They murmured among one another, as if analyzing their surroundings the very moment they entered the arena.
Amidst it all, Akiko felt insignificant in comparison to the grandeur that she was now part of, but she knew she couldn't let herself slip up. Her hands balled into fists, her crystal core flared, and her focus remained only on her fast-approaching destination.
Upon the participants' arrival to the square dirt portion of the grassy arena, their attention funneled itself onto the small platform that had been erected before them.
Midnight stood atop it, her sky-blue eyes and layers of abundant dark purple hair alongside her seductively-split bangs and curvaceous frame to demand the audience's attention – to speak nothing of her chosen attire. Her costume, akin to a dominatrix, had her don a black leather breastless leotard over her white bodysuit, with the leotard possessing red gemstone-like accessories aligned vertically from the collar to the midriff. She also wore translucent black thigh-high stockings and matching knee-high boots, with a red mask outlining her eyes, a handcuff on each wrist, and a red utility belt decorated with gold studs around her hips.
In essence, her costume was designed to grab people's attention. Midnight might have been a rather effective Pro Hero to have act as the chief umpire of the first-years' stage of the festival this year, but that fact remained obvious. In some ways, Akiko wondered if Midnight possibly sustained herself solely off the joy of flaunting her sexuality and the empowerment she derived from dressing up so provocatively. Akiko definitely felt better about her own looks after her conversation with Jomei two weeks ago, but she also doubted that she'd ever feel as at home in her own body as Midnight so clearly seemed to be.
She also doubted that she'd ever understand how one of her teachers managed to maintain a career based entirely around innuendos and sex appeal without almost any apparent effort.
"Uh, someone should probably talk to Midnight about what she's wearing," Kirishima nervously said.
"Yeah," Denki agreed. "That costume should come with a warning."
"She totes the line of legality with that attire," Tokoyami brooded. "Is that really appropriate apparel for a high school game?"
Jomei desperately avoided looking at Midnight entirely, which Akiko couldn't help but find rather endearing. "She's the R-Rated Hero for a reason… just be thankful there are laws that keep her from wearing her Birthday Suit Style costume…"
Mineta just threw up a fierce thumbs-up. "Speak for yourselves… I think this Sports Festival is the greatest one in the history of everything already…"
Denki just glared daggers at the deviant.
Midnight cracked her whip in the air, interrupting the quiet conversation of the students below. "Silence, everyone! It's time for the opening speech! And for the student pledge, we have… Bakugo Katsuki!"
Silently, Bakugo heeded the call and walked forward, leaving his peers in shock.
"Wait…" Midoriya started. "H-he's the first-year rep…?"
"He did finish first in the entrance test…" Akiko remembered.
A brunette to their right sighed emphatically. "Only for the hero course exams… leave it to the big-shots to have their egos inflated."
"Oh! Right…" Midoriya trailed off.
Sero leaned in. "Ignore her. That girl obviously hates us."
"Yeah, and we've got Bakugo to thank for that…" Denki grumbled.
As Bakugo ascended the few steps leading to the microphone alongside Midnight, Akiko watched all eyes land on Class 1-A's hothead. She tensed in preparation for whatever he'd end up saying, Jomei stared at him with a scrutinizing gaze, and Denki and Kyoka both narrowed their eyes, clearly just as unsure about what would come out of his mouth as the rest of 1-A. The stands fell silent.
The microphone whined as Bakugo drew close. For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he found his voice. "I just wanna say…"
Akiko gulped.
"I'm gonna win."
Instantly, a disapproving din of inflamed insults and booing filled the crowd of first-years.
"What'd you say!?"
"You're so full of it!"
"That's so like you hero course brats!"
"Get off the stage, punk!"
Denki growled. "Come on, Bakugo! Are you trying to get us all killed or something?!"
Iida launched himself forward, chopping his arm wildly. "Why would you say something like that!? You're representing us all!"
"Hey," Bakugo shrugged and pointed a thumbs down. "Not my fault the rest of you are just steppingstones to my victory. You're extras, that's all there is to it."
"I'm gonna crush this overconfident jerk! I can't wait to knock him down to size!" Tetsutetsu roared.
Thad winced. "Might I ask if you can take it down a few decibels…?"
Jomei just rolled his eyes as Bakugo returned to his spot among them, not so much as glancing in his direction. Bakugo did the same, and it looked like he was entirely unphased by the wrath he'd brought down upon himself and 1-A.
"Jomei?" Akiko said.
"Hm?" Jomei crossed his arms. "Look, he's an asshole, but I'm not going to let him ruin my performance. He wants to make himself the first person on everyone's hit list? That's fine by me. I'm not getting involved in that, though."
"Even if he just turned us all into targets," Kyoka deadpanned beside them.
"Yep. I've got better things to think about other than Bakugo being, well, Bakugo."
Denki sighed. "Fair enough, I guess."
Overhead, a massive screen blinked to life, announcing the shift in events from 'opening ceremony' to 'first game' in bold red font.
Another crack of her whip drew attention back to Midnight. "And without further ado, it's time for us to get started! This is where you all start feeling the pain! The first fateful game of the festival!" Behind her, a hologram began spinning furiously, deliberating by chance what would follow. "What could it be…?"
The spinning stopped, and as everyone got a chance to read the display, she smiled. "Ta-da! Behold your first challenge!"
"So it's going to be an obstacle course…" Akiko murmured.
"Even without knowing the details, this is good for both of us," Jomei observed.
Denki huffed. "Easy for you to say – your Quirks make getting around easy!"
"Get over it, Denki. We're both in the same boat here," Kyoka chided. Denki deflated a little where he stood.
"Now, all 11 classes will participate in this treacherous contest!" Midnight announced. "The track is four kilometers around the outside of the stadium, and of course," she licked her lips and hummed, satisfied, "I don't want to restrain anyone, at least not in this game! So as long as you don't leave the course, you're free to do whatever your heart desires! Now then, take your places contestants!"
As the students turned around, a red gate with three lit-up green lights on its arch came into view, the only divider between the arena and the tunnel that formed the start of the track.
"Akiko, come on," Jomei quickly said.
Akiko nodded and swiftly followed him. It was as they found themselves at a slightly brisk pace that brought them ahead of many of their competitors that Akiko then realized the meaning behind their hidden haste.
"This is about getting closer to the gate than everyone else, isn't it?" she whispered.
He nodded. "Yeah. Just look at what the start of the course looks like."
"It's a tunnel leading out of the stadium…" Akiko mused. Her eyes widened in realization. "Wait! With so many people here, it'll funnel us all!"
"Exactly. Still, I don't know about you, but I'm stopping just a few rows of people before the front. If people can use their Quirks, I don't want to be at the front of the crowd when this starts and run the risk of getting swarmed." Jomei stopped walking. "Once this thing starts, though, I'll be able to run ahead of the competition – take advantage of the open space after the tunnel."
Akiko halted beside him and looked forward. Up close, the tunnel looked somewhat tighter than even the one Class 1-A had emerged from, despite how enormously taller it was by comparison. One of the gate's green lights ticked off, and she narrowed her eyes in concentration.
"Sounds like a plan, Jomei."
'Now all I have to do is be smart about how I use my Quirk to get through this… obviously, I'm going to have to – there's no way I'm going to outrun everyone here without using it to get a leg up on them. That said, I still have to be careful, or else I'm just going to end up sabotaging myself by pushing my Quirk too far and hurting myself. At that point, it's game over.'
For once, her thoughtful nature worked with her. As the USJ incident had taught her, she may not have considered herself a strategist or a tactical powerhouse, but she did know how to plan to get the job done. Now more than ever, that skill would mean all the difference in deciding if her endeavors would end in resounding success or crushing failure.
Another green light ticked off, and her plan fully formed in her head. Her crystal core, eyes, and hair all shifted to the familiar deep green of emerald mode. Beside her, Jomei's gases preemptively began to surround him in his typical colorful cloak. The few others she noticed around her tensed, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice.
As the final light dimmed, for a moment, time seemed to stop.
Then came the announcement.
"Contestants… begin!"
In the span of a single order, chaos incarnate was released unto the world. The thunderous stampede of sprinting steps filled Akiko's ears, and it was only for little more than a few seconds that she had a view of anyone other than her herd of competitors once she passed the gate into the tunnel. Even ahead of the majority of the crowd and springing into action nigh-on-instantly herself, the sudden swarm of movement threatened to crush her beneath the tide of bodies that raced through the cramped space alongside her. Not that anyone else was doing that much better than her – no one had escaped the finite jaws of the funnel, not yet.
But if she could just get a little closer to the outside of the stadium...
"And we're off to a racing start!" Present Mic announced. "How about some clever commentary, my main man!?"
"How did you wrap me into this...?" Aizawa deadpanned.
"What should we be paying attention to at this early stage of the race? What obstructive obstacles could our contestants be facing already!?"
"The doorway. It's a funnel, and the first test before they can even hit the track…"
Akiko didn't pay attention to the rest of what Aizawa said. She saw daylight and an opportunity, and that was all she needed to act on her plan. Without so much as a moment of hesitation, she stomped her foot into the ground and took it.
A stone pillar erupted from the ground beneath her, and she flew.
Catapulting through the air and over what remained of the crowd ahead of her, she noticed someone else acting on a plan of their own. Todoroki's right foot tapped the ground, and what came next happened both instantly and decisively.
Ice avalanched from where he'd hit the ground, and it flooded forth, freezing those precious few who'd escaped the tunnel as he continued his run past them and onto the main track uninhibited. As he ran, the ground under his feet continued to freeze in a thin sheet of ice – a perfect obstacle for him to make to impede his competition.
Only Akiko knew she could counter this perfectly. As she approached the ground, she switched her mode from emerald to sapphire, and she transitioned from flying towards the earth to skating along the frozen ground via her Quirk. She sped up her skating to keep up with Todoroki, still using his trap to her advantage until she started gaining ground on him. Even still, he remained in the lead and he looked at her without showing even the barest hint of surprise.
"To be expected," was all he said before he hastened further down the track.
But then Akiko realized – he hadn't just been looking at her. He was looking at everyone behind her, as well. She followed his previous line of sight, and she saw a flurry of activity as several others circumvented Todoroki's snare.
Aoyama blasted his way forward with his Quirk.
Bakugo rocketed through the air.
Yaoyorozu vaulted over everyone else with an ever-growing pole emerging from her hand.
Jomei swiftly melted a path through the ice with his Light Speed the moment he broke through the bulk of the crowd.
"I won't let you get away… you icy-hot bastard!" Bakugo roared.
"Nice trick, Todoroki, but it isn't working on me!" Yaoyorozu declared.
"Ice isn't slowing me down, buddy!" Jomei announced. "Ionized gas melts thin sheet of ice, every time, and I've got places to be!"
Ojiro bounced skyward with his tail. "And don't forget the rest of us! We've all seen this trick before – don't expect it to work again!"
All of Class 1-A broke through somehow, and Akiko even noticed Tetsutetsu and people from other courses as they emerged from the tunnel far behind her, but she shook her head and focused her attention forward. There was no time to think about what everyone else was doing. The only thing that mattered was that she remained hot on Todoroki's heels.
She may have been using her Quirk, but the strain sapphire mode placed upon her when all she was using it for was skating would be next to nothing. It didn't matter if other members of every other course were making their way through the trap – she could keep up and stay in at least second place so long as Todoroki kept up his freezing strategy. If he ever stopped, though… she'd cross that bridge when she came to it. She had a lead right now, and she wouldn't think about the worst-case scenario. Not now.
"So many people were able to dodge that," she heard Todoroki say to himself. "Even those from other classes… a change of strategy might be in order."
A flurry of purple balls landing along the frozen track caught their attention. Each stuck to their marks perfectly despite the ice, and Akiko realized exactly who'd flung them.
'Oh no…'
"Ha!" Mineta laughed, and he speedily bounced forward off of his Quirk's spheres, his manic grin focused solely on Todoroki. "You think you're so cool, but I've outsmarted you! How pathetic, Todoroki! Now eat this, my special attack!" He plucked another ball from atop his head. "Grappl-"
Without so much as a warning, the satisfying clang of a metallic fist colliding with the side of Mineta's skull interrupted his moment of triumph. When looking back upon the obstacle race, Akiko knew that the memory of Mineta's perverted self being sent flying would be nothing short of cathartic. Even if she'd never admit it out loud.
Todoroki stopped freezing the ground beneath him and slid to a halt at the same time as Akiko, who remained a little ways behind him. It was then that they found themselves under the gaze of a familiar-looking faux villain.
And it was far from alone.
"Target acquired. Termination recommended."
She heard Midoriya gasp behind her. "W-what!? The robots from the entrance exam?! They're here?!"
"Oh, enemies have appeared out of nowhere! I bet we're in for a treat here!" Present Mic announced. "A real test of strength and cunning… it's a robo inferno!"
Behind her, several one-pointers and the odd two-pointer moved to seal the narrow portion of the track off from where it opened up into the wider field Akiko and Todoroki found themselves in. Their mere presence blocked any wary competitors from carrying onward.
Jomei wasn't a wary one, however. He slid under the legs of a one-pointer too preoccupied staring down Midoriya to notice him and hopped back to his feet before he skidded to a halt next to Akiko. He followed her line of sight upward, and his gases flickered for a moment as he took a step back in shock.
"Wait, are those the zero-pointers from the practical test!?" he shouted. Others echoed his reaction as they caught up.
"No way!"
"Seriously?"
"How're we supposed to get past that?!"
No fewer than eight of the titanic machines stood in the open space, and each stared dead at them to dash their hopes of moving further along the track. Their red eyes glowed menacingly and the sun behind them provided the machines with monstrous silhouettes.
But Akiko wasn't concerned with their size. She knew she could at least hold them off for a few moments, and outrunning them wasn't an issue, but… she needed a plan, especially now that there were so many. Jomei and everyone else would have to fend for themselves.
'Come on Akiko, think… how do you get past-'
She stopped. The zero-pointer at the front let out a bellowing roar as it started to move, and its open palm soared through the air on a collision course with Todoroki. Todoroki didn't move even a centimeter and instead started readying his Quirk. As the ground beneath him froze, the ice along his right arm and foot crystallized into small pillars, and each seemed to glitter with unknown potential.
Todoroki stared down the fast-approaching fist, and the parallels between his silent stubbornness and Shinso's petrification in the face of the same threat didn't escape Akiko.
Her legs would have launched her into the same line of action she'd taken back then too, were it not for him finally speaking.
"So this is what the other students faced in their entrance exams…" He slapped his palm onto the ground and small pillars of ice crystallized into reality, merely a warning of what was to come. "U.A. obviously went through a lot of trouble to get these here, but I wish they'd prepared something a little more difficult."
He glared up at his foe. "Especially since my dear old dad is watching."
One swipe upward with his hand was all it took. One moment the zero-pointer was ready to smash Todoroki into the ground, and the next, it was frozen solid by the reverse avalanche its foe had cast forth.
The only indication Todoroki even gave that it even required any effort was the single foggy exhale that followed the attack. He didn't even wait to admire his handiwork before he began his sprint down the track all over again, and he passed right through the zero-pointers legs without so much as a thought.
Which left Akiko behind as she stared at the thing in awe.
"Hey, we can follow him!"
"Yeah, right between its legs, let's go!"
"No!" Yaoyorozu shouted. "You're all just going to get crushed! He froze them while they were off-balance…"
As she spoke, the ice shattered and the monolithic machine crashed down, kicking up a storm of dirt and deafening sound. Akiko could only think one thing as Todoroki was obscured by the collapse and its dust.
'And he meant to do that to slow us down…'
Which meant that he had timed his attack perfectly.
"And that's Todoroki Shoto from Class 1-A pulling way ahead with an early lead and a devastating display! With a Quirk with no known limits that can burn up the charts with his left side and chill you to the bones with his right, it almost seems unfair, but he's definitely one you should watch! Thoughts?!"
"His attack was both offensive and defensive," Aizawa explained.
"No wonder he was let in based on recommendations!" Present Mic hollered. "He never even fought those robotic villains before, and they still didn't stand a chance against his chart-topping moves!"
"He's insane… guess Todoroki really does have potential," Jomei thought aloud.
"Get outta my way, lightshow!"
Bakugo's rocketing forward into the dust cloud ahead struck Akiko and Jomei both from their utterly awed states.
As did a girl with long vines for hair slingshotting herself forward.
And an ash blond boy with no lips quite literally swimming through the ground.
Jomei growled and didn't say a word as he resumed his own Quirk-assisted sprint forward, at which point Akiko shook her head and followed. She braced her arm against her face to protect her eyes as she entered the dust cloud, and all light dulled into brown obscurity.
'There's no point in wasting my Quirk now! Just sprint through and keep going Akiko, you're still in this! You can still get to the next round!'
Mechanical silhouettes rushed by her, one-pointers and a few two-pointers both headed behind them and towards the mass of students that remained by the narrow track leading into the field. It occurred to Akiko at that moment that the bots could have very well been focusing on simply entering the spaces they'd be most obstructive to the greatest number of people – it'd certainly force everyone to go 'plus ultra' to move on, but…
Zero-pointers stood as the living wall of the robo inferno. One and two-pointers could serve as the mobile barriers to entry to that wall in the first place. Neither of those challenges accounted for a failsafe in case someone made it through both of those lines of defense.
It also didn't account for the three-pointer faux villains.
Which, as she emerged from the dust cloud and lowered her arm, she came face-to-face with, just like the handful of other students that were fighting their way through the things now. She paused for the briefest of moments as she took in the sight, and when she saw a path that could lead her through the chaos, she willed her legs to move once again.
It wasn't long before a three-pointer picked up on her sudden movement, and it let out a deep and threatening beep as its four legs quickly positioned it in between her and her path forward. Akiko skidded to a halt.
Within the myriad of rocket pods atop its back, a single ordinance peeked outward with a satisfying clink as it prepared to fire upon its target.
Akiko shifted herself into a combat-ready stance. Her crystal core flared brightly as she transitioned into ruby mode, and even her now-red hair and eyes burned with more intensity than they'd ever shown before. She hadn't dealt with the likes of the walking and weaponized rocket silos before her during the entrance exam, but there was no room for any indecision here. Not when her future as a hero was at stake.
"Target acquired. Termination pending in three… two… one…"
Akiko felt fire well up in her chest, and warmth washed over the entirety of her being. In that moment, she could have thought any countless number of other things in response to the threat before her, she recognized and accepted only one thing.
'You aren't stopping me.'
Authors Note: Oh my goodness gracious me, I may have written this chapter super quickly compared to some others, but jeez am I coming to realize that chaotic combat and events happening is just so difficult to translate super well from animation to text. Or, well, manga to text either. Ah well! At least this way I'm pushed to my limits and have to go beyond! Ad victoriu- wait no wrong franchise. Anyway! Indeed, much of this chapter is setup before the big event that I'm sure everyone cares about more than the obstacle course, but… three thingies before I go.
One. Yep, Haruto isn't just some name that ain't gonna even have a moment in the story beyond him being not-even-given-dialogue in his 'scene' with Present Mic in 'Ill Omens.' He's a character, believe it or not, and I do intend on not letting him fade into obscurity. I still have plans for him. I can even confirm that while he is only going to be about as relevant as the likes of Ayane or Takai, he still has a good chunk more relevance and 'oomph' to bring to this story yet…
Two. I didn't plan on going on about Midnight for the hot second I did, but when I stumbled into the idea of Jomei being embarrassed to even look at her after starting to date Akiko… not gonna lie, I found it too cute to not include.
Three. Man has it been fun to write Akiko when she's hellbent on not overthinking things. Her Quirk is surprisingly good at increasing her mobility in bursts, even if it can't be used as nonstop for that purpose as Jomei's Light Speed technique, and it's always freeing to be able to write her being a bit more creative with it even though she still has to be mindful of her limits. More to come from her and Jomei both in terms of creative Quirk use!
And that's all she wrote. PEACE! Oh, and stay awesome! Now peace!