A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first story which if I'm being honest it probably very easy to tell. Anyways, I tried posting the link to the character drawings but it didn't work. If anyone happens to be curious you can just look up sideline-squad on deviant art but if not that's fine and I totally get it. School has started up again so I am going to try to post about once a week from now on. This is a relatively short chapter at a bit above 4k words, but others will be longer. I hope you enjoy!

"The first game of the first-year stage is finally over," Midnight announced. She had returned to the small stage at the center of the stadium, and the students were once again gathered in front of her. "Now, take a look at the results!"

The students murmured among themselves as the results flashed on the screen behind her. "The top five are all hero students," Rei pointed out, folding her arms across her chest.

Etsuko put a hand on her shoulder. "We're still top ten though," she said proudly. "Well, two of us are." She looked at the other two with a little smirk.

"Shut the fuck up." Izumi rolled her eyes. "We all went through together."

"The top forty-two made it through to the next round," Midnight continued. "It's unfortunate, but don't worry even if you didn't make it! We've prepared other chances for you to shine. The real competition begins next! The press cavalry'll be all over! Give it your all!" She raised her whip into the air, signaling the screen behind her to switch back to the slot machine display. "Now then, here is the second game. I already know what it is, but what could it be? What could it be? I just said it, but here it is…" She lowered the whip and gestured to the screen with one hand. The slot machine came to a sharp stop.

Logan quirked a brow. "A cavalry battle?"

"A cavalry battle!" Etsuko squealed.

Midnight turned towards the screen. "Let me explain," she began. "The participants can form teams of two to four as they wish. It's basically the same as a regular cavalry battle, but the one thing that's different is that, based on the results of the last game, each person has been assigned a point value." The students erupted into their own discussions as they processed the information. Midnight snapped her whip, cutting their conversations short with a sharp crack. "You guys don't hold back even though I'm talking, huh?!" She snapped. As the students fell silent, she composed herself and continued with her explanation. "Yes, that's right! And the points assigned go up by five starting from the bottom, so forty-second gets five points, forty-first gets ten points, and so on! And the point value assigned to first place is ten million!" She pointed at Midoriya with her whip. "Izuku Midoriya, who placed first in the qualifier, is worth ten million points!"

The students all turned their attention to Midoriya, who stood frozen in place, looking as if he might pass out on the spot. "Hey, everyone," Logan shouted over the crowd, waving her hand in the air to get everyone's attention. "This broccoli haired kid right here? He is our booty, so hands off." The other students cast her a quick glance, mostly disregarding her when they realized it was a business student talking.

Etsuko shook her head. "Logan. We have gone over this. This is a school, not a prison. Classes just feel like prison sometimes."

As Midnight went on to explain the rules, the students began whispering about their strategies. "Okay, Etsuko is the lightest and she has the fastest reflexes, so I think that she should be on top. She also has really good balance so we don't have to worry about her falling off," Rei whispered to her group. "Everyone's inventions will be useful for this."

"Especially mine," Logan said with a smile.

Izumi nodded. "My jet-packs still win, but yes, yours are good. Anyways, our best chance would be to wait for an opening by other classes attacking. There is a really good chance that this event will end with a final last dash of a few teams surrounding whoever it is that has the ten million point headband. Our best bet is to stay under the radar as much as possible until the last few seconds and use our jet-packs as an element of surprise mobility and speed they won't expect. With all the chaos that will likely be happening people won't pay much attention to us or have time to react before it's too late."

"Now, you have fifteen minutes to build your team!" Midnight announced. The countdown began on screen. "Start!"

"Fifteen minutes to gear up," Rei said. "Let's go."

Everyone scrambled to form teams, forming small clusters around the field as they settled into their roles and talked about strategy. The girls had already firmly established their team, so they focused on getting ready to put their plan into motion. "Oh, they're never going to see this coming," Izumi said, her excitement audible.

Logan slipped on her football armor. "I'm loving this bloodthirsty energy of yours," she said. "You never get this excited."

"No detention for a month, remember? It's a get out of jail free card for me."

Rei watched the other students scramble around to pick their teams, keeping tabs on the students they already knew what to expect from. She paid special attention to the class 1-A students who'd ended up in the first three spots. They were all on different teams, which made it even more likely that there would be a last-minute brawl over the ten million point headband. If she and her group timed things right, they'd have a golden ticket right to first place.

"Wait. Wait. Before it starts we have one last necessary piece of business." Izumi said as she pulled out a small pot of black oil-based makeup. "Put on your stripes ladies."

"War paint? Really?" Rei asked, raising a brow.

Logan tilted her head and then nodded approvingly. "I actually think that will really fit our aesthetic."

"Yeah and it's supposed to help reduce sun glare in our eyes, so it can be practical too."

"Now then, it's time to get started!" Midnight announced after the timer went off. The girls had finished suiting up and now waited patiently off to the side. Everyone was so focused on building their teams that they hadn't even noticed the wonderful equipment the business students were sporting.

"After fifteen minutes to form teams and talk strategy, twelve cavalry teams are lined up on the field," Present Mic narrated. "There are some interesting teams out there. Now, raise those battle cries!" The crowd roared to life on command. "It's time for U.A.'s bloody battle! Alright, you've made your teams, right? I'm not gonna ask if you're ready or not! Now, let's go! Counting down to the brutal battle royale!"

"Ready, babes?" Logan asked as the countdown began.

Izumi smirked. "Like you even need to ask."

"Start!" Midnight shouted, flourishing her whip. The students moved at once. Most were heading straight for the top team. The girls headed in that direction, but they didn't go straight for it like some of the other teams did. They only wanted to keep an eye on it for now, nothing more.

Etsuko balanced easily on top of the other three, keeping a lookout for any teams that got too close. She was more eager to fight than she was cautious, and the fact that no one was paying attention to them was starting to bug her. "You'd think they'd want to keep an eye on us after the upset we caused in the first round," she pouted.

"We didn't come in first," Rei pointed out. "So they've probably just called it dumb luck and moved on."

Izumi nodded. "You also just like, stopped in the middle of the race to wait for us to catch up. So they probably don't think we're taking this seriously."

"Believe me, I'm taking this very seriously," Etsuko insisted, brandishing her weapon.

Logan ducked her head to avoid being accidentally hit by her. "Careful with that," she said. "I don't need tetanus."

As several other teams converged on them, Midoriya's team made the choice to flee, though they had to fight against some other student's quirks to do so. Rei's team followed them from a distance, closing in on their location even after they flew up into the air. Apparently Hatsune had the same idea Izumi did, though Hatsune's jetpacks looked a lot rougher and more obvious than theirs.

"Babes, I don't mean to alarm you, but we've got a team creeping up on my side," Logan said. They all turned to see a group of hero students heading right for them. They didn't recognize anyone in that group, which meant they were probably from 1-B.

Izumi scowled. "That blonde one looks like an asshole," she said.

"They all look like assholes," Etsuko agreed.

They turned to face the oncoming team. "Look alive," Rei said.

The blonde boy on top of the other team flashed an insufferable smile. "You gave everyone a little surprise earlier," he called out to them. "But there isn't a lot you four can do in a cavalry battle against heroes. If you want to quit, no one's going to blame you."

"Yeah. Fuck off," Izumi called back.

The boy exhaled sharply, closing the distance between them. "Just look at yourselves. You're wearing football armor," he scoffed. "You've gotta be terrified. So I'll just take your headband and we can all call it a day."

The girls collectively rolled their eyes. "You know, you are probably right. First though can you just tell me… Are you up to date on your tetanus shots?" Logan asked innocently as she acted devastated and defeated.

"What?"

Etsuko took the hint and sprung into action, raising her weapon and swinging it hard. The swing fully connected with the boy's shoulder, and the metal bits of the weapon scratched his arm as he was jolted with electricity. The hit nearly knocked his entire team off balance as they struggled to keep him upright. They retreated instantly, literally and metaphorically stunned.

"Wha-? Is that allowed?!" One of the enemy team members shouted.

Izumi sent a chilling glare towards the blonde boy. "I would back THE FUCK OFF, if I was you."

Present Mic stuttered over the speaker. "It, uh, looks like the class 1-K students came with personal equipment. They're boasting football armor and...are those baseball bats?! Very American theme they are sticking to, maybe taking inspiration from their teammate Logan from America!"

"With tasers taped to the handles," Eraser Head confirmed. "And the one on top has nails in hers."

"Can we check the rules on that?" Present Mic asked. After a moment, he spoke again. "Alright, everybody, it looks like their equipment is registered and legal!"

Eraser Head grunted in disbelief. "That can't actually be allowed."

"It is," Present Mic insisted. "The business course...doesn't actually have a lot of rules for events like this...but hey! It's just a little more excitement in the mix!"

"It's a clear safety concern!"

"Class 1-K hits us with a little more excitement, folks! These girls are full of surprises!"

Logan beamed with pride. "See, Rei? I told you they were allowed."

"Props to you, Logan. Your inventions are perfect," Rei admitted, shaking her head with a small smile.

Izumi laughed a little. "A little rough around the edges, but you have a clear future in weapons manufacturing."

Present Mic moved on to describing other fights happening across the field, doing his best to divert the press's attention from the troupe of business students armed with modified baseball bats. The blonde boy's team didn't hang around long. There were less kill-happy teams to take headbands from. Rei's team scanned the arena, spotting Midoriya's team on the other side of the stadium. They headed in that direction, avoiding what teams they could and swinging wildly at anyone who got too close.

"Now, let's take a look at each team's points!" The announcer roared over the mic. "It's been seven minutes! Here are the current rankings on screen!"

"Seven minutes?" Logan asked in disbelief. "It's really flying by."

Izumi huffed. "Yeah, that's the problem. We have to keep an eye on the clock to make sure that we time this right."

Rei's eyes were fixed on the rankings. "Don't worry. We're right on schedule," she assured them. "Midoriya is still at the top. As long as we keep an eye on him, we'll be fine."

"The rest of class 1-A is doing pretty shit," Izumi pointed out, sounding a little too satisfied about it.

Etsuko rested her bat carefully on her shoulder, watching the groups closest to them like a hawk. "Just wait for it. They're part of the main cast, so they can't really lose. They'll be fine." Before anyone else in the group could even begin to address what she'd said, she suddenly swung her bat straight out in front of her, pointing across the field. "Look alive! Half and half kid is facing down that broccoli-haired kid." Ahead of them, Todoroki's team and Midoriya's team stood in a face-off.

"Shit," Rei cursed. "It'll be a lot harder to keep up with the half and half kid if they get it."

"That's why we just need to strike when he creates an opening," Izumi suggested.

"Then let's go!" Etsuko urged them, flourishing her bat. "Onward!"

The girls picked up their pace, heading right for the Midoriya's team. Several other teams around them seemed to have the same idea and rushed to take advantage of the distraction that Todoroki had provided. Todoroki began to move forward, closing the gap between him and Midoriya. Suddenly, he draped a blanket over himself and his teammates, and in the same moment, everyone nearby felt electricity tear through their bodies. By the time the girls recovered from the shock, their feet were completely frozen to the ground.

"Damn it, the lightning kid," Logan groaned, still a little dazed. "I forgot about him."

As they collected themselves, Todoroki's team closed in, snatching the headbands from frozen teams as they passed. "Oh, you better fucking not," Etsuko growled, readying her bat. Todoroki's team approached anyway, reaching for Etsuko's headband and barely avoiding being hit by her bat. They made another move for it, but Etsuko ducked out of the way, balancing precariously on top of her teammates. "This is going to be the worst mistake you ever made!" She spat, ducking another swipe. His next grab finally landed, and the headband tore away easily.

"Your shoe is untied," Todoroki said dryly as his team began to move away.

"Oh, you're dead!" Etsuko called after them, swinging her bat in vain.

While Todoroki's team pursued Midoriya, the girls worked on freeing themselves. The three carriers were only frozen up to their ankles, so a minute of cracking at the ice with their bats broke it enough to get their feet loose. They got back into the game just in time to watch Todoroki's ice wall seal his and Midoriya's teams away from the rest of the chaos. They began moving in that direction immediately.

Rei glanced at Izumi as they ran. "Are the jetpacks all ready to go?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Izumi replied. "I don't leave my work unfinished."

"Except for like, all of your school work," Logan said.

They kicked their jetpacks to life as they approached the ice wall. "That's not my work," Izumi corrected her as they flew. "That is simply my forced labor in the prison system I consider school to be. Just kidding, I actually don't mind school. Homework is actually my issue though." The wall was roughly ten feet tall at its highest points, and eight feet at its lowest, so sailing over it was almost effortless for them. They crossed the top of the wall just in time to watch Todoroki's team shoot forward at rocket speed, catching Midoriya's team completely by surprise. The girls' feet connected with the ice and they leaned forward as one, directing their jetpacks to shoot them straight forward. Todoroki's team was off to the side now, waiting for their lead carrier to catch his breath. They hadn't noticed the group of business students hurtling towards them like a boulder down a hill. By the time they did notice, the team was less than a yard away, and Etsuko was standing eagerly on top, raising her bat with one hand to swing down on Todoroki. He reacted just in time, catching the bat in his right hand. The metal bit into his skin, and the force of the hit jostled the bones in his wrist. Instinctively, he started to freeze the bat, but Etsuko just let him have it. Her other hand was wrapped around their real target: the ten million point headband that Todoroki was clutching in his left hand. She ripped it out of his grasp before he'd even realized she'd grabbed it.

"Be careful where you squeeze," Etsuko teased as her team pulled away. "That thing has a taser on it, you know."

Todoroki stared at her with his mouth slightly agape, trying to process the events of the last five seconds. He didn't heed Etsuko's warning, apparently, because as the four girls used their jetpacks to scale the wall again, the taser end of the bat sprung to life in his hand, shocking him. Rei's team hung in the air after they crested the wall, feeling as if their hearts might break through their ribs. Etsuko tied the headband around her neck like a precious necklace, grinning so hard it hurt.

The stadium's speakers came to life around them. "I don't really know how to describe what just happened, folks!" Present Mic stammered. "In the biggest upset in U.A. Sports Festival history, the business course has snatched first place!" The crowd roared, not with applause, but with confusion. Among the chatter of the crowd that all muddled together, there were as many protests as there were cheers. "Time's almost up! Can they hang on to their grasp at victory?!"

Rei let out a shaky breath. "Less than half a minute left. Can your jetpacks suspend us that long?"

"Easy," Izumi confirmed.

"Oh my god," Logan gasped. "Holy shit. I can't believe that worked."

"What, you doubted me?" Rei asked, letting out a laugh to ease the tension that had built up in her shoulders.

Below them, Todoroki was trying to gather himself. Outside of ice attacks, his team didn't have a lot of long range options. Midoriya's team was a different story, but the bird boy had already picked another target. In the little window that the girls had made, he'd sent his shadow to snatch the headband from Todoroki's forehead. He then turned his attention back to the business students, but they were well on the other side of the wall and moving around the edge of the stadium, dodging oncoming attacks meant to knock them out of the air. Fifteen minutes ago, no one was paying them any mind, but now every eye in the stadium was locked onto their team. As the seconds ticked down, Bakugo launched himself from his horse, shooting right at them. Izumi raised her bat, itching for the chance to electrocute the biggest asshole in class 1-A.

"Time's up!"

Bakugo's explosions sputtered out, sending him back to the ground and out of Izumi's reach. She frowned, throwing her bat aside in disappointment as they landed.

"That's the end of the second round, the cavalry battle! Now, let's take a look at our top four teams right away!" Present Mic reeled in his uncertainty, determined to keep up the show. "In first place, Team Hirai!"

Etsuko lept her friends' shoulders, doing a backflip mid-air and falling into a bow as she landed. The crowd cheered, more out of obligation than true excitement. Their confusion over the entire situation was still palpable.

"In second place, team Bakugo!"

"Second place to the business kids," Logan said with a smirk. "You know he's mad."

Izumi sighed. "Still would have been nice to hit him, though."

"In third place, Tatsute- Huh? What, it's team Shinso?! When did you come from behind?!"

The crowd rippled with speculation, but after the show the business course had put on, Shinso's impact was minimal.

"In fourth place, team Midoriya!"

Rei blinked in surprise. "Oh, what? They made it after all."

"Yeah. Like I said," Etsuko said, shrugging. "Main characters always have weird levels of plot armor."

"These four teams will advance to the final round! Now, we'll take an hour's break for lunch before we start the afternoon festival activities!"

The crowd began to disperse, shuffling away from the stands and funneling towards the exit. The students headed towards the exits as well, but one broke away from the crowd and marched right towards the girls. Bakugo radiated anger as he approached them, his shoulders tense and his face twisted into a painful scowl. "You're dead," he growled as sparks flew out of his upturned palms.. "I'm going to rip you apart in the next round!"

"Oh. I mean, normally someone saying they were going to rip me apart would make me blush." Logan replied, smoothing her hair with one hand. "I get the feeling that's not what you mean, though." She turned away from him, starting towards the exit before giving him a backwards glance. "Also, sorry, but the girls and I actually have some other plans so we are probably just going to skip out on the finals. I'm sure you will have fun still. Bye, second place."

Rei gave him a little wave as she turned to follow Logan. "Bye, second place."

"Bye, second place," Izumi echoed.

"Congrats on second place!" Etsuko said with a grin.

Kirishima and Sero grabbed Bakugo as the girls started to walk away. Bakugo roared in protest, fighting against his friends to get at his new enemies.

Logan paused, turning back to look at the three boys. "Oh. Hey. It's that red haired dude," she said, nodding to Kirishima. "This one is actually alright. You did really good today. Congrats on getting through." She flashed him a genuine smile and a quick thumbs up, then turned to rejoin her friends. Behind them, Bakugo howled even louder than before. He was starting to sound like a rabid cat.

"Well. Mission successful, babes," Logan said as they walked along the sidewalk. Most of the people in town who could afford to were watching the festival, and plenty of people who couldn't crowded into a bar or cafe to watch the broadcast, so the street was a little quieter than usual. "No detention for the rest of this term. Also, does anyone wanna send Snipe an email to let him know that we won't be coming back? Just make up an emergency or something if you want to."

Rei nodded and pulled out her phone. "I'll send him a message. If we are being honest, they probably wouldn't want us to come back anyways with all the problems we've caused by exploiting their rules."

"Yeah, now let's just get some food. I'm starving after all of our hard work," Etsuko urged them, looking at the signs of the restaurants around them.

"For someone so tiny, you eat an ungodly amount of food," Rei said, finishing her text to Snipe and slipping her phone back in her pocket. "What does everyone want to eat?"

Izumi answered instantly. "I want udon. Let's just go anywhere that serves that."

"Okay. Udon is good but, and hear me out here," Logan said, drawing out the suspense. "Scones."

"You make a fair point. Let's just hit our usual spot, I guess," Izumi agreed.

Etsuko's eyes lit up. "Akai Mūsu?" She asked hopefully.

Logan smiled and nodded. "You know it, babes."

Since they knew the way to the cafe by heart, getting there was just a matter of walking. There wasn't much traffic thanks to the festival, so they arrived in record time and sauntered in. Inside, the restaurant was bustling. People crowded at the bar, their eyes fixed on the televisions that hung above the bartender. The people sitting at the tables leaned at odd angles in their seats so they could see the screen for themselves.

"What do you think they're watching?" Rei wondered.

The hostess noticed the girls standing by the door and began her customary welcome, but stopped short when she realized who they were. One by one, the people around the restaurant followed her lead, staring at them as they waited awkwardly to be shown to their seats. A waitress carrying a platter full of drinks emerged from the back room and followed their gaze. Her eyes widened, and the platter crashed to the floor, sending shards of glass and soda spilling across the carpet.

"If I had to put money on it?" Izumi asked. "I'd say they're watching the sports festival."