"Ah, I wanted to wear my costume…" pouted Ashido, disappointed.

"To keep everything fair, we can't," shrugged Ojiro, stretching his arms.

"I wonder what the first round's gonna be," wondered nervously Sato.

"No matter what comes, we have no choice but to deal with it," replied simply Tokoyami.

The door of the locker room suddenly slammed open, letting enter Iida. "Everyone, are you ready? We will be entering soon!"

Kaminari leaned closer to Yaoyorozu. "Oi, oi, aren't you supposed to be the Class Representative?"

The girl simply sighed, shaking her head. "At that point, I've given up. I just let him do as he pleases. He obviously wanted the position more than me, anyway."

Rukia patted her shoulder in comfort. "It's alright, Momo-chan. If anything, it saves you the trouble of actually having to do anything, right?"

"I suppose so…"

"Rukia."

Startled at being called out, the white-haired girl looked up and found none other than Todoroki standing right beside her. To say she was surprised would be an understatement—never before had the boy actually initiated a conversation! She smiled, glad he was finally opening up.

"Todoroki-kun! Can I help you with anything?"

He stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "… You're strong. You have techniques learned from a Pro, and a first-hand experience with the Hero field that most of the students here lack. Right now, in terms of ranks, you and I are tied as firsts." His eyes narrowed slightly. "I intend to break that tie today. In other words, I will beat you."

Rukia could only gawk at him, genuinely taken aback. The last thing she expected him to do was to declare her his rival. While she usually wouldn't mind, though, there was something in his eyes that put her on edge. As they were now, the rivalry he intended to ignite between the two of them would be detrimental to the friendly relationship she wanted to establish. He wasn't planning on beating her merely to ascertain his own ego, but to prove a point.

To whom, she couldn't tell. One way or another, though, she didn't like it.

"Oh? Is he actually making a declaration of war?" remarked Kaminari, twitching nervously.

"Oi, oi, oi!" Kirishima instantly walked up to the two, frowning. He grabbed Todoroki's shoulder. "Why are you picking a fight all of sudden? And with Rukia, too! She didn't do anything, so lay off of her!"

"Tche. We're not here to play at being friends," retorted Todoroki, roughly shoving the boy's hand off. "Don't be so naïve. Out there, we'll be pitted against one another, and those who'll hold back because of their feelings aren't worthy to call themselves future Heroes."

"… I see." After a moment, Rukia smiled cheerfully. "You're right, Todoroki-kun. Out there in the field, we'll be competing against one another in order to determine who's the best. However, I think you're underestimating our classmates." She gestured to the students watching them. "Everyone here has been training their hardest, and just because we're friends doesn't mean we'll hold back." Her eyes narrowed, her grin turning a little more feral. "We all want to win, Todoroki-kun, so don't go looking down on the others so easily. You just claimed yourself to be one of the bests in this class but if you're too blinded by your arrogance to acknowledge the efforts and the determination of those around you, it won't take long before you're knocked off your imaginary podium." She reached out, roughly poking him in the chest. "You're the one who's naïve, here. Take this more seriously!"

Silence fell over the room once again. Their classmates could only watch while holding their breath the verbal showdown, none of them expecting Todoroki to call Rukia out like that, and even less expecting the girl to rise up to the challenge. After a few seconds of tension, though, the dual-haired boy nodded mutely and spun on his heels, heading out without another look back.

"… well, that happened, but we shouldn't probably get going too," finally stated Rukia, clasping her hands together as she grinned. "Let's go, guys!"

"Yosh! I'm all fired up!" exclaimed Kirishima, pumping his fist in the air.

A bead of sweat rolled down Kaminari's forehead. "You've started watching Fairy Tail, haven't you?"

"It's a good show!" defended the red-haired boy.

The others simply laughed, relaxing a little. After the sudden clash between two of their top students, the light banter was a welcomed distraction.

"Hey, hey, hey! Pay attention, audience! Swarm, mass media! This year's high school rodeo of adolescence that you all love, the U.A. Sports Festival, is about to begin! Everybody, are you readyyyy!?" The large audience gathered in the stands of the arena cheered along, making the entire stadium shake on its foundations. "The U.A. Sports Festival—the huge battle where fledgling Heroes sharpen their swords once a year! Anyway, these are the guys, right? The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero Course, Class 1-A!"

Rukia breathed in deeply as they finally stepped outside. Momentarily blinded by the sudden sunlight, all of her senses were then assaulted by the almost unbearable ruckus caused by the crowd. Their cheers were incredibly painful for her enhanced hearing, but she somehow managed to tone them down as they reached the middle of the field.

"Are you alright, Rukia?" simply asked Jiro, noticing how her ears kept twitching.

"It's loud," groaned the girl, making her friend chuckle. "But I'll manage. I'm already getting used to it."

"They haven't been getting as much airtime, but this class is also full of talent! Hero Course, Class 1-B! And next up, we have the General Studies Classes C, D, and E! Then the Support Course, Classes F, G, and H! And finally, the Business Course, Classes I, J, and K! All of U.A.'s first years are now present and accounted for! YEAAAH!"

The students all gathered together in the center of the field, just before a small stage, upon which none other than Midnight climbed. It's only then that Rukia remembered that she had been chosen as the Chief Umpire for the event.

It was supposed to be Shota-san, but Aunt Nemuri volunteered—in exchange, though, he had to join the commentators' booth with Uncle Hizashi.

"What is Midnight-sensei wearing?" spluttered Kirishima, a mild blush on his cheeks.

"That's an R-Rated Hero for you," nodded Kaminari, on the verge of a nosebleed.

"Is it okay for her to be at a high school even though she's R-Rated?" wondered Tokoyami.

"Ne, Jiro," murmured Rukia, lightly patting the girl's shoulder. "What does R-Rated mean? When I asked Midnight-sensei, she wouldn't tell me, and Aizawa-sensei forbade me from looking it up online 'til I turn eighteen."

A bead of sweat formed on Jiro's forehead. "How about we wait until after the Sports Festival? We can ask the other girls later."

"Oh, right! Good idea!"

Safe! Cried internally the purple-haired girl.

She refused to be the one to break it to the innocent girl. She merely hoped that Ashido wouldn't take too much pleasure in the task—God knew the pink girl could be quite sadistic when she wanted to be.

"Quiet, everyone!" suddenly exclaimed Midnight, the leather of her flogger-style whip snapping in the air. "Representing the students is Bakugo Katsuki from Class 1-A!"

As the hotheaded boy stalked up to the stage in a strangely subdued manner, Rukia couldn't help but facepalm, along with numerous of her classmates.

"He's going to say something unpleasant, isn't he?" sighed Jiro, bracing herself.

"Still, to think he'd be the one picked to represent the student body…" cringed Kaminari.

"Well, that guy did finish first in the entrance exam," recalled Sero, tapping his chin.

An unknown girl from the General Studies Classes sighed loudly, gaining their attention. She glared as some of the 1-A students looked her way.

"In the Hero Course, that is," she stated irritatingly.

"The only difference between the entrance exams of the Hero Course and the other courses offered at U.A. is the practical exam," replied Rukia, a tad confused. "He didn't only land in first place in the practical exam—he also scored the top marks in the theoretical one."

"That being said, it means that Bakugo did finish first on all fronts, no matter the study course he ended up joining," concluded Shinso, though he appeared a tad annoyed by the notion.

"Tche," scoffed the nameless girl, turning her back to them.

Rukia's shoulders slumped a bit at her reaction. "I don't think she likes us very much…"

"Not to make you feel bad, but it's obvious she downright hates our guts," sweatdropped Sero.

Before anyone could add anything else, Bakugo reached the top of the small stage and went to stand before the mike. After a few seconds of utter silence, he finally spoke up.

"I pledge… that I'll be number one."

…

…

…

"WHAT THE HECK!?"

"Stop messing around!"

"Don't be so full of yourself, Class A!"

"YOU SLUDGE BASTARD!"

Rukia instantly slapped her hands over her ears as they folded on themselves, trying to muffle the sudden and painful increase of noise as everyone around her started screaming their heads off. It took a minute or so for everyone to calm down, even once Bakugo stepped off the stage and came back to stand amongst them. In the stands, the crowd didn't really know how to react to such an unusual and overconfident pledge. Some were outraged to see a future Hero act so nonchalantly, others were impressed by his nerves and were praising his determination. All in all, it was absolute chaos for a moment, until Midnight finally managed to gain back everyone's attention.

"Now, let's get started! The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Every year, many drink their tears here! Now, here is the fateful first game!"

A large screen suddenly appeared behind her, with letters spinning too fast for the eye to follow. Rukia tensed up a bit, growing eager to get started, and she could feel the anticipation rising in the other students around her.

"This year, it's… an obstacle race!" announced cheerfully Midnight, her whip cracking again. "All eleven classes will participate in this race. The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium—about four kilometers. Our school's selling point is freedom!" The air grew a tad heavier as she licked her lips in a sadistic manner. "In other words, as long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do!"

Meaning we're allowed to not only use our Quirks to gain an advantage, but also to put the others at a disadvantage, understood Rukia, biting back a grin. It's a race that'll surely be filled to the brim with traps and dangerous obstacles, too, so what matters isn't just our speed—it's also our analytical skills, our reaction time, and our ability to expect the unexpected!

All of the first-year students shuffled into place, bracing themselves for the signal. The sole exit leading to the course was a narrow hallway going through the stadium, and Rukia wasted no time in biding good luck to her friends before going ahead. She somehow managed to secure herself a spot at the very front of the crowd, and she lowered herself to the ground.

As soon as the signal is given, everyone will rush forward, and they'll get stuck in the hallway. However, I'm a good sprinter. If I time it right—

"START!"

—then I can make it!

As soon as the signal was given, Rukia propelled herself forward. In a matter of seconds, the light that had firstly appeared so far away suddenly washed over her from head to toe as she burst through the exit. Behind her, she could hear the shouts, grumbles, and curses of her fellow first-years as they all ended up stuck in the hallway, but she didn't bother looking back and focused on the track ahead. She did slow down a bit, since she needed to pace herself, but certainly not enough to give anyone a chance to catch up to her. Just as she started running, though, a burst of cold wind hit her back, and more screams echoed.

Todoroki-kun isn't going easy on them, uh?

She could hear him approaching but, despite the ground freezing under her feet, she managed to keep her balance and her pace. She had just gotten the lead, and she certainly wasn't about to give it up now.

"Ooh! It looks like someone didn't get caught in the first sifting like the others! Aizawa from Class A, everyone! And hot on her heels, ironically enough, is Todoroki, also from Class A! As fast as they are, though, here comes the first obstacle of this course!"

Rukia saw them coming, obviously. They were hard to miss, what with that infernal metallic sound that accompanied every and each of their movement. Despite the three Faux Villains now blocking the way, though, Rukia didn't slow down in the least. She was well aware of Todoroki and their other classmates who were right behind her, and she wasn't going to give up an inch if she could help it. So, she intended to bypass those gigantic robots as swiftly and quickly as she could manage—and the other students would help her out, whether they liked it or not.

Those things lock onto a target and won't disengage until it's been dealt with, recalled Rukia, bracing herself for the impact. Or, until another target comes along—and there are plenty right behind me!

The biggest Faux Villain brought its fist down, and she jumped. Landing on its arm, she then ran up to its head, before propelling herself right on the other side. Just as she landed safely on the ground, the attention of the hunter cyborgs was diverted by the arrival of the numerous other targets, and they completely forgot about her.

A grin split her lips as she started running again.

"Would you look at that!? Aizawa has somehow managed to not only maintain her lead, but also widen it! The obstacles were overcome in a heartbeat, yeah! I mean come on, she got over it so fast, I didn't even get to introduce it properly!"

"Mic, less whining and more commenting."

"Tche. Well, the others have just reached the first barrier. You've already gotten a glimpse of them, but here they are, tall and most definitely dangerous: Robo Inferno!

Rukia could hear the comments of Present Mic as she ran, and she didn't miss how he chanted the praises of Todoroki as the boy somehow managed to overcome the robots with a single, well-calculated move. From what she'd gathered, only he had managed to bypass the first obstacle amongst all of the others, so she guessed his attack had only been a temporary solution.

He's really good, uh? He never even faced those robots before!

Now wasn't the time to lose focus, though, for the next obstacle soon came into view. This time around, she had no choice but to stop as she reached the edge of a gigantic ravine. She couldn't hear Todoroki yet, meaning she still had a considerable lead, but it wouldn't last. She quickly evaluated the situation, her eyes roaming over the canyon: seemingly solid ropes linked pillars of varying shapes and heights that were made of rocks and dirt.

I'll waste too much time if I try to use the ropes, she realized, scanning the distance separating the pillars. I'll just have to force my way through!

She backed away from the canyon, putting a fair amount of distance between herself and the edge. She lowered herself, activating her partial transformation in order to get a better grip, and she took off. The moment her foot hit the edge of the rift, she gathered all of her strength to pounce over the void.

For a brief moment, she found herself flying, and she enjoyed the thrill of having absolutely no restraint other than gravity. And, as she landed atop of the nearest pillar, she used her momentum to propel herself forward once again. Of course, the strength she used every time she landed, then pounced, was completely unrestrained—as such, it didn't come as much of a surprise to her when a few of the weaker pillars crumbled behind her.

Sorry, everyone, but fair is fair!

If the collateral damage was enough to slow down more of the contestants, then who was she to complain? It's not like there was a rule against it. As she finally reached the other side of the canyon, though, she heard it—the ice, that is. She allowed herself a brief moment to glance back and take in the sight of Todoroki now sliding along the ropes like a professional skater on a tightrope, before shaking her head and taking off once again.

"At that point, it's not much of a surprise, but Aizawa is still in the lead, everyone! With a terrifying display of physical abilities, she not only secured her place in the lead, but she also managed to put her fellow first-years at a serious disadvantage! Woo! Todoroki is relentless, however, and is keeping up with her to the best of his abilities! That's what I call a race, yeah!"

Following Present Mic's constant commentary, the crowd could only get more fired up as they watched the ongoing race on the numerous screens placed all around the stadium.

"That girl in first place is way ahead of the others!"

"Her Quirk probably enhances her physical abilities, right?"

"Still, she's got the boy with the recommendations beat."

"Isn't he the Endeavor's son, though? What's up with that girl, then?"

"Well, Aizawa sounds like a familiar surname, for some reason…"

"Who cares? She's awesome!"

"She might be in the lead right now, but she won't be for much longer. Look!"

Despite her best efforts to pace herself, Rukia was growing tired. As fun as it had been to cross the canyon, it had seriously depleted her energy, and she knew for a fact that she wouldn't be able to keep up that kind of speed for the rest of the race. From what she could see, there was at least one last obstacle left and, despite the disadvantage it would put her at, she made the conscious decision to slow down and catch her breath.

It didn't take long for Todoroki to catch up. As soon as she slowed her pace, she heard him, still going strong and fully intending on beating her. However, what did surprise her was the explosions she could hear in the background, seemingly from above.

So Bakugo finally caught up, uh?

She didn't have the time to ponder over it, though—the next obstacle finally came into view. Once again, she was forced to come to a halt, though for good reason. As it turned out, this brand-new obstacle… was a minefield. Her eyes widened a bit as she realized that she wouldn't be able to just avoid the not-so-hidden mines, but her moment of hesitation was enough for both Todoroki and Bakugo to get ahead. The first one was fast and nimble on his feet, and he somehow managed to keep a good pace without using his Quirk. Bakugo, on the other hand, literally blasted his way through, using his explosions to fly over the ground without touching it.

Well, guess there's only one option left!

She'd waste too much time trying to avoid them. So, the simple solution was to outrun them, right?

"Would you look at that? Would you look at that!? Todoroki and Bakugo have managed to not only catch up to Aizawa, but also get ahead of her! What a truly intense showdown! And now, they're both literally fighting for first place! Rejoice, mass media, 'cause it's the kind of development that you guys love, right!? And they're—whoa! Whoa, whoa, WHOA!"

Jaws dropped and eyes went wide as, on another screen, they all saw the white-haired girl suddenly start running through the minefield without a care in the world. She had obviously given up on caution and was now quite literally running ahead of danger. Loud explosions echoed left and right as she ran faster than the mines could explode.

"Talk about craaaaazy! She can't slow down at all, though, or she'll definitely be blown away!"

She caught up to the two boys in a matter of seconds, mostly because they were now more focused on outmatching each other than outrunning each other. As soon as she was close enough, she reached out and grabbed both of their shoulders. She used this new anchor to propel herself forward, all the while making them fall down and eat the dust. The mines exploded as the two boys were sent crashing aside, but Rukia had put enough strength in that last movement to propel herself over whatever was left of the obstacle.

She made a few barrels as she landed on the other side of the minefield and, though she was now panting rather harshly, she knew now wasn't the time for a break. She could hear Bakugo's curses over the numerous explosions—which signaled the arrival of the other competitors—and she'd rather not stick around any longer, for her own safety.

As she started running once again, though, she couldn't help but throw a smug grin over her shoulder.

"The two formerly in the lead were viciously attacked from behind and effectively thrown off their course, allowing Aizawa to once again claim the lead! With an incredible display of physical strength, she managed to literally throw herself over the rest of the minefield, effectively avoiding setting off any other explosion! Is there truly nothing that can stop her!?"

She should have known better, really, but she hadn't been able to resist. By showing them that smug expression, though, she had issued a challenge of her own—and the two boys were more than eager to answer to it. As quickly as she had managed to claim the lead, the other two forgot about fighting each other and got started on catching up—and damn, were they fast.

No, it's me who's slowed down, she instantly realized, ignoring her burning lungs. Keeping up this kind of speed on such a distance took its toll on my body, and I was already tired out from jumping over the canyon.

Still, I don't want to lose…!

She kept on running, entirely focused on the finish line she could now see right ahead. She could hear Bakugo's explosions on her left, Todoroki's ice on her right, but it only made her run even faster. She couldn't care less about Todoroki's earlier declaration of rivalry, and she couldn't match Bakugo's intense desire for the number one title, but what she really wanted, more than anything in that instant...

I want… to make Shota-san proud!

She wanted to show him how far she'd come since he started training her, how much she'd grown since that day he saved her, how much better she had become thanks to him. And, what better way to do that than to bring home a gold medal?

It's with that thought in mind that she finally crossed the finish line.

"What an incredible turn of events! In the most unexpected way, it would appear that Aizawa, Todoroki, and Bakugo all crossed the finish line at the same time! Amazing, amazing!"

Almost as soon as they stumbled past the finish line, Rukia crashed on the ground, panting loudly as sweat dripped down her forehead. She could hear the deafening cheers around as Present Mic announced their shared victory, but she was completely numb to any exterior stimulus, simply focused on regaining her breath.

That was… that was…

Her limbs were trembling as she managed to push herself back on her feet, and she finally allowed herself to take in the reality of the situation. Todoroki and Bakugo were a little further away, also pretty exhausted and making displeased expressions—apparently, a first place wasn't valid when you shared it with two other people. She couldn't really blame them for that, though, even if she wasn't entirely of the same mind.

"Hey, guys!" she called out, grinning broadly. "That was fun!"

"Shut up, Fangs! I'll beat you! I'll definitely beat you!" exclaimed angrily Bakugo.

Todoroki barely spared her a glance, before walking off to grab a bottle of water that was put at the disposition of the competing students. Rukia rolled her eyes a bit, unimpressed by the cold shoulder he was giving her. She didn't really understand from where his sudden desire to surpass her and ascertain his position as best in the class came, but she honestly couldn't care less for petty rivalry.

Hopefully, he'll be in a friendlier mood once the Sports Festival is over…

The rest of the students started coming in one after the other, so she had the time to take a break, drink some water, and eat a small snack. By the time everyone passed the finish line, Rukia was back in top shape and ready for the second round of the event.

"Sheesh, you really weren't joking when you said you were competitive, were you?" asked Kaminari, sweating a fair bit.

She chuckled sheepishly. "I didn't really see the point in holding back. I want to get to the fighting rounds!"

"Still, you've surely turned yourself into a target at that point," remarked Shinso, sparing a glance for the rest of the competition. "Everyone is pretty wary of you, now."

"Good! That means the next game is going to be even more interesting, right?"

Ashido laughed, shaking her head. "There's no deterring your spirit, is there?"

"Right! I'm ready to win this!" cheered Rukia, pumping her fist in the air. "Well, that and I might be a bit high on adrenaline, still."

At that, her friends could only laugh again, releasing some of the tension that had built up during the obstacle course. They were allowed a few more minutes of rest during which the results of the race were compiled, and Midnight finally gathered everyone once again.

"The first game of the first-year stage is finally over," she announced, smiling. "Now, take a look at the results! Know that only the top forty-two made it through to the next round!"

On the screen behind her appeared the names of all of those who had passed. Rukia couldn't help but bounce in place a bit as she saw that she had come in first place, even if the rank was shared with Todoroki and Bakugo. As unexpected as it was, they truly had crossed the finish line at the exact same time and, no matter how the examiners looked at the footage, all three of them had made it through together.

"I know that it's unfortunate for those who didn't make it through, but don't worry! We've prepared other chances for you to shine!" assured Midnight, flashing a subtle, congratulatory grin Rukia's way. "Now, the real competition begins! The press cavalry will be all over it, so be sure to give it your all." She cracked her whip again. "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, and now here it is… the Cavalry Battle!"

Apprehensive mutters followed the announcement as the students took in the news. Rukia wasn't entirely sure of what she was supposed to feel. In a way, she was happy that she'd get to work with some of her friends but, on the other hand, she didn't really know what to expect. It wasn't a fighting event, so she wouldn't have to worry about others holding her back, but it also meant she'd have to rely on others in order to claim the victory.

Though, then again, Heroes often end up working with others on all sorts of missions, so teamwork is an important skill to develop...

"Let me explain: the participants can form teams of two to four people, 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—"

"A point-based system like the entrance exam, uh?" understood Sato, nodding.

"In other words, each team is worth different points depending on who's on the team," realized Uraraka, biting her lower lip.

"I see!" gasped Ashido.

Midnight's whip cracked loudly, threateningly. "You guys don't hold back even though I'm talking, uh!?" Everyone instantly fell silent, intimidated, and she smiled. "But, that's right! And the points assigned go up by five starting from the bottom! So, 42nd place gets five points, and 41st place gets ten points!"

"Wait! Aren't there three students who scored in first place?" exclaimed a girl from 1-B.

"There is! And, as such, the point value assigned to those three students is ten million each!" A heavy silence instantly befell the entire group of students, and Midnight smirked, delighted. "Yes, it's survival of the fittest, with a chance for those at the bottom to overthrow the top! Now, those at the top will suffer more—you'll hear this many times as you attend U.A. High. This is what Plus Ultra means!" She suddenly pointed in direction of the three top scorers, who had been immediately singled out after the announcement. "Aizawa Rukia, Todoroki Shoto, Bakugo Katsuki—those three are worth ten million points each!"

Rukia could feel it growing—the pressure, that is. Even though many of the students around her were her friends, this was a competition meant to determine who was the best and, as such, none of them intended to hold back. However, although many would have cracked under the intense and almost hostile stares, Rukia couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by an incomparable determination and eagerness.

As I thought, this is going to be interesting!

"Now, then, I will explain the rules of the Cavalry Battle." The screen behind Midnight changed to display the aforementioned rules. "The time limit is fifteen minutes. Each team is worth the total of its members' points, and the riders will wear a headband with that number on their foreheads. Teams will try to grab each other's headbands until time runs out, and try to keep as many points as they can. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up so, the more you steal, the harder it'll be to manage them! And, the most important thing is that even if your headband gets stolen, or if your team falls, you're not out!"

"So, since there are forty-two people, there will be ten or twelve teams on the field the whole time?" realized Sato.

"That's tough," paled Aoyama.

"One strategy could be to let someone take your points first so it'll be easier to move around," pointed out Ashido, thinking hard.

"It's hard to say without seeing how all the points end up getting split, Mina-chan," replied thoughtfully Asui.

"During the game, it'll be a cruel fight where you can use your Quirks, but it is still a cavalry battle—in other words, you'll get a red card for attacks that are trying to make people fall on purpose! You'll be removed immediately!" Her grin broadened, and she opened her arms in a theatrical gesture. "Now, you have fifteen minutes to build your teams. Start!"

As soon as the signal was given, everyone got started. Much to Rukia's surprise, it didn't take long for people to surround her and ask her to become members of her team. She had half-expected everyone to turn their back on her but, considering there were two other students who shared the burden of first place, it made sense.

"Sorry, guys, but I already have a plan in mind," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head.

"No worries, Rukia!" assured Kirishima, grinning. "Let's face each other in the battle rounds, alright?"

"You bet!"

"Mou, don't think we'll go easy on you!" warned Ashido, smiling. "We'll get your headband in no time, you'll see!"

"Pretty boastful for someone who doesn't have a team yet," snorted Jiro, shaking her head.

"Hey!"

Rukia bid goodbye and good luck to her friends, before walking toward the one person she absolutely wanted on her team. As soon as he saw her approaching, a small smirk graced his lips, and he nodded in confirmation. Rukia could only grin back, glad to see they were of the same mind. They now had thirteen minutes left to formulate a plan, but Rukia already had a pretty good idea of what to do.

The timer rang, signaling the end of the time allotted to the formation of the teams. Each team was positioned alongside the field that had been set up for the game, and the event was now about to begin.

"After fifteen minutes to form teams and talk strategy, eleven cavalry teams are lined up on the field!"

"There are some interesting teams out there," remarked flatly Eraser Head.

"Now, raise those battle cries! It's time for U.A.'s bloody battle! Light the signal fire!"

"Alright. Are you ready for the piggyback ride of a lifetime, Shinso-kun?"

"We will never speak of this again once this is over."

Rukia chuckled, readjusting her grip on the boy's legs. As it turned out, she deemed that a team of four people would only slow them down and, as such, make them an easier target. So, she decided to only team up with Shinso, who would handle the capture of the headbands while she handled the mobility and the defense. Of course, as the only team of two people on the field, they would definitely be the most targeted out of the three teams worth over ten million points but, with her speed and agility, they shouldn't have too much trouble escaping them.

"All right! You've all made your teams, so I'm not gonna ask if you're ready or not! Without further ado, let's get started on the countdown to this brutal, merciless battle royal! Three!"

"Hang on tight, Shinso-kun," warned Rukia, cracking her neck. "We'll be moving fast."

"Two!"

"Understood. Aim for the center of the field so as to drag as many people as we can into the fray—it'll be easier to go unnoticed then."

"One!"

"Yosh, let's do this!"

"Start!"

Almost instantly, all of the teams started running in their direction. Rukia didn't hesitate in running straight ahead, though, following Shinso's instructions. The boy had a keen intellect, and he could easily analyze the battlefield—one of the many reasons she had picked him as her partner for the game. So, she did as told and went to position herself right in the middle of the field, where the rest of the teams instantly started converging.

"Once they get close enough, jump as high as you can to get over the crowd," he ordered, eyes narrowed as he took in everything.

"Got it!"

As soon as they got in range, Rukia once again did as told and jumped. Almost instantly, though, none other than Dark Shadow and Jiro's Earphone Jacks followed after them. However, having expected as such, Rukia flipped midair and successfully avoided the two attacks, all the while hanging on to Shinso so he wouldn't fall. Almost as soon as they landed, the rest of the teams also reached the center of the field and, at that point, it truly became a free-for-all.

"What a mess it's already become! Aizawa's two-men team was instantly targeted, but they successfully managed to drag everyone into an actual battle royal! Todoroki's team and Bakugo's team are now also having a hard time defending their headbands!"

"Which team?" she asked, hanging close enough to the group to go unnoticed, but not close enough to get dragged into the mêlée.

"The one on our right!"

Students from 1-B, if Rukia wasn't mistaken. The three students acting as the horses were currently busy warding off Shoji's team and, as such, none of them noticed as they got just close enough for the student being carried to hear Shinso.

"Hey, little guy!"

"Uh? Who—"

The silver-haired boy was instantly caught in Shinso's brainwashing and, with a single command, handed over his headband. Rukia instantly took off, making her way to the other side of the field and, by the time the two fighting teams noticed that the headband was gone, the two culprits were already long gone.

"How much?"

"230 points!"

"Great! Which one next?"

"Over there, the team that's made up of girls."

"1-B is seriously going to hate us, uh?" sweatdropped Rukia.

In all of the commotion caused by all of the clashing teams, Rukia and Shinso had practically disappeared in the eyes of their opponents. So, instead of wasting their time chasing after people they couldn't find, the other teams settled for targeting the other two students worth ten million points. As such, while Todoroki's team was being assaulted by two teams made up of 1-B students, Shinso once again used his brainwashing to have the girls' team leader hand over her headband.

"240," announced Shinso as they once again slipped away.

"Awesome. Ours is still there?"

"Yes."

They couldn't afford to let their guard down, considering the number of people on the field that were complete unknowns when it came to Quirks and abilities. While they didn't exactly need to go after more points, though, it was a safety measure, so to speak. After all, the more headbands they managed to gather, the easier it'd be to protect their own.

It doesn't really feel like it, but there are only six minutes left. We can do this!

"Rukia, on our left!"

She nodded, instantly taking off into a sprint to avoid Hagakure's team, which was apparently lacking a headband. As they ran, though, they found themselves cornered by two other teams: Shoji's and another from 1-B. She jumped and spun around to avoid Asui's tongue and Aoyama's navel laser, but she wasn't fast enough to escape from the other team. She did manage to get past all three teams as they started fighting together, but…

"Which one was it?"

"The first one—we're good."

She exhaled in relief. It would seem their decoys were working, and no one was getting their hands on their ten million points any time soon. However, staying still was no longer an option as more and more teams started losing their headbands and, as such, could entirely focus on attacking rather than defending.

"Over there, Rukia."

"Yeah, I saw them!"

They were being cornered again and, this time around, Todoroki's team was in their way. If she jumped again, he'd definitely use that opening to freeze them both. However, behind them was the limit of the field, on their left was Tetsutetsu's team, and on their right was the girls' team they had stolen the headband from earlier.

Crap, crap, crap!

"Shinso-kun, you trust me, right?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe."

"Good enough. Don't scream!"

"What—"

She started running straight toward Tetsutetsu's team. The boy's eyes widen but, before any of them could do anything, she grabbed Shinso and threw him over the human obstacle like one would a sack of rice. He let out a startled yelp that was instantly drowned out by the thundering cheers of the crowd, and Rukia's used their opponents' distraction to throw herself on the ground and slide between their legs. As soon as she got on the other side, she bounced back on her feet and somehow managed to catch Shinso, who landed right in her arms.

"I hate you," he gritted out, glaring.

"As if. You got their headband?"

He rolled his eyes at her cheeky expression, but did show her the headband he had managed to pull off Tetsutetsu's head while he had been sent flying.

"Awesome! How much time left?"

Completely engrossed in the ongoing event, she hadn't been paying attention to any of the commentaries. She knew they had entered the second half of the time allotted but, other than that, she had no idea of what was going on.

"Three minutes and a half. Keep moving!"

"Got it!"

There was no longer any point in going after other headbands—it was an unnecessary risk, and they were well-off when it came to points. From here on out, so close to the conclusion of the game, they needed to entirely focus on defending and escaping. However, as Rukia kept on running from one side of the field to the other, she easily noticed that most of the teams were getting desperate, but also... emotionally involved, so to speak. Bakugo, for example, was now trying to get his ten-million points back from a guy from 1-B, and he looked downright pissed—whatever his opponent was saying, it was making him angry. Also, many of their classmates had converged on Todoroki, apparently ticked off that he only considered Rukia a worthy opponent.

But all of this leaves the field right open for us. Let's take advantage of this!

Tetsutetsu's team was the only one still giving them a hard time but, as expected, a team of two people was a lot faster than one of four. However, as they reached the other side of the field once again, the ground grew soft under her feet, and she started sinking. Realizing she wouldn't be able to free herself and that only a few seconds were left, she did the only thing she could think of at the moment.

"Sorry, Shinso-kun!"

"Don't you dare—!"

She threw him again, but with much more power than before. Now that her arms were free, she used her partial transformation to tear through the soft ground and free herself. At the same time, Tetsutetsu's team reached her.

"Wait, where's the other guy!?" exclaimed Tetsutetsu.

As if on cue, Shinso fell right back in Rukia's awaiting arms—

'RAAAAAAAANG'

—but it was too late for their opponents. The timer rang, signaling the end of the game, and Rukia heaved out a sigh of relief upon realizing that they still had all of their points.

"Good game, Shinso-kun—uh? Shinso-kun?"

"… gonna be sick…"

"Gah, sorry!"

She quickly put him down, lightly patting his back and only now noticing his slightly greenish complexion. Running as fast as she did and throwing him in the air obviously hadn't done anything to help him enjoy the piggyback ride, and something told her he'd never let her carry him again.

"Time's up! That's the end of the second round, the Cavalry Battle! Now, let's take a look at the top four teams right away!" Upon hearing this, Rukia instantly looked up to one of the screens, where the results were now displayed. "In first place, we have Team Aizawa, with 10,000,795 points! In second place, we have Team Bakugo with 10,000,765 points! In third place, we have Team Todoroki with 10,000,425 points! And finally, Team Uraraka with 990 points! A job well done, everyone! Yeah! Now, we'll take an hour's break for lunch before we start the afternoon festivities!"

And that was when exhaustion finally caught up to Rukia. All of the tension that had been building up was released at once, and she collapsed to her knees, her legs shaking and burning, and her heart racing wildly.

"Oi, oi, are you two okay?" asked Kirishima, suddenly showing up.

"Just- just fine… Gotta catch my breath… Kept running everywhere… Damn…"

"Why is my heart spinning so fast…" groaned Shinso, a hand over his mouth.

"So- sorry, Shinso-kun…"

"Still, you were so fast, Airu-chan!" beamed Ashido, grabbing her hand to help her up. "It was as if you kept on vanishing from the field altogether."

"It was thanks to- thanks to Shinso-kun's plan," admitted Rukia, still panting a little.

The purple-haired boy was too dazed to reply to the praise. "Ugh…"

"Still, you haven't been holding back at all, have you?" sweatdropped Jiro, coming to stand beside her and slinging the girl's arm around her neck to help support her. "Come on, let's go grab something to eat. You'll definitely need the energy."

As if on cue, Rukia's stomach growled loudly. Her cheeks instantly flushed in embarrassment, but it really shouldn't have come as a surprise. With how much energy she had exerted in the last few hours, it was a given that she'd get hungry.

"Yosh, let's all go eat together!" urged Kaminari, before shooting a wary glance behind him. "You know, before Bakugo snaps and makes the entire stadium explode."

"He- he didn't take well to his- to his second place, I take it?" chuckled Rukia.

Her amusement quickly died down as something exploded in the background, followed by mumbled curses. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead upon realizing that he really didn't appreciate ending up in second place and, as hard as he had tried to get her headband, he had gotten caught up in teaching a lesson to that boy from 1-B.

Well, once we get to the battle rounds, we'll be able to settle this fair and square, she reasoned, following her friends as they started heading out to grab some lunch. I can't wait!

To be frank, I don't know if there's a rule against throwing your cavalier in a cavalry battle ah, ah. Let's just assume there isn't.

Rukia's physical abilities are greatly enhanced by her Quirk, but also her training, so really: a race was in the bag. Had it been something like a maze with enigmas and that sort of stuff, she'd have had a much harder time getting through.

Also, it was brought to my attention that the name "Talion" might not be as obvious a reference as I first thought ("Talion" being the name I gave to Villain!Deku, in case someone missed that part). "Talion" is actually pulled from the French expression "La loi du Talion" which means "An eye for an eye" in English.

Please leave a review if you have the time, I'd really appreciate it!