Katsuki Does Not Dream of Pink Cheeks
Chapter 29: Endure
"Well whatduya know, looks like we're together for the second stage this year too!" Ashido acknowledged as she slapped Katsuki's back in the spirit of comradery.
What appeared to be the spirit of comradery so far as everyone else was concerned, that is. For the explosion hero, the gesture and words preceding it were coated with a whimsical double meaning.
"Aww! I was really hoping I'd get to break you in front of everyone… Guess I'll just have to wait for the finals."
Katsuki was certain she'd buried that sentiment in her words somewhere, under so many layers that only he could perceive the veiled threat. Competition or not, Ashido always seemed to have the time of her life one way or another. He hated that about her. No matter the abysmal odds she faced, Mina would always have fun. She'd whine, but never stay bent out of shape.
Even by a modest assessment, it was clear Bakugo had nearly every advantage over her that one could have. Even so, he didn't dare underestimate the Alien Queen. Mina Ashido had gotten the better of him more times than anyone else. If someone had proposed that reality to Katsuki just days ago, he'd have branded them a liar for life and blasted them to hell for their jest.
"Who cares, odds were 50/50 we would be. What's so special about that?"
"Someone's actually happy to have you on their team and that's your response?" Kendo chimed in judgingly from their left.
"As if she's the only one who likes a free win," Katsuki spat. "Be honest, Man-Hands, you've gotta be pretty relieved yourself, right?"
"Get the one liners in while you can, I'm paying you back for every stupid thing you say tenfold in the next round." the ginger replied in chillingly calm fashion with a subtle disinterested glare.
"See? You already know we're making it to the finals. Perks of being on my team."
"Your ego's relentless today…" Mina observed critically.
"Shut up and enjoy your free trip to the tournament portion. Be grateful none of you have to face my wrath till then."
"Don't take all the credit already! You heard the rules, it's not that easy! We've gotta earn our way in just like you!" she cut back defensively.
"I don't wanna hear it. You two idiots are the last thing I'm worried about right now." Katsuki replied curtly.
"HUH?!" Kendo and Ashido dared him in unison.
"The top 16 move on to the finals. You two are annoying enough that you'd have a decent chance of making the cut even without me murdering your competition."
"Wow. From you, that almost sounds nice." responded Ashido chipperly as she began stretching from side to side, an action which made Katsuki abruptly avert his eyes out of pure self-preservation.
"Your class must not expect a lot out of you if that counts as praise." said Kendo dryly.
"Get off my ass and make sure I'm not the only one scoring points. You'd both look pretty stupid if you didn't move on after my so-called complement."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're the one behind in points right now between us, right?" stated Kendo matter-of-factly.
"Why you-" the blonde stopped himself from boiling over. "Hmph. Milk that headstart for all it's worth. It's still not gonna be enough to keep you ahead of me."
"I wonder what face you'll make if it is."
Katsuki shot her sharp daggers of unbridled fury.
"Bring it."
A staredown ensued, neither fiery spirit giving an inch to the other.
"Try not to forget we're all on the same team this round, okay guys?" Ashido added exhaustedly.
Like stubborn children called out for fighting, the two looked away from one another, each betraying faint traces of embarrassment as they shifted their attention elsewhere. The arena seemed an ideal distraction. Though it wasn't the only change in scenery from the first round, it was undeniably the safer change for Katsuki to linger on, for many of the students had changed into their hero costumes while the ring was being prepared.
The announcement came as a surprise, but was said to be in response to some incidents of indecent exposure in years past. Apparently certain quirks were problematic without the hero costumes that alleviated their undesirable side effects. Presumably they also wanted heroes in the later rounds to be in costume to present their brand and draw more agency eyes. Present Mic had rambled about the matter at length, causing many of the competitors to duck out early to get changed once the announcement devolved into what might as well have been a standup routine.
Katsuki Bakugo wasn't a fan of this change in the least. Since their firepower and size didn't seem ideal for dodgeball, he'd left the gauntlets behind for this round. Though confident he didn't need the edge, it did irk the boy that he wouldn't be at any advantage in costume here. The same did not go for many of his classmates. In fact, a few of his competitors had just gained a unique advantage against him specifically.
Cementos had produced the ring on which they were standing and the lines had been drawn, dividing the concrete ring into two sides, each with 17 students.
Katsuki knew half his teammates, at best. Shiozaki, Frog Girl, Glasses, Birdbrain, Tail, Bright Boy, Discount Kirishima, and of course, Kendo and Ashido. Those were the only faces familiar to him and he knew the majority of even them only by his monikers. They'd split the teams up in odds and evens fashion from first to last place. The rules had been explained to them as: "No touching the other side; You land in their zone, you're out. If you're hit by a ball from the enemy team, you're out; Rebounds count. If you catch an enemy's ball, they're out, bring one of your own back into the game. Your starting points are what you ended the last stage with. When you hit another player, you gain points equal to what they started the round with; They're worth the same points on subsequent eliminations as well. The use of quirks is permitted, but excess damage to the ring and/or balls will result in red flags; Three of those and you're out."
Katsuki remembered Mt. Lady eyeing him threateningly as she imparted the last rule.
"Looks like the dream team's reunited, huh, Kendo?" squealed Ballhead as the dwarf of a hero wormed his way into their informal group.
"...That right?" she replied, visibly appalled.
"Stop being gross, Mineta!" chastised Ashido.
For once Katsuki was relieved she'd opened her mouth before him.
"W-what?!" the grape imp asked defensively, feigning innocence like a murderer with blood on his breath. "What're you tearing me down for, Ashido?! I'm just full of team spirit! Don't tell me you're jealous?!"
"You're full of it, alright."
"It's fine…" Kendo added reluctantly. "Honestly the little guy can be pretty useful when he wants to be…"
"You're kidding?!" Bakugo barked, insulted for the human race itself.
"I guess that's true…" admitted Mina, disgusted with herself. "The little perv's even helped me out in group training before, now that you mention it…"
"That's more like it!" Grape Rape responded eagerly, beaming with undue pride as he crossed his arms. "It's about time you all acknowledged my worth."
"Hey, Mineta," Kendo interrupted, a jovial urgency in her tone. "Since you're feeling so helpful, do you think you could do me a favor?"
The faintest trace of a vein could be detected on her brow.
"Tch. Ginger almost sounded believable there."
"For youuuu?" the grape hero gushed, a line of drool and bright blush appearing on his face in record time. "Anything for yooouuuu, Kendoooooo…"
"Great." Itsuka replied with visibly forced warmness. "Here's the idea-"
Kendo covered her mouth and whispered into the tiny hero's ear. His face turned scarlet, eyes shifting to the back of his skull in clear ecstasy. The devious imp's lip quivered with every word the ginger said to him, all in an inaudible whisper.
Not knowing whether to be primarily uncomfortable or angry, Katsuki looked elsewhere to placate himself and assess his opponents for the nearing match. Itsuka's sudden talk of strategy soon seemed commonplace as he observed those of the opposing team. Uraraka, Jiro, and Yaoyorozu were all huddled up, along with Kaminari who resembled a hostage or lost child more so than a willing participant in their discussion. The three girls nodded and turned to the electric hero, only for him to offer a nervous and delayed nod in response.
For obvious reasons Katsuki didn't want to linger on that particular trio of girls for too long, which led him to move his gaze rightward, where his carmine eyes found an unlikely pair in Icy Hot and Chop Up. From what he could tell, the latter was dominating their conversation, but unlike the bewildered Kaminari that preceded him, Half-N'-Half looked attentive and open to the ideas of his fellow recommended student.
Further right he found Deku, Kirishima, Tape, and Aizawa Jr. all going over what could only be a plan of their own. The three 2A students all burst with an eagerness to contribute while Aizawa Jr. appeared to follow their lead and signal approval. He was still a follower among his new peers in the hero course. Though he'd been warmly received by both classes, he still didn't seem comfortable enough to take the initiative when in a group.
Various dynamics aside, the strategizing occurring all around him shared one purpose. With teams this big, splintering off into smaller units and forming a plan was the only way anyone was going to execute any halfway complicated plan on such short notice. All the better if some of your teammates were regular partners of yours. Unfortunately, Bakugo hadn't wound up with many former teammates. In fact, those he'd worked with the most and got along with best — so far as getting along with Bakugo was possible — were all on the other side of the golden line that divided the ring down the center.
Kirishima, Jiro, Kaminari, Tape, Fat Lip, Deku, even Icy Hot. They were the only peers he'd worked with on a somewhat regular basis. By this point in his U.A. career he'd worked with everyone in 2-A at least once in some form or fashion, but those relationships were hardly established enough to call on for a competition. He had no reason to carry any dead weight here. If they weren't competent enough to help him in return for the aid he would undoubtedly provide them, then they weren't worth partnering with at all.
As Katsuki pondered on all those he'd carried before now, a uniquely annoying reminder met him facefirst. Shiozaki, who seemed to be in the midst of some trance or pre-battle prayer. If he was to team up with anyone, why not the one person who'd carried him?
"Ivy!"
The solemn goddess of vinery offered him no response. Her trance persisted.
"Hey now, Bakugo! If you're gonna go and talk trash to Ibara before the match, just keep it to yourself, ya hear me?!" Discount Kirishima asserted and stamped his feet, placing himself firmly between them.
"Stuff it, Shittyshima! If I want to tear down anyone on my team I'll start with nosy bastards like you!"
"Oh yeah?! Well what're you about to bother her with then?!"
"A gameplan, dumbass!"
"A gameplan?" he parroted back, dumbfounded.
"What are you, hard of hearing?!"
"Have you no idea how sinful it is to disrupt one in prayer?" asked Shiozaki, finally acknowledging the blonde with an ominous stare.
"Don't say I didn't warn ya!" Shittyshima relented with a shrug, backing away as if to avoid an impending stampede.
"Like I give a shit about warnings and sins right now!"
"What is it you request of me, Hellspawn?"
"I still owe you one from our duo match." Bakugo stated, his tone calm and threaded with shame. "I didn't carry my weight. So let me carry some of yours now."
"A sinner offering penance?"
"From what I can tell, your vines are best suited for defense and capture. Add my offense and we should rack up a shitload of points before those idiots know what hit 'em. A lot of balls will be coming my way, so stay behind me and catch 'em."
"I'm impressed. Your desire for atonement is commendable, but I'm afraid I cannot be an accomplice to your devious scheme."
"That was actually a good plan!" appraised Shittyshima. "You pitched it to the worst possible person though."
"I don't do schemes or coward shit!" Bakugo retorted bluntly. "If I had my way this would be an every man for himself, no holds barred bloodbath! But I know those damn nerds over there well enough to know they're not gonna let me have my way. They'll have something annoying as hell up their sleeve, as always."
"Two wrongs hardly make a right." Ibara replied in priggish fashion.
"Listen here you glorified houseplant, I'm not tellin' you to do anything that'd screw up your holier-than-thou moral fucking compass. Just be a ball girl for the team."
"Ball girl?" she repeated, genuinely puzzled.
"Oh! That's a good idea! Yeah Shiozaki, just get balls you see that are going out of play like you're helping out a sports practice! You've got the reach, plus then none of our guys who get out will stay out since you'll be catching balls like a machine!" approved Discount Kirishima.
"Very well," Shiozaki followed, oddly proud. "I'll be the "ball girl.""
"Took ya long enough, Ivy!" Katsuki thought, rolling his eyes.
"What is this I see?!" began Copycat, announcing himself as he stepped between Bakugo and Shiozaki. "The rude and crude brute of 2-A is suggesting teamwork? But I wonder, will it be true teamwork or follow the leader? Say the plan goes awry and you're caught with your pants down again? Could it be that you actually sought out our dear Shiozaki so she could graciously save you again?"
Ivy looked to Bakugo expectantly, seemingly waiting for either an outpouring of rage or a confession of ulterior motives.
"If you wanna pick a fight, try making it to the final stage for a change." Katsuki replied with a cold gaze of indifference.
"You really have cultivated a cooler head over the last year. Not a cool head by any means, but a cooler one nevertheless. And here I thought I'd be able to get you carded before the game even started!" Copycat shrugged, his tone one of exaggerated defeat.
"I'm as hot blooded as ever. Just not gonna waste my energy on smallfry," Bakugo dismissed, looking back to Shiozaki. "Anyway, now you know my gameplan. Do whatever you want."
Katsuki parted from the 2-B students and began to pace leftward, observing the opposition once more as he did. Most of the players seemed to be finalizing their plans in small group huddles. Yaoyorozu's unit had taken to the right backline of their side. Icy Hot stood center-ring, Chop Up close behind him. Deku and Tape were to the front left, ready to rush for balls at the signal. Kaminari had taken to the backline, opposite Yaoyorozu and the girls. Kirishima stopped in place not far from Half-and-Half while Aizawa Jr. who he'd parted with took to the mid backline. The others who Katsuki was less familiar with - namely the 2-B students on Team 1 - had all secured various different positions, none of particular intrigue to the boy.
"When'd you go and become a social butterfly?" Ashido greeted him anew, stepping into his path.
"You really have time to waste on more chit-chat right now?" he asked scathingly.
"I was ready ages ago!" Mina bragged. "So what's the scoop? Looked like you were striking up a juicy conversation over there."
"Nothing to it. Just giving Ivy a free pointer."
"Oh… That's still hanging over you huh?"
"As if! She just happened to be on my team and her quirk suits what I'm going for. Making things even is just a stupid bonus."
"Never knew you were so sentimental. It's kinda adorable!" Mina assessed with glee.
"Keep the dumbass opinions to yourself, you couldn't be more wrong." Katsuki scoffed.
"Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't want anyone to think the best of you." she responded in kind. "Shethe only one you plan on teaming up with today?"
"Don't fish for help you don't need, it's annoying! Our plans are too alike anyway, there's no point."
"What do ya mean?! You don't even know my plan yet!"
"You're gonna show off your agility and draw balls to our side, same as me."
"How'd you know that?!"
"Our strengths and styles aren't that different. Wasn't hard to imagine what you'd do."
"Phew, that's a relief," said Mina. "Was beginning to feel like you were avoiding me."
"You talk too much." he complained, looking away.
"Gotta pick up your slack. We'd never get anywhere otherwise."
"Doesn't mean it's not annoying as hell…" Katsuki grumbled.
"You're pretty shy, huh?"
"The hell?!" he snapped, turning back to her.
Ashido's face was mischievous as ever.
"I could tell you were pretty close to breaking earlier. I guess even you of all people get a little nervous when it comes to this stuff."
"Stop screwing around ya damn -"
"Part of you's really hoping I get eliminated here!" disclosed Mina, visibly relishing in the discovery. "It's all over your face."
"Why would I care?!"
"Whoa, you're actually scared of taking me on right now, aren't you?"
"Don't be ridiculous! Like I'd ever -"
Like an apex predator Mina Ashido pounced on the weakness she caught wind of.
"Bakugo…" she cut him off, now purring into his ear. "I'm gonna beat you in front of everyone on national tv. And you're going to love it."
His words stopped in their tracks in response to Ashido closing the distance. The breath that hit his cheek and sensual pitch that infiltrated his ear took hold of Katsuki like a whirlwind. Though wits tried to stand their ground, they were lost and strewn about in the hurricane, like a tree uprooted from the earth. Now lost in the chaos of this force of nature, all the boy could do now was wait to see where he'd land.
"No chance in hell!" he responded flusteredly.
"Took you a second," Ashido critiqued giddily. "Seeing you on edge like this is super adorable and all, but I bet you'll be even cuter when you're getting beaten."
"And I bet you'd be even hotter…" Katsuki couldn't help but think.
"Come on," she prodded sadistically. "Fight back."
"Stop pissing me off, you …"
"What? Use your words." Mina grinned knowingly.
"That damn smile again…"
"Don't mess with me…! I'm gonna…" Katsuki continued to stumble, unwittingly losing himself in Ashido's gleaming eyes before his gaze reflexively fell.
"You're gonna break," she hijacked his sentence. "Today's the day you finally spill the beans about your huuuge monster crush on me."
"Why does she have to be in costume?! That so damn perfect fucking costume..."
"You're…"
"That's okay," consoled Mina mockingly as she brought a hand to his cheek. "Words are tough."
"Crap! Not here... Every time I think I've got a handle on this, it slips! So damn annoying!"
"I'll kill you." he abruptly snarled, smacking her hand away before threatening her with a crackling explosion.
"That's more like it!" Mina rejoiced. "Looks like you've got some more fight in you after all. For now at least."
The Alien Queen had it all down to a science at this point. A thin veneer of innocence hid her bubbling mischief just enough to enhance it. Such tendencies usually bothered the boy when displayed in others, but in Mina Ashido's case it had only served to endear her more to him. It was as if he was in on a secret. Only instead of harboring a groundbreaking one like One for All, the young blonde knew only that his torturer was feigning innocence.
"You talk way too damn much..."
"You already said that!" she said, sticking her tongue out.
"Then how many times do I have to say it before you shut the hell up?!"
"Don't worry. I'm sure it won't be much longer till you're speechless."
"Planning your funeral already?!" Katsuki fumed back.
"You're too cute when you're like this!" Ashido squealed with delight.
"T-the hell are you going on about?! Give that crap a…"
He lost his train of thought as Mina abruptly inspected her bust. Bakugo hypnotically followed suit. Pinky had called his bluff and shattered the incipient defense he'd cobbled together. She may as well have been a trojan horse or natural disaster.
"That never gets old," the pink beauty snickered after confirming his trance with her own eyes. "Did I break your concentration?"
"I CAN'T…!" Bakugo gaped openly.
Eyes glued to Ashido's now illustrious cleavage, Katsuki felt his face heat up like a furnace as he pitifully failed to utter anything remotely suitable as an exit strategy. Instead, the punishingly inviting chest only inspired his crackling hormones to dig the hole deeper.
"Awwww! I left you speechless already!"
"So damn…" he muttered aimlessly.
"Wow, you're pinker than I am."
A hoard of responses were confined in his mind, like crabs in a bucket. Every undesirable reply Katsuki thought of spitefully dragged down any sane response close to leaving his lips. In his rabid panic he thought of so much to say that it left him silent. Intuition begged him to say something to break the increasingly humiliating silence and though his lust agreed, their motives for disrupting the quiet were worlds apart.
"Why the hell are you...?" he burst, mesmerized.
"Looks like you're breaking early after all." Ashido smirked, placing a hand on her hip.
"You're a damn sadist, you know that…"
"Think so? I could probably get a confession right now, huh?"
"Don't get cocky just because…" Katsuki paused suddenly, feeling a traitorous drool trail down his chin.
"And here I thought you were going to make me wait to force it out of you in the finals."
"Damn it…" the boy cursed exhaustedly.
"Go on and get nice and loud for me." Ashido urged seductively.
"Why the hell am I so damn horny today?!"
Katsuki had originally theorized that if he ignored or endured these feelings for long enough that an immunity would form. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Instead he was growing more vulnerable to lecherous thoughts by the day. The explosion hero was supremely frustrated with this injustice. Though he'd tried to ignore his base desires, they'd consumed a considerable amount of his time for the last week. He'd even indulged himself several times now. It didn't make sense for him to still feel so pent up.
"Maybe that's the reason…"
He'd indulged himself — Consistently. But Katsuki hadn't come to understand himself any better. Acting on impulse had deprived him of the chance to ponder why the desires were there to begin with. Why he felt the things he did for who he did. After all this time, Katsuki was still at square one.
"You okay?" Ashido inquired quizzically. "Blood all leave your head again?"
"Yeah…" Katsuki admitted breathily.
"Aww! You poor thing."
"...Where's that vest you always have on?" he fumbled, desperate to run out the clock before anything too mortifying was uttered.
"Oh, my waistcoat? I thought all my dodging might ruin the fur."
That explained why Ashido's rosy cleavage was even more alluring than usual. So much so that he hadn't noticed the tan vest's absence until moments ago. Her standard costume was provocative enough; This was overkill.
"That costume should be illegal…"
"What? You don't like it?"
"... I love it." he admitted, frustratedly stupefied.
That skintight bodysuit couldn't lie and neither could Katsuki. His purple and turquoise camouflage patterned old friend had a way of clearing away all worries–not to mention all thoughts. It didn't help that it cut off just above Ashido's breasts. Bakugo felt as if he'd been drugged and prepped for intensive surgery every time he laid eyes on them. Filters and witticisms were always the first thing to go.
"You're so close!" squealed Mina. "Now go on and break for me!"
The world around him was as pink and warm as his Alien Queen. Prior concerns of social stigma evaporated. No prying eyes were left to bother them. The young hero had entered a metaphysical steam room. For someone whose sweat was worth its weight in gold, it may as well have been paradise.
"You're so fucking hot…" Katsuki succumbed like a bursting dam.
"There you go." Ashido responded coaxingly.
"I can't fucking resist you at all… You and that damn costume…"
"Oh yeah?"
"It's too sexy, I can't get you out of my damn head!"
"Good boy."
"Who the hell do you think you are, being so…?! No one has any business being so ridiculously hot!" he raged.
"I can't believe this is really happening!" Ashido squealed with glee.
"Damn it! I wasn't supposed to have to worry about you this round!" Katsuki berated himself.
"Should've known better, you really let your guard down." replied Mina with the toothiest of grins.
"You really do piss me off…"
"Uh-huh?" she replied, daring him to go on.
"... I can never get a fucking 'nough of you."
"Almost starting to sound romantic!" Mina gloated girlishly.
"Fucccckkkkk…" Katsuki grumbled, paralyzed in admiration. "Fine!... What the hell do you want from me?"
"How about a declaration of looove? One loud enough for the whole world to hear!" she proposed, bringing an eager fist to her face.
Whether the gesture was meant to celebrate her victory or to partially conceal her ardor, Katsuki couldn't say. At any rate, Katsuki's unwavering and inflamed libido was eager to please the temptress before him. Any desires to stall were just embers of his once fiery resistance at this point.
"YOUR 15 MINUTES OF STRATEGIZING ARE UP AND THE BALLS ARE ALL SET!" Mt. Lady boomed from a referee chair positioned at the end of the center line.
The crowd and students alike grew silent as the explosion hero confirmed the news with his own eyes. It rang true. Cementoss could be seen exiting the ring just beyond the last ball to Katsuki's right. Ashido's prodding had absorbed so much of his attention that he hadn't even noticed the progress of the setup. If any of his peers had been focused on them, it wasn't apparent. Every last one of them seemed lost in their own rituals, some taking deep breaths while others locked eyes with the ball they intended to go for at the start.
"Awwww!" whined Mina. "Why'd they have to go and interrupt now?!"
"Hey."
"Yeah?" she asked, audibly caught off guard by Katsuki's change in tone.
"That's the last time any of your stupid stunts have an effect on me! Make sure you move on so I can murder you!"
Ashido's smile returned.
"We'll pick up where we left off later." she stated with calm confidence, finally turning away from him to face the opposition.
"Keep dreaming." Katsuki spat, matching her and rotating toward his competitors on Team 1.
A smirk from Jiro caught his eye, making him fear the worst, but Bakugo was quick to shake that worry from his mind. Admonishing himself for anything his classmates may have overheard was an exercise in discipline best saved for later. It was a fundamental rule for any hero in the real world: Address the collateral damage after you save the day.
Following that train of thought, he set his sights on a certain Icy-Hot bastard instead. His fierce gaze was met in kind, giving Katsuki just the palette cleanser he needed to rile himself up in a way far more suited for battle.
"You have until either one side is completely eliminated or 10 minutes pass," Mt. Lady continued, raising a checkered flag up in the air. "Ready. Set. GO!"
Katsuki instinctively blasted himself upward into the air. The area he vacated was instantly covered in a sheet of ice. In fact, upon further inspection it was clear Todoroki had accomplished much more than that. He'd frozen their entire side of the ring.
"WHHHOOAAA!" exploded Present Mic from above. "Once again Shoto Todoroki's making big plays right out the gate! Did he just immobilize most of the enemy with one move?! Say it ain't soooo!"
The commentary wasn't inaccurate. At a glance it appeared Icy-Hot had indeed bound most of Katsuki's teammates to the ground. Kendo, Discount Kirishima, and Bright Boy were the first victims he picked out of the crowd. The former seemed unfazed and maintained a ready stance in contrast to the latter two who were visibly angry and panicked, respectively.
However, several of his teammates managed to evade this tactic. Ashido and Ballhead had maintained free footing through acid and balls, Birdbrain had taken to the sky with Frog Girl in tow, and Four-Eyes wasn't far below them, briefly airbound from a burst his engine calves surely provided.
"Not bad, you extras. Was gonna be pissed if I was the only one to dodge that. Too bad we weren't that bastard's only target."
The balls on the line were all visibly rooted in the ground by the ice Todoroki sent forth. Ponytail, Uraraka, and Deku all praised Icy-Hot's work as he drew closer to the centerline and placed both hands to the ground.
"That's right. Melt 'em loose. Bet you think that'll give your team first crack at all the balls, right?!"
Intuitively Katsuki mentally readied a Stun Grenade as he saw the steam begin to rise from the dividing line. He tactfully waited a few seconds, watching as several members of Team 1 began dashing toward the seemingly secured balls. Once satisfied with the timing, Bakugo revealed his hands and released the most dazzling Stun Grenade of his life.
"Keep making me sweat like a damn dog, Ashido. I'll win the whole festival with all the free fuel!"
Grinning maniacally as he watched his opponents futilely shield their faces in delayed motions, Katsuki raised both hands and shot himself downward to the centerline with precise blasts. Slipping ever so slightly on the ice, he managed to pluck a ball from the line and draw back his hand for a violent throw. Yet before he completed the act, something peculiar demanded his attention. The other balls had begun to levitate and move back toward the enemy team, most of whom were quickly regaining their vision.
The boy surveyed them cautiously since he was unfamiliar with the quirk being used. A gray-haired girl with a focused expression seemed to be the obvious culprit. Lacking in anything resembling mercy, Bakugo aimed right for the head. Despite his accuracy, the ball was perfectly blocked by the sudden appearance of materialized kanji letters that spewed forth to shield the girl, rebounding the ball back to Team 2's side. Katsuki peered in the direction from which the bizarre obstruction had appeared. This time he was 100% sure of the quirk's source: Class 1-B's manga bubble headed bastard.
"I should've expected as much," he heard Kendo comment with grim pride. "Not bad, Reiko. You too Fukidaishi!"
"ANNNDD THE PLAYS KEEP COMIN'! Talk about a crazzzzyyy back and forth! Looks like Team 1's secured an early advantage!"
"Advantage?" Katsuki spat. "They've gotta throw those at me and my lackeys. That's our advantage."
Emboldened, he flashed them a devilish cocksure grin.
"LACKEYS?! THE HELL'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" yelled Discount Kirishima from behind him.
"Means it's time for us to catch some balls. You idiots can all still move your hands, right? So I don't wanna hear any excuses."
"Fine! But same goes for you! Better not see any mistakes from you either!"
"You ain't got time to worry 'bout how I do. There's a volley comin' our way."
Every ball the gray-haired girl had secured for Team 1 was finding its way to the hands of one of Katsuki's enemies. Soy-Sauce Face hastened one's approach with his tape, a tactic both Deku and Aizawa Jr. mimicked with their abilities. As Katsuki watched the latter claim a ball with his scarf, he couldn't help but resent the fact that some of his peers were already benefiting from the use of their costumes in this round.
"Annoying quirks, costumes, whatever. They're gonna need a lot more than that to beat me!"
Chop Up was the last to obtain a ball early; A feat she accomplished by sending her disembodied hands to the sky. Following that, the remaining balls dropped down to their recipients: Uraraka, Gluehead, Invisibitch, and Kaminari. It was then that Katsuki noticed something important.
"Grayhair's quirk only got 8 of the 12!"
With a swift propulsion from his left hand, he was able to claim the remaining rightermost ball before anyone else even had a chance to go for it. Through his peripheral, the boy witnessed Frog Face pull the corresponding leftmost balls to her with her elongated tongue. At the same time, Bakugo sensed a ball coming his way from his right peripheral and promptly turned to face it and attempt a catch, only for it to withdraw via the length of tape attached to it and return to the thrower's grasp.
"Made ya look!" teased Soy-Sauce Face cockily.
"There's the decoy. So who's really gunnin' for me?"
The young hero intuitively looked to his rival and found an answer. Wearing his trademark grin, Deku had his arm drawn back for what was certain to be a powerful fastball. Upon observing that he'd been caught before pulling off his surprise attack, Izuku acknowledged him.
"Heads-up, Kacchan!"
"I remember when you couldn't even throw a softball without screwing up your hand. Remind me how much better you've gotten, you damn nerd!" Katsuki called back, ready for war.
The Preview:
The UA Sports Festival heats up as we see Team 1 make a strong showing in the first moments of the match. Team 2 responds in kind, resulting in a chaotic back and forth. Kendo reveals her strategy, Kodai surprises everyone, and Bakugo finds himself squaring off with many a rival. Next time: Chapter 30 - Siren. Go beyond, plus ultra!
AN:
I cannot apologize enough for the ridiculously long wait. The world got pretty crazy and like everyone else I found myself taken by surprise by how hectic things got. Thankfully all is well with me at this time and I hope the same goes for all of you. It pains me to know that many of those who diligently followed this series for so long will likely not see this latest release given the insane gap between it and the last. Regardless, I hope all of you who find it enjoy it immensely. I promise this was the longest wait you readers will have to endure from me. Planning to deliver the next chapter extra promptly to make it up to you all. Feel free to continue visiting the shipping poll I have in the meantime. Always interesting to see who you're all rooting for!
More to come,
ER
P.S. In case you're trying to keep track on who is on what team and all that jazz, here's a cheat sheet for that. Most of the info was in the chapter, but not every character came up organically since Katsuki's still not the best with names or socializing.
Team 1: Uraraka, Yaoyorozu, Tokage, Bondo, Yui, Honenuki, Midoriya, Todoroki, Sero, Kirishima, Shinso, Reiko, Jiro, Sato, Hagakure, Manga, Kaminari
Team 2: Kendo, Bakugo, Shiozaki, Asui, Monoma, Awase, Ashido, Mineta, Iida, Tetsutetsu, Mei, Tokoyami, Aoyama, Oijiro, Tokei, Kuroiro, Kamakiri
