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Ten Days Later
The Apartment of Usagiyama Rumi
Xandria's POV
"Hey kid! Ya got mail!" Mirko yelled from the direction of apartment's door.
"Just put it on the table!" She yelled back even as she continued to study for the exam that Wass on the horizon, "Ah'll get ta it later!"
"It looks important!" Mirko yelled clearly conveying that she wasn't going to let this go.
Don't think for a second that she thought the Pro Hero was acting maternal or friendly or anything because that just wasn't her style. It was more a case of she didn't do it she knew someone else would get on her case to make sure it got done. So one could call it 'bother management' more than anything else. Still if the woman thought it was important than she guessed it would be better to take a look instead of risking Usagiyama-san kicking her across the room the next time they sparred.
Putting down her book she got off the bed and made her way to the living room to see what was so important. When she arrived Mirko was in her usual spot on the couch and a quick look around allowed her to spot the envelope easily enough. Picking it up the first thing she noticed was the fact that it was from U.A high school making her mildly curious about what they could want. Opening up the envelope she took out the piece of paper inside and unfolded it but when she finished reading it all she had in her head was confusion.
Why?
Because according to the piece of paper and the words written on it she was the lucky winner of the Sports Festival 'Fight a Legend' lottery. It listed all the details of the event in question as well as instructions for her participation on the day in question. However there was just one big problem with that: she'd never signed up for the lottery. In the end she'd chosen not to because while it'd be fun to see where she stood in comparison to the big name Pro Heroes tactically it was unsound. In the end she prioritized keeping her secrets from the villain community since short term fame meant nothing in the face of a long successful hero career.
"So what is it?" Mirko asked turning halfway towards her.
"A mistake. Says ah won mah way inta that lottery they're holding at school for the sports festival." She replied flipping the piece of paper over to see if anything informative was on the back, "Thing is ah never signed up for it."
"So what? It's a chance to show the world what you're made of!" Mirko said with her confident grin on her face, "If you gotta show off there's no better way to do it than trading punches with the best."
"Ah know but it's also a way for Villains ta get an advantage over future heroes." She said not being swayed by the promises of fame, "Let'em know what they can do and give'em time ta plan. Better ta keep things close ta the vest an' keep'em guessin'."
"You're giving those scumbags too much credit." Mirko said sounding dismissive of the concept of 'criminal intelligence', "They might be able to tie their own shoelaces but that don't mean a lot. Besides you learn a lot at U.A. They can study the sports festival all they like but it won't be worth nearly enough after they graduate. So even if this is a mistake take advantage of it! Go for broke!"
While she wanted to dismiss the words out of hand the part of her that thought of things related to being a Pro Hero considered them. It was true that for those who were just entering U.A high school they had a few years to develop their quirks and their skills. Even if the Villains scrutinized them at the sports festival it was plausible that by the time they joined an agency and worked as a hero full time any acquired facts would be all but useless. In a way the rumour that this would be the last festival where anyone other than the first year students would be competing was for the best. The less time that students had to train and evolve though the less room for change there was meaning gathered intel would be more valuable.
Of course this put her in the group of people that at best might have a year or two in order to improve their skills before doing official work as a Pro Hero. Unlike the others she had the benefit of multiple powers giving her a bit more breathing room since planning for them would be a lot harder than just one quirk. For the rest of her classmates though they'd have to work their their asses off to make sure that they didn't lose the element of surprise when they made their debut on the streets.
Maybe…maybe participating in this lottery match wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
However that still didn't answer the question of who entered her into the lottery or why they'd done it. There were reasons both benign and malicious for entering someone into a contest without their knowledge or consent but the moment she tried to figure out a way to get answers her mind hit a dead end. The obvious solution would be to take a look at the security camera footage at U.A high school but she was just a student so she didn't have access. She could go to a teacher or even Principal Nezu to ask for them to look into it though but she doubted that they'd consider it all that much of a priority. To them getting the chance to fight a Pro Hero was a gift from the gods so looking through security footage for the culprit would be at the same level as counting how many grains of rice were in a large jar.
Tedious and ultimately of little importance.
~Maybe ah'm makin' too much of this.~ She thought folding the piece of paper back up, ~Does it really matter who signed me up? Would finding out their name really change anything?~
Not really are the answers that came to mind as answers to the two questions. She didn't know that many people at U.A so learning a new name and a new face would mean as little as it would if she saw a named photo of someone in the newspaper. As for as their motivations they wouldn't mean nearly as much coming from strangers as they would from people she knew either as classmates or a friend.
"Ah guess it wouldn't hurt ta give it a try." She said thinking it'd be too much effort to arrange for her name to be taken off the list of winners.
"Gee! Ya couldn't be less excited about it if ya tried." Mirko grumbled her mood taking a dip, "You gonna bother training or what?"
"Ah'll keep up the stuff you taught me but nothin' other than that." She replied after a moment of thought, "It ain't long until the festival so ah doubt uppin' it'd make all that much difference."
"If all ya care about is gettin' stronger or faster yeah but you can still learn new moves." Mirko said sitting up on her couch, "HELL! It's part of being a Pro Hero to come up with names for your best moves! People expect it!"
"Maybe but it's kinda stupid." She said speaking her mind without thinking about it, "Announcin' what yer plannin' ta do by callin' it out just gives the villain time to block, dodge or counter ya. Better ta keep yer trap shut."
"Thinking stuff like that is just weak." Mirko said with a frown of disapproval, "A hero needs to be someone that can give the Villains all the handicaps they want and still beat'em."
"No one's that strong." She said frowning herself at the logic of the Pro Hero's argument, "When ya get right down ta it Villains are just people usin' their Quirks for themselves instead of other people and don't care who gets hurt so long as they get what they want. That makes'em selfish not stupid. Give'em enough openings and they're bound ta get lucky sooner or later."
"Oh really?" Mirko asked rhetorically getting off of the couch, "Let's see if yer right."
"What do yah mean?" She asked not quite getting it.
"Get yer costume." Mirko replied heading for her own room, "We're goin' to a place I know of where we can cut loose without worrying about the mess. If you think callin' out yer moves means they can be beat then I want to see it!"
Shit.
Her mouth had gotten her into trouble again.
She'd just been speaking her mind but apparently she'd accidentally challenged Mirko's views and now was going to get her ass kicked for it. Sure she could try to talk her way out of it but she had a feeling that doing so would only anger the bunny hero even more. Considering how she'd compared the woman to She-Hulk and the usual result that came from pissing off a member of the Hulk family she decided it'd probably be best just to take her lumps instead.
Besides in a way it'd be a good way to train for her match since Mirko was ranked number five so sparring with her would provide a good experience for what fighting a high ranking Pro Hero was like. Assuming her roommate didn't go overboard she'd be given a good idea of what not to do with whoever she wound up facing. She felt it was a pretty safe call to say that she'd probably have her foe chosen for her and that they'd possess a Quirk that'd make winning hard on her. To her mind that meant a high level of resistance against her physical attacks and possibly superior maneuverability since being super strong didn't mean much if you couldn't hit your target.
Heading to her room she stripped out of her laze around the house clothes before getting to work putting on her costume. It didn't take long but she'd asked Power Loader if he'd see about figuring out a way for her to get into it quicker. Not right away of course but rather for when she became an official Pro Hero since she knew that the guy was busy. She just thought that being a Pro Hero would mean she'd have to be ready to drop whatever she was doing at any given moment and spring into action. Unlike others though she wouldn't be able to go into battle in civilian clothes so there'd need to be a way to get her costume to her fast and put it on even faster.
For some reason her mind came up with the image of a metal torpedo launching from someplace only to wrap around her while she was mid-air and take on the appearance of her hero costume. It was stupid and looked like something you'd see in a big budget Hollywood movie or a cartoon but at the same time it'd be kinda cool. Plus in this world being a superhero was an actual occupation whereas back home trying to do the hero thing would've gotten her charged with vigilantism regardless of how well she performed. If they accepted people in ridiculous costumes doing things right out of the comic books then perhaps other things from comics, movies and cartoons could also be accepted in time.
Best to worry about that later. She thought pulling the helmet on and hearing the seal between it and the torso armour hiss into place, Right now ah gotta focus on survivin' a bunny shaped beating.
~^I wish I could say something positive but you probably are going to get pounded. Just make sure to protect your vital areas.^~
She was tempted to roll her eyes at this but instead she pulled the faceplate of her helmet down, locking it in place and watching as the HUD info popped on before cycling through start-up.
Once it was done she left her room to find Mirko standing impatiently by the door dressed in her Pro Hero costume confirming that she needed to find a way to get geared up quicker.
"So where're we going and how're we gettin' there?" She asked deciding to change the Pro Hero's focus.
"Yer takin' us by air and you'll see when we get there." Mirko replied turning away and heading for the door, "Just follow my directions."
With a shrug she followed her roommate to the roof of the apartment complex and after getting a good grip on the bunny hero's arms took to the sky. From there directions were bluntly provided as were orders to 'hurry the hell up' causing her to increase her flight speed as much as she dared without endangering her roommate. All in all it took a little under an hour before they arrived at what looked to be a rock quarry but there were no signs of it being currently in use. That being said she could see signs of Mirko using the place as a spot to vent frustration and maybe practice her own Pro Hero moves without having to worry about getting into trouble.
"So how're we gonna-" she asked before out of nowhere she found herself being flung downwards with incredible speed and force.
As a result she impacted the ground in an open area of the abandoned rock quarry hard enough to leave an impression but her own durability along with her armour meant she was unharmed. Still she didn't have time to think on it any longer since throwing her down to the ground only delayed Mirko's descent by a few seconds. Rolling to the left she got to her feet as swiftly as possible and a second later her sparring partner touched down the sheer strength in the legs allowing the Pro Hero to absorb the force of the fall from flight height.
When her roommate's eyes raised to look at her she could tell that the time for talking was over with and the time had come to climb the mountain of experience and power that was Mirko.
~Ah'll give it mah all.~ She thought even as she brought up her arms into a fighting position, ~Power Loader is gonna be pissed later.~
U.A High School
Class 3-A Homeroom
The Next Day, Morning
Kaoruko's POV
"Man! You look like shit." She said in amazement as Xandria sat down behind her desk.
"Hammered shit if ya want to be specific." Xandria remarked with a wince.
It was understandable because while not looking like someone with an abusive boyfriend her friend definitely had a few bruises that hadn't been there yesterday. Considering the durability of her classmate and the added protection that the girl's armour gave her she almost didn't want to know what could do this.
Almost.
"What happened?" She asked hoping that she'd get an answer.
For a moment it looked like Xandria might brush her off but with a sigh of concession her friend spoke.
"Got a letter in the mail yesterday. Told me that even though ah didn't sign up for it ah'm one of the five that'll get ta fight a Pro Hero at the festival." She replied as though it was no big deal, "Wasn't going ta do it at first since ah didn't sign up for it but my roommate thought it was a good idea an' wouldn't let up 'til I agreed ta give it mah best. Then ah made the mistake of tellin' her my thoughts on comin' up with names for hero moves. Her way of convincin' me ta use them was a sparrin' match and she's not the type ta pull punches or kicks."
~Damn. Her roommate must have a powerful super strength Quirk to do this to her.~ She thought imagining how it all must've gone down.
Still Xandria didn't seem to have any trouble walking or moving about so the damage couldn't have been too bad.
"Weird. Who do you think put your name in?" She asked pondering the question herself a bit.
"Dunno. Coulda been someone who thought it'd be good for me ta get a taste of the spotlight." Xandria replied with a shrug that only produced a mild wince, "Coulda been someone lookin' ta send trouble my way. No way ta be sure without finding out who it was."
"You think someone might've done this to make trouble for you? How?" She asked wondering how signing up someone for a lottery could be considered trouble.
"They could use it somethin' else ah got but shouldn't've. They got plenty already they're arguin' with the Principal 'bout." Xandria replied with all due seriousness, "Or they could say ah somehow used my powers ta cheat and make sure ah got one of the five spots. An' those're just the ones ah can think of off the top of mah head."
She couldn't help but groan a bit as she could only agree with her friend's concerns.
She'd done what she could to convince some of the other students to give Xandria a chance but the most she could say was that was that some of them were beginning to doubt their previous positions. Too bad doubting yourself and actually concluding that you were wrong were too different things. It became clear to her that it would take an action rather than a well phrased statement to change their minds for the better.
Maybe this fight with a Pro Hero at the sports festival would help.
A lot of people did say that you could tell a lot about a person by watching them fight after all.
"Well aren't you just putting on a grand performance." A voice said that she had hoped she'd never hear speak in such a tone again.
Roxy.
She'd hoped that when the diamond girl realized how massively she'd crossed the line last time that there might be a temporary reprieve from the bullying. At the height of her hopes she'd even thought that maybe the entire incident might've been enough to get Roxy to stop bullying Xandria altogether.
Apparently she was too optimistic.
"Eh? Ya mind explaining that Bling-Girl?" Xandria asked with a narrowing of eyes and a slightly chilly tone.
"You making all this hot air about not signing up for the lottery but accepting it because your 'roommate' will only keep hassling you if you don't." Roxy replied her tone clearly disapproving, "Then coming up with some half-assed theory that someone put your name in behind your back. Seems like a lot of work when something simpler makes a lot more sense."
"And that'd be?" Xandria asked with a raised eyebrow of inquiry.
"You did put your name in but were too chicken to let everyone know about it and now that you've won you're trying to make it sound like people should be blaming anyone but you." Roxy replied with a sneer, "A coward and a liar. Not exactly Pro Hero material."
"You know what Bling-Girl ah'm tired of havin' ta defend mahself every time you open yer big mouth." Xandria said after letting out a brief sigh of exasperation, "I'm done with it. Say what you want and do what you want. Me? Ah'm gonna just pretend ya don't exist from here on out."
"WHAT did you say?" Roxy asked with rising anger in her voice.
Not surprising since a lot of bullies just did what they did for attention but for Roxy she figured it was something a little bit more personal. Roxy's goal was to get fame and fortune with her duties as a Pro Hero taking second place on her list of priorities. Part of both was the fact that people needed to pay attention to what you said and did in order to be famous. Riches also required that people desired to pay attention to her since the more popular a Pro Hero was the more they got paid by the government. Bottom line? Someone coming straight out and saying that they'd ignore Roxy like she didn't even exist might as well have been a slap in the face.
This point was only driven home even more by the fact that Xandria turned her gaze away from Roxy acting for all the world like diamond Quirk user wasn't even there.
Seeing where this was going she quickly put herself between the two classmates before Roxy gave into the urge to use her Quirk's destructive capabilities on the cause of her anger.
"Chill Roxy. I know you don't like Xandria but you've got better things to do than ruin her day." She said trying to be both respectful and taken seriously, "Like studying, training and getting ready for the sports festival. Do you really have time to waste raining on Xandria's parade three times a day?"
She considered Roxy a friend, they'd known each other from their very first day at U.A, and she didn't want to lose a friend but letting two of her friends get into a fight couldn't be allowed. For one thing it'd definitely get them detention from Snipe and if enough damage was done it could even lead to outright expulsion for BOTH of them. Better for her to intervene and try to cool things down before they got out of hand.
"Tch! I hate it when you're right Kaoruko." Roxy said turning away like it'd all been one big bother, "If the Quirk stealer is pulling a fast one on the faculty she'll screw up sooner or later. Then she'll get her ass tossed out like she deserves!"
With that the confrontation was defused and while she might've lost some points she felt her friendship with Roxy could still be repaired.
"She wouldn't have done anything you know." Xandria said without turning her gaze back ins Roxy's general direction, "Her Quirk does too much damage and she'd be the one to get expelled if she did anything. There are security cameras in here after all."
Oh. That's true.
Looking to the ceiling it was easy to spot the half sphere cameras installed in the ceiling and they were positioned in such a way that they completely covered every corner of the classroom. If any student tried anything the teachers would easily be able to figure out who'd started something as well as who smashed what. So long as Xandria didn't say anything or do anything that intensified the confrontation the blame would've landed completely on Roxy's shoulders for any damage done. Whether the diamond Quirk girl realized this or had just taken her advice she didn't know but she was glad that things had cooled off one way or another.
Still she had a feeling that this wouldn't be the end of things between Roxy and Xandria.
Day One of the Sports Festival
The Food and Merchandise Stall Area
Xandria's POV
~Dammit Mirko! Did ya really need ta go that hard for the final sparrin' match!?~ She thought wincing a bit when reaching for a small plate of Yakisoba noodles.
It'd been two days ago when her roommate had declared it'd be their last sparring session before the festival since the bunny hero thought that it'd be necessary for a rest day. Of course that had just made her trainer all that much more determined to squeeze every last speck of 'experience' into the final match.
If it hadn't been for Rogue's nigh invulnerability she'd be in the ICU right now and even with it she needed every bit of rest she could grab hold of. As it was there was still some soreness and the occasional spike of pain but it wasn't at a level where the smart move would be for her to pull out of her lottery match. She was no stranger to pain either in her old male body or in this one so she could work through it so long as her opponent didn't land any especially powerful blows on one of her three nastiest bruises.
Using a plastic fork she began to eat the Yakisoba all the while wondering when the people behind the lottery would officially announce who she'd be fighting. She'd thought that when she'd arrived at the stadium that all she'd have to do was go to a room set aside for the lottery winners and she'd be told who her opponent would be. After that she'd either be told to stay in the room until her match began for the sake of not spoiling the surprise of the fans when they found out. Instead she'd just been told by one of the people running things to enjoy the stalls and that there'd be an announcement on one of the many huge TVs set up on the stadium grounds. In other words she'd find out at the same time everyone else in the area would whether they were students, teachers or people who'd come to enjoy the festivities.
Troublesome but not unexpected.
Kaoruko wasn't with her because she was competing with the rest of the class so they were all gathering in the stadium for the official opening ceremonies. Opening up the program she'd been given at the gates she saw the schedule for the day and the first lottery match wouldn't be happening until early afternoon. The entire morning part was set aside for the first years so that they could make the best first impression on the audience. As for the evening it looked like it'd be made up of performances by students and graduates who'd chosen to focus more on a job in showbiz. In most cases this was for the best since they didn't possess Quirks compatible with fighting crime or rescuing people but others had chosen the entertainment industry out of ego and nothing more.
Those who could bring nothing to the fight against Villains were justified in looking elsewhere for employment.
Those who could save lives either by fighting or by rescuing but chose the spotlight of a stage instead she could not approve of even given her respect for free will.
~Oh well.~ She thought before swallowing her mouthful of yakisoba, ~At least the fireworks at the end will be good on the last day.~
She hoped.
"Is everyone having a good time? YEAH!"
That voice and that volume were unmistakable with its source also difficult to miss given that it was coming from the largest TV on the side of the stadium.
Present Mic, the Voice Hero.
With that kind of volume and showmanship the man was the obvious choice for doing announcements as well as the play by play for the events. Didn't change the fact that he was WAY too loud in her opinion and rarely if ever used his 'indoor voice'.
"Well it's about to go PLUS ULTRA! To spice things up we carried out a LOTTERY for our students!" Present Mic declared with full showmanship, "Five lucky winners will be granted the opportunity of a LIFETIME! A ONE ON ONE MATCH WITH A FAMOUS PRO HERO!"
This had everyone within earshot of her to start talking with excitement though most of them were focusing on trying to figure out which Pro Heroes would be participating. Not surprising since few who didn't know them personally would care about which students would be participating in the fights. Maybe some of the scouts from the various hero agencies would have a few student names in mind but that'd be about it.
"WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY! YEAH!" Present Mic yelled to hype the situation, "There will be a fifteen minute TIME LIMIT for each match! Victory can be won by loss of consciousness, becoming incapable of continuing after examination by Recovery Girl or surrender!"
Standard competition rules though she was a little concerned about the whole 'medically incapable of continuing' part. Sure she understood that since they had people with Quirks that could be used to heal they could let things go further than it could be back in her home dimension. Nevertheless it would still necessitate a level of restraint and limitation on the part of the combatants in order to keep things from getting truly dangerous. Even with the advancements made in medicine there'd be a limit to how much people would be willing to condone in a friendly competition based sparring match.
"Now HERE are the match ups for the five lottery matches!" Present Mic declared before his image was replaced with five match ups with picture blocks on either side of versus symbols, "Look carefully! Remember the names! And prepare for matches that'll have you at the edge of your seats!"
Looking at the list of matches she couldn't see anyone from the student side of the match that she recognized but the Pro Heroes she knew from the news.
Ingenium, the Turbo Hero, from the Idaten agency.
Fat Gum, the BMI Hero, who ran his own hero agency bearing his name.
Best Jeanist, the Fiber Hero, who ran Genius hero agency.
All three of them were well known heroes two of which had their own agencies while the third was often mentioned in some articles as being the future head of the agency once his father retired in a few years.
However she could tell that the Pro Heroes that had the most attention of everyone looking at the gigantic tv screen were the last two.
Endeavor, the Flame Hero, who was currently the number two ranked hero in Japan
Honestly she pitied the young lady who'd gotten paired with him because after encountering him during the team exercise in the fake city she could honestly say that restraint didn't come easy to him. The fire user was definitely someone who focused on overwhelming his opponents both to end things quickly and to intimidate the rest of the Villain community. In this case the cameras and the countless eyes would be necessary in order to keep the guy from going overboard.
However when she got to the last match, HER match, she found herself both surprised and intimidated by who she'd be facing.
All Might, the Symbol of Peace and Justice, and the most popular hero in Japan if not the world.
Rationally she could see the logic in it since in order for the match to be interesting the Pro Hero would need to be someone that she'd have a hard time with. The matches were intended as a chance for the student lottery winners to show those the audience what they had learned as well as put their Quirks on display for appraisal. Depending on how each individual agency chose their new sidekicks it'd be important for the students to showcase how powerful or useful they could be in a combat or rescue scenario.
Given her ability to fly, take powerful hits and send a few back there were only so many Pro Heroes that could really put her through her paces. Add to that the fact that the man already had a pretty good idea of what she could do and handle it meant that the odds of anything accidental happening would be low. It'd also mean though that she wouldn't be able to surprise him with much since he already knew of her powers including the one she took from All For One.
It was going to be a big match one way or another though since with the number one hero involved but she was thankful for one thing at the very least.
They'd put a headshot of her in her costume rather than her student ID photo so she wouldn't have to worry about being harassed by reporters, scouts or spectators. The fact that she hadn't chosen a Pro Hero name for herself yet also meant that it was her civilian name beneath the picture cutting off the last possibility the curious had for finding her.
"Clairemont Alexandria? Who's that?" A woman behind her asked out of ignorance, "Sounds American. Did U.A start accepting exchange students?"
"Dunno but her mask looks fancy." A guy replied sounding uncertain, "Wonder what Quirk she has."
"If they're pairing her against All Might it's gotta be pretty powerful otherwise they'd never made him her opponent." The woman said starting to sound interested, "Maybe they even think she's got the potential for breaking into the top ten! That'd make sense right?"
"Guess we'll just have to wait and see." The guy said before the sounds of the two walking away reached her ears.
Her? A potential future top ten Pro Hero?
While she couldn't think of a reason why she couldn't one day make it that far she didn't think it was logical to believe that the reason All Might had been made her opponent was because the teachers had such high hopes for her. They were supposed to treat all students equally so she was sure that their choice of match ups had been mostly focused on providing the students with the best experiences with a good show for the audience being a secondary benefit. When taken along with the fact that she didn't particularly care about where she ranked as far as Pro Heroes went and she wasn't concerned about the popularity potential of the match.
Mirko and everyone else could call her a child all they liked.
No matter how many times she considered the whole situation she just couldn't bring herself to change her opinion on what it meant to be a hero.
A hero helped those in need.
A hero protected those incapable of protecting themselves.
A hero brought evil people to justice.
A hero proved to everyone that even nature could be opposed when it got 'cranky'.
Above all else a hero provided the people with a sense of hope for the future.
As long as she could do these things to the best of her ability she didn't care if people didn't pay her the least bit of attention online, in print or on TV.
THAT would be the Path of the Hero she would follow.
The Hallway Outside of the U.A Faculty Box Seats
Noon
Yagi Toshinori aka All Might's POV
"You wanted to speak with me Principal?" He asked after the door to the box seat closed.
"Yes I did. Thank you for coming so promptly." Nezu said in his usual polite manner, "After some debate we've decided to have your match with Miss Claremont happen first rather than have it at the end. While there is a risk of it overshadowing the other lottery matches it is for a good cause."
"Oh? What would that be?" He asked still feeling a little bad at the idea of hindering the attention of the other lottery winners.
Sadly it was something he'd come to accept since he'd risen to notoriety as a Pro Hero that even if he didn't mean to he'd still become the centre of attention to whether he wanted to or not. Often he tried to use his fame to steer attention back towards those he thought truly deserved it but while some appreciated his efforts others had gotten quite angry at him. They were the ones who wanted everything they gained to be because they'd earned it through hard work and perseverance rather than the charity of others. Over the years he'd done his best to learn the various signs and tells of the people he met so that he wouldn't accidentally offend them but so far he couldn't consistently succeed.
"Since Miss Claremont began attending classes at U.A she has done well as far as her studies are concerned with respectable marks in every test." Nezu replied with a concerned look on his face, "However her relationship with her fellow students has not fared nearly as well. Due to her possession of multiple Quirks and her ability to gain more through touch she has been isolated from her peers. Those who had been on the same team have opened up more but the rest either avoid her or have turned into bullies."
"It is truly sad when so many allow their fears and anger to ruin what's supposed to be a positive experience growing up." He said feeling true sadness that the young woman that'd helped him against All For One was being blocked from the joy of making friends because of how others perceived her Quirk.
It was a little known fact that while most Quirks were accepted by society there were a small few that caused the owner to be regarded with suspicion and distrust. Mostly because their properties made abusing them all too easy or attractive making people suspicious that the ones who had them and that could lead to fear. Fear often became hate and could lead to aggression down the road if the person feeling it was bold enough to add action to words. Even though it'd been mentioned that Alexandria's Quirk of Power Absorption would create friction between her and others he'd still been optimistic that it would fade the more the U.A students got to know her.
It would seem that he would need to learn to temper his optimism if only a little.
"I agree. In order to combat this problem and give Miss Claremont to participate in the festival the faculty and I devised the lottery and ensured that she would be one of the winners. It is our hope that not only will sparring with you showcase her abilities but will show those watching that her personality is not the sort to be feared but rather it is no different than one possessed by her classmates." Nezu said showing he was of a similar opinion, "After all it is an ancient piece of wisdom that you can learn much about a warrior by watching how they fight."
"Your words never fail to prove why you're the principal of U.A high school!" He declared remembering many such statements when he attended U.A in his youth.
"Thank you. However there is a less than honourable reason why you were chosen to be her opponent." Nezu said with a bit of shame in his voice, "Many are afraid of Alexandria because she possesses many powerful Quirks and could potentially gain even more if she tried. They're afraid that if that happens there'll be no one capable of stopping her. As the Symbol of Peace and Justice many would look to you to stop her if it became necessary. That is why when you fight her you will need to be rougher with her than you otherwise would be. Doing so will make it clear to everyone that even if Alexandria were to go rogue you would be more than capable of stopping her."
"I…do not know if that would be right Principal Nezu." He said for while he could follow the logic it didn't feel right to him.
"I know it is difficult All Might but it is all to help Miss Claremont." Nezu said with genuine regret, "If simply learning alongside her is not enough to prove that she has the heart of a true Hero then we must use other means to improve how others perceive her. Through her match with you she will show how much good she could do as a Pro Hero and in being defeated by you few will fear her causing too much damage should she choose the life of a Villain."
Thinking on that he felt his reluctance to follow Principal Nezu's plan waver for with the grim picture that had been painted of Alexandria's life since he'd seen her last he felt the need to do whatever he could to help her.
If it would make sure that all would be fine for Alexandria in the future then he would make certain that he would be there in the ring ready to give it his all.
"Very well but I will NOT tarnish my image as the Symbol of Peace and Justice." He said firmly making it clear that any distasteful or dishonourable tactics would be off limits.
"I would never ask you to compromise your ideals old friend." Nezu said making it clear with his tone that the very idea repelled him, "This is after all just a sparring match and will be held to the same rules and standards as any other."
That was a relief because just like other competitive match a referee would step in should one or both combatants attempt to do serious harm to one another. The referee would also be quick to intervene should either combatant show signs of being unable to attack or defend themselves. If he could indirectly show Alexandria where she could improve while praising where she was strong he could help her on her path to becoming a true Pro Hero.
"Now given the abilities each of you possess we've decided to make the USJ facilities your battlefield rather than the traditional platform in the stadium. It will afford both of you greater freedom when you fight and the cameras installed there should make it easy to keep up with both of you." Principal Nezu said revealing more of the details, "I will leave it to the two of you to decide how long the match should last. However be aware that Power Loader is not thrilled with the potential damage to Miss Claremont's armour. Please try to keep it to a minimum or he might just refuse to repair it as a way of expressing his displeasure."
That would make matters a little more difficult for him not not impossible.
It was after all a fact that while he was the strongest Pro Hero his opponents were never in the same league as him with the exception of All For One. Because of that he'd always had to be careful to only use the bare minimum force required to subdue a Villain without injuring them to the point where a stay in a hospital bed would be necessary. As the Symbol of Peace and Justice he had to represent the highest standards that all Pro Heroes should aspire to so going anywhere near something that could be considered 'excessive force' was not permitted.
Adjusting the power beneath his blows so that it would not overly damage Alexandria's armour would not be too difficult though it would require adjusting his fighting style somewhat.
"Never fear! By the time the match is over all the young lady's armour will need is a new paint job and perhaps some polishing!" He declared grandly in his usual way.
"Good to hear. I would rather not to give Power Loader a reason to be 'too busy' to help around the school for the next few months." Nezu said causing them both to remember what happened the last time the mechanically inclined Pro Hero had gotten that upset.
The man took pride in his work and no one liked to see the fruits of their labor treated poorly or be returned to them in terrible condition.
Out of respect for Power Loader's skills and out of loyalty to U.A High School he would do all he could to not overly damage Alexandria's armour while at the same time providing a match that would meet all of Principal Ness's requirements!
On his honour as the Symbol of Peace and Justice he would not accept anything less!
The U.S.J Facility
A Little Over an Hour Later
Xandria's POV
"AH KNOW! AH KNOW! Ah promise ah won't do anything stupid!" She exclaimed before hanging up on the com-connection to Power Loader, "Yeesh! It's like he thinks ah'm gonna piss All Might off and then let him pound me inta pudding!"
Out of nowhere her brain considered all the different ways her statement could be interpreted, locked onto one way in particular and then imagined it all with all the vividness he was capable of.
"EW! Ah don't care if ah am in a girl's body now!" She muttered to herself even as she moved to where she'd been informed the match would begin, "Ah do NOT bat for the other team! Ah like girls!"
She didn't know what her mind going to places like that meant but she'd definitely be taking steps to make sure there weren't any more slip ups in the future. She'd see if she could get a computer with a decent net connection and then when Mirko was out doing her hero thing she could indulge in some quality 'me time' in her room. To be perfectly honest in all the time that'd passed since Halloween she'd never once done any 'exploring' half because it'd weirded her out and half because Willow's echo pretty much made it impossible to stay in the mood. At the time that she'd absorbed her best bud the girl had not only been a complete virgin but tended to suffer a mental overload at the slightest steamy thought.
Needless to say if she couldn't even IMAGINE the right daydreams without getting a mental earful then actually have some 'fun' had been impossible.
However if the alternative was having more slip ups she was prepared to overpower the Willow echo by force in order to experience the desired kind of 'satisfaction'.
~Alright! Enough of that!~ She thought as her line of sight cleared and she could see the starting point for her match, ~Time to put my gamer face on!~
~^Y-y-yes! A-All Might's the number one hero after all. Y-you can't let yourself be distracted by…by…THAT stuff!^~
Great.
Just when she thought that maybe she'd be able to touch that subject without the echo's input the fragment decided to speak up.
Sigh.
Shaking off the mental statement she focused on the rough strategy that she'd managed to come up with in the short amount of time she'd been given before the match. Attempting to defeat the number one hero with brute strength was an idiot's move since she'd seen enough of it during his fight with All For One. Speed and durability were probably on a similar level so to her mind there was only one possible route to not getting defeated in the first fifteen seconds of the fight.
Skill.
For all the raw power the man possessed along with other parts of physical prowess he was essentially a self-taught fighter that relied on his overpowered body to make up for any weaknesses. As such if she fought smarter rather than harder she should be able to get a handful of shots in while also evading some of his more telegraphed moves. She doubted that she'd be able to avoid getting hit entirely, she wasn't that lucky, but she'd do what she could to keep the damage to her armour to a bare minimum. Hopefully she'd only get hit with glancing blows or the shockwaves from his powerful smash punches since she had no desire to feel one of All Might's punches even if he was holding back.
Stepping into the rough circle that she'd been told would be the starting point of the match she could already see quite a few new camera emplacements scattered about the interior of the USJ complex. Some were secured to the ground others to the side of cliffs or buildings and she even spotted a handful of drones flitting about through the air. Principal Nezu was really going all out to make sure every moment of her match with All Might could be transmitted to the audience in the stadium. She had to wonder just how many people were manning those cameras in order to keep them aimed at the action. He doubted that any of them would be able to consistently keep up given how fast paced the action would be but she was sure that they had a pro timing the changes from camera to camera so that as little was missed as possible.
So where was-
"Let the match begin!" A voice bellowed from above before landing on the ground ten feet in front of her, "Why? BECAUSE I AM HERE!"
Fanfare. Playing it up for the crowd.
She knew it was a part of the festival schtick but she did't like the idea of using it while on the job with lives on the line. Thinking them up was distracting enough but using them only took away from the focus needed to defeat the Villain and protect the innocent . Indeed everywhere she looked be it on the news or from her classmates everyone seemed to think that showmanship and being a hero went hand in hand.
She couldn't quite convince herself of that, not really, but perhaps it'd occur to her later on once she'd finished learning at U.A high school and had some experience under her belt.
"YEAH! Here it is folks!" Present Mic said through the speakers placed throughout the building, "The number one hero, the Symbol of Peace and Justice, ALL MIGHT! Versus! Alexandria Claremont of U.A class 3-A! There will be a fifteen minute time limit and of course our referee will step in if any unsportsmanlike conduct happens."
Like that last one was a possibility where All Might was concerned.
As for her? While she wouldn't limit herself to comic book superhero rules of combat she wasn't about to pull anything truly shifty for a fight like this. It was just a sparring match, a way to test herself against a worthy opponent, so she'd learn where she had to improve if she was going to do this Pro Hero thing right. The only time she could see herself resorting to dirty fighting would be if it was the only way to keep death at bay.
Her own or someone she'd chosen to protect.
"NOW let's get down to the fight EVERYONE'S been waiting for!" Present Mic said hamming it up for the crowd, "FIGHT!"
"Texas-!" All Might declared crossing the distance between the two of them in practically the blink of an eye, "-SMASH!"
Knowing what was coming she put into action her first strategy for coping with her opponent.
It wasn't dodging to the side or even into the air.
Instead she dove forward and off a little to the side as fast as she could.
As soon as she'd concluded that she wouldn't be able to match All Might in a contest of strength she'd begun looking for alternatives. With everything she'd experienced during the fight with All For One she knew that the blows the top hero was capable of were usually accompanied by potent releases of air pressure. This being the case just dodging to the side or even up didn't guarantee that she'd escape the blow fully. That was when she decided that the safest place for someone staring down a human cannon was to get behind him so that all the danger would be directed away from her.
It wasn't a trick that'd work more than a handful of times but it would allow her to last longer than a head on confrontation would.
Using her power of flight to right herself quicker then would normally be possible she moved to get back to All Might before the big guy could turn to face her. She wouldn't try to punch the guy since she doubted that even her strongest safe blow would do much good. Many Villains had probably thought they could beat the number one hero if they could land a single all powerful blow but considering All Might's reputation was as strong as ever that approach clearly hadn't worked. If she stood any chance at all, ANY CHANCE, it wouldn't be decided by a single blow but rather the successful landing of a great many.
Hundreds most likely.
In order to make that possible she needed to break his line of sight.
With that in mind she wrapped her arms around his waist before taking to the air as quickly as she could. She knew she had seconds before he'd react to her but she needed as much altitude as she could for what'd come next.
A German suplex done with as much speed and strength as possible before being released when both had reached their peak.
As soon as All Might left her arms she flew for the nearest territory capable of providing her with the cover she required to break line of sight. The people in the audience likely thought that she was afraid and had gone into hiding but nothing could be further from the truth. Vanishing from All Might's guess was intended to make it harder for him to find a target to fire off his attacks at leaving him with no other choice but to either strike randomly or use moves with large areas of effect. One would obviously help her more than the other but she'd thought up some rough ideas for either possibility.
~Now ta see what he'll do.~ She thought settling behind the strongest obstruction she'd been able to find in the time she had.
"An excellent opening move Miss Claremont!" All Might praised sounding like he was still where she'd dropped him, "However surely you have more to offer the crowd than that! Come out and let's all see just what you've learned!"
She didn't answer.
Talking would give away her position and even if he didn't know preachily where she was a rough area would be enough for him to wipe out her cover exposing her to All Might. Better to leave him in the dark for as long as possible and let him fire off a few testing blows so she could take advantage of it afterwards.
"Very well! If you will not come out of hiding I have no choice but to seek you out!" All Might declared ominously, "Detroit SMASH!"
A massive distortion in the air followed but given that her hiding place was undamaged and only some disturbed debris that'd been on the ground flying through the air the attack had been aimed elsewhere.
One miss.
However how long would he continue to miss and when would he finally hit pay dirt?
She didn't know.
Normally in a situation like this the best thing to do would be to change locations repeatedly while at the same time doing her best not to be seen. The one problem with that was that she didn't have a way of figuring out which way the number one hero was facing without potentially exposing herself. She didn't have any handy mirrors and the same environment that hid her so well would've made seeing All Might in the reflection difficult at best. Right now the only safe way of keeping tabs on All Might's position was through her sense of hearing.
"Not there? Then how about HERE!" All Might said with his voice looking like it was going up, "CALIFORNIA SMASH!"
With all the power of an earthquake the ground shook knocking her off of her feet and making the wind blow about all the more violently but at the same time it seemed like her hiding spot had escaped damage.
~Good…good.~ She thought waiting for the number one hero's next attempt to find her, ~If he keeps this up he'll use up some of his strength and might decide ta look for me in person.~
With the entirety of the USJ complex to work with that'd take time and without having to worry about his smash attacks an opportunity to strike again would appear. When that happened she'd probably try to get him into the water area and keep him there. While he likely had the raw power to make devastating blows even submerged he'd still need air like any other person and the water would put drag on his attacks. Despite his abilities All Might couldn't fly at all meaning he could only travel on foot or by jumping vast distances.
With nothing to push off of in the water he wouldn't be able to do either in the water allowing her to get some hits in.
Right up until he probably did the impossible or the incredible by displacing the water enough to gain the footing he needed to leave the artificial lake.
It'd be perfectly possible considering the man's reputation.
Too bad it was something else that caused a shift in the situation.
If she hadn't been so focused on her sense of hearing she'd probably have missed it but there was no mistaking the sound of a whirling rotor getting closer to her. Looking towards the source she instantly identified it as coming from one of the aerial drones being employed to cover the fight for the people in the audience. She hadn't considered it even though she should've but once she'd vanished from sight it was only natural that the crew controlling them would seek her out. Now they had found her and while at first she wasn't bothered by this a possibility arose in her mind that had her rapidly looking about for better cover.
She'd only been hiding in a crouched position behind a wall since it'd been the best option with the small amount of time she had.
It might have been enough to block her from All Might's position but it only covered ONE direction: in front of her! From the direction the drone was coming from there wasn't anything to obscure her and while she doubted they'd rat her out to All Might there was another possibility. The drone wasn't doing anything to hide though and might possibly be loud enough for its rotors to be audible from where the number one hero stood. If All Might heard the drone, if he looked in its direction and somehow figured out why the machine was hovering over a specific area.
If that happened she'd have seconds before he arrived but more than that the guy would keep tabs on every aerial drone from here on out. Instead of firing punches at random directions the top hero would aim for the spots the drones were interested in upping the likelihood of a successful hit substantially.
~Nothing! There's nothing big enough ta hide behind!~ She thought failure continued to rise to block her efforts, ~They're going ta find me!~
Thus did the question become: would she wait to see what happened or would she take action to offset exposure?
All Might's POV
~Alexandria is truly wiser than most her age.~ He thought continuing to try to find the young woman, ~Most of them would have attacked me head on out of a desire to earn praise and fame.~
However while such actions were what you'd expect from a teenager they weren't things that'd lead a student to victory over an experienced Pro Hero. Most students in U.A knew the basics of how to control their Quirk so that they wouldn't be accidentally hurt themselves or others. As they advanced their teachers would help to refine this to make it less of a blunt object and more of a finely made tool capable of both precision as well as power. Even then though it would be years of real life experience that would make the students strong enough to the point where they could contend against their fellow Pro Heroes.
Alexandria however had obviously realized that no amount of youthful exuberance would overcome the gap between the two of them and had chosen to use her head rather than her muscles.
The tactics she was using against him were all focused on one principle: strength mattered little if you lacked a target to use it against.
In diving past his first smash she removed herself from his line of attack buying her precious time while he attempted to turn around to face her in order to initiate her own attack. It was a bit of a surprise to be on the receiving end of a move he himself had used in the past but it was when he'd regained his footing that he realized its purpose. The large impact and the thrown up debris had obscured the young lady from his sight allowing her to hide amidst the various environments of USJ. He'd tried to goad her out with words and then used a move with the greatest chance of displacing the teenager's hiding spot in order to expose her but thus far his efforts had ended in failure.
~I need to do something to heat up this match.~ He thought recalling the time limit, ~While she might have proven herself well in the area of strategy this will not be enough to satisfy the audience. We need to have at least one good flashy exchange of blows for that to happen.~
It was as he looked about that he noticed that one of the drones had ceased its casual search pattern to hover over a certain spot. Had the operator found something? A clue perhaps or…
~You need to learn to conceal yourself better Alexandria.~ He thought pushing off the ground beneath his feet to propel himself towards where the drone hovered, ~Villains won't always look for you themselves. Sometimes they will use other means.~
CRASH!
"There you are!" He declared as soon as he spotted his opponent, "The time for hiding is over young lady!"
He knew he had to fight more aggressively or else his foe would likely once more go into hiding while waiting for an opening to appear. With that in mind he quickly grabbed ahold of her by the shoulders before throwing her in the direction of the fountain that existed at the centre of the USJ facility. If he wanted to keep her from going into hiding then he needed to keep her as far from potential hiding spots as possible AND keep her from leaving his field of vision. Not an easy thing to do considering she could fly while he was limited to running or leaping but he had not become the number one Pro Hero in Japan by failing to adapt to such foes.
As quickly as he was able he leapt after her getting more than three quarters of the way there by the time she hit the ground bouncing once before sliding to a stop.
To her credit the young lady was quick to get her feet back underneath her but he would not let her do more than that.
"Nebraska SMASH!" He declared rotating his right arm even as he punched in Alexandria's direction.
This attack had been chosen specifically as a counter towards the young woman's ability to fly since by causing her to be spun around she would be disoriented. It would make it difficult for her to judge which way was up and which way was down making it possible that in trying to escape the girl would only slam herself into the ground. This was a very real hurdle for the young lady to overcome since it was a common tactic used by both Pro Heroes and Villains to neutralize flyers with some method of disorientation. Some went with simple smoke bombs while others possessed a Quirk that allowed for a more directed assault on their target.
~How will you overcome this young lady?~ He thought even as he worked to keep the student within a tornado of air by using Nebraska Smash repeatedly.
He smiled as he was soon able to see his opponent's answer.
While some might've tried to fight against the tornado winds and power their way back towards him this was not the correct approach. Even if they possessed the necessary strength to overcome the tornados generated by his attacks they would needlessly use up stamina in the process. If they possessed an insufficient supply of stamina they would be helpless even if they reached their opponent.
Instead it was Alexandria's approach that was the correct one.
Instead of fighting against the tornados created by his Nebraska Smashes his foe chose to add the power in them to her own in order to be propelled out the other end at high speed. By doing this any future attempts to trap her inside of tornados would be pointless since they would be escaped from in seconds. This approach would also allow Alexandria to create significant distance between the two of them increasing how far he would need to travel in order to engage her in battle. While it was true that with the speed granted to him by One For All he could do so quickly the greater distance would give the young lady's eyes and mind additional time to perceive his approach.
If that happened evasion or counterattack both became possible.
Seeing her fly away he decided to teach her that even if one succeeded in escaping an opponent's Quirk that did not mean it was time to relax even a little. Guessing about her flight path he hopped into the air before putting his plan into action.
"NEW HAMPSHIRE SMASH!" He declared before punching in just the right direction so he would be propelled where he wanted to go.
BAM!
Just like he'd intended he slammed into Alexandria while she was still in the air and together they plummeted into the ground. However since he had been expecting this he was quicker to recover his footing allowing him to throw a punch to what to his eyes represented the thickest part of her armour. With the force behind the blow Alexandria was once more sent flying breaking through four trees at the edge of the forest area before enough momentum was lost to cause her to fall to the ground.
Pausing he watched as she pushed herself up onto all fours and seemed a little unsteady making him think that he might've put a little too much power behind the blow. Still she proved resilient as her movements gradually gained in strength and once more she stood upright looking like she was considering possible tactics to use against him. It would certainly explain the unfocused look in her eyes but this was something he would have to correct since a Pro Hero couldn't let their thoughts become so great that they lost awareness of their surroundings.
Indeed while part of the reason why Alexandria had been made a winner of the lottery was to improve how others perceived her both as a person as well as a future Pro Hero there was a more practical goal. Given what her primary Quirk was and how she'd forced All For One to retreat it was inevitable that his hated enemy would take action regarding her sooner or later. What that action would be he didn't know but he doubted very much that it would be benevolent in nature. Kill her? Capture her so he could study her Quirk in more detail? Corrupt her so that she would embrace his way of thinking?
None of those possibilities were things he was willing to let happen!
He would give his all to help her growth along so that she would be prepared for her next encounter with All For One's darkness!
He would follow Principal Nezu's plan so that instead of treating Alexandria like an outsider her classmates would treat her with the same fairness as any other U.A student!
"…Plan." Alexandria said with an unknown quality to her voice, "This is all because of some plan?"
How?!
"You disappoint me All Might." She said as her body posture shifted, "Ah neither asked or desired your charity. It pisses me off!"
Before he could defend his actions she was shooting through the air between them taking him completely by surprise. As such he was only just able to block the punch that'd been sent his way stopping it in its tracks thanks to his superior strength. He attempted to build on this, to reestablish some distance, so that he could attempt to explain things more fully but even as he moved back quickly she pressed forward even faster to continue her assault. However without surprise on her side anymore he was able to block and parry her punches with the ease experience provided him with.
Nevertheless the speed and skill she was exhibiting was on another level then what she'd proven capable of up until now.
This proved to be merely the tip of the iceberg when she brought back her right fist and a pale, almost invisible, fiery aura manifested around it. Concerned about what this could mean he upped his defence strength to ensure that any consequences of the attack would be minimal if there were any at all.
He should've done more.
For while he'd been prepared for the strength he'd seen in her so far and had even anticipated her using the Quirk she'd stolen from All For One to boost her attack strength this was different.
With power greater than what he'd been ready for she struck him and while it was not impressive enough to take him off his feet it did succeed in sending him skidding back on the ground a dozen feet.
And it HURT. Not seriously but the fact that he felt pain was not something he'd been expecting even with the potential the young lady possessed.
How? How was she doing this?
The obvious possibility was that Alexandria was tapping into another Quirk but it didn't match any of the ones they knew of. It also didn't seem plausible that it was a new Quirk Alexandria had acquired since arriving in Japan since even one as single minded as Mirko would've noticed. The more he thought about it the more it didn't make any sense to him but one thing he could say was that with this new Quirk she would get even closer to fighting him on even terms than would otherwise be possible.
~It would probably be best if I kept up the appearance of a normal sports festival match.~ He thought before going on the offensive.
With his smile firmly on his face he began to use some of his simpler moves since he had a feeling that using some of his named attacks wouldn't work out well. This proved to be the right call as he steadily managed to force her back with every blow. He also learned that apparently it took time for her to gather the pale aura into her fist and a well timed punch disrupted her focus causing it to vanish. When she seemed particularly dazed by one of his blows he decided to show a bit of ambition by grabbing her by the shoulders, spinning in a circle fast enough to disorient her further and then released her in the direction of the lake.
With any luck the cold water would also cool her temper somewhat and make her more amenable to waiting until they no longer had an audience before discussing the matter further.
Given her response he could see now that using this method to help her was a mistake. She was obviously a person who was determined to earn her rewards rather than gain them through the special aid of others. Taken in that light it was obvious that Principal Nezu's plan would be seen as an insult to all of her hard work and anything gained from it would seem tainted. He would do what he could to convey this to her when they had gained a measure of privacy and support her should she choose to confront Principal Nezu on the matter.
He valued the friendship of the tiny genius but this proved that sometimes the man was too smart for his own good.
Schemes such as this one needed to cease for if they continued he feared how close to the ways of Villains it would take them.
There must always be a clear distinction between Heroes and Villains.