Kaminari groaned as he exited the waiting room with Kirishima in tow. Kirishima was hysterically laughing over Kaminari's red face. Kirishima rested his arm on Kaminari's shoulder as Kaminari hid his face in his hand.

"Will you stop? It was embarrassing that you guys started to do that… I don't know if I'll like that one if you guys are just going to abuse the animal instincts." He groaned. Kirishima managed to calm himself down before leaning off of Kaminari.

"Well, you couldn't do anything so we had to find a way to be interesting for your remaining time. It's not like we hurt you." He explained to Kaminari.

"YOU GUYS ALMOST MADE ME PUT HOLES IN THE WALLS. If you didn't have your quirk to pop it back out, we would have had to explain how a foot sized dent was placed into the locker." He yelled at Kirishima. He held his hands up in defense of his actions as he chuckled.

"It's not our fault you started to kick." He told him with no ounce of seriousness. Kaminari sighed and waved him off.

"Fine, I'll give you that. Well, I'll meet you back at the stands. Let's hope Sero doesn't look like a popsicle in the future." Kirishima nodded and the two began to walk together back to where Aizawa had told them to go should they need to wait between matches or get disqualified. Behind him, he could hear the snicker coming from Sero's room as the sounds of a table and chairs being set down back in their original place to make the room look normal before he had to leave it.

"How do you think the match is going to go?" Kirishima asked him.

"Probably going to be a one sided slaughter by Todoroki. Sero's our friend but I don't think he has the ability to get Todoroki out of the ring in time before he gets turned into the next exhibit of the ice age." The two faces grew sour thinking about their friends' odds of winning. There wasn't a reason the two could think of that would allow him to claim the victory.

A thought that passed between the two was the possibility of who could beat Todoroki. Their minds drifted to Bakugou instantly and mostly stayed on him. Kaminari shuddered at what that fight would look like, a flurry of smoke and hail flying around them as the eardrums of everyone in the stands ruptured.

And it's probably going to happen from Bakugou's screaming over his explosions.

"Who are you going against? You were on the same team as Sero so you made it." Kaminari asked his red headed friend.

"I'm going up against a guy named TetsuTetsu." He informed him. Kaminari stared at him for a minute processing that.

"You're going up against a guy named Iron iron?" He didn't believe someone had actually named their child that but Kirishima nodded.

"Do you know what his quirk is?" Kirishima nodded again as his face formed a grimace.

"He has a hardening quirk like mine. I have no idea if I can beat him…" He started to mumble.

"It's a case if you can stand out, isn't it?" Kaminari finished. Kirishima slowly nodded to him.

"Kirishima, I'm just going to say this. Your quirk is pretty cool looking. And I think out of everyone in our class, I get the right to say that. You got to take lasers to the face when we brought down the Carpenters." He started.

"Not fun by the way. Felt like someone was throwing water balloons that were sitting in the summer sun at me." Kirishima quickly added before Kaminari continued.

"Yeah well, along with that you helped out the people of undertown. They probably like you more than they do me." Kirishima nodded to his words, much to Kaminari's hope that his friend would come to his side. He glanced at Kirishima who shrugged.

"People talk. I had to help a shop because an old lady got it back after the Carpenters left so I got to talk to a lot of people while I moved stuff." He explained. Kaminari growled in frustration before sighing in defeat and continuing.

"Whatever. You'll do great, Kirishima. You'll win no doubt." He told him with a smile. Kirishima nodded before looking forward.

"I'll never waver. That's for sure." He mumbled to himself. Kaminari could barely hear it and didn't think much of it as he heard footsteps approaching. He turned forward and saw Jirou walking towards them with a red face. She glanced at the two before settling her eyes on Kaminari and seemingly growling with anger etched into her glare.

This is the moment when the dog instincts still residing in him told him to sprint the other way.

"Oh hey guys. Do you think I can have a word with Kaminari, Kirishima?" Jirou asked them. Kaminari could tell this wasn't going to be good for him so he looked at his friend and gave a pleading look. Kirishima looked back towards Jirou and nodded.

"Well, see you two at the stands." Kirishima quickly replied before he power walked away, leaving Kaminari with the angered looking teen. Kaminari began to pray to any god he could think of, any higher power as she approached.

"Kaminari."

"WHATEVER IT IS, I DIDN'T DO IT!" He shouted at her in a pleading manner. He brought his hands up in a prayer manner and begged for her to not do anything to him. She was shocked and stared at him for a brief moment before she spoke up again.

"So you didn't work with Mineta to get us into those cheerleader costumes?" Kaminari blinked before glancing behind her. He saw the neon pink of Ashido and Uraraka's signature brown bob haircut walk past the nearest intersection as they chatted with one another. That area was around where their changing room was that they waited in at the beginning.

So he did miss that. Shame.

"Wait, why did you think I worked with Mineta? We haven't talked at all this year." Jirou sighed before she stated her reasoning to Kaminari while she brought her hands behind her neck.

"Well, it's just when you asked Uraraka out on the first day I just assumed you would be a pervert like him." Kaminari blinked in confusion as she finished her statement.

"How did you know that?" He asked her. She somehow shrugged before continuing on.

"Super hearing, remember? It's not hard for me to hear something that happens ten feet away from me." Kaminari's stomach sank as he thought about his actions prior to this conversation. Surely Jirou heard a car sized animal kick lockers while it was getting scratched by his friends.

'Let's just hope this doesn't blow my cover…' He sighed before thinking of a question for her.

"Uh, was your locker room in chaos when you were changing? Not in a perverted way but in a "everyone was riled up" kind of chaos." He tried to ask. Jirou sighed before a small smile appeared as she recalled the moments prior.

"Yeah, it was pretty chaotic. Uraraka was shouting about her claim to victory, although I doubt it'll happen. Ashido and Hagakure were cheering on the cheerleader skit and somehow got Momo to join in. It was just me and Tsu to process everything they were doing… pretty funny if I'm honest." She told him. She seemed to remember something before she looked at him with a knowing and smug grin.

"Speaking of funny, what was that act after you shocked everyone?" Kmainari sighed and felt dread before steeling his nerves.

"Yeah. My quirk replicates a lot of effects of electricity. Discharge is one I can do, I think I can store and replenish my electricity with outside sources although I haven't exactly tried that yet. I can also charge electronic devices with my quirk which is why I have a radio for my costume and-"

"You can short circuit?" She stifled for some reason. Kaminari sighed before nodding. There was a moment of silence before Jirou began to stifle while she held a fist to her mouth. As her giggles became louder, Kaminari's face became warmer and warmer.

"OH MY GOD! HAHAHAHA! THAT'S AMAZING!" At this point, Jirou was in tears as she held her chest to stabilize herself as she laughed. Kaminari felt himself as the court's jester as her fit of laughter continued.

"You done now?" Kaminari asked her. She sighed and managed to calm herself before wiping a few tears away from her eyes.

"Yeah. Well, Sero's match is about to begin. I don't think you wanna miss that." She informed him as she pointed behind her. He lit up and nodded.

"Thanks! See ya then!" He waved to her and he ran down the hall. Jirou nodded behind him and watched him trail off as she seemed to look like an idea crossed her mind.

…

"IN THIS CORNER, THE MASTER OF THE MAIL SYSTEM! WE GOT HANTA SERO!" The crowd's cheer at Sero's entrance to the field was small but still apparent with probably the loudest cheer coming from Kirishima. Sero waved to the crowd but his attention was towards the person across him. His face was covered in shadow from his bangs overhanging his face but Sero could see his expression of a pained look.

"AND IN THE OTHER, THE FROZEN POWERHOUSE OF 1-A, SHOUTO TODOROKI!" This time the crowd went wild. Sero groaned at the reception. He chalked it up to his parentage with Endeavor and everyone trying to please Endeavour, which he was sure was in the stands. He didn't seem to react to the crowd as he seemed to stand there motionless.

'Ok so just get him out of the field before he can freeze me. How I can do that is up to debate. Maybe he needs time to manipulate his ice to create bigger threats?' Sero thought to himself as he cracked his knuckles and neck. He looked back at his opponent who remained stationary.

'He's smart so I have to think of something really out there. What would be the most bizarre and dumbest option I could take to beat him?' He tensed up as he heard Midnight say something as she started to raise her whip.

'I'll probably need to keep my distance to attack and so I can avoid his attacks...better…' Sero blinked before he grinned. Todoroki knew him as a distance fighter along with everyone else.

What if he breaks that?

"NOW! GET READY!" Midnight yelled over them. He nodded and glanced at Todoroki. No reaction again. This might actually work. If he stays into that stoic nature along with his dumb plan, he might actually win this.

"GO!" Sero could feel people going into shock as he ran forward while raising his elbows. Todoroki didn't show any reaction as Sero taped his chest. Long distance fighting was his skill but now he's going to do the opposite. He retracted his tape towards him and body tackled him. He didn't become an icicle so Todoroki was still in wonderland.

"WHAT IS THIS? IS OUR RESIDENT CELLOPHANE USER GETTING CLOSE? WHAT IS HIS PLAN!?" Present Mic howled over the intercom. Sero brought himself back and wrapped Todoroki up like it was Christmas and ran past him with a strand piece of tape trailing behind him as Sero tugged him towards the edge.

"He probably has some idea...or he just doesn't and is winging it." Aizawa grumped in disappointment. Sero pressed forward, ever marching towards his goal. His package moved sluggishly with him towards the line. His hope got higher and higher.

And then he stopped at the line.

He tugged at his tape. It remained taught. He looked behind him at Todoroki who remained still. The air became frigid as Sero's heart sank and Todoroki's head rose.

"Sorry." Sero watched in great horror as the flash freeze enveloped the tape and encased in an iron maiden of ice. But as the shade covered them, he realized he didn't stop there. The ice grew and grew until the entire stadium was cast in a gray shadow.

The crowd was silent with either fear or awe. Mist wafted in the air from the vapor being rapidly chilled. The ice cracked from under its own weight behind Sero. Todoroki flexed and the frail tape off him and began to walk toward him. He stared into Sero's eyes with a cold facade.

Midnight stood on her stand with most of her left side coated in ice. She seemed to glance at the two and tried to raise her whip to call her match. She seemed annoyed at her failure and tried to break out of the ice. When she couldn't, she sighed. "Alright, Sero, can you move?" She spoke over them as best she could, but she had a quiver in her voice.

He glanced at her. "What do you think?" He tried to move his arms to prove his point before she subtly nodded.

"T-Todoroki wins the first round by immobilizing his opponent. He'll move to the next round." She nodded and placed his hand on Sero's chest and a warmth started to break the ice.

"Sorry about that." He told Sero but he said it to his shoulder instead. That somehow felt more insulting than that loss.

"WELL UH, THE VICTORY GOES TO TODOROKI. WHAT A SUDDEN TURN OF EVENTS… UH, UP NEXT WE HAVE SHINSO VS MIDORIYA." Present Mic seemed to lose most of his enthusiasm from that turn of events.

"Well, Todoroki does have an exceptionally powerful quirk and Sero's plan was rather… orthodoxic." A cot rolled out and Sero gladly got on it as a blanket covered his shivering body as he listened to Aizawa ramble about the plan he tried. Well, there goes his shot.

…

Kirishima cracked his knuckles as he stared at his opponent, Testutestu. He knew that he had a hardening quirk which just encased him or changed his skin with iron.

Funny since his name.

His quirk looked to be as durable as his own with them both breaking out of the 0-Pointer arm. So the question he knew from his fight with Gary was endurance. Who would outlast the other?

"Hey, no bad feeling about this alright?" He yelled to Tetstetsu. He scoffed at him as if he insulted his grandmothers name. He rolled his shoulders and glared at him.

"Yeah, we'll see about that when I place you 1-A kid in your place!" He shouted to Kirishima over the crowd. He rolled his eyes at him in annoyance. The only one who seemed to be a podium of ego was Bakugou or at the very least Todoroki.

"Yeah well, you won't beat me!" It probably wasn't the best move to say that, but that was his opinion. Not as a 1-A student who had a self imposed reputation to uphold, but because he wanted to just win. He hoped his message crossed over but judging by the twisted ire on his face it didn't cross over.

"Let's see that!" Tetsutetsu yelled as he crossed his arms and drew them as a silver coat created sparks on them. Kirishima nodded and he clenched his fists as they hardened. He began to harden most of his body in the front along with the entirety of his arms and legs.

"Alright! As it appears, our contenders are ready to fight! So get ready to fight! Ready… GO!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu sprinted forward without another word between them. Both dug their heels into the ground and brought their fists back. They threw their punch simultaneously and their knuckles locked as a grating sound echoed and sparks flew from the serrated skin of Kirishima and the metallic skin of Tetsutetsu connected.

Both brought their fists back and threw them again. Both slugged the other in the jaw causing their head to turn away from the impact. Kirishima managed to recover first and brought his hand down on Tetsutetsu's head like it was a nail. Tetsutetsu growled and looked at him with fire. He brought his fist and slammed it into Kirishima's chin. He stumbled back and looked at Tetsutetsu again.

"Alright then!" He ran forward and threw another punch. Tetsutetsu dodged it but couldn't avoid the other. Kirishima began to slug his chrome face as frequently as he could. He tried to push him forward to try and knock him down but Tetsutetsu dug his heels down into the ground and was a glorified punching bag for Kirishima, rocking back and forth after each blow.

Tetsutetsu grabbed his arms faster than Kirishima could think he could, stopping him from continuing his rush. He brought his head forward and headbutted Kirishima before he could react. Tetsutetsu flung their arms to try and throw Kirishima to the ground but all it did was cause him to stumble to the side.

The two stared at each other when Kirishima recovered. Tetsutetsu was starting to look agitated at the lack of results but Kirishima was still hopeful. Get a crack or fade from that armor and he'll win.

He ran forward and tackled Tetsutetsu to the ground and pushed his head into the concrete as hard as he could, similar to what he did verus Gary. Tetsutetsu managed to push him off before Kirishima could do anything and stood. He jumped on Kirishima while driving his elbow onto him before he got a chance to stand as well. He grabbed Kirishima's arm and pulled on it while driving his knee into Kirishima's softer back. He growled in pain as he hardened his back as best he could.

Now he knew he was screwed. He was in a lock and being pushed into the ground while his arm was being pulled. He could feel the grip of Tetsutetsu start to hurt more slowly as his quirk was starting to fail. He had to get out. He could move his other arm but he wouldn't be able to get him off by pushing him off his back or just hitting him off.

'Be that unwavering horse Kirishima.' He told himself as he dug his fingernails into the ground. He tucked his knees in and dug his foot in. Tetsutetsu seemed to realize what he was doing but he wasn't able to react in time to change his body to restrict him more. With his arm and legs, he pushed himself up like a bronco and flung Tetsutetsu off and sent him a few feet away.

"IT SEEMS THE TWO ARE IN A STALEMATE! NEITHER CAN BREAK THE OTHER'S DEFENSES! WILL THIS END IN A DRAW!?" Present Mic exclaimed over everyone.

"Give them a damn chance to finish it." His co-host scolded. Kirishima glanced at Tetsutetsu who was starting to look like Bakugo with rage etched into his steel. Kirishima took a quick glance at his arm and the less rigid form it was taking now. He had to find a way to get him to break before he did and brute force wasn't going to cut it now. He thought about how Tetsutetsu held him in and an idea formed. He smirked at Tetsutetsu and raised his fists defensively. He hoped the message would pass and luckily, the wrath inside took over Tetsutetsu's judgement as he ran fist raised to punch Kirishima in the jaw.

He smirked and tucked under his punch slightly. He wrapped his arms around his neck and brought the two down again. Before Tetsutetsu could do anything, he grabbed his arm and wrapped his legs around his torso and other arm. He began to pull as hard as he could on his arm and to squeeze Tetsutetsu's wrists.

'Come on… break!' He screamed in his head. He let go with one arm and grabbed Tetsutetsu's head and brought it into his shoulder where he began to push it in. He was hoping it would function similarly to driving a wedge into a log and crack his armor.

"WHAT'S THIS? ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT A GRAPPLE? WHAT IS THEIR INTENTIONS HERE?" Present Mic asked seemingly no one.

"My guess is that both of them know how the other's quirk works due to the similarity. The grapples they're using might be an attempt to use the other's quirk against it to wear it out faster without wearing out their own." Aizawa deduced. Kirishima grunted as Tetsutetsu howled in pain. Tetsutetsu's legs thrashed to try and escape. Kirishima was starting to feel fatigued as his constriction.

And then suddenly, he heard it. The shattering of iron. His opponent rapidly felt less solid and Kirishima threw him out from his grasp. Tetsutetsu was no longer covered in iron and looked at Kirishima with malice. Kirishima stood and with his body still hardened, he walked over to Tetsutetsu and loomed over him.

"Do you yield?" There was a moment of silence before an exaggerated sigh.

"I yield." The sound of a whip cracked out and the whole stadium erupted in cheer. Present Mic cheered along with them, obviously drowning them out with his howl.

"Hey." Kirishima held his hand out to Tetsutetsu as Midnight addressed the winning to the crowd. "No hard feelings?" He had a moment to process it before he smirked and grabbed his hand.

"You know, maybe not all of you in 1-A are that bad." He grumbled.

…

Denki sighed as he looked forward at the doorway to the field. He took his steps forward and entered the light of the arena. He heard the crowd cheer and shout over each other at the spectacles of the last few fights. They likely expected another here but with the last few, it's been heavily one sided.

Let's hope whoever this Shiozaki is, she isn't a huge powerhouse.

He took a step onto the platform and looked at his opponent. The first thing he noticed was her green hair. Looking closer, he realized they were thorny vines that draped off her head in place of hair.

"Some deity has some sort of twisted sense of humor." He grumbled. Shiozaki tilted her head in confusion at him. He sighed before he waved her off.

"It's nothing. You wouldn't get it." She nodded and held her hands together in a religious feeling. Kaminari stood there for a brief moment before Present Mic rang out over the crowd.

"WELCOME TO THE NEXT ROUND OF THE FIGHTING TOURNAMENT! IN THE FAR CORNER, WE HAVE THE PLANT ASSASSIN HERSELF, IBARA SHIOZAKI!" The crowd roared as she closed her eyes in discomfort. She probably didn't like what they said about her.

"AND IN THE OTHER, WE HAVE THE SPARK MAN, DENKI KAMINARIIII!" The crowd roared again and a sense of pride flared inside Kaminari. He looked at his opponent and already assumed that her hair would probably grow and attack him.

He already knew his quirk was useless so he shouldn't just open up with a giant discharge. It was just a game of how she used her quirk.

"READY… GO!" Midnight cracked her whip and Shiozaki turned on a dime, putting her back to him. He watched as her hair flared up and snaked into the ground. Kaminari looked down quickly and felt a subtle shake in the ground. He pushed back and fell on the ground as the ground cracked beneath where he stood and a massive spire of vines rupted up.

"Ok then…." He told himself. The vines twisted towards him as he released a peep as he rolled away and the vines stabbed the ground where he was. He got up as the vines grew out of the ground again. He panicked and began to run away as the vines began to stab the ground and erupt from the ground to try and turn him into a kebab.

"WOW! IT'S ANOTHER ONE SIDED BLOODBATH! STAB AND PUNCTURE AFTER ANOTHER, SHIOZAKI IS KEEPING KAMINARI ON HIS TOES!" Present Mic yelled. The crowd laughed over the comical scene.

Kaminari however, was beginning to worry over his remaining room. Glancing behind him reminded him of a jungle from some of the more adventurous video games with arches of vines. He looked forward and stopped himself from going forward because of the white line of the field. Stones from the destruction of the field lay around him like the small pimples of the field. He turned to the approaching vines and braced himself for impact.

Well, this was the end of the line.

He waited for the hit. He waited to lose. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes and saw that the vines had stopped only a few meters from him. He looked around it in fear and waited for it to strike.

It didn't happen again. Kaminari relaxed slightly as he looked at the field. He couldn't see Shiozaki behind her vines which bothered him. How could she have seen him and attacked? He looked at the vines closer and noticed them shifting slightly.

"NOW WHAT IS THIS VIEWERS? WHERE DID THE ACTION GO?" Present Mic shouted.

"It seems like there might be a flaw with Shiozaki's quirk. Let's see if Kaminari can figure it out." Kaminari glanced towards the stand where his teachers were and locked eyes with the bandaged eyes of his teacher.

Was that a hint?

He looked around and finished his search on the pebbles around him. Very slowly, he grabbed one of them and lightly tossed it towards the other side of the field. There was a small sound that came from it and the vines lurched forward towards the pebble and pierced it into dust.

He didn't see how it worked but he looked back at the pebbles and took multiple. He took a step forward slowly and waited. He didn't get skewered instantly so he took his steps carefully. He tossed another stone towards where he was originally and the vines attacked that again.

'Alright… is it reacting to noise like a bat?' He thought. He tossed another pebble as hard as he could and the rattle of the stone got attacked again. He nodded in confirmation and looked back at where Shiozaki would have been. If her vines could react to sound, it would make sense how she would have attacked him without having sight of him. The arches seemed to speak to him as he smirked. He walked slowly and occasionally threw a stone behind him.

He felt like he was walking through a labyrinth. The jungle began to clear up and Kaminari saw Shiozaki. Her back was to him and she didn't seem aware of his presence. With her back to him and the vines guarding her, he wouldn't be able to attack.

Well, he could probably but it would be a risk.

He tiptoed foward and lunged forward. He wrapped his hands around Shiozaki as she gasped from his surprise attack. She began to struggle as vines wrapped around him and constructed his movement. Struggling, he placed his hand on her face. He focused and generated electricity on his hand. Sparks flew as the two of them were coated in a yellow light. He closed his eyes and primarily focused on not short circuiting himself.

He counted a few seconds before Shiozaki fell down. The vines receded off him and Shiozaki looked dazed and out cold. The field rumbled as the vines pulled out of the ground and returned to their master. It looked like they were standing in a minefield that all detonated. Kaminari stood up as the crowd cheered.

"WHAT A COMEBACK! Kaminari managed to beat Shiozaki! He moves onto the second round!" There was a cheer that erupted as Kaminari just stood there. His chest swelled in pride at his victory. He raised his arms in celebration and walked off the stage in glee.

He's got this after that fight. Strangely, he was glad he fought Bateson now even if it got him into community service.

MY LORD, THIS TOOK AGES. With my internet, writer's block and school hammering out the tests, I apologize that this took so long. I was also not expecting the festival arc to take so long but we still got a bit to go sadly. I pray I won't go back to a monthly update but I don't know. Sorry guys.