"Wha - WHAT THE HECK?!" Uraraka cried, stopping dead in her tracks in the doorway to Class 1-A.

Our path out of the classroom was blocked by a huge crowd of our fellow students, who were all muttering, pointing, and staring inside at our classmates.

"Do you have some kind of business with our class?" I demanded.

"What're they here for?" cried Mineta.

"Scouting out the competition, moron," snapped Bakugou, shoving by us for the door. "They wanna see the group who survived a villain attack. Checking us out before the battle. It's pointless to try, so move it, extras."

"You can't walk around calling people extras just because you don't know who they are!" I reprimanded him.

"I came to see what you kids are made of, but I didn't think you'd be this arrogant," said a quiet voice from the crowd. "Are all the kids in the hero course like this? I'm a bit disillusioned." It was a tall, lean boy with tired eyes and purple hair that stood straight up. "So that's it, huh? There's lots of kids who wind up in the general education department because they failed the hero course. Did you know that? And based on the results of the Sports Festival, people can even come under review to be transferred to the hero course. I understand the reverse is also possible for you. Scouting out the competition? For a general studies kid like me, this is the best opportunity to steal your spot right from under you. Consider this a declaration of war."

So intimidating! I thought; I could tell Midoriya and Uraraka were thinking the same thing.

"Hey! You! I'm from Class B!" came the louder voice of another student, with grey hair and sharp teeth. "I heard you knocked around with villains so I came to hear it direct. But all I'm seeing are a bunch of brats! Don't embarrass us during the Main event, you hear me?" We all turned with deep apprehension towards Bakugou, waiting to hear what he'd snarl out next.

Instead of replying, he shoved through the crowd. Kirishima cried out, "Hey, what're you doing? Everyone's hating on us now!"

"I don't care," Bakugou snapped back. "None of that matters once you're at the top."

And with that he left us all behind. I tried not to be annoyed, but from the looks of it we were heading into a fight where everyone would have a poor opinion of our class. Though by my side, Midoriya for some reason looked moved, rather than offended.

Over the next few weeks I trained intensely. They flew by before I even realized what was happening. And then it was the day of the event.

"Everyone, are your preparations complete?" I cried. "We're set to enter very soon!"

Our class was gathered together in the waiting room of the Stadium. The day of the Festival had finally arrived. Everyone was dressed in the school gym uniform. Midoriya in particular looked anxious, but before I could offer him consolation…

"Midoriya," said Todoroki, cornering him.

"What is it, Todoroki?"

"On an objective basis, I think I'm above you in terms of practical strength."

Midoriya looked surprised at this. "Wha? Uh, yeah…?"

"You've managed to get All Might's eyes on your, right?" Todoroki asked him. "I'm not prying into that, but…I'm going to beat you."

"What's with this belligerence all of a sudden?" asked Kirishima, grabbing Todoroki's shoulder; he shrugged him off. "Don't spring this on him right before - "

"I'm not here to play nice and make friends," Todoroki told him angrily, "but whatever." He turned away, but Midoriya suddenly talked back to him.

"I have no idea what you want from me, telling me all that," he said. "You're definitely stronger than me. In fact, you probably have more potential than anyone in the hero course. Looking at it objectively."

"C'mon Midoriya," said Kirishima , "Don't be so negative…"

"Even so!" Midoriya interrupted, "Everyone, even kids from other departments, are aiming for the top with everything they've got! So I can't let myself lag behind. I'll be aiming for the top too."

"Oh," said Todoroki. As I watched, I wasn't sure what to add, but I knew Midoriya was, unfortunately, right.

Present Mic's voice boomed out as we walked into the ring. "Let me guess, you all came to see them, right? The fresh-formed miracle stars that shrugged off a mass villain assault with wills of steel! The Hero department freshman class 1-A!"

The venue for the UA Sports Festival was a gigantic, glittering arena, a circular stadium with seating for cheering thousands and a broadcast geared worldwide.

"And we're expected to put on our best performance in front of all these bystanders," I murmured, intimidated a little, to Midoriya. "Just another hurdle we'll have to prepare for as heroes.

Our fellow students joined us, class by class, until the entire Freshman year stood before the podium.

"Now, now, fair play!" announced the referee for our year, our teacher the R-rated hero Midnight, once everyone had gathered. After she'd rung us in, she called "Now, for your player representative: Katsuki Bakugou of Class 1-A!"

Oh, no.

Bakugou stepped up to the microphone on the podium, and said "Sensei, I'm gonna place first."

A massive angry boo of dissent came from the Freshman crowd. Everyone was annoyed with Bakugou's words, and looking at our class as if he spoke for each and everyone of us. In response, he said, "You'll all make fantastic stepping stones, I'm sure," and stepped off the platform.

"Why would you be so disrespectful?" I cried desperately, "You're representing us all!"

Not that Bakugou would ever listen to me.

Midnight said "Aii right, with that we can move directly onto our first event! Onto the Preliminaries as they're called! Lots of fine folk end up choking on their tears here every year! And this year's first round is…" she pointed to a screen, and the words came up. OBSTACLE RACE "This!"

"It's a race between all 11 classes. The course makes a nearly 4km ring around this stadium! We always sing about our freedom on campus. Well, this is what it's all about! You're free to do anything, so long as you remain within the course! So let's get cracking. On your marks!"

Everyone took their stance, headed for the gate. The buzzer rang. "START!"

Immediately, the gates out of the arena crushed half the students inside their walls.

As we pressed, an intense ice wall sprouted up all around us, trapping many students by their feet. Todoroki!

If I had been a second slower, I would have been trapped in the entrance, like many students were. As it was I only barely avoided being frozen in place.

Just as I'd made it out of the mob at the gates, I found myself facing -

"A Robo inferno!" shouted Present Mic's voice over the loudspeakers. "It's the Villain Bot that was worth 0 points in the Entrance Exam!"

The same ones Midoriya had beaten so easily. And as we watched, Todoroki did the same, freezing them solid and skating through the obstacle in seconds.

"1-A's Todoroki has forged ahead and blocked the others in one fell swoop!" called out Mic's voice. "That kid's HARSH! Incredible, he's removed himself from the rest of the competition! Feels kinda unfair, actually."

If I don't wish to lose to him, I'll have to get moving.