Chapter 13: Free from the Chains of the Past
Name: Luna
Quirk: Bast – She can assume the abilities of any cat, from regular housecats and lions to hybrids such as ligers and tigons. Her quirk is named after Bast, the Egyptian goddess of cats.
Appearance: Though usually taking on appearances of the cats' abilities, her usual look has been compared as eerily similar to a character of the anime RWBY known as Blake, however she has a tail, and they are complete opposites in terms of personality and choice of dress. She's 14.
Warning: Language and Adult Themes
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" Luna chanted, and the boy didn't respond. He merely held her in his strong, warm arms, letting her cry into his school uniform.
Todoroki didn't know what to say at the moment, so he didn't say anything. He merely held the sobbing Luna, surprised at how much it truly affected him. The last time when he made her cry, he chalked it up to guilt, but now … Now, he couldn't say that was the reason. And what Todoroki hated the most was that a little part of himself enjoyed it. Not the crying part, thank God, but holding the girl tight against himself. He never allowed himself such physical contact before, but now, he felt like he could stay like this forever.
They stood like this for a little bit until Luna finally calmed down. Her face was flushed with embarrassment, averting her gaze from him.
"I'm sorry you had to see me that way." Luna whispered, extracting herself from his grasp, despite not wanting to. She felt so safe, so protected in his arms, and Luna was startled when a part of her wanted to stay like that forever.
"It's no big deal, really." Todoroki hesitated "Look. It's clear that something is bothering you. I don't want to pry, but … I think you need someone to talk to as well. Maybe afterwards, we can both talk?"
Luna finally looked into the boy's eyes, and they both paused, lost in each other's gaze. Luna coughed awkwardly.
"I think … I think that would help the both of us. Thank you for the offer." Todoroki nodded before stepping away.
"Well, I probably have my battle to worry about. I have to go."
"Y-Yes, sorry for holding you up. Good luck!"
"Thanks."
Todoroki walked off, hands in his pockets while Luna watched.
Luna walked back to her spot in the stands, her mind reeling from what just occurred. Not only did Todoroki listen to her advice, but he also offered her the same opportunity. Truthfully, Luna felt like a hypocrite; she advised the boy to talk to others while she herself never did.
When she emerged and sat back down, Luna feverishly awaited the battle that was to come. Luna didn't think Todoroki would have too much trouble with Sero, but then again, this was Class 1-A she was talking about. Anything was possible.
Thankfully, nobody from her class noticed the girl's absence, but she missed the rest of the match. She did see the screens proclaiming Midoriya the winner, but Luna expected that. Shinso wasn't much of a threat if his tactics to brainwash his opponents didn't work.
"Yahoo! That was kind of a boring first match, but we should praise them both for a bravely fought match. Clap your hands! We'll be back after a short break!"
The crowd clapped, and at this exact moment, Todoroki stood, eyeing Endeavor down with distaste.
"You're in my way." The boy said, narrowing his eyes.
"You're acting disgracefully, Shoto." Came the reply. "If you used the power in your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in the obstacle course and the cavalry battle. Stop this childish rebellion already. You have a duty to surpass All Might. Do you understand? You're different from your siblings. You are the greatest masterpiece!"
Todoroki didn't reply, just stalking past the man in an effort to leave him behind as fast as possible. However, the more the man talked, the harder it became, and an angry scowl steadily grew on the boy's face.
"Is that all you can say, bastard? I will win and advance with just Mom's power. I won't use your power when I fight."
"Even if that works for now, you'll soon reach the limits of that power. That Luna girl demonstrated that at your first class with All Might."
Todoroki didn't reply, just exiting to the arena.
Luna could immediately tell that something was wrong. The boy was stiff, tense, angry. His gaze, usually calm and indifferent, was now hard and piercing, with his fists clenched at his side. Luna had a fierce urge to jump down and run to the boy to find out what happened, but Luna forced herself to remain seated.
He'll hopefully say what's wrong later. When we talk, after this is over.
Midoriya finally arrived, and a few of Luna's classmates began to compliment him with his fight.
"Thanks for waiting! Next up is … these guys! He's good! He's good, but what's with that plainness he can't get rid of? From the hero course, it's Hanta Sero!" Present Mic paused, allowing the crowd to cheer before continuing, "Versus … Taking third, then first in the prelims! You're way to strong, kid! He wasn't recommended for admission for nothing! Also from the hero course, it's Shoto Todoroki!"
Now, the crowd roared in excitement. Unlike Shinso, Todoroki was in the spotlight for most of the prelims, leading to many keeping an eye on the boy.
"And now, for the second match of the finals … Ready … Start!"
Sero instantly shot tape out of both his elbows, clearly trying to end the match it began. He wrapped Todoroki up and began to sling him to the boundary line. Meanwhile, Todoroki did nothing, head tilted downward, eyes hidden.
"A surprise attack aimed to push his opponent out of bounds! Don't you think that was the best choice for this situation? Seriously, get him, Sero!" cried Present Mic. Luna was a bit annoyed that Present Mic chose sides, but she merely sighed. Todoroki was probably going to win anyways.
Todoroki finally looked up and ended the match in an instant. Where Sero once stood now appeared a towering glacier, taller than the stadium itself. The force of its creation caused the ground to shudder, shaking the viewers and ground nearby. If anyone didn't know any better, it felt like a small earthquake went off.
Everyone froze, all in a state of shock. Luna was no different, eyes wide at a part of the glacier that was now dangerously close to her jugular. In fact, had it grown even two centimeters more, it would have embedded itself there. She saw the rest of her class in much the same position, pressed backwards against their seats. Even the outside of the stadium grew quiet, so quiet that when Sero spoke, his voice sounded loud.
"Don't you think that's a bit too much?" he whimpered, with only his head free from ice. Todoroki himself had patches of ice covering the right side of his body, with his breaths coming out ragged and in puffs of steam.
"Sero, can you move?" Midnight was the next to recover, although half of her body was frozen as well.
"Of course not … Ow."
"Sero is immobilized! Todoroki advances to the second round!"
Soon, the crowd tried to cheer the frozen boy up "Don't worry about it!" He merely shrunk in his icy prison.
"Sorry, I went overboard. I was angry." Todoroki said. He approached Sero and freed him before turning and leaving the arena.
Luna stood and left, getting herself ready for her upcoming fight with Shiozaki. Thankfully, there was enough time for the girl to search for Todoroki, but she never found him. Luna worried for him, his massive attack so out of character for the usually calm and collected boy. Instead, Luna waited in the entrance tunnel for her match, eyes closed, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest.
She heard footsteps approach and was surprised to see Ichika walking up to her.
"Ichika?" Luna asked.
"Hello dear. I just wanted to give a few words of encouragement."
"Oh, uh, okay. Thank you."
"Luna, I want you to know that no matter what happens, Azi and I will be proud of you regardless. You have done so well; it makes our hearts swell with pride." Luna felt her heartstrings begin to pull, and she accepted the embrace from the woman. "But it would be great for you to win, huh?"
Luna nodded, smiling.
"I'll try my best to win for the both of you." Ichika herself smiled, before taking her leave. She began to hum a tune, practically skipping. Oh, the girl had no idea of what was to come …
Meanwhile …
A man sat at a bar, fiddling with a glass of water. He desperately wanted anything that classified as hard liquor, but held himself back, recognizing that it would only lead to his ruin. The bartender, meanwhile, cleaned a couple glasses before setting them into place.
"That attack was something else, huh?" the man said, watching the television, which was now playing an ad for some sort of ice cream.
"Indeed, it wasn't something I expected to see." The bartender said, his yellow eyes watching the man curiously. "Are you sure you don't want anything? I can make it with barely any alcohol in it."
The man shook his head ruefully "My daughter may be a fool, but she was right in telling me that I took it too far with it. That didn't stop me from beating the hell out of her for it, but still."
"Speaking of your daughter, isn't she supposed to be next?"
The man instantly stopped fiddling with his glass, now holding it in a death grip.
"Hopefully, that plant girl beats the snot out of her."
"Do you truly hate her so, Nadeau?"
"That's none of your goddamn business. Business partners we may be, but I don't have to answer stupid shit like that."
The dark purple bartender sighed, turning his gaze back to the screen, which now showed the cleared arena.
"Everybody, sorry for the long wait! The stage that was frozen in the second match is finally dry, so onto the next match! The assassin from Class B! Pretty things have thorns, you know! From the hero course, it's Ibara Shiozaki!" Present Mic's voice rang out from the television, causing the two individuals to wince and lower the volume.
"Assassin, huh? I suppose it's too much to ask for this Shiozaki to kill her?" the man mused.
"Versus … What's with these powerhouses? The pretty kitty who scored second and first in the prelims! Also from the hero course, it's Luna Aizawa!"
The bar grew thick with tension, and Kurogiri could feel the intense desire to kill from the man. His hand was white from the strain of holding the glass before it shattered, sending its fragments across the room. Kurogiri swore he saw canine teeth begin to protrude from the man's mouth …
Back at the arena …
Luna gaped unabashedly at the announcer booth, jaw dropped and eyes wide in disbelief at what she heard.
Did he … Did he just call me Luna Aizawa?! Like, Aizawa-sensei and Ichika?! Ohmygodsohmygodsohmygods…
The crowd cheered.
"Now then, hopefully we'll get a great match this time -"
"Um, excuse me." Interrupted Shiozaki, hand raised hesitantly "Please excuse the interruption. What do you mean by 'assassin'? I have only come to find victory, not to take my opponent's life."
"I'm sorry!" tried to apologize Present Mic, but Shiozaki steamrolled on ahead.
"In the first place, I wished to enter U.A. High School not for wicked reasons, but for the salvation of others …" Luna swore she saw a halo appear around Shiozaki, and the sun focus on the girl.
Huh, maybe THE God does exist after all.
"I said I'm sorry! My bad, okay?"
"I thank you for understanding." She bowed deeply to the announcer booth. Luna flicked an ear, now somewhat recovered from how Present Mic announced her.
"Anyways, start!"
The two girls didn't attack at first, but Luna wanted to ask her a question before getting started.
"So, are you pious?" Luna asked curiously.
"Huh?" was the confused reply.
"Are you religious? Because I swore I saw a halo around your head …"
"Oh, thank you for the compliment! Yes, I am religious. Anyways, we should probably start, huh?"
"Probably." Shiozaki's hair raised, and suddenly roots shot out of the ground, aimed at Luna.
She wasted no time in transforming her legs, sprinting up to the girl with her cheetah legs while avoiding the vines, which were now erupting from the ground in an attempt to catch her. Unfortunately for Shiozaki, Luna was too fast.
"Incredible! Shiozaki tries to catch Aizawa, but she merely runs past them as if they're nothing!"
Shiozaki began to try to put distance between herself and Luna, creating towering walls of vines and shooting them at Luna while she runs away. Luna was able to dodge past them, catching up to the girl. She was so close …
Unfortunately, Luna didn't notice as one vine managed to snag her. She quickly escaped, but it bought enough time for the other vines to catch her, encircling her in a massive ball of thorny vines.
"Uh oh, it looks like Aizawa's in trouble! Is this the end already?" Present Mic said as the ball began to shrink. At first, it was relatively large, but Shiozaki frowned as she had to keep shrinking it. Surely, the girl wasn't this tiny?
"Eh? Why's the ball so small?" Luna could practically feel Present Mic lean forward in his seat
"Aizawa, can you move?" called Midnight, but Luna didn't respond. Instead, a massive black cat burst from the ball of vines, leaping at Shiozaki with golden jewelry glinting in the sun. Shiozaki gasped before trying desperately to catch the cat, but it was much too fast. It either sidestepped the vines completely, or just leaped over it. In an attempt to buy herself time, Shiozaki created a round barrier of vines around herself, rooting herself into the cement arena so that Luna wouldn't be able to push her out.
Luna, however, paused, mesmerized by the barrier that now looked like a ball of yarn. She transformed back to her normal form: eyes dilated with rapt attention. She transformed her hands into that of a liger's before tearing the roots that held it to the ground. Shiozaki fully encased herself in the sphere, and Luna began to bat it this way and that, not paying to the vines attacking her in the slightest. She transformed into a leopard, waggling her haunches before leaping at the ball playfully. She could have knocked Shiozaki out immediately, but Luna was completely hypnotized by the massive green ball.
"Is Aizawa … playing with the ball?" Present Mic asked, confused "She's just like a cat playing with a ball of yarn!" Many members of the audience chuckled at the analogy, and even Aizawa had a smirk on his face, not that anyone could see with his bandages. He was happy the incident didn't bring the girl down in the slightest.
Finally, the leopard let out a mighty yawn, bored with the ball, before tearing through it to get to Shiozaki. The poor girl was too dizzy and nauseated to put up much of a fight, so Luna just grabbed the girl with her jaws before pushing her out of bounds. Shiozaki instantly fell over, groaning as her world spun wildly.
"And just like that, Aizawa is the winner! She moves onto the second round! How … cute!" Present Mic said.
Luna merely transformed, crouching to face Shiozaki.
"Sorry about that, I don't know what came over me. Your ball just looked so …" Luna mused, her eyes slightly dreamy.
"No problem. Though I do have to ask you to never do that again. I feel like I'm about to puke."
Luna nodded, carefully helping the girl to Recovery Girl's office. She knocked and walked in with Shiozaki, who was still incapable of walking with falling flat on her face.
"Oh, my, you certainly look dizzy. Here you go, dear. Kiss!" Recovery Girl kissed Shiozaki's forehead, which instantly felt a lot better.
Luna waved her goodbye before exiting and going to the stands. Thankfully, Todoroki was already sitting there, and nodded when he saw her.
"That was … quite the battle." Todoroki smirked slightly at Luna, who sat down.
"Look, it's not my fault she balled herself up like that. I just couldn't resist." Luna paused "Are you … okay? You looked so angry down there."
"Yeah, just my old man. Don't worry, I won't kill anyone."
"Ha-ha, very funny. I just hope you don't do that with our battle."
"Oh? You think I can beat Midoriya, and you can beat Iida?"
"I'll be very disappointed if we didn't. Besides, I need to beat you back for that one time."
"You won the overall fight."
"So? I would have lost if Ojiro-kun didn't smack you in the face."
"Oh, by the way, what's with the Aizawa business? You're his daughter?"
"Oh, only in my wildest dreams. I had no clue, to be honest. I'll need to talk to him soon about that."
"Now, onto the fourth match!" decreed Present Mic.
And with that, most of the battles went by how Luna expected them to. Iida had to go up against Gadget Girl, but she surrendered after putting Iida through the ringer with all of her inventions and gadgets. She claimed this was just to show herself off to the support, but Luna wondered as to why she didn't just stay and showcase her other ones as well. Maybe she ran out or something.
There was an incident where Iida tried to use a crazy looking jetpack but was almost rejected because those in the hero course needed to submit a waiver to use any support accessories. It was kind of funny, seeing Iida furiously bowing to Midnight over and over again, who looked at him with a predatory glance while licking her lips. He then gave a moving speech about wanting to fight fair because he was impressed with the girl, who Luna learned was named Hatsume. Midnight squealed liked a fangirl before allowing him to use it.
Luna felt kind of bad that Iida's fight was basically one massive commercial for her products but shrugged. He technically won, didn't he? That also meant that he was Luna's next opponent, which Luna was slightly nervous for, but a plan already began to form in her mind.
Next, Aoyama and Ashido fought, with Ashido being declared the winner when she splashed her acid on his stomach belt and pants, causing the boy to be distracted before uppercutting him. The boy collapsed, having fainted from the events that transpired.
The next match was between Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu, and honestly, Luna felt conflicted on who to cheer for. While Yaoyorozu was a good friend and even invited her over, Tokoyami was her first friend she met here, excluding Bakugo and Midoriya, of course. The two of them hit it off, with both of them sitting next to each other, now with Tsu as well.
The battle ended up being in favor of Tokoyami, who managed to knock Yaoyorozu out of bounds by repeatedly attacking the girl, who was forced to hide behind a shield. Luna felt a bid bad Yaoyorozu was forced to lose like that, and she was in a depressed mood the entire day. Luna tried to cheer her up, but it was no use. Jiro had about as much luck as Luna, so the two of them merely supported the girl in silence; it was all they could do.
The next match was between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu, who both had practically the same Quirks. The entire match was a slog-fest, with both of them equally matched. Luna shook her head wryly when the two of them knocked each other out in the same blow, leading to a tie. A tiebreaker would take place after the final match of the first round; Uraraka vs Bakugo.
Todoroki left to prepare for his upcoming match with Midoriya, and Luna promised him a full description of the battle. Luna was slightly worried for Uraraka, considering her opponent was Bakugo. He wouldn't pull his punches just because she was a girl, but when she emerged, she appeared determined, and seemed to have a plan. Luna leaned forward slightly, watching her with interest.
Luna always thought the girl as cutesy, frail, nice. But the reality was that the girl had a hidden strength to her, which surprised Luna a lot. It spoke well of her character, and once again, Luna was torn on who to cheer for. Bakugo was her very first friend in Japan, but he also threw that friendship out the window once. Luna was slowly forgiving him, sure, but still. It still stung. Uraraka, meanwhile, wasn't Luna's close friend. Sure, they spoke occasionally, or worked on paired assignments relatively well, but they were merely acquaintances. However, Luna still wanted her to win, despite not knowing why. A strange feeling resided in her when she thought about it, and Luna huffed, annoyed. Stupid feelings, always so unnecessarily complicated.
The match was brutal, to say the least. Midoriya managed to point out her plan; simple, but that meant there were no intricacies that could go wrong. Her plan was to make him float and immobilize him, but Bakugo didn't let her. Explosion after explosion forced to girl backwards, causing her to take massive damage. Despite everything she tried, Bakugo was just too fast. The smokescreen from Bakugo's attacks wasn't all that effective, considering Bakugo could react faster than Uraraka could approach him. Even baiting him with her jacket was ineffective, as Bakugo was always fast enough to force the girl backwards.
Luna could feel the discontent and fear from her classmates. Many averted their gaze, or looked between their fingers, which were held to their face in horror. The truth was that Uraraka didn't deserve this kind of thing. She was always kind, caring, considerate; many considered her the nicest person they ever met. Many in the audience felt the same, but Luna felt disgusted when she felt they were uncomfortable that Uraraka was a girl, and not a boy. Her tail was whipping around in agitation at the thought, and several of her classmates leaned away from her as a result.
Even Present Mic felt bad "Uraraka keeps attacking without rest … but this …" He didn't even finish his sentence, the usually chipper and happy-go-lucky man now ill-content with the fact that the girl was taking such a brutal beating.
The arena was slowly but surely also being destroyed with Bakugo's blasts, sending shrapnel flying everywhere. Though, Luna was more than a bit surprised by the lack of it on the outside edge.
Hmmmm… What are you planning, Uraraka-chan?
Soon, the crowd began to try to persuade Cementoss to end the battle and Luna began audibly hissing in frustration; the fools only saw a frail and tiny girl being beat up. They didn't see the strength of hers, the perseverance that forced her to get up and try to fight. Her body was now adorned with cuts, bruises, and burns, yet Uraraka acted like they weren't even there, with every fiber of her being focusing on Bakugo.
"Hey! How can you say you want to be a hero like that? If there's such a huge difference in your abilities, then hurry up and send her out of bounds! Stop bullying and playing with the girl!" a pro called, finally allowing the sheep to bleat and follow his lead.
"There's booing from part of the crowd … But honestly, I feel the sa- OW! An elbow? What're you doing?" Present Mic began but was thankfully interrupted by Aizawa with an elbow to the face.
"Was that a pro saying he's playing around? How many years have you been a pro?" demanded Aizawa. "If you're saying that with a straight face, there's no point in you watching anymore, so go home! Go home and look into changing careers! Bakugo is being careful because he's acknowledging the strength of his opponent who has made it this far. It's because he's doing everything he can to win that he can't go easy on her or let his guard down."
And then a rock fell from the sky. Luna looked up and paused when she realized where all the shrapnel went; into the sky. She used the smokescreen to hide the shrapnel from Bakugo, and finally released it, sending them flying at the surprised Bakugo.
"A meteor shower?" asked the incredulous Present Mic.
"You should have noticed." Hissed Aizawa.
Uraraka rushed Bakugo a final time, and for a moment, Luna thought she had him. But only for a moment; Bakugo wasn't panicking in the slightest. He took his time, carefully weighing his options before raising both hands into the sky. With a massive explosion, he sent all the debris flying away from him, which also sent Uraraka to the ground, away from the boy.
"Bakugo delivers a satisfying explosion! He blasts boldly through Uraraka's secret plan!"
Uraraka slowly stood up, the effects of the terrible battle now catching up with her. She tried to run at him, but the poor girl collapsed, too tired to keep on fighting.
"Uraraka's down!"
Luna saw her try one last time to get up, and Luna couldn't help but be impressed. Uraraka was deceptively strong, much stronger than Luna originally thought.
This class … Everyone has hidden abilities and talents, even the most ordinary of us. It's … incredible.
Midnight approached the fallen girl, studying her before giving her verdict.
"Uraraka is out of commission. Bakugo advances to the second round!" Midnight said.
A cheer sounded for the battle, but Luna merely sat back, finally relaxing. She had no words to describe what she just saw, but she knew that it was the highlight of the entire sports festival that year. It would be talked about for some time.
A break was announced for the arena to be rebuilt and the remaining competitors to have a quick rest as well. It wasn't long before the next match would start, so Luna decided to keep Todoroki some company while they waited. They didn't say anything, but they didn't have to. Both were comfortable with the silence and relaxed.
Luna didn't really care about the tiebreaker, to be completely honest, but she heard that Kirishima won, so that was nice.
Then, the buzzer sounded, and Luna accompanied Todoroki to the arena. On their way there, though, they ran into Endeavor.
This was the first time that Luna ran into the hero, and she would have been lying if she said she wasn't intimidated, because she was. It was hard not to be, with his towering height, his fire, and his cold, disappointed eyes.
"Shoto, you're – Ah, you're Luna Aizawa, right? I didn't know the man had a daughter." The way Endeavor said it made a shiver run down her spine, but she'd make damn sure he didn't see it.
"Unfortunately, I am not Aizawa-sensei's daughter; I currently live with them is all. They didn't have to do that, either, though the gesture is heavily appreciated." Luna's voice was icy but respectful. Endeavor raised an eyebrow at it but didn't mention it.
"Is that so? And who are your parents?" Luna's eye twitched and her tail began its dance of annoyance again, but Luna answered with as much respect as she could while keeping an iron grip on Todoroki's shoulder, not wanting a confrontation.
"I doubt you've heard of him, sir. His name is Liam Nadeau."
"Hmm. I didn't. And your mother?"
"I … My father never told me her first name, but her family name was Bastinara."
Endeavor's eyes widened slightly at that "Bastinara-san, huh? I knew her for a while. I believe she made it to fifth place in the leaderboard before taking off to Canada. You wouldn't happen to know why, would you?"
Todoroki was about to speak but Luna squeezed his shoulder even harder, causing the boy to wince. "No, sir, I don't. If you'll excuse us, Shoto has a match right now. It was pleasant to meet you."
Endeavor caught the little interaction, watching as the two left quickly.
"Interesting." Was all he said, before leaving and bumping into Midoriya a few minutes later.
Luna then steered Todoroki away from the man, releasing a pent-up breath once they rounded the corner. Her mind buzzed with annoyance and anger at the man; who was he, to casually speak of her mother like that? And the condescending voice only irked Luna even more.
"I'm sorry. For forcing you to deal with my old man." Todoroki said suddenly. Luna shook her head.
"Better me than you, right now. You need to clear your mind and win, or I won't forgive you. Go get them, tiger."
"Did you seriously say that with your Quirk in mind?"
"Maybe. Off you go. I'll watch from here." Todoroki nodded and left Luna, who stood back and watched.
"Thanks for waiting, everybody! The first match of the second round is a big match! The man who won a huge victory in the first round and literally left the audience frozen … From the hero course, it's Shoto Todoroki! On the other hand, this guy barely made it past the first round! What kind of fight will he show us this time? From the hero course, it's Izuku Midoriya!"
The crowd began to scream and shout and yell and stomp in anticipation of the battle to come. Luna licked her lips, now worried for both of them. Despite not knowing who to vote for in her brain, the muscle called the heart let her know which one she wanted to win. Luna shook her head, exasperated by her internal reaction, but focused on the two combatants, who now squared off against each other.
"At this year's sports festival, both have shown top class performances! It's like two great rivals fighting against each other! Now … Midoriya vs Todoroki! Start!"
Instantly, Todoroki shot ice spikes from his right foot at Midoriya, hoping for a quick victory. Unfortunately for him, Midoriya seemed to predict it, destroying the now massive obstacle heading his way with a flick of his finger and a 'Smash'. Todoroki formed a wall behind himself so as not to be blown back from the intense wind pressure.
"Wow! Midoriya stopped Todoroki's attack!" eagerly said Present Mic, but Luna knew this wouldn't last for long. This was a battle of attrition, and Todoroki would win because he didn't heavily injure himself with every attack. Midoriya was limited to his fingers and legs, but once he used everything, he'd be out of commission. Todoroki just needed to keep attacking him, forcing the boy to use another body part to protect himself to win, but Midoriya likely knew that too. He would probably do something drastic to win.
So, Todoroki used the same attack, forcing Midoriya to destroy another of his fingers to stop it from reaching him. Once again, ice shards flew back at Todoroki.
"He stopped it again!"
Todoroki attacked a third time, forcing Midoriya to lose a third finger to protect himself. Luna frowned; a bit disappointed that Midoriya hadn't managed to come up with something by now. He had five chances left before he was forced to use his legs, as he couldn't use his thumbs for attacks, requiring at least two to fire off a 'Smash'.
"An endurance match, huh? I'll end this quickly." Todoroki promised, shooting off another ice spike attack at Midoriya. Midoriya once again defended, but now his entire right hand was used up. He skid backwards and Todoroki changed tactics, shooting himself forward with his attack.
Midoriya now brandished his left hand, and destroyed the attack, but Todoroki leaped, intent on landing a hit against the green-haired boy. Midoriya jumped backwards, and in the place he was, Todoroki landed, slamming a fist into the ground.
Instantly, Todoroki shot forward his original attack, catching Midoriya's foot and forming a wall behind himself in preparation for the incoming attack. Now, however, Midoriya attacked with his entire left hand, causing a massive explosion and a dense white smokescreen, preventing most from seeing the two boys. Even Luna had a hard time discerning the two figures in the smoke, having to squint.
The force from the attack managed to force Todoroki backwards a fair distance, but not enough to send him out of bounds. When he stood, Luna noticed small ice patches beginning to form around the boy and Luna flicked an ear in annoyance. This was going to be a little longer of a fight than she anticipated.
"That's a lot more powerful than before. Are you trying to tell me … to stay away? What? You're that beat up just from defending and running away? Sorry, I promised Luna I'd get to the semifinal to face her. Thanks, Midoriya. That guy's face is clouded over thanks to you. With your arms like that, you can't fight anymore, can you? Let's finish this."
Todoroki shot off a massive attack at the now still Midoriya.
"Todoroki keeps attacking with overwhelming power! Here comes the finishing ice attack!" announced Present Mic, but then Midoriya looked up, and Luna was startled to see the anger in the boy's eyes.
"Where are you looking?" Luna heard Midoriya say, and her eyes widened in alarm when he once again raised his right arm and shattered the ice, sending Todoroki flying backwards without an ice wall prepared. Just as he was about to be sent out of bounds, he managed to stop himself.
"Bastard … with your broken finger? Why are you going so far?" Luna couldn't help but agree, although her thoughts were more out of concern than anger. Midoriya could cause permanent damage at this rate.
"You're trembling, Todoroki-kun. Quirks are physical abilities, too. There's a limit to how much cold your body can take, isn't there? And isn't that something you could solve by using the heat from your left side? Everyone's fighting with everything they've got. To win and get closer to their dream. To become number one. You want to win with just half your strength? You haven't put a single scratch on me, you know! Come at me with everything you've got!"
"Everything I've got? Did my old man buy you off or something? Now I'm angry!"
Todoroki rushed forward, though his movements were a lot slower than before. It allowed Midoriya to use the entirety of his right arm to land a powerful hit on Todoroki, sending him flying back with him gasping for air. However, she saw that Todoroki froze Midoriya's left hand.
"We've got some action!" Present Mic stated.
Todoroki got up, coughing, trying to get as much breath as possible as Midoriya awkwardly lurched after him. Todoroki shot ice at Midoriya, but the ice came out slower than normal, and Midoriya was able to dodge it, jumping to the side.
Todoroki rushed forward, freezing the area around Midoriya's feet as he was blasted backwards by one of Midoriya's fingers. The two began to rush each other repeatedly, with Todoroki attacking Midoriya with his ice while Midoriya kept blasting away, ruining his fingers more and more with each use. They were now a swollen purple color, and Luna began to wonder if stopping the fight was necessary. The injuries looked severe enough to the point where it would take several healing sessions with Recovery Girl.
Blow after blow was traded between the two, but between Midoriya's destroyed fingers and Todoroki's frost that now began to spread along his right side, the battle had slowed down considerably. After a while, all the boys could do was walk angrily at each other, both exhausted physically and mentally.
Luna watched curiously, recognizing that some of what was said was in regard to the talk they had. At first glance, Luna should have been worried about the anger of the two boys, but Luna recognized a spark in Todoroki's eyes that she had not seen before. And then, everything hit Luna like a lightning bolt.
Midoriya wasn't just saying this to provoke Todoroki, nor was it because he wanted Todoroki to go full out like Bakugo would want. No, Luna had no idea why, but Midoriya was trying to goad Todoroki into accepting his power, his full power. Midoriya was trying to prove a point that Todoroki had to use his flames, because he'd be stuck at this level otherwise.
Luna was brought out of her revelry of Midoriya when he used his cheek to activate his Quirk in his thumb, sending Todoroki and himself flying away from each other. Todoroki stopped against his ice wall but didn't rise immediately.
"Why are you going this far?" Todoroki asked, now just as confused as he was angry.
"Because I want to live up to everyone's expectations. I want to be able to smile and respond to them … That's what I want to be! That's why … Everyone's giving their all!" Midoriya's fist collided with Todoroki's shoulder, but he didn't even try to block it. Instead, he took it, and staggered a few feet backwards. "There's no way I can know all of your circumstances, or your resolve. But for you to become number one without giving it your all, to completely reject your father … Right now, I think you should stop screwing around!"
Todoroki froze. Literally. His entire right side became encased in ice, and he truly began to tremble, threatening to break the dam of emotions within his mind.
"That's why … I want to win! I'll surpass you!" Another fist collided with Todoroki, sending him backwards once again. This time, he fell over, staring into the sky. "It's your power, isn't it?"
Todoroki slowly rose, sending a backward glance to Luna, who stood there. His eyes flashed a silent question:
Can I? Would you forgive me if …?
Luna's eyes answered him without any hesitation.
Your power is your right. It belongs to you, and nobody else. You want to prove that you can win without your father? Beat him at his own game.
Todoroki let out a strangled gasp at the girl's silent message before steam began to rise from his body, melting the ice away from his left side.
Suddenly, a blazing inferno erupted from Todoroki's left side, causing Midoriya to back away from the boy.
"Even though you want to win … Damn it … To help your enemy … Which one of us is screwing around now? I want to be a hero too!" Todoroki yelled. Endeavor began to yell encouragement, elated that he finally began to use his 'gift'.
"Wow …" Midoriya said, eyes wide at the blazing fire.
"Why are you smiling? With those injuries … In this situation … You're crazy. Don't blame me for what happens next."
The two boys then fully activated their Quirks, giving everything they had left. While Todoroki shot a massive glacier at Midoriya, the latter activated his Quirk in his legs, clearing it and put everything he had into his right arm. Todoroki did the same with his left hand, now enveloped in flames, creating a massive flare and channeling it before releasing it at the boy. Cementoss interfered, creating several thick barriers between them, but the resulting explosion sent Midnight and many members of the audience flying. Even Luna had to dig deep to prevent being moved, hand gripping the wall tightly and claws deep in the floor.
"What was that just now? What the heck is up with your class?" Present Mic asked Aizawa.
"The air that had been cooled thoroughly was suddenly heated up and expanded." Aizawa said, ignoring his compatriot's question.
"That's what created the explosion? Just how hot was that? Jeez, I can't see a thing! Hey, who won the match?"
Once the smoke cleared, she saw Midoriya was slammed into a wall, and collapsed, unconscious. Todoroki, meanwhile, stood in the now destroyed arena. The upper left half of Todoroki's suit was destroyed, and Luna had to avert her gaze, her cheeks slightly tinged with red when she saw the hard muscle underneath Todoroki's gym uniform.
"Midoriya is out of bounds! Todoroki advances to the third round!" Midnight announced.
Luna stepped forward and guided the lost Todoroki to Recovery Girl. However, they didn't get far, as they were stopped by Endeavor.
"'You're in my way.' You're not going to say that?" Endeavor asked, completely ignoring Luna. She didn't really care, but Todoroki was in no state to face his father right now, making the girl agitated. "You need to control your left side. You're just letting it all out, and it's dangerous. But you have abandoned your childish tantrum and finally became a perfect upgrade of me. After you graduate, come work for me. I'll lead you down the path of the mighty." With each word that came out of the man's mouth, Luna's desire to slug him became harder and harder to control. Just as she was about to strangle the man, Todoroki grabbed her arm and squeezed, stopping her much like Luna stopped him before.
"There's no way I can abandon everything. It's not something that can be so easily reversed. It's just … back then … For that one moment … I forgot about you. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing … Whether it's correct or not … I need to think about it."
Todoroki signaled his intent to move, and Luna helped him, his arm over her shoulder as she supported him, slowly walking to accommodate the boy and his injuries. Endeavor stood frozen in his place, not even turning as his son brushed past him.
Hello everybody! Welcome back to the next installment in my series! I would have continued the chapter, except it likely would have been 9 thousand+ words, so I decided to split it up here. Todoroki has finally found the necessity to use HIS fire, and Luna will be there to support him in every step of the way! Just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who read the story, followed, favorited, and reviewed! We recently hit 1000+ views and 250+ visitors! Thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy! Stay safe out there! – Bananaman out!