Time passed, and before Momo knew it, it was the day of the Sports Festival. She'd been training intensely the past two weeks, studying and memorizing as many chemical formulas as she could. She doubted she'd have time to crack open a chemistry textbook in the middle of the Festival, so it was imperative that she prioritize certain structures, such as her bo staff, which she reviewed dozens of times.
Class 1-A sat in their collective waiting room. A few were pacing circuits around the room nervously. Some sulked in corners, leaning against the wall, fiddling with their phones or observing their classmates. The majority of the students were lounging at the tables in various positions, chattering idly- anything to take their minds off the upcoming event, where they would stand in front of national television and show the world what they had.
Momo's vague, dream-like trance was shattered when Iida-kun slammed open the door.
"Everyone! Are you ready!? We will be entering soon!"
Tension enveloped the room, the students both anxious and unwilling to start. At least, that's how Momo felt. Sitting in the chair on her left, slumping back with his feet up on the table, Midoriya-kun looked like he didn't have a care in the world. His right thumb was scrolling on his phone, while his other hand was shoved deep in the pocket of his tracksuit. Then, the tension skyrocketed when Todoroki-kun approached.
"Midoriya."
The green-haired teen gave no sign that he heard anything. His eyes didn't even flicker away from his smartphone.
"You're very strong. But, looking at things objectively, I think I have more power. I'm going to beat you."
Silence. None of the students of Class A said anything, staring in awe as the second strongest in their class challenged the number one. A menacing pressure filled the room when Midoriya-kun lowered his phone. He tilted his head to stare up at Todoroki-kun's scarred face. He drummed his fingers against his thigh, looking deep in thought.
"...You and Katsuki are the only ones in here that might be able to give me a decent fight. You can't beat me, though."
Todoroki-kun's eyes narrowed sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Midoriya-kun sighed, returning to his device. "Exactly what it sounds like. Now fuck off, Candy Cane."
Across the table, Bakugou-kun barked out a laugh, though he seemed a bit irritated by his friend's comment. Momo, meanwhile, stared down at her lap, fiddling with her fingers. She felt like she'd taken a rather large hit to her pride.
Am I truly so far beneath him, that he doesn't even consider me a threat?
Momo's fingers curled into fists.
No! I'll make him see me as a threat!
"Class 1-A, report to the stadium."
"HEY!" Present Mic roared, the screens across the stadium lighting up to show his face. "Pay attention, audience! Swarm, mass media! This year's high school rodeo of adolescence that you all love, the U.A Sports Festival, is about to begin! Everybody, are you READY!?"
The crowd roared, enthusiasm stoked to towering heights. Present Mic reveled in the attention- he might be a Pro Hero, but this was his stage.
"It's time for the students to enter the First Year stage! First, the miraculous new stars who overcame a Villain attack with their hearts of steel! Hero Course, Class 1-A! Next, they haven't gotten as much airtime, but this class is also full of talent! Hero Course, Class 1-B! Then, General Studies, Classes C, D, and E! Followed by Support Course Classes F, G, H, and Business Course Classes I, J, and K! It looks like all of U.A's First Years are here, so I'll let our referee take it away!"
Down on the turf, a podium was set up, and Midnight stood upon it. She cracked her whip in the air passionately, staring down at the gathered students with barely-disguised glee. Despite being somewhat accustomed to Kayama-sensei's lascivious nature, Momo couldn't help but blush when she laid eyes upon her Modern Hero Art History teacher. Her outfit was… Sexy, to say the least, and the rich girl felt her cheeks burning.
And Midoriya-kun compared me to her!? Is my costume really that risqué?
"It's time for the player pledge!" Midnight announced, her headset projecting her voice through the speakers surrounding the stadium. "Representing the First Years is Midoriya Izuku, from Class 1-A!"
Everyone seemed surprised, including Midoriya-kun. "Me?" the tall teen asked.
"Well, you did score the highest on the Entrance Exam!" Sero-kun replied, smacking him on the back.
A girl from Class 1-C sighed loudly. "In the Hero Course exam," she said pointedly, glaring at them. Sero-kun wilted.
"R-Right… Man, she hates us," the flat-faced boy whispered to Kaminari-kun.
"It's all Bakugou's fault," the blond grumbled, "Calling them all extras as soon as he sees them."
"Oi. You gotta problem, Pikachu?" Bakugou-kun asked threateningly, causing Kaminari-kun to change his tone quickly.
"N-Not at all! What makes you ask?"
"Che."
Midoriya-kun finally made it up to the stage. Despite his long legs, he walked at an ambling pace, as if he was in no particular hurry. He stopped in front of the microphone, slouching over a little to speak into it properly.
"Um… I wasn't told I had to do a speech, so…" he mumbled, making a few in the audience chuckle. "Uh… Mmmm… Try not to waste my time, I guess." With that, he turned around and returned to the crowd of students, ignoring the boos and jeers from the other classes.
"Why would you do something so disgraceful!?" Iida-kun scolded, robotic gestures on full display. He went ignored, as Midoriya-kun pulled his phone from his pocket. "Are you even listening!?"
"How hot-blooded!" Midnight cried, rubbing her thighs together excitedly. "Let's get started right away! The first event is…" A holographic screen popped up behind the Pro Hero, spinning like a slot machine. "An Obstacle Course Race! All eleven classes will compete in this event. The course will be the outside of the stadium- around four kilometers!" Midnight cracked her whip, raising it in the air like a torch. "Our school's selling point is freedom! That means, as long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do! Now take your places, everyone!" She gestured to a red gate leading out of the stadium. The students did as she said, bunching up in front of it, waiting for the three green lights to count them down.
Momo took a deep breath.
I won't fail here.
Four kilometers? Hmm… Five minutes should be enough.
Izuku stretched his arms over his head, then bent down to slap the top of his red sneakers. He stood at the back of the crowd, but that probably wasn't going to be an issue. As soon as the countdown finished, those overeager idiots would jam themselves into that incredibly narrow passageway, creating a chokepoint. He'd just have to jump over them all.
"START!"
Powerful legs sent him hurtling through the air, and he bounced off the walls twice, leaving craters in his wake. He rolled as he hit the ground, then sprung to his feet, breaking into a mad dash.
Izuku came upon the first obstacle- technically the second, if you counted the chokepoint- in moments. Robots, like the ones from the Entrance Exam. He vaulted a One Pointer, slid under a Two Pointer, and ran between the legs of a gargantuan Zero Pointer without a second glance. Afterwards, it was nearly a kilometer of just running.
The third obstacle was laughably easy; a bunch of pillars floating over a deep chasm. The farthest distance between two pillars was maybe fifteen meters. Izuku just jumped over the gaps, completely ignoring the tightropes set out for people who couldn't Super Mario their way across this bitch. It took seconds to clear this obstacle at the speeds he moved, and then there was another straightaway.
The fourth obstacle looked to be a minefield, if the signs saying Danger Mines! were any indication. Inhaling deeply, he sped up even more, utilizing his incredible kinetic vision to step in between the circular patches of churned dirt. As such, he made it across the field without detonating a single mine, despite how densely-packed they became towards the end. It probably wouldn't have even mattered if he stepped on them, since they were most likely toned down for use in this event- after all, who would risk a bunch of kids stepping on military ordinance- but there was no telling what other effects they might have. Maybe it was only concussive force, but he wasn't going to risk it in case they splattered him with something, like quick-drying cement. That would've been both gross and inconvenient.
Well, whatever. Not like it really mattered, now that he was back in the stadium. Izuku stood there on the packed dirt, hands on his hips, watching the screens, when Present Mic's booming voice rattled his skull.
"HOLY-! What's this!? Midoriya Izuku's already done!? When did that happen!? It's only been… FOUR MINUTES!? Mummy Man, what the hell is your class!?"
Izuku rubbed his temples, trying to ignore the ringing of his ears, and silently cursing his English teacher. Did the man have to be so loud? Honestly, it was a miracle he wasn't deaf. Maybe his Quirk provided more durable eardrums? Or maybe it was because the soundwaves he produced tended to be directed away from him? But even then, it was too loud to not affect him, so it was probably the former theory.
Izuku dropped to the ground, made himself comfortable, and pulled out his phone. He probably had a while before he needed to get up.
Momo staggered into the stadium, thoroughly exhausted. "This isn't how it was supposed to go…" she wailed quietly. The weight on her back squealed in joy.
"I killed two birds with one stone! I'm a genius!" a very bruised Mineta-kun shouted. He was clinging to the jacket of her tracksuit with his Quirk.
"You're the worst!" Momo cried, Creating a staff and repeatedly slamming it on top of his head. By the third wack, the boy finally seemed to get the message. Thankfully, he also unstuck his hair orbs as he got off. The boy gave her a thumbs-up.
"Thanks for the ride!" he cheered lecherously, then scampered off while she geared up to hit him again.
"Honestly," Momo breathed, exasperated, "Why couldn't Aizawa-sensei have just expelled him…?" Glancing around, she saw Bakugou-kun standing next to a prone Midoriya-kun, and wandered over.
"Finally done, Spiky Ponytail?" the blond grunted, angrier than usual.
Momo sighed. "Yes. I achieved 17th place, unfortunately."
"Ha!" Bakugou-kun jeered, an irritatingly smug grin on his face, though it was quickly overtaken by a thunderous scowl. "Third."
"What about him?" she asked, gesturing to Midoriya-kun. "...Wait, is he asleep?"
"He came in first, obviously," Bakugou-kun grumbled, crossing his arms. "That Half-n-Half bastard barely stole second. Next event, I'm blowing him to hell," Bakugou-kun promised, clenching his fists.
"The first event of the First Year stage is finally over!" Midnight announced, as the last of the stragglers filed into the stadium, completely exhausted from the obstacle course. "Let's take a look at the results!" A holographic screen quickly cycled through the first 42 competitors to complete the race. "The top 42 will all advance to the next round! But, don't worry if you're not one of them; there'll be other opportunities for you to show your stuff! Now, for the next event!" The virtual slot machine rolled again, this time landing on… "A Cavalry Battle! Participants must form teams of two to four people. It's basically a normal cavalry battle, except for one tiny detail… Depending on their placement in the Obstacle Race Course, each player will be assigned a point value! The points assigned go up by five, starting with five at the bottom. So, for example, 42nd place will get five points, while 41st will get ten, and so on. However! As a special reward, first place gets ten million points!"
The sudden intensity of the students would have been unnerving, if said first place wasn't still snoozing on the ground, dead to the world. That didn't stop the majority of them from glaring at the green-haired teen, plotting ways to overthrow the current king of the Sports Fest.
"Now, I'll explain the rules of this event," Midnight continued. "The time limit is fifteen minutes. The point value of a team will be the sum of each member. There can only be one rider, who will wear a headband with that number on their forehead. Teams will try to grab other headbands until time runs out. Stolen headbands must be worn above the neck, so the more you steal, the more difficult it will be to manage them! And, most importantly, if you lose your headband, or your team's rider falls, you are not out! Just get back up and try again! You'll have fifteen minutes to build your teams- begin!"
Immediately, many in Class 1-A swarmed around Bakugou-kun, jostling him away from Momo.
"Team up with me!"
"Eh? No, team with me, Bakugou!"
"Don't you want to achieve victory with me?"
A tap on the shoulder scared Momo half to death. She shrieked, whipping around to face an equally startled Todoroki-kun.
"Um… Sorry," Todoroki-kun said blankly. "I came to ask if you wanted to team up."
"Eh? You want to team up with me?" Momo asked, somewhat surprised.
"Your Quirk is incredibly versatile. Plus, you and Bakugou are the two closest to Midoriya. Beating him would be easier if I worked with someone who knew him."
So blunt… But…
Momo peered at Midoriya-kun's sleeping form, holding a hand to her chest.
If I want him to acknowledge me, then this might be my best shot.
"Alright. I'll work with you."
Todoroki-kun nodded. "I've already got Iida and Kaminari. You're the last one." The teen walked off towards the rest of his team, and Momo followed, with one last glance at her green-haired friend.
But, is it really okay to just let him sleep like that?
"Wake up!"
A weight dropped onto his stomach, and Izuku grunted in annoyance as a bit of air was forced from his lungs. He cracked open his heavy eyelids, and found a girl with green hair and a sharp smile staring down at him.
Frog Girl? No, her face isn't wide enough. Who the hell…?
"Ah, you're up!" the girl cheered. "I'm Tokage Setsuna, but you can just call me Setsuna! 'Kay, Izuku-kun?"
Izuku rose into a sitting position, rubbing at his crusty eyes, before pushing himself to his feet. Head rush made him stumble for a second, but eventually, his vision cleared. A hefty yawn cracked his jaw.
"What do you want?" Izuku asked bluntly, glaring mildly at the far-too-chipper girl.
"Let's team up!"
"...What?"
"For the Cavalry Battle! I wanna be on your team, Mr. Ten Million Points!"
"...Hah?"
Setsuna sighed, and quickly explained the setup of the second event.
"Oh."
"Oh? Is that it!? C'mon, get more excited! It's the U.A Sports Fest!"
"Sounds like a pain."
Setsuna roared with laughter, slapping him on the back multiple times. "Ha! You're a funny guy, Izuku-kun! I think I'm gonna enjoy being friends with you!"
Izuku blinked. "Who said we were friends?"
"I did! Oh, look, they're handing out the headbands! Let's go get ours!" Izuku, still unsure what was going on, allowed himself to be dragged by his fellow green-haired student. She collected a white band from Midnight, strapping it around her forehead. Then, without warning, she jumped onto Izuku's back, clambering her way up to his shoulders, wrapping her thighs around the sides of his head.
"...Oi. The hell're ya doin'?
"Wow, everyone's lookin' at us funny," Setsuna mused, completely ignoring him. "They're probably gonna go for us right off the bat, 'cause we've got the ten million. I hope you can run fast, Izuku-kun!" she exclaimed, patting his fluffy locks. Izuku's eye twitched. He contemplated throwing the obnoxious girl off his shoulders, but Present Mic's commentary distracted him.
"After fifteen minutes to form teams and talk strategy, twelve teams are lined up on the field! Now, raise those battle cries! It's time for U.A's bloody battle! Light the signal fire!"
"START!" Midnight roared. Immediately, the majority of the teams beelined it for Izuku. The green-haired teen sighed.
"Annoying… Oi, Setsuna, what's your Quirk?"
"I call it Lizard Tail Splitter! I can split my body into twenty five pieces! It lets me fly, too!"
"Do it. You're in the way."
"Aww… I wanted to have fun, too, ya know," Setsuna moaned, pouting.
"Move."
"Fine~" The young woman split into several pieces, and went high up into the air, bringing their headband with her. Izuku hissed out a breath, widening his stance and waiting for the closest team to engage.
Up first was a two-man squad. The horse was a large, furry beast with glasses. Upon his back was a boy with dark braided hair, pulled back into a ponytail. Braids pointed his fingers at Izuku, and a barrage of tiny, pointed projectiles launched from his skin, pinging uselessly against Izuku's hard skin. The most damage they did was ripping a few holes in the jacket of his tracksuit.
"Tch! No good, huh?" Braids scowled. "Stomp him, Shishida!"
"You got it!" Beasty roared enthusiastically. "Whooo!" Izuku easily vaulted the hairy teen, snatching Braids' headband as their momentum carried them past him.
"Wha-!?"
Flat-Face tried to capitalize on his lack of aerial control by slapping a piece of tape to his chest and reeling it in, but Izuku turned the tables by yanking back harder, making him stumble. When he touched down, he tossed the band into the air.
"Setsuna!" he called. Her disembodied hand flew down and snatched it up. His teammate was doing a good job of avoiding Round Face's team, who were in the air because of a jetpack strapped to their rider's back. A girl with pink dreadlocks was urging them on with glee, screaming something about babies, while Bird Head's shadow Quirk made unsuccessful passes at Setsuna.
Katsuki's team, unsurprisingly, was the most aggressive by far. With Red Hair at the front, they charged in like a bull. Pinkie and Flat Face were trying to trip him up with tape and acid, but Izuku easily weaved around their attacks. Once he judged them close enough, he launched himself forward, slamming shoulder-first into Pointy Hair and bowling through the entire team. Katsuki managed to save himself by rocketing to the air with his Explosions, and hovering there while his team picked themselves up.
"Fuck you, damn lettuce-head!"
Izuku just smirked, whirling around in time to leap above the sheet of ice that would've frozen his shoes to the ground. By the time he landed, Candy Cane's team was nearly on him because of Glasses' speed Quirk. Pikachu and Spiky Ponytail were wearing rollerblades, both to close the height gap, and make it easier for Glasses to drag their asses behind him.
"I told you I'd beat you, Midoriya!" Candy Cane declared, swinging a frost-coated metal staff at him. Izuku caught, ignoring how ice crept up his hand, and ripped it out of Candy Cane's grasp. Then, he swiped it at Glasses' feet faster than the Class Rep could react, making him trip and drag the rest of his team down. Izuku reached into the tangle of limbs and ripped Half-n-Half's headband off, tossing it in their air like the last one. This time, however, Setsuna's whole body came down, reforming on his shoulders.
"What're you doing?" Izuku asked as he sprinted to the side, avoiding a hail of purple balls from Grape Midget, who seemed to be hiding between Tentacle's webbed arms.
"I dunno! I just thought it wasn't fair for me to be floating overhead while everyone was down on the ground, ya know?" Setsuna replied lazily, strapping Candy Cane's headband around her neck. She'd turned them all around, so the opposing teams wouldn't know which was which.
"Who cares about fair?" Izuku growled, barely stepping around the vines that suddenly sprouted around his ankles. The ground under his left foot softened, and he began to sink in like it was quicksand before rocketing backwards. Had he been a millisecond slower, his right foot would've been caught as well.
"I do, silly! Ah!" she suddenly shrieked. Izuku glanced up to see a pink, tentacle-like appendage lash out and wrap around one of the headbands, ripping it from Setsuna's band. Frog Girl's tongue, probably. He reached up and snatched it before it could retreat, ignoring the slimy sensation. Setsuna quickly reclaimed the headband, and he let go. "Good catch," Setsuna praised, patting him on the head.
"Pay more attention, dumbass," he reprimanded harshly, making the green-haired girl pout.
"You're so mean, Izuku-kun! That's not how you treat a girl!"
"Whatever," he muttered, noting how the other teams were no longer approaching him. Seemed like they learned their lessons- for the moment, at least. "Disconnect your hands and grab some points," Izuku ordered, continuously scanning the field.
"I'm hurt by your lack of faith, Izuku-kun! I've been doing that this whole time!" Setsuna cried, gesturing to the five bands wrapped around her neck. Izuku had to crane his neck up to look. They'd started with one, he'd personally grabbed two, meaning Setsuna had grabbed another two. "I took them from that invisible girl, and Kendo-chan! I hope she's not too mad at me…"
Seeing as they had a bit of breathing room, Izuku chanced a glance at the scoreboard. Currently, seven teams were running around with zero points. Only Izuku, Candy Cane, and three people called Tetsutetsu, Monoma, and Shinso had any.
"I'LL FUCKING MURDER YOU!"
"Looks like Katsuki's finally warmed up," Izuku murmured. They started with fifteen minutes, and only two were left now. He wasn't particularly concerned, though; he knew the blond would make it to the third round.
Right now, though, he had other things to worry about. With so many teams sans headbands, and the clock ticking away, people were getting desperate. The number of attacks he was avoiding was almost becoming overwhelming, and Setsuna's head was detached more often than not to dodge direct attempts at their points. Frog Girl's tongue and Earlobes' Jacks were the two most dangerous in that regard. There were so many Quirks aimed at his feet that Izuku's head started to spin.
Then, Izuku saw Pikachu sparking like a livewire.
"Setsuna, up!" Thankfully, the girl obeyed without question, because a moment later, lightning roared across the field.
Shouto had a good feeling this time. Kaminari's Electricity had gone a long way in subduing the rest of the competition, and combined with his ice freezing their feet, nobody could move except his team.
"Iida!" Shouto barked, urging his lead horse forward.
"Roger!" Iida's Engines roared, but cut out a moment later as the Class Rep faltered. Shouto would have reprimanded him, if he weren't stunned into silence as well. Coils of plasma surrounded Midoriya, which was surprising for two reasons; first, Kaminari's Electricity should have already dispersed. Second, Kaminari produced yellow Electricity- the lightning snaking around Midoriya was blue.
The green-haired teen's eyes snapped open, and Shouto's heart stuttered, primal terror nearly scaring him into submission. Red pupils set in black sclera stared back at him, like crimson moons in the night sky. Then, Midoriya raised his hands, and two bolts of thunder flew from his fingers, slamming straight into Shouto's chest, and the world went dark.
Momo couldn't help the shriek that slipped from between her lips. Static cracked against her skin like a whip, and her cavalry team was blown apart, the members scattered. Todoroki-kun, who'd been hit directly, went flying halfway across the field. Iida-kun had pitched forward, falling flat on his face and shattering his glasses. Kaminari-kun laid closest to where they'd been standing, mostly fine aside from the backlash of his own Quirk. Meanwhile, Momo herself was launched a few meters off to the side, skidding across the ground before she could even think to Create something that would help her out. Her arm was already turning red from friction burn, but there didn't seem to be any broken skin, miraculously.
Her head was spinning. Whether it be from impact trauma or surprise was up for debate. Regardless, she couldn't quite wrap her mind around what had just happened. As far as she could tell- and she might have to rethink the amount of trust she put in her eyes after this- it almost looked as if Midoriya-kun had transmuted Kaminari-kun's Electricity, then turned it back on them in a much more focused beam. If she'd ever touched a Pokemon game in her life, Momo would've declared the attack Super Effective. As it was, the only adjective she could think of to describe the events of the past minute was shocking (pun possibly intended).
Dazed, the young woman climbed to her feet, and shakily locked gazes with Midoriya-kun just in time to watch the black bleed from his eyes, and the ruby fade to emerald. He slumped over, chest heaving slightly faster than before, but he regained control of himself quickly.
Ears ringing, Momo could just barely make out Present Mic announcing the end of the event, despite his incredible volume.
"TIME UP! Now, let's take a look at the top four teams right away!"
Momo slowly dropped to her knees in exhaustion, still watching her green-haired friend. He was staring at his hands with wide eyes, almost as if he himself couldn't believe what he'd just done. Despite her poor performance, Momo allowed herself to feel a sliver of vindictive glee as Midoriya-kun ignored his teammate, who was fawning over him shamelessly.
"In first place, Team Tokage, with 10,001,415 points! It wasn't enough for them to just maintain the grand prize, they had to go and ruthlessly dismantle the competition!"
Considering it was only a two-man team, and Momo already knew the name of one of them, she could only conclude that Tokage was the green-haired girl with the sharp grin who was jumping up and down like a child, cheering obnoxiously loudly.
"In second place, Team Bakugou! They collected 1,455 points with a brutal display of overwhelming power and sheer grit!"
Bakugou-san was sitting cross-legged on the ground, fuming like a kettle. His teammates seemed to be cautiously attempting to console him, though to little effect.
"Third place, Team Todoroki! They had a bit of a stumble at the beginning, when Midoriya stole their headband, but they managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, and grab 1,125 points! Things got a little crazy at the end there, though."
Momo sighed. She, herself, didn't really know what to think about the end of the second round. She was just glad that nobody had managed to take advantage of Todoroki-kun being separated from the rest of his team.
Still, is it better to win because of luck, or because I actually deserved to…?
In fourth place, Team… Shinso!? Wait, what!? Where did they come from? Anyways, that's the end of the second event! We'll take an hour for lunch, then get back to ya with the rest of the festivities. C'mon, Eraserhead, let's go eat."
"I'm going to sleep."
Kyoka-chan came over and pulled Momo to her feet. "You good, girl?"
"I… Am somewhat tired, but it's nothing a good meal won't fix," Momo replied, feeling a bit lightheaded. Kyoka-chan tugged her arm over her shoulders, helping Momo walk to the stadium exit.
"What a bummer," Kyoka-chan grumbled. "21st in the first event, then completely knocked out in the second. How am I gonna get an internship if none of the Pros even saw me?" she groused.
Momo squeezed with the arm around her friend's shoulders. "Don't worry too much about it, Kyoka-chan. Even if you didn't do the best, give the Pros some credit; not all them would have been focused on the flashiest participants. Some of them might even have been looking for someone exactly like you!" she cried, channeling a bubbly sort of giddiness that she most definitely did not feel right now.
Kyoka-chan snorted. "Right. Easy for you to say, Yaomomo. I bet you're gonna get hundreds of offers, just because of your Quirk. Of course, your body might draw in a few more," she said with a leer at her open jacket, revealing her toned stomach.
Momo wrapped her loose arm around her chest, a slight flush rising to her cheeks. "Kyoka-chan!" she scolded. The punk girl just laughed. They finally reached the cafeteria, and she pointed towards an empty table.
"Wanna sit over there?"
Momo's eyes scanned the room, and alighted upon a table with a familiar head of curly green hair. "Let's sit there," she said.
Kyoka-chan followed her gaze, and a sly smirk tugged on her lips. "Heh~? Wanna sit next to Midoriya, eh? Does our little Yaomomo have a crush?"
"W-What!?" she shrieked quietly, cheeks burning.
"You stick pretty close to him, ya know."
"I- I do not! And I'm just worried about him, that's all! He's been even quieter since the USJ."
"Uh-huh. Sure."
Momo huffed out an irritated breath, but didn't say anything more. Instead, she just went to collect a large plate of food, and walked over to the table. Midoriya-kun, as usual, sat at the edge of the table. However, in the chair to his right sat Tokage, so Momo took the one across from him. He acknowledged her presence with a glance, then went back to staring at the table, seemingly ignoring the rambling Tokage.
"...And that's how the Paleozoic Era ended. See, a lotta people think the meteor landed when the Tyrannosaurus Rex was around, and I see memes about it all the time, but in actuality, the T-Rex and all those other really big guys only evolved after the Permian-Triassic extinction event. It's an understandable mistake, I guess, since there's been a ton of extinction events every couple of eons, but those ones were way more low-key, ya know? They were mostly caused by increases in volcanic activity, or the release of crazy-big gas pockets under the ocean, but there was only one massive impact event. Well, two, I guess, otherwise the Moon wouldn't have formed. So, one for the Moon, and one to wipe out mostly everything before the dinosaurs. I wonder if a cockroach would've been able to survive either of those… Probably not. I mean, they can live for a week without a head, which is totally gross, but you can still just squish them, which is still gross, but better than letting them run around and breed. Do you think headless roaches can still breed?"
Momo set her tray down with a bit more force than necessary, and cleared her throat. "Hello!" she greeted with forced pep. "Midoriya-kun, congratulations for achieving first place in the Cavalry Battle."
"Hn."
"You're Yaoyorozu, right?" Tokage asked. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Tokage Setsuna, just call me Setsuna. Monoma's gonna be mad that I'm talking with even more Class A people. He said that Izuku-kun was fine, since partnering with him would guarantee me a spot in the third event, but he also said not to associate with any more of you. Monoma really doesn't like Class A, ya know? Thinks you guys are out to make him look bad, which is ridiculous, because he does that himself whenever he goes on one of his rants about how arrogant Class A is, but we usually let him finish because it's funny. It happens a lot more than it probably should, mostly 'cause Kan-sensei agrees with him. I think. Is that unprofessional, or what? It's still funny, though."
Momo's brain came to a screeching halt about three sentences into Tokage's speech.
She calls him Izuku-kun?
"Um, n-nice to meet you as well, Tokage-san," Momo responded automatically, politeness having been drilled into her from birth. "Why are you sitting here, Tokage-san, if you don't mind me asking? Wouldn't you rather be with your friends in your class?"
"But, Izuku-kun is my friend," Tokage replied, looking a bit confused.
"Yer friggin' annoyin'," Midoriya-kun grumbled, and Momo's falsely-pleasant smile became a bit more genuine. She noted, however, that he didn't outright deny the claim. Tokage must've noticed as well, because she thumped him on the back a few times.
"Aw, c'mon, Izuku-kun, don't be a tsundere! You can say that you enjoy my company- I won't tease you. Much." Midoriya-kun grabbed the arm that kept slapping him, and a moment later, it disconnected from Tokage's main body, popping off at the elbow. "Ya know, if ya wanted to hold my hand, ya could've just said so!" Tokage snarked cheekily. The green-haired male dropped the dismembered limb, and it recombined with its progenitor. Then, Tokage snuck her palm beneath his, and interlaced their fingers. "There! Isn't that much nicer? Aren't my hands so soft? Wait, wait ow, owowow, stop- you're gonna break it!" Midoriya-kun finally released his vice grip, and Tokage snatched her reddening hand back, cradling it to her chest. "You're so mean, Izuku-kun!" she cried, crocodile tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.
Midoriya-kun's small, amused smile made Momo feel a type of way, and she definitely didn't like it. He'd never made a face like that around her.
"You're fun to bully, Setsuna," Midoriya-kun declared softly.
First name basis!? He doesn't even call me by my family name!
"Oi, Spiky Ponytail." It was only years of etiquette training that kept her from slamming her face into the table.
"Y-Yes, Midoriya-kun?"
"Where's Katsuki?"
"Right here, dickwad," Bakugou-kun interjected as he plopped himself down next to Momo. He had a plate full of curry on his tray. "Fuck is this?" he asked, jabbing his chin towards Tokage.
"I'm Tokage Setsuna! But you can just call me Setsuna."
Bakugou-kun scooped a spoonful of rice into his mouth, chewing slowly, thoughtfully. Then, he pointed his spoon at Tokage. "Asparagus."
"Eh?"
"You're Asparagus."
"W-What? Did I miss something? Why am I a vegetable now!?" Tokage asked, looking slightly traumatized by the new direction of this disjointed conversation.
"Well, he's already Broccoli," Bakugou-kun said, training his utensil on Midoriya-kun, "Since his hair's short and curly. Your hair's longer, so. Asparagus."
Tokage blinked, absorbing that interesting bit of information. "Okay!" she chirped brightly. "I'm Asparagus, he's Broccoli, and together, we are… The Green Bean Squad! May all tremble in our wake!"
Bakugou-kun choked, slamming a fist against his chest a few times, before taking a sip of his water. Midoriya-kun snorted, covering the lower half of his face with a hand, turning away from Tokage's earnest expression, shoulders shaking with mirth. Momo couldn't help but frown at how juvenile the other girl's sense of humor was, while watching Midoriya-kun laugh at such a childish joke had irritation bubbling underneath her skin.
"You pick up the weirdest motherfuckers, Izuku," Bakugou-kun said with a wicked grin.
"Doesn't that include you, jackass?" Midoriya-kun replied, smiling just as sharply.
Tokage placed a finger on her lower lip contemplatively. "Is this how men bond? It's really unsettling. Please stop, you look like maniacs."
Did I overdo it with Momo's jealousy? Probably. Also, I don't know jack shit about dinosaurs/prehistoric times, so whatever I made Setsuna say when she was rambling is probably false.