Chapter 48: Winging It

Loud cheering filled the air—loud enough for the vibrations to actually shake the wall that Izuku was leaning against. The green and purple haired teen frowned; pale green eyes dark and nearly lifeless. He looked a million miles away. The freckled faced teen still hated the idea of the Sports Festival. He hated that they were showcasing their quirks to current and future villains. He hated that all these students were walking advertisements and that the crowd would only focus on the hero course students. But, what he hated most was that they were exploiting children and having them beat each other to the point of serious injury for entertainment.

"You okay, Zuku," Hitoshi asked gently as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

Izuku flinched, being broken from his heavy thoughts, and then he smiled apologetically when he noticed Hitoshi frowning in concern. Hitoshi gave him a pointed look and Izuku sighed.

"No," he admitted.

Hitoshi quirked his lips and tilted his head towards the door leading out into the stadium. Izuku scowled at it and Hitoshi sighed in understanding.

"I don't like it either," the violet eyed teen sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Let's just try to keep our heads low and do enough to get a good internship. We want to be underground heroes anyway so the festival doesn't matter much."

Izuku nodded, but frowned in concern. Hitoshi's been rubbing his temples a lot lately. He's been claiming it's migraines—and he partially believes him because he has been having them, but he's also been having trouble seeping. More than usual at least. He's starting to get really concerned. It hasn't even been a week and the symptoms are already bad enough. Even William and Springtrap are concerned. His mom has been begging him to go to the doctor, but Hitoshi has refused. He says he just needs to get better over the counter pill. He strongly disagrees.

William's concern radiated through the mindscape, and Hitoshi frowned.

"I'm fine," the fluffy haired boy insisted.

Their mind link had finally shown up on the second day of training, and it freaked them all out. They had to do a lot of fast talking to calm down their friends. The link was still pretty weak at the moment—the reason why they didn't realize that it was activated for so long—and, so far, they could only send emotions. But, they finally had proof it was there.

"I'm not convinced," William snorted in disbelief, and Hitoshi scowled.

Then, he blinked in shock.

"I heard that," he whispered in amazed excitement. "It was really quiet, but I heard it!"

Izuku grinned in complete giddiness. Now all four of them could communicate! He didn't have play translator...or more accurately, be the human telephone.

"I told you it would come," an annoying voice said, verbally pouting. "And, Zuzu, how mean! Why didn't you count me?!"

"Because you're annoying," Spring growled harshly.

"How rude," Glitchtrap said as he glitched into their view—making sure he it was only the four of them that could see him.

"I meant it to be," the animatronic alter spat.

Glitchtrap frowned, and crossed his arms.

"So, Zuzu," the glitch said as he now ignored the irritated pear colored rabbit. "How's your glitching coming along?"

Izuku frowned in frustration. Glitching was much harder than it looked. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, his respect for the virus rose—only a tiny bit; about the size of a teaspoon. His casual show of power actually made him look deceptively weaker than he was. It was actually kinda terrifying.

"I actually started to glitch," Izuku said. "But, it's been completely random. Sometime I actually glitch without meaning to."

And, it was frustrating. He's been devoting hours this past week since Glitch decided to randomly pop up again. He's even had to put his projects on hold for this. However, he's made little to no progress on it. However, on the plus side, trying to get a hold of this new power had him figure out how to regulate One For All. Like glitching, One For All had for be regulated throughout his body. Now he could use up to 25% in his human form and 35% in his animatronic form.

Even William and Springtrap started to train with it after what happened in the USJ. William could now use 10% and Springtrap could actually use 45%. Izuku still didn't understand the difference of their ability to use it, but William theorized that it was their physical abilities. That and Spring wasn't technically human—which their quirk might recognize. All in all, it required further study.

Glitch smiled at his response, and Izuku gave the yellow rabbit a glare. The annoying virus only snickered in response.

"That's actually good progress," the glitch said as he glitched to lean against his shoulder. "I'm impressed, Zuzu~! You must be training really hard!"

Izuku hummed. Of course he was. This power would be really useful in saving lives.

"I'm kinda jealous," Hitoshi admitted. "That's a really useful power."

"Aw~," Glitchtrap cooed. "Don't be! Maybe one day I'll give you a cool gift too!"

Hitoshi winced and quickly said, "No thanks. Don't think it's worth it."

He then turned to Izuku with apologetic eyes, and said, "No offense."

"None taken," William said, speaking up. "If we weren't about to die, we probably wouldn't have taken the deal."

"You guys are so mean," Glitchtrap whined with a pout. "Haven't I been helpful so far! I haven't even done anything...yet."

William and Springtrap collectively snorted.

Glitchtrap frowned with a mild glare, and then glitched out.

"Did we take it too far," Izuku asked with a worried expression.

"Nah," William said nonchalantly. "I've said worse to him in the past. He can handle it."

"I think he actually seemed hurt," Hitoshi said with a hint of surprise, and Izuku nodded in agreement.

"He's probably faking it," Springtrap said, but the alter sounded unsure.

"Maybe we should apologize," Izuku said hesitantly.

"Let's just wait and see," William said. "He could be faking it to gain our sympathy."

Izuku nodded, but he felt a tight feeling in his gut that he recognized.

Guilt.

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"Is everyone ready," Tenya called as he gathered up all the students for Momo.

"Yeah," Mina cheered as she jumped up into the air. "I'm pumped!"

"Guys," Ochaco said, and everyone turned to look at her. "Let's do our best!"

Her face was unnaturally intense, and almost everyone shivered.

"What a mad banquet of darkness," Tokoyami muttered and William snorted in the mindscape.

Izuku and Hitoshi's lips twitched.

"Alright," Momo said as she changed the subject. "We have five minutes before Present Mic announces us. I just wanted to wish you all luck before the exams begin. Do your best everyone!"

"Tch," Katsuki tsked. "I don't need luck. I'll see all you extras at the top!"

"Bakabro, that's not very manly," Kirishima said with a slight frown.

"Yeah," Mina exclaimed. "We have just as much a chance at winning as you do!"

Several cheers of agreement erupted from other classmates.

While all of this going on, Izuku felt a pair of cold eyes on his back. He turned his head to the right as he found Todoroki staring unabashedly at him. His eyes were dark and calculating. And, something seemed almost...familiar about them.

"Midoriya," he said coolly, and his voice was almost completely flat.

Izuku had to hold back a frown.

His classmates stopped arguing at the sound of his interruption. All of them send them confused and curious looks. Hitoshi however, stepped closer to the freckled teen subtly. He didn't like the dual quirk users' tone...or the way he was looking at Izuku. William even came closer to the surface, his interest peaked.

"Yes, Todoroki," Izuku drawled, not letting anything show on his face or in his voice—taking Hitoshi's wariness to heart. "Did you need something?"

"I'm objectively stronger than you," the dual quirk user stated flatly, and Denki snorted.

The lightning quirk user saw—and experienced—his friend's training regimen. He very much doubted Todoroki could beat Izuku. That wasn't even mentioning that Izuku defeated Nomu—a monster built to defeat Allmight. Yeah, no. If Todoroki went against Zuku in the tournament, he was screwed.

Tenya and Ochaco shushed the blonde haired teen as the heterochromic teen looked at him with brief annoyance.

Todoroki turned back towards Izuku, his face once again blank, and he continued, "Today I will beat you and prove that I'm stronger than you."

"IS that a declaration of war," Mina asked as she started getting excited.

"What the hell, Icy-hot," Katsuki growled. "You're making your declaration of war to the wrong person!"

"Hey, hey," Kirishima called out as he tried to keep the peace. "Why are we all fighting here?!"

"I didn't come here to make friends," Todoroki said coldly, making several people flinch, and he glared at Izuku with frosty eyes.

"What's got bees in his bonnet," Sero muttered—and Koda shivered.

"Todoroki, I'm not sure where this is coming from," Izuku drawled lazily, and Todoroki scowled at him for a brief second. "But, I accept your challenge. I won't lose."

Todoroki quietly snorted and turned away once again. There was silence for several minutes until Present Mic announced the start of the Sports Festival.

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"The UA Sports Festival, The huge battle where fledgling heroes sharpen their swords once a year! Anyways, here's the miraculous new starts who overcame enemy attacks with hearts of steel," Present Mic announced. "The class who survived a villain attack, Class 1A!"

"There are so many people," Koda whispered nervously.

"Will we be able to give our best performance being watched by so many people," Kirishima asked. "It doesn't seem manly!"

"I can shine anywhere," Aoyama declared as he posed with twinkles appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

"Have they already forgotten your warning, shrimp," Springtrap asked as he snorted in disgust.

"Hey, lay off," Hitoshi sent back trough the new link. "This is a big moment for them."

"Hmph," the rabbit huffed.

Izuku and William smirked in amusement.

"They haven't been getting much airtime, but this class is also full of talent," Present Mic called out as the next class walked out. "Hero course Class 1B!"

The blonde pro hero continued announcing the classes to the continuous cheers from the audience—with less enthusiasm with each announcement. Each class walked out more irritated and dejected than the last.

"We're just here to make those guys look good," a Gen-Ed student muttered darkly as they kicked the ground.

"I'm not really feeling it...," another student mumbled sadly, and their friend patted their shoulder trying to cheer them up; but it was obvious they were just as discouraged.

"Time for the pledge," a purple haired woman with a whip cheered as she posed seductively.

"This year's chief umpire is the R-Rated Heroine, Midnight," a boy asked, blushing brightly as he stared, and several others did the same.

"Is this even appropriate," William asked boredly, completely unaffected.

Springtrap wrinkled his nose as he said, "Appropriate doesn't even cover it! Should she even be allowed near a school?"

"Quiet everyone," Midnight called out. "Representing the students is Midoriya Izuku of Class 1A!"

Izuku was taken aback, but he didn't show it as he calmly walked up on stage. No one told him that he would be making a speech!

"Calm down, brat," William said. "You got this."

"That's right, Zuku," Hitoshi said. "Just pretend like your talking to the class."

"Or us," Springtrap said dryly.

"Right," Hitoshi agreed. "Or us."

Izuku mentally thanked them as he faced the crowd on stage with a confident smirk.

"Good afternoon everyone," he said in a lazy drawl that was reminiscent of William and his lazy sensei. "As you have already heard, my name is Midoriya Izuku, and I was not told that I would be giving a speech today. Thank you for that."

The crowd burst out laughing at Izuku's sarcastic remark and Midnight blushed in embarrassment. She knew she forgot to do something!

"Anyway," Izuku drawled when the noise died down. "You all expected a speech, so let's see if I can wind it, shall we? We all came here as students of UA, the most prestigious school in Japan. I expect you all to do your best today. Today is not just about some silly festival or a stupid trophy. It's not even about being the best. Today is about showing the world what you can do! As one of the most important people in my life said to me, 'If something is important to you and you don't give it your heart, then why are you even here?' So, go beyond...Plus Ultra!"

The crowd joined him in his cry after his pause, and then they gave a loud cheer. As he walked back to his class, several of the other students in the other class and other courses gave him considering looks. He just nodded in greeting as he passed.

"That was great, Midori," Mina yelled.

"Very manly," Kirishima agreed.

"It was okay," Katsuki grumbled.

"Oh, shut up," Denki said. "You're just saying that 'cause you couldn't do better!"

Katsuki huffed in response.

"See," William said teasingly. "Told you you could do it."

"It was a good speech," Hitoshi agreed.

"Listen up," Midnight yelled causing everyone to once again focus on her. "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Every year many drink their tears here! Now, her is our first game!"

The R-Rated heroine rose her hand as an illusion board appeared and spun itself until it landed on the Obstacle Race.

Midnight quickly explained the rules and practically invalidated them all when she exclaimed, "As long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do!"

Then she licked her lips seductively, making the four of them uncomfortable.

"Does she have to do that," Springtrap complained

"You're just saying that because you do like anything to do with sex," William said as all the students lined up at the starting line.

"You three are uncomfortable too," the rabbit alter grumbled.

"Yeah, because this is a school," William said. "And they're teenagers. She's a grown woman."

"Whatever," Springtrap grumbled. "Just pay attention."

William chuckled as Hitoshi and Izuku got ready to start.