05/11/2022

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The Emperor's Dragon
Emergence 22 - Obstacle Course

"What are you doing here?" Ochaco exclaimed.

Here was dressed in his PE Uniform with all the other first years who had entered the Sport's Festival at the starting line of the first event. Izuku gave her an ironic look. "Mei asked," he said as if that explained everything.

To his surprise, it looked like it did. Ochaco sighed and then nodded. "Mei mentioned she'd have a surprise for us."

Izuku chuckled. "I promised I'd do my best to ensure she makes it into the Tournament round," he told his oldest friend. "I'll do the same for you," he added.

UA's Sports Festival was televised, though most of the attention was on the Third Years. The format varied from year to year but the one thing that didn't change was the final round. That was always a Tournament Round for the individuals to showcase what they could do. With the focus mostly on the Third Years, the Tournament Round was where the First Year's had to shine if they wanted to be noticed by the talent scouts.

And really, with the opening speech given by some teen named Bakugou, there wasn't anything else to recommend the First Years. He'd come across as arrogant and self assured, and while he had won the Entrance Exam, he'd done it on villain points alone. Izuku wondered what type of hero he'd be if he hadn't even considered helping people in that Exam. Though equally, he had to admit the teen did have some skills. 77 points was impressive, especially given that the most robust robot was only worth three points. He had to have destroyed at least 25 robots, more actually to have made that score since it was unlikely he'd have only destroyed 3 pointers.

But that wasn't what he was here for, even if he could admit to a certain curiosity. He kind of wanted to know how he'd fare against Bakugou since it was obvious the boy knew how to fight. Or actually, Izuku could admit he was curious to know how he'd fare against any of the recommendation students.

"I think I shou-" Ochaco started before Izuku gave her a look.

"There's no rule against teamwork in the first parts of the Festival," he told her.

She gave him a smile. "You've checked?"

Izuku shook his head. "Mei checked."

That startled a laugh out of her.

"She had to check to see if I could enter," Izuku explained. "And if I could help her," he added.

"Of course she did," Ochaco muttered. She was coming to find that Mei had Izuku's view of rules. They were more guidelines and if there wasn't a specific rule against something, then there was no reason not to do it. And even if there was a specific rule then… Guidelines, Ochaco reminded herself. They saw them as guidelines.

"So?" Izuku asked.

Ochaco took a deep breath as she thought about her answer but she already knew it. "I want to try to get there myself," she said sadly. She wanted to take Izuku's help but she wanted to prove that she could make it on her own.

"Okay," Izuku replied. He didn't sound hurt. "Second round is usually groups though so-?" He didn't have to finish his question.

She grinned. "I'll see you there," Ochaco said firmly.

Izuku smiled at her before nodding as he disappeared back into the gathered group.

"You've got balls Uraraka," the voice startled her.

"Monoma!"

"He practically offered to carry you through. Or can't he do it?" The teen from her class said.

"He could do it," Ochaco replied.

"So don't you want to beat 1A?" Monoma asked, practically spitting the A designation.

Ochaco didn't know much about him except that he'd come to UA practically hating 1A already. He saw them as entitled and sure of themselves. The incident at the USJ facility didn't help his opinion, even though he knew two of 1A were taken out of there in ambulances. The speech just now… Yeah that also hadn't helped.

She sighed. "I want to beat 1A," she admitted. "But I want to beat them," she emphasised. "I don't want to be carried there," she added using his term.

It seemed that got through to him, at least a little bit and Monoma nodded, accepting her words.

"Do you want my quirk?" she asked. Vlad emphasised that while they were in competition with each other to be heroes, the fact that they were enrolled in UA's hero course meant they would have the best chance to actually be heroes. Once they were there though, it would be an all new ball game but until then, and even after, they should cooperate because that would make them all stronger, and give them the best chance.

Monomo grinned at her. "I already copied a few," he admitted. "Maybe next round," he added with a chuckle.

"Yeah, maybe," Ochaco agreed before the warning tone sounded, indicating that the event was about to begin. Around her everyone tensed, preparing for the start and then the gun went, and they were off.

-ted-

Izuku had to admit the ice the teen from Class 1A put down at the beginning of the obstacle course race was a bit of a pain but one of Mei's babies had dealt with it quickly enough and then they'd used a bungy rope to run to the next obstacle. That is to say, he'd run and pulled Mei and Hitoshi along. They still had to run but with him providing at least some of the forward momentum it was easier. He'd followed the red and white haired teen from 1A which allowed them to avoid most of the robots. The few they couldn't avoid, Izuku managed to dodge around.

When they reached the fake canyon, Izuku sighed. He could get over it easily but- not officially. "Any ideas?" he asked. Hitoshi looked pale just looking at the obstacle.

"My baby booties will get me over but-" Mei paused.

"Charge?" Izuku asked, looking at the reinforced shoes she was wearing.

"Yeah, they'll need a recharge after that and I don't think I can get you two over as well." She at least sounded regretful about that.

"You can get over that, right?" Hitoshi asked.

Izuku nodded. Even if the ropes strung between the pinnacles he was pretty sure he could make it.

"I'll make someone carry me over," Hitoshi announced. "And you push them in at the end?" He added the suggestion.

Izuku snorted. That rather neatly took care of one of the things they'd decided earlier. Hitoshi couldn't show his quirk. People expected Mei to have devices so she was okay using them but Hitoshi's quirk was his trump card and he should leave it to as late as possible to use it. It would give him the best chance.

He didn't want Hitoshi to be a hero but… At least some part of him wanted to see the looks of surprise on the hero student's faces when a General Studies student was competitive. He was using that thought to combat his own competitive desire because he knew if he gave in to that, he'd end up on the podium and that would be bad for a few reasons.

No matter how dad said it was his choice and he could take all the time he needed to make it, one thing Izuku knew was that he did not want to be a hero. The other thing he knew was that he did not want to risk exposing his dad. A Management Student had no right to that podium and if he got there, then there were bound to be questions, questions which would probably lead to more questions and then…

He knew his new identity was good. He just didn't want to test it.

"Actually, there's another way," Izuku released, looking at the course again. There were people streaming past them onto the ropes. Plenty had already fallen. As an obstacle course, this was pretty fiendish but it was meeting it's secondary design feature as well, and that was to cut down on the number of competitors.

"What do you mean?"

"We can go around it," Izuku pointed out. There was a very, very narrow path around the outside of the canyon. It probably wasn't meant to be run on, given it was, at best only a few inches wide but he could do it.

For a moment it looked like Hitoshi would object, and then he looked resigned. He was probably remembering he'd volunteered for this.

"Tie the rope around your waist," Izuku instructed both Mei and Hitoshi. "That way, if one falls, the other two can help them," he added as he tied the middle of the rope to his own waist. He was going to cheat a little here. He'd make himself lighter and stronger and that would get them through but it would simply look as if he was light on his feet and confident in his physical abilities. Which he was, and that had been established in his PE classes.

"I'll use my baby booties to help," Mei said. Her baby booties were her jet boots, which gave her a limited amount of flight, or at least glide time.

"That will help, thank you," Izuku said. "Ready?"

Hitoshi sighed heavily. "Ready," he acknowledged. "Sometimes I wish you could use my quirk on me," he muttered.

Izuku smiled at that but said nothing. He could use Hitoshi's quirk on him, or better yet, he could get a copy of Hitoshi's quirk and- He stopped that thought. That was a thought that assumed he'd follow the choice his father wanted him to make. He didn't know. But… if he didn't- An uncomfortable feeling welled up inside him. If he didn't then he'd need a new identity one that could stand up to questions or he could lead back to his dad and even if he chose not to follow his father, he was pretty sure he wouldn't want to be the reason dad got caught. Dad had only said if he wanted to go against him then he should be prepared, but there was a lot of room between following in dad's footsteps to fighting against him.

He couldn't think about that now.

"Let's go," Izuku said to cover his sudden errant thoughts. "Hold on tight!' He advised before taking off at a run towards the edge of the course. It would take a little longer to get around but it would be better… and if he placed his feet right, he could probably loosen some of the ropes and eliminate more of the competition.

That was a nice fringe benefit.

-ted-

"A minefield," Hitoshi muttered.

"A replenishing minefield," Izuku corrected.

"What?" That was Mei.

Despite the fact that lots of people had gotten on to the fake canyon before them, Izuku's tactic of going around the outside of it had meant they'd gotten through faster than most. Sure it was longer but in the end it was safer and those who'd tried to follow hadn't been as lucky. Plus they had managed to weaken some ropes a little. It meant that now, Izuku could see the two leaders were making their way through the minefield already.

"It doesn't matter if we aren't first, just so long as we make it in the first group," Izuku pointed out. "So my first method for this would be to wait for a couple of people to clear out the mines for us," he added, gesturing towards the two from Class 1A who were already on the minefield and back behind them to those running from the canyon. "But I'm pretty sure the mines replenish, or the entire field is covered in them and we only activate certain ones."

"That sounds right," Mei said.

He grinned. "So which of you wants to win?" Izuku asked.

"What?" That was Hitoshi.

"Which of you wants to win?" Izuku repeated with a grin.

He didn't know it but it looked a bit manic.

"I can get one of you over and-" Izuku stopped. "How much charge do your Baby Booties have?" He asked Mei suddenly as a new thought came to him.

"About half," she replied.

"They'll get you over that?" He demanded quickly.

"Yes," she replied.

"All right," Izuku said. "Mei grab on to my back. I'll get us over next. Hitoshi, grab on to that rope, I'm going to fling you over," he said.

"You are going to what?" His friend demanded.

"I'm going to get you over the minefield. Tuck and roll at the end," he advised as Mei seemed to understand. She attached something to Hitoshi's shoulder before she grabbed onto his back.

"You're both insane," Hitoshi said, seeing their grins.

Izuku didn't answer, instead he began spinning around. It was unexpectedly easy. "The baby makes him a bit lighter!" Mei told him. "Kind of like Space Girl's quirk," she added.

That was good! Izuku spun faster which meant Hitoshi left the ground. With Mei providing extra weight anchor him, and him making himself a bit heavier with Kilo, Hitoshi was always going to leave the ground. Izuku spun a few more times and then flung his friend towards the minefield.

If the Olympics had still existed, there would have been countries trying to sign him up for discus immediately. As it was, Hitoshi arched up over the minefield, screaming the entire way before he began coming back down.

"So if he's lighter, he should be able to roll better right?" Izuku asked Mei as she released her grip from his back. Before she answered there was a particularly loud bang.

"Probably not anymore," she said.

Izuku looked over at Hitoshi. "Ah," he nodded.

His friend was now falling, flailing in the air slightly and- "Uh oh," Izuku said. He hadn't thrown Hitoshi quite hard enough. He was a little short of the finish line.

"They'll catch him," Mei said brightly.

Izuku was reminded that while Mei's quirk was zoom, her interests had given her a keen understanding of angles and exactly as she'd said, Hitoshi came down on the Class 1A students who were nearly clear of the minefield. The impact caused them both to fall and they tumbled, setting off more mines but as Mei had said, they did catch Hitoshi nicely and Izuku could see that his friend was still moving. That was good.

Hitoshi got to his feet, a bit unsteadily, but strong enough to stagger over the finish line, followed by the scrambling teens from 1A. Izuku couldn't see clearly but he thought one of them gave Hitoshi a look that could kill. Mei could see it and she chuckled.

"Your turn to grab on," Mei said.

"How much can they carry?" He asked.

"About 100kgs," she told him.

With the two of them, they'd be just overloaded but it was only two jumps and he could help out a little. Izuku grinned and wrapped his arms around her neck to grab on. Mei activated her baby booties and Izuku made himself a little lighter.

Mei took a few steps and then activated her Baby Booties, specifically these were her Hover Soles, and then she pushed off.

"Whoa!" Izuku said. He hadn't expected them to be quite that effective, and he'd never been flying, or jumping like this when it wasn't him who'd expended the effort.

"Aren't they great?" Mei asked.

"They're fantastic!" They really were.

"One jump in the middle," Mei said as they began to fall.

Izuku nodded, rubbing his head against hers so she felt the movement. He let her concentrate on landing because it couldn't be that easy.

He heard the Booties output boost somehow as they came close to the ground, which cushioned them and then they were shooting upwards again.

"Shit! Right boot's failed!"

"Can you make it on one?" Izuku asked.

"Yes," Mei said.

He didn't need anything else. Izuku released his grip on Mei, pushing her towards the finish line as he began to fall almost immediately towards the minefield.

She looked back at him and he could see her eyes were worried. Izuku smiled and then he had to pay attention to himself. He landed okay. He'd landed from higher heights after all but now he was surrounded by the mines. Mei landed just on the far side but he could see that it was rough.

"Move!" he yelled at her. He could hear others already coming through the field and there was no reason for her not to come in fourth.

"Come five paces forward," Mei said, "And then two paces to your right."

"You can see them?"

The end of the course was churned up from Hitoshi's landing earlier.

"Not really but I think they are there."

He decided to trust her and moved as advised. He didn't hit anything. He was sure they were set to be non lethal but it was going to hurt if he stepped on one. In his studies of the 20th and 21st century coups and wars… Non lethal landmines. There would be General's turning in their graves.

"Is there one within four paces behind me? Izuku asked.

"No," Mei replied.

He nodded and took the four paces back, looking at the distance he had to jump. He'd probably have to roll to make it look 'normal' but that would be enough. Izuku quickly ran the four paces and then leapt. As he came down he tucked himself up to somersault on the ground.

As he expected, it was enough but only just.

Even so, Mei grabbed his hand and dragged him over the finish line. He grinned once he realised they were done. After all, fourth and fifth place weren't bad for a Support and Management student.

-ted-

Realistically, Hitoshi falls on his face a few feet away from Izuku but occasionally I get to use anime physics. K? K!

If Izuku properly used his quirks, Hitoshi has no problems clearing the minefield, and the stadium and other buildings and... you get the point... And remember it's not the flying that's the problem, it's the landing. Here, Hitoshi had two people who kindly acted to break his fall. Everyone thank them :D

I didn't see much point in changing the events in the Sport's Festival, just the results. It's important for Izuku to learn how to be a team player here.

My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out. There's a heap of other authors there, so come along and chat to us all!

-ted-

Loved it? Hated it? Found a spelling mistake? Let me know please!