Chapter 22
I'M HANGING ON TO THE OTHER SIDE! I WON'T GIVE UP TILL THE END OF ME! I'M WHAT YOU GET WHEN THE STARS COLLIDE! NOW FACE IT, YOU'RE JUST AN ENEMY!
...Oh, sorry, I was purging from systems, both literal and metaphorical, for this year's edition of No Nut November and having the new anti-honry status song to bonk the horny away. Also, my I say, Buhjesus Sonic Frontiers, why are every single one of your songs and ost's hitting so goddamn hard?!
Yeah, I checked both the new Sonic game, which I'm casting my vote for best video game soundtrack already, and God of War Ragnorok, also amazing, and definitely should win Game of the Year, if not, Best Narrative and Action.
But anyways, it I, Zayden StormVoid, back once more for another chapter of My Hero Pokedamia! Last time, we had the completely reworked and new 2nd event of the Sports Festival, Shipwreck Mania. And oh boy, was I blown away by just how positively you guys responded to this chapter! It was touching, honestly, to see such hard work and hours of brainstorming be given the recognition that I don't deserve.
But when it comes to the plot of the chapter, we had Team Midoriya just hand all the other teams massive L's, with Pikachu being actually Uraraka's new Pikachu, taking their naval vehicle airborne, negate Koda's Quirk with earplugs, huge showoffs of progress and power from Midoriya, Tokoyami, and Uraraka, completely take away Iida's spotlight from his gambit, and Midoriya giving Todoroki the biggest burn of his life since the one from his mother. And that was just Team Midoriya's side of events.
We also introduced Ryukyu and Miruko, the mysterious man Ridley as the Mystery Hero: Guardian, Bakugou dealing with Monoma's team and Mina absolutely hating being there, Kirishima upset his friends aren't getting along, Shinsou stealing flags in the background, and something up between Momo and Todoroki, that they both don't like. What is it? Stay tuned to find out.
But before I go any further, I wish to clarify two things that I've seen people get confused about. Firstly, the new Regis idea. When I asked you all if I should incorporate the new Regis, from Lockstin & Gnoggin's Youtube video about a Regi for every type, into the story, I only meant that These would be Only fanmade or fakemon Pokémon that I would be interested or willing to put into this story and I would not be adding any other fakemon's or fanmade Pokémon, so please, respectfully, stop asking me to add more. This is precisely the Pandora's pithos jar that I was afraid of opening. But since a lot of people say it's okay, I will consider adding them in the future, granted if Pokémon Scarlet and Violet or any future games don't introduce another Regi.
And secondly, my story ideas that I have put for adoption, more specifically, my Spider-Man/Mortal Kombat idea and Game of Thrones/Star Wars one. People are under the impression that I would be working alongside this story enough to take my time away from other stories. I will not. My only involvement would be the revealing the premise and plot of the story, any important end goals of the plot, and extra ideas and notes for the story and world to the very sucker-uh I mean-curious author that would take it up. And if no one is interested, I will just put these story ideas up on shelf to gather dust for all eternity.
Also, could you guys do me a favor and tell me, is Black Panther Wakanda Forever currently worth watching? I've been getting mixed sentiments regarding it, from that it's a great movie that pays proper respects to Chadwick, a great Namor, and some good emotional beats, or that it's a good to mediocre to even poorly executed movie with pacing issues. I already on the fence for this movie because of Riri Williams, who I despise from the comics As a Character, because she just comes off as a bootleg, Mary Sue Iron Man that doesn't need to exist, either in comics or the movies.
Also, what do you guys think on the cringe Tick Tock video that says that people of all races should not watch the movie and only buy tickets to the movie only to give it to black people and to go as human shields? When I saw it, I was like, so I, a pale-skinned Mexican American, aren't allowed to go watch a movie that has a Hispanic actor, celebrating my heritage and culture, just because my skin is pale, or the 'wrong kind'? Pssh, get out of here with that bull.
And now finally, I do Not own My Hero Academia, belonging to Horikoshi and adapted by Bones Studios, who are doing a good job so far with Season 6 thus far, and I do not own Pokémon as well, that one being of both Gamefreak and Nintendo. Fingers crossed for Scarlet and Violet to be good, and Greavard already is good, best boi I can't wait to add. Fingers crossed also for Sonic Frontiers and God of War Ragnarök to be good as well. And with my writing and laziness I will probably release this by the time they come out.
And now, with that all said, let the chapter Begin!
The Sports Festival Part 4: We Need to Talk
Third POV
"Two minutes remaining!" Mic announced out loud.
"Okay, I think that's enough bragging." Uraraka's previous confidence melting away. "I think we might need to book it!"
"Agreed." Izuku nodded, turning to Mei. "Mei, get us as far away from Todoroki and the others as you can."
"Aye aye, Skipper!" Mei joked before going back to the wheel and console. Pressing a couple of buttons, the engines of the boat that still worked fired on, the water below bubbling, and the ship sailed faster.
"Good. Tokoyami, Ochaco, we have to be on guard, more than ever." Izuku turned to his remaining teammates. "It's safe to say that we majorly pissed Todoroki off. He's going to probably hit us with-" Izuku cut himself as he looked back to Todoroki's ship.
As Todoroki's ship was already on its portside towards them, four shaped could be made heading towards them. Quickly, the two shapes on the water poked their heads out to reveal Yaoyorozu's Wartortle and Todoroki's Drizzle. That left the final one, flying above, to be Iida's Skarmory, carrying Kaminari's Sparky on its back.
"And Todoroki's team is not wasting a second!" Mic's voice roared. "He's sending out all his team's Pokémon towards Midoriya!"
"Incoming at our six!" Izuku quickly reported. "Mei, keep us going as fast as possible and focus Magneton at Skarmory and Sparky! Tokoyami, secure the flags and have Honchkrow back Magneton! Uraraka, we'll have us, Chu, and Froakie take care of Wartortle and Drizzle from here! GO!"
"Aye!" The three exclaimed, their Pokémon quickly following their orders. Tokoyami ran down the steps with Todoroki's flag towards the mast, Dark Shadow quickly sealing up their flag's hiding slot, not that it was hidden anymore. Honchkrow and Magneton flew up to meet Skarmory and Sparky, while Froakie and Chu stayed beside Izuku and Uraraka.
Sparky jumped up from Skarmory, sparking alive with electricity before firing a Thunderbolt.
"Magni! Protect!" Mei ordered.
Magneton erected a greenish barrier of energy that absorbed the Thunderbolt.
"Honchkrow! Dark Pulse!" Tokoyami yelled out, too.
Interconnected rings of dark, sinister energy formed on Honchkrow's beak. "HONCH-KROOOWWW!" The Big Boss Pokémon cawing as he fired a stream of black rings.
In response, Skarmory's wings glowed silver white, Steel Wing, and began spinning in place. The dark rings collided and seemingly bounced off the spinning Skarmory. Finally, Skarmory stopped and spread his wings back out, dispelling the Dark Type attack just in time for Sparky to land back on the Armor Bird Pokémon.
Izuku's eyes widened. 'That technique.' Izuku thought to Hawlucha, Pikachu, Dragonite and Cinderace as they performed the same technique. "Guess I should have expected for the others to try copying the Counter Shield Technique." He remembered the defiant glare of Iida, the rival. "Especially you Iida."
Skarmory continued flying, with Pikachu hanging tight as they flew around while being chased by Honchkrow and Magneton.
"Deku!" Uraraka gained Izuku's attention back down towards the water as Wartortle and Drizzle were nearing them.
"Froakie, open fire with Water Pulse!" Izuku quickly ordered.
"Chu! Thunderbolt!" Uraraka followed Deku's lead.
The Bubble Frog and Electric Mouse Pokémon complied, firing their respective moves towards the enemy Pokémon. Drizzle and Wartortle formed Water Pulses of their own and fired them, clashing and destroying the opposing attacks.
"Keep firing! Don't let up!" Izuku ordered, as Froakie and Chu fired their Special Attacks on the advancing Pokémon.
"Deku, they're getting close, and I don't have much of anything to throw." Uraraka warned, almost all the metal and scrap in the cannons on the ship's side. "What about your projectile move? The Aura one?"
"Too risky." Izuku flexed his still slightly numb hand from the recent Aura Force: Burst. "Honestly, I think that that one was more a fluke or a stroke of luck. If I try again, I'm not sure I'll be lucky again."
"Incoming!" Mei yelled out. They looked to where she was pointing at. Above they saw Skarmory and Sparky dive bombing for the flag.
"Honchkrow! Defend!" Tokoyami ordered.
Honchkrow sailed up glowing, a trail of sky white-blue tracing around it, activating Aerial Ace. The Bigs Boss Pokémon's new speed helped reached and slam against Skarmory's side. Sparky jumped off in time to continue sailing towards the flag.
"Magni! Catch it!" Mei ordered next.
Magneton followed close behind Honchkrow, now standing between Sparky's downward path.
"Pi-Ka!" Sparky cried out, as her body became blurry and shifting side to side. Soon, multiple copies of Pikachu were formed falling towards them.
"It's Double Team!" Uraraka warned.
"Magni, Discharge!" Mei yelled.
Giving up trying to figure out which one was the real one, and by its Trainer's orders, Magni unleashed bolts of blue electricity arcing all over it. As it struck multiple of the doubles, now destroyed, all but one final Sparky survived, only for the real one to reach Magneton, land on its top head and jump off going towards the mast.
But before it could reach it, Dark Shadow's claw extended out from below and smacked Sparky away. The enemy Electric Mouse sailed out, almost hitting the water if not for the on-time save by Skarmory, using its own Aerial Ace to out-speed the pursuing Honchkrow.
"Now that's what I call a Homerun!" Mei grinned at her joke.
"That was too close." Uraraka sighed.
"It is fine." Tokoyami replied. "As long as we keep this defense and speed up, we should be alright-"
"SSSHHHKKK!" Team Midoriya felt the chill before the loud sound. They turned to stare with agape mouths. Behind them, Todoroki's ship was suddenly elevated upwards on a large glacier of ice and now sliding down a slide right-downwards, in an arc aiming their starboard side to Tema Midoriya's own.
"AMAZING!" Mic's cheer made the shocked audience in the stands start cheering loudly again. "Todoroki's trying to one up Midoriya's crazy shenanigans! He put his ship on an icy slide heading for Midoriya!"
"This is Awesome!" Kaminari tried to yell through the wind in his ears as the ship slid. Iida grunted as he struggled to keep the ship on path.
"Prepare for Impact!" Momo yelled, bracing against the mast of their ship, alongside Todoroki, most of his left side now covered in frost.
"Tokoyami!" Izuku snapped free from his stupor.
"On It!" Tokoyami rushed to the edge of their starboard. "Honchkrow, use Haze! Dark Shadow!"
"Aye!" Dark Shadow cawed. Both it and Tokoyami were once more covered in a haze of dark smoke from Honchkrow, the sentient Quirk only spending a second in the cloud before popping out larger and stronger, shooting out the ship with its clawed hand out.
"Brace yourselves!" Izuku and Uraraka braced against the mast, too.
What happened next felt like a blur in seconds for many, but to the crew of the two ships, felt like an eternity. The ships crashed their starboard sides together, Dark Shadow shielding Midoriya's ship from most of the impact, Tokoyami almost felt the impact as well and had to steady himself on the portside. Mei and Iida both were nearly flung away from the wheel at the impact, and Kaminari was also almost flung overboard and barely hung onto the portside of his own ship.
Meanwhile, as Uraraka and Izuku recovered from the impact, they registered how Todoroki and Momo were no longer on their ship, but sailing towards theirs and the mast, almost being slingshotted from the crash.
"Uraraka!" Was all Izuku had to yell to get the message.
"Got it!" Uraraka replied as the two jumped to meet the two, herself towards Yaoyorozu and Midoriya against Todoroki.
Todoroki barely got a wave of ice out as he landed before Izuku kicked through it with Full Cowling. Meanwhile, Momo was stopped on her impending path to the flag by Ochaco tackling her in mid-air. Momo felt the loss of weight as Uraraka activated her Quirk, but Momo pushed through the discomforting change and fired her device. Uraraka could barely register what it was. It looked like a grappling hook, though the hook was replaced by a clawed hand, almost resembling Dark Shadow's, and watched as the claw latched onto Team Todoroki's flag from their mast and pulled it out, only ripping the end of it before zipping back into Momo's grasp as she floated back to her ship.
"I Got It!" Momo declared, victoriously.
"Momo Yaoyorozu of Team Todoroki had just reclaimed her team's flag!" Mic exclaimed, the points of Todoroki's team ranking upwards as Yaoyorozu hit and gripped upon the mast.
"Chu! Froakie!" Uraraka called for.
The two Pokémon jumped towards Todoroki's ship, hoping to pry the flag from Momo's grasp. Wartortle and Drizzle sprang out from the water and side tackled them away, grappling and squirming with each other.
Todoroki barely registered his team reclaiming their flag as his widened eyes zeroed in on Midoriya, green bioelectricity sparking all around him, his eyes sharp and practically glowing with fierce determination that he could almost feel it piercing through his very soul. Instinct drove his body to act, his left side brought up and set aflame.
Midoriya's eyes widened in surprise, but only for a second. They hardened again and felt his body move before even thinking, his bioelectricity sparking wilder, his right arm reaching out, practically glowing with red veins. 'Just like last time!' Izuku remembered back to the USJ when he tried saving Asui from Shigaraki, Shigaraki's words from before taunting him and All Might's own in the teacher's lounge cautioning him. His teeth gnarled into a determined snarl. 'Just keep going! Don't strike at him! Only his side!'
Tokoyami's smirk, Mei's grin, and Ochaco's smile flashed in his mind. 'I Refuse to Let Them Down!' He cried out from within.
As Midoriya's hand neared Todoroki's flaming arm, Midoriya sliced out to his right, a wave of highly pressurized air slicing through and cutting away the flames from Todoroki's arm.
Unaware to them both, the slash of air continued, smacking and sending Kaminari as he tried jumping to Midoriya's ship. The knockback sent him sprawling the floor of Todoroki's ship and smack his head on the side. Kaminari shook in a daze, his head once more taking a dunce appearance while comical little Psyducks swam around his head.
Todoroki's mind finally registered. 'My Left Side!' His eyes widened, disbelieving what was happening. 'What am I doing?!'
Izuku flinched, looking to his hand. 'Stings a little, but not broken!' He realized before switching his gaze back to Todoroki. Seeing the opportunity of his distracted opponent, Midoriya slammed his Full Cowling knee onto Todoroki's stomach. The scarred teen gaped at the sudden strike, his eyes almost rolling up at the pain. Izuku didn't let up and slammed his right leg onto Todoroki's side and continued, spinning the teen around in a circle.
"WASHINGTON SMASH!" Izuku cried out as he kicked out, sending Todoroki flying back to his ship, crashing into Iida who came to help and sending them tumbling to the floor.
"The action is getting wild!" Mic declared. "Todoroki looked to be using his flames, yet Midoriya cut them out and sent Todoroki and his teammates flying back!"
Endeavor noticed the first part of Mic's summary as well. An inkling of hope and relief welled up in the Number Two Hero before it was swiftly cut away, much like the flames from Midoriya's swipe, from noticing his son's aghast expression. Endeavor kept his stoic face, his brows frowning, and gaze narrowed.
"Hahahaha! Now that's more like it!" Miruko laughed at seeing the beatdown Midoriya gave to Todoroki. The Rabbit Hero's face was almost feral with excitement. "This kid's coming up more to Mama's liking!"
"Oh, I have no doubt about that." Ryukyu grinned. "Your foot's thumping like when you get when you're excited~."
Miruko registered what her best friend said, immediately ceasing her foot's actions and trying to quell down the blush on her tan cheeks, though whether they were of embarrassment or Ryukyu's implied excitement, Miruko didn't know which to deny. "S-SHUT UP!"
"They got their flag back!" Uraraka revealed, backing up closer to the mast.
"It doesn't matter now! We need to break free!" Tokoyami warned.
Izuku agreed with his teammate's caution. "Mei, get us out of here!" Izuku yelled out.
"On it!" Mei yelled in reply.
But before she could spin the wheel, ice covered and trapped their ship to Todoroki, the trail of ice not needed to know the culprit.
Todoroki panted out his cold breath. 'What am I doing? How did he make me-' Todoroki ceased his thoughts before narrowing his anger for what happened towards the one responsible. 'Midoriya.'
Todoroki and his entire team and their Pokémon jumped and sailed forwards towards them. "MIDORIYA!" He yelled in rage, ice spreading from his right arm for another wave.
Izuku gritted his teeth, not having any other choice. "TODOROKI!" He yelled back, Full Cowling alit as he and his whole team, including Mei with a riot shield, and their Pokémon towards the opposing team.
"ICY HOT! DEKU!" Bakugou's voice roared overhead, the explosive teen blasting off his nearby ship and sailing down towards Todoroki, Deku, and the mast for the flag.
Deku's eyes widened further at Bakugou's approach, the feeling of being surrounded by all sides once again feeling suffocating for him. 'I have to try.' Izuku resolved to attempt the only attack he had that would blow all his opponents away with the least risk to himself and his allies. But as Izuku tried again to harness that energy for another Burst, a flare of ringing pain stung his mind and his left hand throbbed terribly. 'No, too weak! What should I do?'
They all seemed trapped in time as all three factions neared each other. Until-
"TIME'S UP!" Mic bellowed out.
All three teams froze comically in place, some with their feet in the air to rush forward now dangling in mid-air. The Pokémon froze in mid-hop or flight and ended crashing onto each other, like Chu and Sparky smashing face first, Honchcrow and Skarmory crashing and landing on top of their Trainers. Bakugou's explosions ceased, and he fell into the water below.
"And with that the 2nd Event of the Sports Festival is Over!" Mic announced, to the crowd's cheers.
Whatever was keeping Izuku standing gave out. Izuku fell on his butt sighing relief. "I did it." Izuku panted, tears slightly poking from his eyelids. "I actually did it."
"Deku!" Izuku heard before he was tackled into a hug by an overjoyed Uraraka. "We did it! We did it! We kept the points! We made it in first place!"
Izuku fought through his blush and smiled. "Yeah. We did, didn't we?" Izuku replied.
Uraraka's perpetually pink cheeks grew brighter at his smile. 'Dammit! Why does his smile affect me so much?' Uraraka thought, crying at the unfairness of how cute and charming Izuku's smile was.
"Well done, Midoriya." Tokoyami's voice drew them to the avian-headed teen standing over them, Pokeball in hand as he finished returning Honchkrow to it. "While a few snags occurred along the way, your plan worked exceptionally. The victory is yours."
"No, Tokoyami." Izuku shook his head and smiled at his teammate. "The victory is ours. I couldn't have done any of this without all of your hard work, Ochaco, Mei, and you and your Honchkrow, especially. Thank you, Tokoyami, for believing in me."
Gratitude peaked out from Fumikage's stoic eyes and smirk, as he nodded.
"10 Million!" Was all the warning Izuku and Ochaco had before his other side was wrapped in a hug by Mei Hatsume. "That was so cool! We won! And my babies worked so well! Didn't they?!"
"Y-Yeah, they sure did, Hatsume." Izuku stuttered out his blushing face. "But seriously, you don't have to call me 10 Million all the time. Just Midoriya or Izuku would be fine."
"Hmm. Nah." Mei shook her head.
"Nah?" Izuku raised an eyebrow.
"Too generic of a name for me to call you." Mei responded. 'And I'm pretty sure calling him my Future Husband will probably freak him out.' Mei snapped out her thoughts when her hand felt the muscle hidden underneath his P.E. uniform. It made Mei momentarily blush before a lightbulb turned on in her head. "Oooh! I know! I'll just call you Muscles!"
"M-M-Muscles?!" Izuku's blush grew tomato red levels.
"Yeah!" Mei just smiled nonchalantly. "Strong, confident, and, seriously Muscles, you are quite packing underneath these clothes.
Izuku felt Mei shift onto him, her large breasts rubbing against his arm and chest, making him go almost thermonuclear.
Uraraka pouted jealously. "Hey!" Uraraka yelled, pulling Midoriya further to herself. "Ease up! You're making Deku uncomfortable!"
Ochaco didn't bother realizing Izuku's blush still growing as she accidentally pressed her own large assets onto his other arm. 'Bo-Bo-Bo-Bo-' Izuku's mind ended up in a stuttering broken record of trying to say 'Boobs'. It didn't help that the two continued to pull on him from both sides like he was both their favorite doll.
Tokoyami blinked in surprise at the scene in front of him, and even with a little blush as he accidentally snuck a peek at the girl's assets, but quickly turned away with an amused smirk.
"Wowie." Mirio chuckled as he watched this unfold from the screens. "Looks like Midoriya is quite the ladies man."
"Those two...they're like succubus's...tearing him apart and treating him like a poor harem protagonist." Amajiki shivered, frightful and pitiful for Midoriya's unfortunate situation. "How tragic."
Mirio sweatdropped at his best friend's imaginative words. "What about you Nejire? Think he's quite the harem mas-"
Mirio cut himself as he registered the dark, malevolent and sinister aura around Nejire, quite a contrast to her constant smile that now looked strained, and her wide-open eyes looking glazed and murderous. She craned her head over to Mirio, almost like she was a possessed puppet. "Yes, Mirio?" She said sinisterly.
Mirio raised his hands, while Amajiki looked scared shitless and looked close to begging for his life. "U-Uh nothing Nejire." Mirio stuttered out, trying hard to keep his smile up. "I was just being a little-a Lot silly!" Mirio paled further as he tried to correct himself.
"Mmhmm." Nejire simply said as she turned back to look at the screen, leaving behind a sighing Mirio and fainting Amajiki in her peripheral. As she saw the two girls fighting for Midoriya's attention, her eye twitched. 'I finally found the one I was looking for and these hussies think they can take him for themselves?' Nejire's dark thoughts flooded her mind and her aura raged. 'Ooh, just they wait until I get my hands of him. Not even Ryukyu will save them from me.'
Ryukyu sneezed.
"Huh, you sick or something?" Miruko took a break from her laughing to see Ryukyu wiping her nose.
"No, I just had the feeling someone was thinking about me." Ryukyu replied, staring off to wonder who was thinking about her.
"We're both part of the Top Ten Pros and are hot as fuck. Of course, someone would be thinking about us. Probably some loser fanboy jacking off to magazine or wet dream." Miruko crudely pointed out. Then her ear perked, and her grin came up. "Or are you saying that it was someone close to you? Maybe a certain mysterious hero you are seeing~?"
"I could say the same for you and your interest in Midoriya." Ryukyu swiftly retorted, eyes narrowing and gesturing to Midoriya's current predicament on the screen. "You laugh at that, yet it's clear that you are eager to stake your own claim." She gestured then to Miruko's traitorous feet thumping on the ground again, so much so that a mini crater had formed.
Miruko quickly ceased and pressed her forehead onto her best friend, who pressed right back, the two sending glares, yet grinning viciously at each other.
"Oh? So, you are playing that card?" Miruko growled challengingly. "What about your own animal instincts?"
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ryukyu questioned with equal challenge in her eyes and tone.
"I swear every time I see you and Guardian get along, I see smoke come out of your nose and your tail pop out and wiggling!" Miruko grinned, victoriously. "It's honestly so sweetly adorable that it rots my teeth."
"Like how my best friend is showing interest in a boy 10 years younger than her?" Ryukyu fired back. "Oh, my mistake, I meant sickening!"
"The legal age of consent in Japan now is 16, bitch!" Miruko defended herself. "'Sides, Dad is 10 years older than mom, too!"
"Oh, that makes so much sense now where you get your lechery and crassness from." Ryukyu laughed out mockingly.
"That's from my mom, Scaley!" Miruko corrected.
"Chocolate Bunny!" Ryukyu fired back.
"Dragon Whore!"
"Thunder Thighs!"
"Scale Tits!"
"Horny Bunny!"
Lopunny and Salamance both sweatdropped and sighed, seeing their Trainers go at it again. They both wondered how long this name calling spree of theirs will last until they kiss and make up. Salamance in particular only wished that Riley was here. The secretive man had a habit of calming Ryukyu down during times like this.
"Achoo!" Riley sneezed.
"Raahh?" Lucario and Riolu both asked, looking quite concerned of their Master and caretaker.
"It's alright guys, just a couple of sneezes." Riley rubbed his along the tip of his nose. "A little dusty I suppose. Might need to clean up later."
Both Trainer and Pokémon knew that the other didn't buy his bullshit and knew that Riley was thinking it was someone talking about him. And given who usually was on his mind when this happens, Riley didn't want to hear Lucario and Riolu tease him about Ryuko for the umpteenth time.
'Actually, she said that she was taking Miruko to the Sports Festival.' Ridley remembered. 'I wonder if she is there right now? I could perhaps ask her what she saw and felt about Midoriya from her. A firsthand account on the scene would be helpfully informative. Maybe ask it during a cup of coffee together?'
Lucario and Riolu both listened to his thoughts, their Master and caretaker not really good at hiding anything from them like the rest of the world, even his thoughts. They also snickered that his thoughts turned to the Dragoon Hero for information, rather than his own protege, with better sense of the matters of Aura, also at the festival. Or his very own, more experienced and wise former Master, now a teacher, at the festival, too.
Taishi lightly sneezed into his napkin.
"Oh my, catching onto a cold perhaps?" Nezu asked.
"I'm quite alright, old friend." Taishi replied, wiping his nose a few more times. "Nothing to concern yourself about."
"Are you sure?" Nezu took of a sip of his tea. "You were positively shivering earlier."
Taishi smirked. As always, getting right to the point, a Nezu specialty. One that he helped teach into Riley as well.
"The boy still has much to learn." Taishi answered. "While his improvised variant of an Aura Sphere was impressive, especially from a self-taught novice, he attempted it a second time and failed. I could feel how his Aura spiked and fell at those final seconds."
"Yes, still, not even a self-taught novice would make that Burst move of his half as powerful as it was." Nezu commented on the blast wave and energy behind "Also, the color?"
"A blue-green, like the sea." Taishi nodded, acknowledging it. "Calm and peaceful in a cloudless expanse, yet unpredictable and harsh like the raging storm."
"Like the sea, hmm?" Nezu swirled his teacup, amusingly thinking of what would have connected Midoriya to such a concept. Was it the beach that he trained with his teacher? Or the friendship and love he found on it?
Speaking of the former option, All Might was among those cheering and clapping for Midoriya and his team's victory in the event. 'There's no doubt about it.' All Might thought. 'Kid's team will assuredly get 1st place.' But that mattered little to the teacher than the progress and skill his protege was showing. 'People say I'm simple and idiotic when it comes to my teaching methods,' And by simple he meant both the Principal and Master Torino. 'However, I can acknowledge my expertise in my duties, Hero work, and battle strategy. Yet Young Midoriya far exceeds me in the later and his ability to lead and inspire others is outstanding and will serve him well when he goes Pro.'
'Also,' Toshinori stared amusingly at Midoriya getting rag dolled between the two girls. 'Being a ladies' man also helps boost your numbers with the public.' All Might gave his successor an, almost fatherly, thumbs up, remembering how his own sex appeal helped greatly with the female, and some male, side of the numbers. 'I'm sure Inko will be happy to see this.'
"I'm going to have so many Grandbabies!" Inko practically squealed, earning sweatdropped looks of concern and confusion from Masaru and others around him, and loud laughs from Mitsuki beside her.
Izuku sneezed.
"Huh, you sick, Muscles?" Mei and Ochaco stopped their tug-of-war for Midoriya after his sneeze.
"It could be because of all the cold." Ochaco felt Midoriya's head. "You are a little warm."
"I-I-I'm fine, girls, really." Izuku replied, quickly waving away their concern.
Todoroki stood nearby, silent as the grave. His body steamed as the ice and frost on his right side melted away. Todoroki looked at his steaming left side, recalling the flames he unintentionally summoned before Midoriya swiped them away. "Dammit." He cursed, looking at the very limb with hatred as he clenched his fist, so hard it shook.
Yaoyorozu looked at the scene of Uraraka and the Support Course student, Hatsume was it(?), and how the two fussed and fought over Midoriya's attention. It stirred something bitter and furious in her but was quickly replaced by sadness and melancholy. She looked at the flag of her team she placed back on the mast, how she fought tooth and nail over it to win, and to fight her friends and the very boy she held so much affection for to get it, so selfishly.
Momo fist over her heart clenched further and walked away to where Wartortle got up from, a sad look on her face. One which no one but Midoriya noticed, concern etched in his face.
"Bakugou!" Sero's voice called out from the approaching third ship. The Tape Quirk user stood by the side; arm raised to fire tape towards his team captain from the water.
"Are you okay, man?!" Kirishima called out too, looking at the water where he fell and searching for his recently made friend.
Suddenly, water began bubbling on a certain spot before it exploded outward with Bakugou himself roaring out. "DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" He cursed as he flailed and smash his arms against the water.
"Quick, get him, he's drowning!" Kirishima warned.
"No, that's not it." Sero lowered his arm, looking at the scene with an unimpressed, eyebrow raised expression.
'He's whining like a spoiled baby.' Mina thought, looking even less impressed and more critical of her raging teammate. 'This is who Kiri got me to join?' She continued feeling increasingly bitter not joining Midori's team. And later seeing him getting pressed on by another pink-haired girl with even larger breasts than her own, maybe as large as Yaoyorozu's, made her even more bitter.
"What a Ride this event was, huh folks?!" Mic questioned the audience, to their cheering approval. "Now, let us get our students back on shore to announce the top four teams!"
"As soon as Midoriya's and Todoroki's ships are unfrozen to each other." Aizawa pointed out the current state of the ships.
After a lengthy period of smashing, clawing, and exploding, the later of whom had to be ordered embarrassingly by his teacher through the PA and in front of the viewing world, through the ice, the three ships made their way to shore to join with the rest of the teams already there. Midoriya made a point to look over at Todoroki, wondering why the polychromatic-haired teen didn't just melt the ice quickly with his flames. Izuku didn't feel it was the right time though, spotting how silent and upset he was.
As they reached shore and joined with the other teams, Izuku spotted the others of his class giving him looks of acknowledgement, begrudging acceptance, and congratulations, most especially from a bouncing, cheering Hagakure, a slightly disappointed yet congratulating Mineta, and Asui, grinning at him. Izuku grinned and waved back, sending an apologetic look as he figured out, they didn't pass the event. 'Someone must have taken their flags.' Izuku figured.
Izuku then noticed a team more off to the side, Shinsou's team. The indigo haired teen looked over at his own team with smugness before walking away with the flags his team got in hand and his Malamar in tow. His teammates didn't look pleased. Ojiro, and Shoda from Class 1-B, looked concerned and conflicted. And then there was Serena, who looked anything but conflicted.
The Death glare his best friend was sending to Shinsou was so vicious and deadly, if looks could kill, Shinsou would have exploded like a startled Voltorb. Izuku's brows furrowed at her and Shinsou, wondering what did the later do to make her so angry at him. Shinsou spotted Izuku's look and smiled at him, almost vindictively, like he got back at him for some slight or something. Izuku's brows furrowed further in confusion, but Shinsou just walked away without a second glance.
Izuku looked to Serena who met his gaze with such a sincere, apologetic gaze that tears almost pooled in her eyes. Ojiro came up next to her, with his own concerned look and mouthed 'Later'.
'First Momo, now Serena and Ojiro, and... what is it with people today telling me to talk about something important later?' Izuku thought, getting more confused and fed up with all the secrecy today.
As all the students stood with their teams towards the podium in front of the busses, Midnight announced "With all the teams here, and their flags and point totals settled, let's announce the Top Four teams whose members will move on to the Final Event!"
"As obvious, in First Place, with their original Team Score of 10,000,320, It's Team Midoriya!" Mic announced to the cheers of the audience back at the stands.
"We did it! We did it!" Uraraka cheered.
"Yes, it was quite the arduous endeavor, but we succeeded." Tokoyami nodded, Dark Shadow poking out of him with a thumbs up.
"We got First Place!" Mei's mouth was practically salivating. "Now, all the Support Companies are going to be almost begging for my babies! AHAHAHA!" Mei laughed like a mad scientist.
Izuku smiled as his teammates, but kept a more stoic look of determination, wondering who else made it to the next round, even though he had a pretty good feeling which were.
"Catching up to 2nd place, after a comeback from having zero at one point, with an impressive point total of 1,130 points, It's Team Bakugou!" Mic declared.
"Ah, man, we were so close to first place!" Mina whined, wiping her hands away off any leftover acid of hers.
"Well, I don't think a thousand points is anywhere close to ten million, but we're moving on either way." Sero shrugged, a pleased look on his face. "So, it's all good."
"I don't think our leader will agree with you." Kirishima deadpanned over to Bakugou, sulking on the ground. "Like at all."
"RRRAAAGGGHHH!" Bakugou roared out in rage at being second fiddle to Midoriya, again, for the fifth or so time, much to Sero's uneasy look and Mina's annoyed, eye rolls.
"And in 3rd place with a close 1,110 points its-wait-Team Shinsou?!" Mic revealed, his stutter showed his confusion. "Where the Hell did, they come from with this underdog play!"
"Stop cursing on air." Aizawa muttered but was generally interested in how Shinsou's team came out so far in the ranks.
Izuku and the others looked to Team Shinsou, just as surprised as their teachers.
"Wow, Serena, I guess I should have expected someone from Recommendations to make so far." Hagakure congratulated the strawberry, blue highlights, blonde. "So, how did you do it? Use your Quirk to make water tentacles snag points?"
"I... I don't really know." Serena admitted. "Or remember."
Hagakure made a noise of confusion but noticed Serena's glare towards Shinsou, who was smirking, very satisfied.
"And finally, in 4th place, with 930 points, cutting it close, is Team Todoroki!" Mic exclaimed.
"We barely got 4th place. It was too close for comfort." Momo groaned, relieved, remembering her grapple hook claw play. "If I had lost this early on-" Momo cut herself off as she stared between Todoroki and Izuku, a flash of memory taking her back to two figures, covered in the shadows by the light from their window. Momo hugged her sides closer.
"I'm so sorry." Momo was snapped from her misery to hear Iida's own miserable voice. She saw her Chief Class Officer have a downcast aura around him. "I let everyone down, didn't I?"
"That's not true at all, Iida." Momo tried comforting the tall blue haired teen, knowing he was referring to the fake flag that Iida wasted his Recipro Burst on. "It was a valiant attempt. And if we continued doing what we were doing before, we wouldn't have noticed our flag missing before it was too late."
"Yeah, and your Skarmory helped big time in distracting Tokoyami's Honchkrow." Kaminari rubbed the back of his head. "And for flying Sparky and saving her after Dark Shadow swatted her."
"Pika." Sparky, on Kaminari's shoulder, nodded and spoke.
As Todoroki heard his teammates console each other, mostly Iida, on their barely achieved victory, he himself focused more on Midoriya smiling at his teammates and his left hand. 'I swore I'd never use it. But as soon as I was overwhelmed,' Todoroki remembered the fear and adrenaline that coursed through him as Midoriya charged at him. That same feeling reminding him of All Might at the USJ. The Number 1 Hero's mention in his thoughts quickly turned to the Number 2 Hero. "At this rate, he'll win and get exactly what he wants."
Meanwhile, Endeavor glared at Todoroki on the screen before closing his eyes, sighing, disappointed and worried. He walked away from his spot towards somewhere else.
"Now, how about as the students make their way back, we all take an hour lunch break before the afternoon festivities! See ya soon!" Mic announced as people in the stands sat up and left for the concessions. "Hey, Eraserhead, let's grab some grub."
"I'm taking a nap." Aizawa replied. Mic chuckled in response.
"Oh man, I didn't realize it was just the afternoon." Mirio admitted as he stood up and stretched his arms. "I feel like we've been here for hours."
"We have." Tamaki stated as a matter of fact. "Just not as long as you think."
"Come on, guys!" The two heard Nejire literally bouncing in place with an excited look on her face. "Let's go! If we hurry, we might be able to catch Midoriya!"
"Not even hiding it, huh?" Tamaki muttered as he and Mirio sweatdropped.
"Hold your Rapidashes." The three heard and looked at the man standing at the steps above them.
Nejire's eyes widened, before breaking out a smile again. "Master Taishi?!" She questioned. "What are you doing here?"
Taishi smiled kindly at her. "I think we need to have a talk about our mutual interest, Pupil Hado." He replied.
On the bus ride back to the stadium from the lake, Team Tetsutetsu sulked. "What the Hell just happened?" Tetsutetsu cursed, a downcast aura around him and his team of Honenuki, Shiozaki, and Awase. "We had like 855 points, and then suddenly we only had our flag, and it was all over."
"Maybe it was some karmic punishment." Ibara muttered, depressingly, remembering how they stole Team Mineta's flag. "For taking the tiny one's flag. It was so underhanded."
"No fair! I want a Do Over!" Tetsutetsu whined.
"AHA! You Were the ones that took our flag!" Mineta exclaimed, pointing at the four, pissed off. "You ruined my chances to impress everyone!" Mineta lost his fire and slumped back in his seat. "Now, I'm never gonna get back into the Hero Course." He muttered, dejectedly.
"Don't count your losses yet." Mineta perked up, craning his head far back to meet the vastly taller Shoji's gaze. "Both you and Shinsou made it to the 2nd event unlike the rest of your classmates, and even one of our own." Shoji felt guilty bringing up Aoyama's loss as a positive for Mineta, but the small boy needed a measure of comfort currently. "And you used your Quirk rather well at the First Event and, even though it was only for a while, we did put Midoriya's team on the defensive. I think there is still a chance for you to rejoin us yet."
Mineta's eyes watered comically before Bewear-hugging Shoji's large arm. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS!" Mineta wailed as his eyes became such tear geysers that he would be mistaken for a Midoriya. "YOU ARE SO KIND FOR SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE A COOL OCTOPUS!"
Shoji had a small reflex to fling the purple perve off his arm but decided to let the guy have a shoulder to cry on.
The students arrived back in the stadium making their way to the cafeteria to refuel.
"How frustrating." Asui grumbled, her brows furrowing slightly on her usually blank expression. Turning to Mina beside her, Asui continued with, "Congrats though, Mina."
"Yeah, I'm so jelly." Toru pouted comically, though the only indicators were her waving arm sleeves. "My team only got our flag stolen somehow after Izi and that Support Course girl bested Koda."
"Thanks, but I only joined Bakugou's team because of a favor for Kiri." Mina rubbed her neck, slightly exhausted from the taxing ordeal. "Last time I do him any favors."
Asui nodded, her pity and sympathies for her pink classmate. "Sorry." Asui apologized, looking to find Bakugou, with Kirishima and Sero likewise pondering where he went. "It must have been hard having to take orders and put up with that bully."
Mina and Toru blinked. "Bully?" Mina asked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Asui shook her head. "It's not my place to say. If you want to know more, you should ask Midoriya."
"Midori/Izi?" Mina and Toru questioned. Asui nodded, her blank look, even to Mina and Toru, saying to drop it, for now at least. Both Mina and Toru nodded, still confused. The former looked back to her former teammates looking for their former team captain, who Mina began to think about with a suspicious frown.
"Iida, you were holding out on us!" Ochaco fumed and pouted towards her former opponent, strutting out her arms and legs out in a mock run. "I had no idea you could do that!"
"Rest assured it wasn't my intention to deceive you all." Iida waved his arm side to side. "I was just being strategic. I must though apologize for my actions earlier."
"Hmm?" Ochaco stopped and looked to her classmate to continue.
"While I'm sure Midoriya won't hold it against me, I still must ask forgiveness for siding against the two of you." Iida bowed his head. "I meant no offense or slight towards our friendship."
"I must also offer my apologies." The two looked behind to see a remorseful Yaoyorozu and a slightly guilty Kaminari. "The both of us. We were supposed to be friends and we turned our backs towards you and Izuku and fought hard to eliminate you."
"Yeah, same here." Kaminari rubbed his head. "Like Iida, I wanted to prove myself against Midoriya, see who the best Pika Bro is and all. Plus, Todoroki was very persuasive."
"Hey, it's okay, really." This time it was Ochaco to wave away Iida's worries, along with Momo's and Denki's. "We are all in it to win it in this festival. I'm sure Deku would say the same and understand. And that goes the same for you three, Asui, Mina, Toru. And Serena, too."
"I told you guys to call me Tsu." Asui corrected Uraraka but nodded still in gratitude.
"Right, that's just how he is, I suppose." Kaminari breathed a sigh of relief, and Iida felt a weight on his shoulders lift. Yaoyorozu was the only one that still looked apprehensive. "But" Kaminari quickly grew out a grin and looked to Uraraka. "Speaking of my Pika Bro, it looks like we have a new member of our little club. Why didn't you tell me, girl?!"
"Sorry, but I wanted for Deku to know first." Uraraka scratched at her blushing cheeks. "Plus, it worked out well for our plan in the end. But I'm glad you see me as a 'Pika Bro'." Uraraka put the last words into air quotes.
"Oh shit, should we call you differently?" Kaminari panicked. "How about Pika Gal?"
"That's alright." Ochaco nodded, smiling. "And I'm sure that Sparky and Pikachu will get along great with Chu."
Kaminari flashed a wide grin, almost chuckling as he remembered back when the event ended and everyone froze up, that one of the Pokémon pairs that collided with each other in mid-air was Sparky and Chu, face first, or rather lips first. Kaminari almost broke out laughing as he recalled Sparky crying, like a girl who had their first kiss stolen, no doubt wanting to give that to Midoriya's Pikachu instead.
"Hey guys!" They all stopped to see Serena running up to them.
"Oh, Serena." Mina replied, giving Serena two thumbs up. "Congrats on making it to the finals with the rest of us."
"Although, I was surprised that you didn't join Midoriya's team." Asui mentioned. "What with you practically tied to his hip."
"Yes, actually one of the fears I proposed to Todoroki about the event was your great chance to partner with Midoriya and take advantage of the lake with your Quirk." Iida said. "I suppose that Shinsou character must have been persuasive."
"That's actually what I need to talk to you guys about." Serena flinched at Iida's unknowingly accurate words. "And to Izu. The both of us."
Before the group could ask what she meant, they see Ojiro walking up and next to Serena. "Ojiro?" Hagakure questioned.
"We need to talk to Midoriya." Ojiro said, a look of warning on his face. "It's very important."
"I also have something to talk to Izuku about." Momo gained everyone's attention, taking notice of the tears that poked out from her eyes. "I can tell you all, but Izuku needs to hear this more."
"Actually, speaking of which, where is Deku?" Ochaco asked, looking around for their missing friend.
Endeavor began walking down a flight of stairs before he was stopped by an all too familiar voice.
"Yo! Long time no see!" All Might, standing tall in his muscular state, filling out his once baggy suit. "Let's catch up, Endeavor."
Endeavor turned his head to meet the ever-smiling Number One Pro with a hateful glare of his turquoise eyes. "All Might." Endeavor growled.
"I haven't spoken to you in a long while, I figured you to be here and wanted to stop by to say hi." All Might explained.
Endeavor scoffed and turned his back to the Symbol of Peace. "Did you now?" Endeavor inquired; his tone dismissive. "Well, if that is all you wanted to do, we're done here." Endeavor continued his walk down the stairs. "Chatting like we're old friends, what a joke." He grumbled, mostly to himself.
All Might laughed boisterously, jumping and vaulting over the Flame Hero and landing in a perfect stance in front of him, standing in Endeavor way. 'As usual.' Endeavor thought bitterly.
"Come on, why the cold shoulder?! Or rather hot shoulder!" All Might laughed out, though Endeavor's glare was anything but humorous.
"You should be thrilled, after all, your son is doing very well out there, even though he's using only half his power." All Might continued, undeterred. "You must be excellent teacher!"
A swell of anger, mixed with panic, flared up inside the Number Two Pro Hero, but kept his stoic mask. "Are you implying something?" Endeavor demanded, cautiously.
"No. I am simply curious, about your methods and secrets." All Might responded, sincerely. "On how to train the next generation of Heroes."
The Number One Pro thought back to his 10 months training Midoriya and his body, his mistakes not informing his own protégé about how to actually use his Quirk during all that time, and having to outsource to his former Master, Gran Torino, for both advice and actual training, as well as what he feels is still blundering his responsibilities as a mentor but continued mistakes, such as nearly getting Midoriya killed by Bakugou's gauntlets, wasting time doing Hero Work and resting when his students and colleagues were bleeding and fighting for their lives at the USJ, and not even being of any help in Midoriya's newfound abilities with Aura.
'I cannot continue to half-ass my duties to the boy.' Toshinori thought. 'I need to get better at this whole teaching and mentoring thing.' He looked to and measured up his fellow Top Pro colleague. 'And looking at Young Todoroki as he is, Endeavor must have great experience and first-hand knowledge. He could be my answer to this debacle of mine.'
But rather than open up or agree, Endeavor simply scoffed and continue to glare at him. "You think I would tell you anything I've taught the boy?" Endeavor questioned All Might like he was an idiot. "All flash and no brains, as usual." Endeavor continued on his way, brushing past All Might with a purposeful shove of the shoulder. "Out of my way."
"Okay, then." All Might muttered, her smile straining, and pondering if he said something to upset the elder Todoroki.
Halfway down the next flight of stairs, Endeavor stopped and Toshinori noticed the shift in Enji Todoroki's flaming shoulders, like a sudden weight was placed on him. "I have made mistakes." Endeavor began, perking All Might's interest. "Foolish ones, that can't be taken back, and the boy resents me for them. But let me assure you that no matter what rebelliousness he currently has, my son will surpass you one day, just as I made him for!"
"You did what?" All Might's smile fell to a frown, his brows furrowed with aghast concern and worrying suspicion at the Hero's choice of words.
Endeavor turned back and gave one last glare to his unstoppable rival, one that took All Might back. The rage and hatred he seemed to have towards him, the manic look of determination, borderline obsession really, but something that Toshinori managed to pick up on before he turned away: a drop of guilt and remorse.
"No matter what it takes, I will do whatever I can to help him take your place!" Endeavor then walked away with a final mutter to himself. "No matter what it takes to make things right."
All Might was left watching Endeavor stomp off, taken aback and left more confused and lost than what he came as. 'To make what right?' All Might thought to himself, not bothering to ask the clearly unanswerable Flame Hero. 'What happened between you two, Endeavor?'
Izuku Midoriya was currently by the entrance of the Faculty and Student Entrance, gated from the rest of the Festival's occupants. He stood inside the corridor by the right side of the wall.
Izuku stared out in front of him, half serious, half concerned. "Alright, you brought me here." Izuku said to Todoroki, leaning against the left side, half his face covered in the shadow of the corridor, letting his turquoise blue eye gleam colder. "Now what?"
Todoroki remained silent, choosing to only look at Izuku with a cold gaze, almost like he was analyzing him. 'I hope this isn't how I look when I'm analyzing people.' Izuku tried joking to himself, but it didn't work. 'Honestly, this is just like our talk after our Pokémon Battle. The day when we met Mister Taishi.' Izuku recalled the media swarming pass the destroyed gates, the chaos of lunch hall, Taishi, their tied battle and talk, and Iida and Momo as his Chief Class Officer and Deputy Rep, respectively.
At the mention of Momo in his thoughts, a bitter drop in his mood occurred, even if he didn't want to feel like this towards his friend, this sudden jealousy he felt over her choosing Todoroki over him still stung. And it made his patience towards the silent teen lessened.
"Look if you are just gonna stand there without saying anything or repeat what you said in the locker room, then forget it." Izuku spat out, glaring at Todoroki. "I have friends I need to talk to. Ones more important than your injured pride."
Before Midoriya could leave though, Todoroki spoke. "I was overwhelmed." Todoroki began, simply, catching Izuku off guard. "At the lake, and it made me break a promise I made to myself a long time ago. You know what I mean."
Izuku didn't have to answer, both of them did knew what he was talking about. 'It would have given him such a better advantage.' Izuku thought as he stared at Todoroki's left arm. 'He could have used it to weaken Dark Shadow, or light through the Haze Honchkrow set up. He could have even burned our sail or destroy the engines, but-' Their final confrontation at the last minute came to mind, the flames that suddenly, that he swiped away. 'But until then, he didn't.'
Todoroki lifted the appendage, staring at it. "Iida, Kaminari, Tokoyami, Uraraka, Yaoyorozu." Izuku flinched at the last name. "None of them realized it. Your power. Your true power." Todoroki continued, remembering All Might's battle against the Nomu. "It reminded me of All Might. How similar it felt." Todoroki lifted his cold gaze back at him. "How similar the two of you are."
Even without using his Quirk, Izuku felt like a frozen statue, his eyes widened, mouth open enough to see his clenched teeth, the feeling of alarm and panic circulating his mind. 'D-Did he figure it out?!' Izuku thought, terrified. 'Did he figure out about One For All?!'
"Midoriya, tell me," Izuku tensed up, awaiting to hear Todoroki's question. "Are you All Might's secret love child?"
...
...
...
"H-Huh?" Was all Izuku, confused beyond belief, could respond outwardly.
Inwardly though, his mind had much to recall and say.
"But you got All Might in your corner, helping you out." Izuku remembered Todoroki's words back at the locker room.
'I-Is that what he meant?' Izuku questioned, his face perfectly mirroring his utter confusion and disbelief. 'That just sounds like some crazy fan theory for an anime or something.'
"Well, are you?" Todoroki asked again.
"O-OF COURSE NOT!" Izuku shouted. Memories of his mother and All Might first meeting, his belief that he saw All Might hiding in his car when Izuku left with the Asui's, and how alone and chummy they were when he came back, only fueled his sense of denial. "THAT'S COMPLETELY NOT IT AT ALL! BUT THEN THAT WOULD BE WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SAY AND DENY MY DENIALS, RIGHT?! I MEAN WHY WOULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT?!"
'Oh boy, the denial is unreal.' Pikachu whispered to the others, unable to hold this in.
'Shush! Shut up and let them have this talk!' Eevee quickly, and quietly, whispered back.
"You're right, I don't believe." Todoroki replied. "But then whether you tell the truth or not, it makes no difference. What is important is that there Is something secretive between the two of you, and you're not supposed to talk about it."
Izuku gulped, looking at anywhere than Todoroki's eyes before he could give away the truth in his confused, frantic state.
However, Todoroki simply continued with "My father is the Hero Endeavor. You must have heard of him. So, you must also know that he's the Number 2 Hero." Todoroki hardened his gaze at Midoriya. "So, if you are related to the Number 1, All Might, in some way, then I have even more reason to beat you."
Izuku looked back at Todoroki with wide eyes, now getting at what he was saying. 'So, he thinks this is some contest between me and All Might, and himself and Endeavor?' Izuku deduced.
"My old man is an ambitious one." Todoroki continued, his eyes far away in thoughts. "He used his power to make a name for himself as a Hero. But he never could best All Might, the Symbol of Peace, a Symbol of his Failure. But even now, he's still going after All Might's spot as the Number 1 Hero, one way or another."
"What are you getting at, Todoroki?" Izuku asked, his curiosity testing his patience. "What does this all have to do with us?"
Todoroki took a deep breath and responded, "Have you ever heard of Quirk Marriages?" Izuku tensed again at the subject. "They became a problem after the first generation of meta-abilities started to become widespread. Seeking out potential mates with the sole objective to create children with powerful Quirks, either by creating new powerful variants, or hybrids of both their Quirks."
Izuku grew tenser, his eyes flinching. He very well knew about this already, his studies into anything related to Quirks had him stumbling onto this disturbing practice, but he allowed Todoroki to continue, his predictive thoughts assure of why Todoroki was bringing this up. Izuku could feel the disgust and sympathy from his Pokémon, in their Pokeballs, as they were reaching the same conclusion.
"They were simply old fashioned arrange marriages, most not having a choice and forced into them by their parents." Todoroki' tone growing bitterer and bitterer, as he continued. "My father is powerful, wealthy, and very influential, and is able to use all of them to solve any problem in his way. And so, to help fix his problem with All Might, if he couldn't beat him, then he would make a child who would."
Todoroki gaze up at Midoriya, his left hand positioned under Midoriya from his gaze. "He arranged a Quirk marriage with my mother's parents." Todoroki dropped the bombshell. "He bought my mother like she was a prize for sale, all for her Ice Quirk, to make me, a child with both her Quirk and my Father's."
Izuku looked to Todoroki with sympathy and sorrow, but felt there was something else, as his gaze shifted to the left side of his face, and the scar.
"The only memories of my mother that I have left are of her crying." Todoroki spat out, his memory recalling a woman with long white hair crying and looking miserable. Todoroki lifted his left hand, as if he wanted to reach out towards her, both the image faded, and he instead placed it over his face. "I remember her calling my left side hideous and unbearable...before pouring boiling water on my face."
Izuku felt sick and horrified, almost seeing the same woman in Todoroki's memory do the deed on a small, wailing Shoto, while Endeavor, a Hero, loomed over them like a menacing Villain.
"And so, I declared war on you, targeted you, to show my old man that I could win without using His Fire Quirk." Todoroki snarled, removing his hand from his face, Izuku unable to look away from the scarred left side. "You see, I'm going to win this tournament using only my left side, my Ice and Ice Pokémon, and not His Fire or Pokémon."
Izuku was silent, digesting the disturbing information that was dumped on him. His Pokémon were silent, unable to offer any words from their own horror. Unbeknownst to the two, Bakugou hid behind a corner, listening to everything that was just said, silently and blankly.
'His life sounds like a nightmare, and yet-' Izuku thought, remembering his own life, a true father out there that abandoned him and his mother, betrayed by who he thought was his best friend, and practically tortured, blasted, burned. His body shivered at the phantom flare of heat from where those burns and explosions were dealt.
But then something perked up in his mind, something he finally registered.
"What do you mean His Pokémon?" Izuku asked. Todoroki blinked in actual surprise. Izuku looked up with a fearful, worrying look in his eyes. "His Fire Pokémon? Do you mean your Vulpix? Isn't-Isn't he your Pokémon?"
Todoroki was silent for a few moments before he growled. "He was tossed onto me by my father." Todoroki spat out, looking at the ground as if his father was there. "A Fire Pokémon to go well with my Ice one. But he was just something he gave to me, as if thinking that it would solve all his problems. Nothing but a burden cast onto me."
Those words only fueled Midoriya's anger, but this time it wasn't at Todoroki's father. He didn't know why, but suddenly he could feel a wave of hurt and sadness coming from Todoroki. Or more accurately, from one of the Pokeballs on Todoroki's belt. 'Vulpix.' Izuku thought, sorrowfully.
Inside his own Pokeballs, Midoriya's Pokémon were itching to break free and strike at the Trainer in front of them for his abusive relationship with one of his Pokémon.
Todoroki scoffed. "And even now, after all that's happened, he's still making the same mistakes."
Izuku blinked from the statement, taking him out of his anger. "What do you mean?" Izuku asked. "What else did he do?"
Todoroki turned his gaze back up at Midoriya, the coldness in his eyes now partners with pity. "Tell me, did you wonder why Yaoyorozu chose to join my team rather than yours?" He asked, almost patronizingly, as if the answer was easy and simple. "Why she chose me rather than you despite the feelings you two clearly hold for each other?"
And Midoriya's anger returned so much so that it conveniently brushed past Todoroki's comment about 'feelings' till they fail to register in his mind.
But before Midoriya could speak out, Todoroki interrupted with the answer. "The truth is she Didn't choose me over you." Todoroki said. Midoriya paused. "She didn't have a choice, because I made her."
"W-What?!" Midoriya snarled in outrage. "Why?! Why would you do that?! H-How could you even be able to tell Yaoyorozu what to do-"
"Because she's my betrothed." Todoroki revealed.
Silence hung between the two, Todoroki's face impassive and emotionless whilst Midoriya's grew to shock and horror. He even felt a small part of him break, painfully, and yet didn't know why.
Unbeknownst to them both, Yaoyorozu explained the same story about her and Todoroki's 'engagement' to their group of friends. "Like I said, my father is an influential, powerful, wealthy man, and thinks that any problem that he faces can be solved by throwing money at it." Todoroki began explaining, while the group's eyes would widen at Yaoyorozu's version with shock, horror, pity, and outrage while Momo broke down in tears of despair. "You may know by now, but Yaoyorozu's family are incredibly wealthy and influential in many businesses, including the Pokémon World Association League." In Yaoyorozu's mind, those figures covered in shadow in her thoughts were illuminated to a short haired man with curled back, black, spiky hair with a stubble of a beard and a buxom, voluptuous young woman with flowing, wavy black hair, similar to Momo's.
"My father believed that being tied to their influence and their daughter, another aspiring Hero, would garner further publicity for when I go Pro, and that any children between me and Yaoyorozu would be powerful due to our Quirks." Todoroki continued, his gaze narrowing. "So, days before, my father arranged another Quirk Marriage, this time between myself and Yaoyorozu. And the Yaoyorozu's, on their part, agreed and told their daughter to obey my every command during the Festival to make this courtship work."
Midoriya felt sick hearing about this, untold amounts of anger and outrage burned inside of him, and recalling Yaoyorozu's sad looks from before, his anger only burned brighter.
"And while I didn't like it, I saw how Yaoyorozu saw you. What you mean to her." Todoroki recalled the many times he noticed Yaoyorozu's gaze on Midoriya and the two smiling at each other. "But, more importantly, I saw how much she means to you, and realized one of your biggest weaknesses. Your friends." Bakugou perked up from his hiding spot.
"You cling to their support, both physically and emotionally." Memories of Midoriya's friends supporting him like Uraraka in the Battle Exercise, and Serena, Iida, Momo and the others in the cafeteria. "They are as much your weakness as they are your strength, a weakness I could exploit." Todoroki remembered how he appealed to both Kaminari and Iida to join him to test themselves against their rival, appealing to their pride and desire to prove themselves. "So, I chose to take them for my own team, and convinced the others to do the same." A flashback to how he convinced both Asui and Toru to choose their own teams to 'make Midoriya notice their strength more'. "And I made Yaoyorozu join my team to further shake your resolve and defeat you in the event and prove to my old man I can win with my own power and cunning."
Every revelation that Todoroki threw at his feet, the truth of why he thought his friends 'abandoned him', that it was all because Todoroki wanted to show up his father, no matter what he did to him, made Midoriya's fist clench white. The Pokeballs on his belt shook with righteous fury.
'LET ME AT HIM! LET ME AT THIS SMUG, CONIVING SON OF BITCH!' Pikachu cursed from within his Pokeball, rage wishing for him to leap out this Pokeball and fry Todoroki till the rest of his body scarred. Even Froakie felt deeply offended on his Trainer's behalf and wished to follow Pikachu's lead. Eevee and Combusken, ever the moderators, kept the two back and told them to let their Trainer deal with this, though the two were likewise Very tempted.
"So, I hope this is of some comfort to you, but I was speaking the truth that I Would win this Festival, by any means that that I possess." Todoroki closed his eyes for a moment, only slightly regretful for his actions, albeit, to his mind, necessary to secure victory. He opened them to finish. "I will finally show that bastard of my old ma-"
Todoroki was cut off by a swift fist coming to his face. Todoroki reflexively closed them again bracing for the impending impact. He heard a thud, but not of fist meeting face, and the cracking of stone. He opened them to see that Midoriya's fist struck a mini crater on the wall behind him, his fist an inch close to his face. A bead of sweat rolled down Todoroki's shocked face. He turned his gaze towards Midoriya and froze.
Todoroki didn't know if he ever saw that kind of anger and hatred in Midoriya, how the veins in his face seemed to bulge and twitch, how his mashing teeth grinded together, the storm of green bioelectricity that rolled off Midoriya like a malfunctioning generator. The only time he could recall such a look on him was when he ranted towards Aizawa during their Quirk Apprehension Test.
Todoroki's eyes met Midoriya's and actually paled at the almost burning fire, blazing sea blue green, that seemed, to his imagination, to flicker to ruby red.
"You...you mean to tell me...that All of this..." Midoriya's form shook with anger. "All this about declaring war and going after me...turning my friends against me, the people I care about against me...forcing someone I deeply care about to serve you like some servant-no slave...was just to get back at your father for being an asshole?!"
Cracked lines of red seemed to spread and form on the whites of Midoriya's eyes. "Do you honestly have ANY IDEA how much of HYPROCRITE you sound like, TODOROKI?!" Midoriya roared with anger, and it was to Todoroki's zero trace imagination when he saw the blazing blue aura around Midoriya flare up that made him, and the hidden Bakugou, shiver.
"Here you are whining about how daddy was mean to you, how he made your mother go crazy and hate you! Oh, I'm sure he must have some psychic power or Pokémon to make her scar your face?!" Midoriya's sarcasm made Todoroki snarl and almost speak up until Midoriya cut him off. "And here you are complaining about your Quirk Marriage, saying your father is villainous scum for doing that your mother, and yet You Are Doing the EXACT same thing he is doing!"
"Taking advantage of people, influencing and using them, even cruelly, just to get what you want, taking them for granted. Hell, you are even taking your Pokémon for granted. Your Partners! Your Friends!" Midoriya screamed in Todoroki's face, blazing blue eyes long since replaced with red. "And you're expecting me to believe that you are any less righteous for doing the same just because your father is cruel. AT LEAST YOU HAD A FATHER THAT GIVES A FLYING CRAP ABOUT YOU!" Todoroki blinked in surprise at that last part, taken aback.
Bakugou was too taken aback. 'What the Hell is Deku taking about Uncle Masaru like that?' Bakugou thought, unaware of the truth. He almost came out of his hiding space to demand Deku what he meant but was stopped by a hand covering his mouth. He raised his hand to explode the person only to stop when he realized it was Taishi, staring at him, gravely serious and finger over his mouth. Bakugou didn't need anything else to shut up and let the conversation happen.
"You think that you are the Hero here, Todoroki?" Izuku questioned Todoroki, almost mockingly. "You think that you are some protagonist in a story, going against your evil father and win because you are angry and righteous? No. Manipulative, vengeful, cruel, not even giving your all to win, you are 'bout as Far from a Hero as I have ever seen. And I know a bully that gets his kicks on telling me to kill myself!"
Bakugou froze at Midoriya's words, his gaze moving slowly back to Taishi. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed the man's attention not on him for what Midoriya said but how his eyes almost seem to glow blue and staring at the wall like he could see Deku and Icy Hot through it.
Izuku dislodged his fist from the crater he made in the wall, the blue aura around him and in his eyes vanishing leaving only a look of pity and contempt. "No." Midoriya shook his head. "You're not winning this tournament. You don't deserve it. You're not worthy of it." Midoriya jabbed his pointer finger onto Todoroki's chest. "Not worthy of your Pokémon." He jabbed his chest again, harder. "Not worthy of your power." Another, harder jab that pushed Todoroki to the wall. "Not worthy of Her!" Todoroki didn't need to ask who he was referring to. A final jab pressed him flat against the wall, but Midoriya's next words stung further than the bruise forming in his chest. "Not worthy of your mother or her memory."
Izuku Midoriya turned and walked a few steps to leave before stopping. "You aren't winning this tournament." Midoriya stated again. "I won't let you. If you aren't sorry for what you have done, or give it your all, then you don't deserve to be at U.A." Midoriya looked back at Todoroki with a final glare. "I'm going to win this Festival, all of it, and I'm going to put a stop this stupid Quirk Marriage, even if I have to beat both you and your father. I'm going to fight for my friends, I'm going to give it my all, and that's why I'll win, and why you will always lose."
Izuku Midoriya turned and walked away leaving behind a stunned, and inwardly fuming Todoroki.
Back in the corridor, Bakugou fumed with the gall in Midoriya's words. 'Like Hell I'm letting you win anymore, Deku!' Bakugou cursed Midoriya. 'I'm going to win this stupid tournament! And crush you like the Caterpie you are!'
Taishi, meanwhile, sighed. His eyes blazed blue and the world in his eyes was black, blue, and transparent. He watched Midoriya walk away, the raging Aura that brought him here subsiding, but still burning hot. Taishi frowned though at what he saw during Midoriya's rant at Todoroki. How part of his Aura turned red and vile purple.
'That anger, that outrage.' Taishi thought to himself, how it and the scene seemed all so familiar. 'The boy will need to be trained to control it, lest it start to control him. I cannot let him fall to the Darkness and rage within him. I cannot fail again.'
Izuku walked towards the cafeteria after taking a while to cool himself off, taking some time to cuddle and rest with his Pokémon, and calm down their own anger at what they had just heard.
Combusken was furious at the knowledge at what the Flame Hero, Endeavor, an icon for all Fire Type Quirks and Pokémon, was truly like. But she was also incredibly furious over Todoroki and his dismissal of his own Fire Type Pokémon, Vulpix, as a partner and more a burdened tool. Froakie was likewise disgusted by the dishonorable actions of both father and son and wondered how the rest of Todoroki's Pokémon could stand working for such a disgrace of a Trainer.
Pikachu was absolutely fuming. Izuku had to hold Pikachu back from rushing back to electrocute Todoroki to a fried crisp. He even wanted for another fight with his Alolan Ninetails, absolutely sure that the Pokémon was in cahoots with her Trainer over the treatment of her Alolan variant.
Eevee was as appalled as he was, feeling enormous pity for Todoroki's Pokémon and the boy's mother, wondering what became of her. But Eevee was instrumental in calming himself down.
"Really, this is just a sad situation." Eevee had said. "Todoroki's letting his own anger affect not only himself but others around him. He's not thinking straight. And worse, he reminds me of you, Izuku, if you ever truly drowned in hatred for your father and Bakugou."
Izuku pondered what his trusty partner said and found he was correct. Todoroki was easy to imagine what he would be like if he truly grew to hate and despise Bakugou during their time before U.A., back when he was more optimistic of the two being friends again. Or if he grew spiteful of the father that abandoned him and his mother for something he had no control over.
Despite all he said, he still felt sorry for Shoto Todoroki. He clearly lived a hard and traumatizing life, and his father was clearly to blame for most of it, but that didn't excuse all the things Todoroki himself was doing. If he was truly as against the arrangement between himself and Momo, then he would have called it off the second he could, not use her like a tool.
But there was one thing he felt was certain. He would never treat his own Pokémon like Todoroki did his. He would never treat Eevee like that for failing to beat Bakugou's Quilava in all those 10 years of their battles or Pikachu for never helping as much as he could. He resolved then to never end up like that and, if he could, snap Todoroki from this hatred he bears.
But first, there was someone that he needed to see.
Izuku quickly found his friends talking, huddled around a teary-eyed Yaoyorozu. 'She must have told them what Todoroki told me.' Izuku thought, his anger rising once more at what this situation was doing to his dear friend.
"Momo." Izuku spoke up, pronouncing his arrival.
His friends turned to see him, and Yaoyorozu lifted her head. "I-Izuku?" She muttered weakly, tears once more on her eyes.
Izuku immediately rushed in and wrapped the girl in a hug that would make a Bewear jealous. "I-Izuku?!" Momo was startled at the quick embrace.
"I know. Todoroki told me." Izuku explained, tightening his hug. "I'm so, so sorry, Momo."
He could hear Momo's whimpers just as he felt them. She wrapped her arms around him just as tightly and wept into his shoulder. He almost wanted to weep with her, how her pain made his own heart ache, but he steeled himself as the shoulder that she needed to cry on, not the other way around.
After Momo calmed down, she explained more of the details of this Quirk Marriage arrangement that Todoroki left out, while Izuku informed them of Todoroki's views on it.
"When I was told, I absolutely rejected it." Momo explained. "I wanted no part in this farce, but my parents wouldn't hear it. Said it would be ill-advised to scorn the Number 2 Hero in Japan."
"That's horrible." Toru whimpered for her friend. "How could they arrange something like this without your consent?"
"That is the horrible truth about Quirk Marriages." Iida explained. "Most often these Marriage arrangements do not require the consent of either the groom or bride, just the parents and the offering party. It was a product of a time where Quirks were becoming more and more prevalent and accepted, and still allowed in many places for society's still obsession with Quirks, especially powerful ones like Todoroki's and Yaoyorozu's."
"I can't believe that Todoroki okayed this just to get in your head!" Mina fumed and pouted. "And here I thought he was cute the first time I saw him." Izuku didn't know why he flinched when she said that, but also felt a relief that she clearly doesn't hold the same thoughts anymore.
"Man, he really played us like chumps." Kaminari's shoulders slumped. "Midoriya, bro, I'm so sorry that I followed that jerkwad against you."
"I, too, must offer my apologies, for being misled against you." Iida bowed in apology. "You are my friend and my Class Rep who elevated me to Chief Class Officer. I have stained our friendship with this disgrace."
"It's fine, guys, really." Izuku waved off their apologies with a small smile. "You didn't know, and you wanted to prove yourselves and win, just like I did. I told you all to give it your all in this Festival and you did it the best way you thought you could." He turned to look at Mina, Toru, Asui, Serena. "And the same goes for you girls, as well. You gave it your all in the event and I couldn't be prouder as Class Rep, or a friend."
The first three showed signs of blushes rising and nodded, while Serena just remained silent and downcast still. "Thank you, Zu." Asui nodded. "That certainly puts a weight off my chest."
"See?" Ochaco gestured to Midoriya. "I told you he would say that."
Izuku blushed at that, but just joined the small amounts of laughter from the group. Izuku shook his head. "We're getting off track here." Izuku looked to Momo. "Sorry Momo. Please, continue."
Momo nodded, smiling at Izuku's concern for her. "Well, I made the obvious objections, and my parents made the obvious refusal. But they informed me that there was a way out, a way for me to break off this marriage." Momo revealed to the group's curiosity. "They said that if I, or anyone of my choosing or representation, won the Sports Festival, then I could annul this engagement and choose whoever pleases me."
Iida blinked in realization. "So that's why-"
Iida didn't finish but Yaoyorozu knew what he meant and nodded. "Yes, that's why I, even though I had no choice to join Todoroki's team and didn't like it, fought so hard for our team to win." Momo explained. "So that I could secure my spot in the finals and win and call of his arrangement." Momo then lost the fire in her eyes and looked down. "Even if it meant making sure you lost, Izuku, and for that I'm so sorry for my selfishness."
"No!" Izuku said aloud, grasping Yaoyorozu's hand in his. "Don't apologize. Never apologize for that. It isn't selfish to wish out of an engagement you didn't make or agree to or had any say in it. I have nothing to forgive you for, because you have nothing to be sorry for."
Yaoyorozu's cheeks reddened when Izuku grabbed her hand so boldly. She teared up at his words and sniffled and nodded. "Okay." Momo's voice cracked with emotion and adoration in her eyes. She knew that what Midoriya was saying was true, but a part of her still wanted forgiveness and recompense, and she felt that she had a way to do so, thanks to a suggestion.
"Man, who would have thought that this tournament would be so much more dramatic and at stake than it already was for us." Kaminari slumped his head against the table.
"Amen, brother." Mina moaned, mentally exhausted.
"Yes, but we must not let our guards down yet." Iida spoke up. "Most of us here are now in the finals, and the more of us last and continue onwards, the greater the chances are one of us will win and aid in Yaoyorozu's goal."
Yaoyorozu's eyes widened, even further when she saw everyone's heads nodding in agreement. "Y-You would do that for me?" Momo whimpered out.
"Of course." Izuku flashed a sad smile at her. "You're our friend, Momo, and our Deputy Rep. It's our duty to help someone in need. What kind of Heroes would we be if we didn't?"
Momo didn't know if she could cherish her friends anymore then she could or love the verdant haired boy than she already did, but somehow, as always, Izuku Midoriya always managed to surprise her.
"Izu's right." Serena spoke up, finally. "Heroes help people in need, and so do friends help friends in trouble. Especially those you have something in common with."
The group looked to her with confusion. "W-What do you mean, Serena?" Izuku asked, concerned, hoping to not hear about another of his friend trapped in a forced Quirk Marriage situation.
Serena looked behind her and nodded. They looked to where she did and found Ojiro waiting and walking towards them. "Ojiro?" Izuku said.
"Yaoyorozu isn't the only one that was forced onto a team against her will." Ojiro stated, looking to himself and Serena. "And we need to warn you Midoriya, about Shinsou."
"Get those bets and wagers settled, ladies and gents, it's almost time for the last round!" Present Mic announced towards the returning, rejuvenated crowd of spectators.
"Don't promote gambling and betting on live T.V." Aizawa muttered drowsily, not-so freshly awoken from his nap.
"But before that, good news to everyone that didn't make the final cut!" Mic continued, undeterred as the students made their way back onto the field. "This is a Sports Festival, and because of that we got some super fun side games readied for everyone to enjoy!" On the field, garnering the attention of photographers and male students alike, were girls in cheerleader outfits dancing and cheering. "We even got some cheerleaders from America to get your blood pumping!"
Izuku sweatdropped as he noticed many of the guys of his own class, including Kaminari and Mineta from General Course, ogling and drooling over the American girls. 'I guess these kinds of Festivals and events always need some kind of eye candy to draw people in.' Izuku thought, awkwardly, before returning to looking around. 'Now, where did the girls go anyways?'
"Wha-Hold up." Mic muttered, both him and Aizawa noticing something.
"What are they doing?" Aizawa murmured.
Izuku noticed, along with everyone else, what caused the pause, and his head became the perfect copy of tomato with how red he was. "It seems that Class 1-A has gone full on Fan Service!" Mic announced.
True to Mic's words, the whole of Class 1-A's female members were garbed in similar orange U.A. cheerleader outfits. Their worse short orange tops that ended above their midriffs, exposing their slim waists, even slightly muscled on Mina's case, their shoulders left sleeveless and a deep V-neck that just ended right above where their individual cleavage would start, which was made more apparent with Yaoyorozu and Serena's case. They wore two green chokers on their necks, the same color as the stripes at the edges of the tops. A stripe of white went horizontal across their breasts with the green, yellow traced words on U and A perked up at each breast. Their orange skirts were long enough to hide their asses, well most of them, and each girl held two yellow pom poms in hand, ankle length white socks and pink shoes, and equally shadowed and deeply embarrassed frowns on their faces. They even had some of their Pokémon, like Togetic, Kirlia, and Politoad in similar outfits.
Izuku's head felt so burning hot that he was sure that his head was steaming like a sauna. He was also cursing his analytical mind and photographic memory for burning this sight into his retinas.
"What?!" Momo yelled, surprised and enraged, before shifting her glare towards the guilty party: a certain perversely grinning dwarf from General Studies and his electrifying co-conspirator. "You tricked us?! You're Going to Regret This!"
Momo recalled how when they first entered the cafeteria that Mineta sought her out and 'informed her' about an 'order' from Mr. Aizawa about all the girls needing to wear cheerleader outfits. Obviously, Yaoyorozu was skeptical, as she didn't know anything of the sort, but thanks to her guilt and desire to seek forgiveness from Izuku, she thought that this 'last minute order' was the perfect means to achieve this and garner Izuku's attention. And now she was paying for it.
Momo fell to her knees. "Why do I end up falling for that little pervert's schemes?" Momo moaned, distraught as Uraraka patted her back. "I even used my Quirk to make these outfits."
"Urgh! I hate those pervs!" A blushing Jiro raged, throwing her pom poms onto the ground and doing her best to cover her slim midriff.
"Well, we do have a bit of time before the finals start, and I can kind of like these uniforms so-" Toru began nervously waving her poms, before wildly swinging them around and shaking her barely visible body around. "How About We Just Roll with It!"
"Are you serious?!" Jiro exclaimed, blushing further embarrassed.
"Wow, Toru. You've got skills." Asui commented, her long green hair tied up in a short braid.
"H-H-Hey, girls." The girls focused their attention to Izuku, Iida, and Kaminari walking to them. Izuku, who spoke up, blushing redder than an angry Primeape, while Iida respectively looked anywhere but the girls and Kaminari had a grin and blush on him.
"YOU!" Jiro pointed her fingers and jacks, the latter threatening at Kaminari, who's grin and blush quickly fell to fear. "This is your fault! You and that purple perve!"
Kaminari was quick to hide and use the taller Iida as a human shield. "H-Hey, hey, calm down! It was just a bit of fun." Kaminari poked his sweating head out, grinning nervously. "Me and Mineta figured there was so much drama going on that some harmless pranking wouldn't hurt." And some good, nice ogling material too, Mineta also said, and he agreed, but Kaminari chose to keep that to himself.
"While I may not agree with the deception or perverse implications, I do understand the sentiment." Iida waved his arms into random poses. "Plus, I must admit, that you girls look well in those dresses."
"Y-Yeah." Izuku nodded, scratching at his reddening cheeks and doing his best, and failing, to look away from the girls. "Really, really good."
The definitely served to flare up blushes from the girls themselves, seeing Midoriya's honest and nervous admission rather adorable and sweet.
'Maybe this isn't so bad?' The 6 of them who already had an interest in the green bean thought in unison.
Jiro's blush and gawk only grew till she was almost as red as Midoriya. She quickly wrapped her arms around herself again, embarrassed.
"Oh, really?" Izuku looked up to see Serena right in front of him, almost making him jump back in fright. The strawberry blonde girl flashed a teasing smile, as well as she leaned forwards and a small glimpse of her close cleavage, so close to his chest, was within his line of sight. "You really think I look good in this uniform, I~zu~kun?"
"U-U-Um uh huh." Izuku stuttered out, his nod was all the affirmation Serena needed, who smiled wider, pleased and blushing.
"Hey! Don't forget about us!" Toru's voice made the two look back and Serena smiled before joining her and the rest of the girls.
Soon all 6 of Izuku's close girl friends, emphasis on those two words being separate, were all in poses. Mina and Asui, the former with a shit-eating grin and the latter with a blushing smile, were on the ends the two mirroring each other, standing on one leg while the other lifted and curled up all the way to their pronounced hips, with one pom raised high above, flaunting their slender arms and haunting Izuku with a full show of their cleanly shaven armpits, and the other arm and pom leveled just below their breasts, almost perking them up.
Toru and Ochaco knelt on one knee, their tilting bodies riding up their short skirts further up, and though Ochaco was the one that showed more of her creamy, juicy thighs, the way Toru's skirt curled up was all Midoriya's mind needed to traitorously analyze and deduce that Toru's thighs and hips must be just as thick. The two girls also curled their arms and poms up their elbows and up to their shoulders, their elbows poking at their midriffs and the angle of their arms squishing their impressive boobs further together. You couldn't see what Toru's expression was, but Midoriya could figure that the upward perking of her shoulders meant she was excited. Ochaco's expression, on the other hand, was plain to see, from her quivering yet excited smile, and her closed eyes and perpetually pink cheeks blushing further red.
Serena and Momo were behind the two kneeling girls and beside Mina and Asui, moving closer in and their poses mirroring the one next to them. The two also stood on one leg though their raised one wasn't as raised as Mina and Asui, only leg-lifting-during-a-romantic-kiss level. They were also tilting their hips to the sides, like the others, showing off more of their curves to Midoriya's memorizing gaze. They also held one arm and pom raised high above but had the other only up to their shoulder, tilting them to perk their outer facing breast at him. Serena kept her teasing grin and blush, her eye lids half-shut and staring at him lustfully, while Momo's were wide open, smile wide and perking her blushing cheeks.
And finally, in between the two, was Kyoka, roped into the middle by the others. While nervous and clearly uncomfortable, Kyoka made a pose like the others. Namely lifting one leg up, tilting herself a bit, and bringing her poms, shoulders up, and in front of her collar area, covering half her blushing face and showcasing more of her nervous eyes just above them and the framing purple hair on her sides. The finishing touch was her jacks curling to make a heart shape on each one, though they were likewise quivering.
"So, what do you think, Izi?" Toru asked for the whole group.
Kaminari had collapsed to the ground, passed out from nose blood loss with a grin, while Iida found the sky and clouds suddenly very interesting. Izuku, meanwhile, looked almost like all brain function suddenly ceased to exist, face fully red, stiff like a board, and his head slowly nodding up and down.
"Uuuuuuuuuhhhhhh." Was all Izuku could manage to say.
The girls, however, were left pleased at their ability to make the guy of their desire left dumbstruck and speechless, garnering further blushes of their own. Even Kyoka blushed noticing Midoriya's gaze falling on her as well and found the attention towards her from him rather...flattering.
She was unaware that her jacks ceased quivering and curled further up, the tips wiggling.
Mineta, watching from afar, was as still and expressionless as a statue. His only indication of a reaction was a single tear in his eye, a trail of blood down his nose, and a slowly raised thumbs up. 'Sweetness.' Mineta thought. He was fully aware that they mostly posed for Midoriya, and while every fabric of his being was wailing at the unfairness of Midoriya becoming some harem protagonist instead, he still accepted the blessed sight before him, thanking Arceus profusely.
"Oh? What's this?" Mic's voice came up. "Looks like Class 1-A isn't the only one giving us some action."
That brought their attention to look around to see what the vocal teacher was saying, finding their answer in a group of girls similarly posing. "Looks like the girls of Class 1-B are also showing some school spirit!" Mic announced.
The girls of Class 1-B were all in matching cheerleader uniforms and posing themselves similarly to their 1-A counterparts. Pony and Setsuna mirrored Asui and Mina, the latter of the two flashing a teasing grin at a certain green-haired, blushing mess. A short girl with shoulder length, mushroom shaped, light brown hair, whose hair covered most of her face, save her mouth and jaw and one cat-like brown eye with black crosses for pupils, Kinoko Komori, and another one with black, bob-shaped, shoulder length hair that looked frighteningly similar to Ochaco, only more neutral in expression and with cerulean eyes knelt the same as Toru and Ochaco. Itsuka Kendo posed like Yaoyorozu, alongside a girl with white hair, half her face covered by her hair, revealing only one ghostly blue eye and thin-lined mouth, Reiko Yanagi. And finally, Ibara Shiozaki was similar to Kyoka, both in shy pose and embarrassingly hesitant on doing this.
"Didn't want you gals to be the only ones giving this cheer thing a try." Itsuka said.
"Yeah, leave some eyes for the rest of us, girls." Setsuna agreed. She directed her gaze flat towards Midoriya, who once he realized her stare, she grinned wide and winked. "Especially the cute ones." Izuku's head was too hot with all the red that Iida had to catch his Class Rep before he fell to the ground.
Toshinori, back up in the stands, shook his head smiling, amused at how clueless and inexperienced his protégé was with those of the fairer sex. 'They're going to eat him alive.' All Might concluded to himself.
The currently debuffed pro looked to his side and saw the large and bulky Vlad King, Class 1-B's proud homeroom teacher, currently face-palming and groaning at his students' actions. 'Maybe after those girls eat at Vlad's will to live.' Toshinori, humorously, thought.
"Grrr, why couldn't I go down there a dress up like that too?" Nejire pouted and grumbled, her cheeks puffed out childishly. "I could have had Izuku's attention already with my cute, sexy body."
"You know that 3rd Years can't participate in the 1st Years' part of the Festival." Amajiki muttered the answer. "They wouldn't let you down there."
"Also remember what Mister Taishi said to you?" Mirio pointed out.
Unfortunately, Nejire did. "I'm afraid that it would be unwise to reveal yourself as of now, Pupil Hado." She remembered Master Taishi said. "He is unaware of his own power, much less of our people and clan. I will tell him of the truth after the Festival, but for now, it is best to keep our distance and let the boy continue undeterred with any earth-shattering revelations."
"Grrrrr, so this is what Master Riley means about 'hating when he's right'." Nejire grumbled still, much to Mirio's chuckles.
Further up on the stands, Endeavor could not care less about Midoriya's reaction towards the girls, or most of them targeting the boy. The only one he cared to notice was Momo Yaoyorozu, Shoto's betrothed, clearly posing for the verdant haired boy and craving his attention, instead of his son's, or that his son also showed no interest in his fiancé's attire or actions towards the boy.
Endeavor grumbled to himself. It was clear that both his son and Yaoyorozu held absolutely no chemistry for each other, unlike how he and Rei grew to respect and become more intimate with each other, in the early years of their marriage. Those thoughts on the past Endeavor quickly shut away, lest he feel more regret and shame well up inside.
Instead, Endeavor directed his attention back to boy currently being shaken back to composure by the girls and his male compatriots. 'Izuku Midoriya.' Endeavor thought, recalling all he saw of the boy thus far. Strong, intelligent, frighteningly analytical, to the point that it reminded Enji Todoroki of the rodent currently as Principal of U.A., clearly unuse to social interactions with the opposite sex, yet scaringly determined and courageous.
And his Quirk. While it held some differences, the strength, air, and aura of it, Endeavor could feel it from here. How imposing it felt. How similar it felt. 'Like All Might.' Endeavor narrowed his eyes, remembering his run-in with the Symbol of Peace and his desire to learn more about how to train the 'next generation'. 'Could there be a correlation?'
"Wow." Miruko whistled and smirked. "Looks like Greenie down there's some kind of chick magnet. Though, kid, still needs some work with that confidence of his." Miruko huffed. "It's charming at first, but girls like a confident guy that knows what he wants and takes it."
"He clearly has the confidence in him, if his speech and the events were any indication, he's only lacking to use it socially." Ryukyu shrugged, admitting that the boy's reaction was adorable enough for her to understand why most of his classmates seem to desire, or at least tease, him. "Though are you speaking of your own interests and type in men? Because I'm pretty sure there are hundreds that know what they want and are confident enough to try and pursue it."
"Nah, those losers are either too weak, too arrogant, or too perverted." Miruko swatted away Ryukyu's words. "Girl needs the right kind of balance."
Her Lopunny rolled her eyes, aware just how demanding and specific her Trainer was being but couldn't exactly blame her with the type of men she had the misfortune of witnessing trying to hit on her Trainer. At least they quickly learned to back off...after Miruko would plant them into the dirt with ease.
"Well, anyways, have fun competing in those side games, everyone!" Mic began, the monitors showing a tournament-style bracket. "After they are done, the remaining 16 competitors of the top four teams will be duking it out head-to-head in one-on-one brawls! Gather up kids see what lots the fates have in store for you!"
"Aw, yeah! Now This is what I'm talking about." Kirishima exclaimed, really excited. "I've watched these finals every year since I was a kid. Can't believe I'm now actually in them. I'm so excited I just want to punch something already!"
"Wait, so, is it always a tournament?" Mina asked, Ochaco and Serena waving their poms back and forth in front of Midoriya's face to calm him down.
"The finals are always a one-on-one tournament, though they do make some changes every year." Sero answered. "Last year, it was a foam sword fighting competition, and the year before that it was a Pokémon battle tournament."
"Aww, I want to do that one." Serena whined, now sure that there was little chance for that last one Sero mentioned to be this year's finals. "My Pokémon barely got a chance to shine."
"Come choose lots to see who you are up against." Midnight announced. "Once we are done, the 16 have a choice to compete in the recreational events or opt out to strategize and prepare. I'm sure you all want to keep your stamina full and ready."
Aizawa, Toshinori, and Nezu all either groaned, sighed, or chuckled, respectively, of their fellow teacher's shameless innuendos.
"I'll start with the first-place team-" "Wait, um, excuse me." Midnight was cut off by Ojiro, garnering everyone's attention while he raised his hand, his face conflicted, yet set. "I'm sorry, but I'm withdrawing."
That earned the gasps and surprised eyes of many of the students and crowd, including catching Aizawa off-guard.
"Ojiro?" Izuku stared at his classmate, flabbergasted. "Why?"
"This could be a great chance for you to get scouted." Iida argued.
"Sorry, but...i-it just wouldn't feel right." Ojiro explained, looking down for a bit, almost ashamed of himself. "I don't really remember anything from the 2nd event. It's like I didn't do anything myself."
Ojiro stared up at Izuku and Iida and the two immediately knew what he meant. Izuku turned his gaze towards Hitoshi Shinsou, who only gave a brief glance at Izuku before turning away, uninterested. Izuku felt his knuckles crack, the memory of Ojiro and Serena's revelation raising his fury.
"Ojiro, are you sure?" Izuku asked.
"I am. I know that this is a great opportunity for me, and part of me wants to take it, but my conscious, my honor...it wouldn't sit right with me." Ojiro replied, lifting his clenched fist up to stare at it. "Everyone gave it their all in previous round, and I was just a puppet for someone else."
"Ojiro, aren't you taking this too personally?" Toru asked. "Why don't you just continue onwards and prove yourself in the finals?"
"It wouldn't be fair for everyone else." Ojiro responded, closing his eyes, unwilling to look at anyone in the eye and make him reconsider. "I only got this far being unlucky enough to be used against my will. I can't go move forwards because of that. My pride would allow it."
Izuku frowned sadly at his classmate. He saw the humiliation in Ojiro's face, his wounded pride, how painful it was to admit it.
"Um, I, Nirengeki Shoda of Class 1-B, also want to withdraw too." A short and wide teen with short greyish-blue hair raised his hand while speaking up, a guilty look on his own face, too. "Regardless of how strong I am or my desire to stand out, I also want to withdraw for the same reason. I can't in good conscious progress any further after being someone's pawn and not giving it my all. It wouldn't be fair and would go against the values of the Festival."
Kirishima sniffled, covering his tearing eyes with his arm. "Look at how manly these two guys are!" Kirishima wept like a man. "It's so moving!"
Bakugou, beside him, simply scoffed and looked away. 'Pride my ass.' He thought. 'They're just weak wimps that know they can't beat me. Good riddance.'
"Well, this is quite the unexpected turn of events." Mic muttered. "I'm starting to lose track about how many we've had so far."
"We'll have to see what Midnight decides." Aizawa replied.
Midnight silently contemplated for a few moments. "This is quite naive, yet honorable words from the both of you." Midnight shivered and gained a slight blush. "It Turns Me On! Ojiro, Shoda, you are withdrawn!"
'Did she say it turns her on?' Was the unanimous thought that ran through all the student's heads.
Ojiro felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to see it came from Serena, her eyes gazing at him, determined. "Don't worry." She spoke. "If Izuku or I face that jerk, we promise to get payback, for all of us."
Ojiro looked between her and Izuku, nodding at him, agreeing to Serena's words. Ojiro gave the two a small smile and nodded back.
"Well, since we are short of 2 students, we will have to move up 2 more from the 5th place team." Midnight announced. "And the only team that held points other than the top 4 was Team Tetsutetsu!"
Tetsutetsu gaped in surprise, whirling his gaze towards Ojiro and Shoda. "Are you dudes really serious about this?" Tetsutetsu asked. As Shoda and Ojiro nodded, Tetsutetsu quivered and shouted. "You guys, Thank You!"
After a discussion between them, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki were chosen to progress, bowing in thanks to their two other teammates, Honenuki and Awase making them promise to give it their all in return.
"And now with our final two students, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki, now settled, let us see what Fate has in store for all of you!" Midnight declared with a crack of her whip.
The monitor behind her and the ones around the stadium showed the bracket with the question marks now revealing names and the order of their fights.
1. Izuku Midoriya vs Hitoshi Shinsou
2. Tenya Iida vs Mei Hatsume
3. Shoto Todoroki vs Serena Mariella
4. Hanta Sero vs Ochaco Uraraka
5. Denki Kaminari vs Ibara Shiozaki
6. Momo Yaoyorozu vs Fumikage Tokoyami
7. Ejiro Kirishima vs Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
8. Katsuki Bakugou vs Mina Ashido
"Seriously?!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu groaned simultaneously. "How Does this keep happening?!"
"It appears we shall clash once more." Tokoyami said towards Yaoyorozu, nodding to her. "May be the best student prevail."
"Agreed." Yaoyorozu nodded back, determined in face, but her shaky hands told the anxiousness within.
"Looks like we are up against each other." Uraraka pumped her fist up. "No holding back on each other."
"Not on your life." Sero clasped her hand with his in a rivalry handshake, only for to start to float because of her Quirk leading Uraraka to quickly fix it.
"Tenya Iida?" Mei repeated the name. "Who's that?"
"We just fought in the previous event?!" Iida gaped at her in disbelief, his arm chopping going hyper speed.
Mei finally acknowledged his presence before grinning, a grin that gaze Iida pause, reconsidering if announcing himself was not a good idea.
Mina stared at her matchup with nervousness. Bakugou in response simply glared plainly at her before scoffing and turning away. Mina frowned, recalling Asui's words. 'A bully, huh?' She thought to herself about what Asui said. 'He does seem to fit the bill and...and Midori did say he was treated poorly for being deemed Quirkless.' Mina did not like the puzzle that was forming in her mind and clenched her fists as she stared at the retreating form of Katsuki Bakugou. 'I'll get the truth out of you one way or another, even if I have to burn it out of you.'
Kirishima watched this all unfold and look nervously, thought whether he was concerned more towards Mina or Bakugou, he couldn't decide.
"Well, sorry, sister, about looks like your luck's run out." Kaminari crossed his arms behind his head and grinned at his opponent. "Hope your loss doesn't ruin any chances of a date, afterwards."
"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Ibara quoted religiously, before smirking back at him. "I'll be the one to show you some humility."
Kaminari grinned grew. 'Oh yeah, I'm definitely liking this girl already.'
Izuku stared at his matchup. 'Looks like I'm the first match of the finals.' Izuku looked to the name of his opponent. 'How convenient'
"That is you right? Izuku Midoriya?" Shinsou suddenly spoke up from behind him.
Izuku jumped back, surprised. 'Shit, I gotta get use to close social interactions.' Izuku reprimanded himself, tired off feeling as skittish and jumpy as he used to be. He shook it off to stare at the indigo haired teen in front of him now.
"Well, are you?" Shinsou asked again.
Izuku remained silent, choosing only to stare angrily at Shinsou. 'Remember what Serena and Ojiro said.' Izuku reminded himself. 'Don't speak a word to him. Not one.'
Shinsou's tired brows furrowed. 'Why isn't he saying anything?' Shinsou thought to himself. 'Does he already know about my Quirk. Or does he feel so special now that he can't be bothered to say anything to me?' A flash of the past came in his thoughts, of himself, slouched in his seat, all those fake smiles on imaginative shadowy figures boiling his blood.
Shisnou noticed a shift in Midoriya's eyes, his gaze tracking someone behind him. Shinsou turned his gaze and followed Midoriya's to Ojiro and Mariella, both glaring daggers at him. 'Ah, so they told him.' Shinsou realized. 'Guess there's no point ending things here.'
"I see." Shinsou sighed. "So, you're so high and mighty now, after winning both the events, that speaking to someone like me is beneath you, huh?" Izuku's eye twitched. Shinsou's mouth twitched upwards. "Whatever. Doesn't matter anyway. We'll settle things in our match." He turned to walk away.
"Watch out, Izuku Midoriya." Shinsou gave a final warning as he left. "Come our match, everyone is going to see why I should be in the Hero Course."
Izuku's fists clenched white, the fire that burned within him desperate the truth of the matter back.
'Calm down, Master.' Froakie spoke in his mind. 'Don't let his provocations get you.'
Izuku sighed, relaxing his fists and posture. 'You're right.' Izuku spoke back. 'Come on guys, let's go think up a strategy for fights.'
Todoroki stared at the brackets on the screen, more specifically, his own and Midoriya's. 'At this rate, we'll only clash in the semi-finals, and he'll have to defeat both this Shinsou and Iida.' Todoroki thought, assure of his own victories to come. 'You better make it then, Midoriya, so I can prove myself to both my old man and you.' Izuku's words from before made his glare narrower. 'You'll pay for what you said about my mother.'
Meanwhile, staring at him, unknown to him, was Serena. 'I know that look. Think you're going to fight against Izuku already, huh?' Serena thought accurately. 'No chance. I might not get to payback against Shinsou, but I can at least get some aggression onto you, for both Izu and Momo.'
Later
Afterwards, the Festival part of the Sports Festival lived up to its name. Many of the students, either of the final 16 or eliminated, from the Hero, General, Support, and even some from the Business Course participated in several fun activities and games.
Sero and Kaminari participated in a scavenger hunt game where they got a card with item and search around the crowd and among themselves for said item, such as Sero asking for a bag from the crowd. While the two knew they should be focusing on strategizing for the matchups, the two felt that given they had a few matches before theirs would be the best time for such strategy making and to spend the activities calming their nerves.
Others participated too, such as Mineta having an unfortunate of retrieving 'Back Fat' whatever that meant, and Kendo who had to get a 'Perverse Person'. The fact that she grabbed Monoma as her item made some people chuckle.
Most of the other girls continued cheerleading enthusiastically, such Mina and Ochaco, the two likewise spending this time clearing away their anxiety. Yaoyorozu also continued cheerleading but was noticeably less energetic and stiff, and Serena only half-heartedly did so, mainly in part because she was strategizing as well, and partly because Izuku was no longer around to see.
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were working on hyping themselves up, mainly by shadow boxing and getting hype from their Pokémon. Shiozaki was currently praying a rosary for 'divine protection and assistance' in the coming finals. Hatsume and Shinsou were nowhere to be found in the events, the former grinning maniacally as she prepped her 'babies', and the latter simply resting in his locker room.
Iida was seen walking down the halls with several bottles of orange juice being consumed, Tokoyami was resting in the shade of a tree alongside Honchkrow and Corviknight, and Bakugou was staring at a wall, glaring at it like it offended him.
Todoroki was nowhere to be found but was also in the forest beside the stadium resting up, conveniently with a heater beside him to warm him up. His Alolan Ninetails stood by his side but looked at her Trainer with concern with how obsessive Todoroki's hatred was becoming for his left side, and anything associated with it. She was likewise stared at Vulpix's Pokeball, remorseful that her cousin, in a regional variant way, was suffering and she couldn't do much of anything to help, her previous attempts to communicate her worries to her Trainer going unheard.
Finally, Izuku stretched in 1-A locker room, whilst Ojiro continued to tell him anything he could about Shinsou or, if worse comes to worse, how his Quirk felt and how to break out of it, if need be.
Until finally, the activities were over, and the finals began.
"Yep, I'm pretty much done here." Cementoss stated, finishing converting brought over cement onto the white square in the middle of the field. A pair of short stairs led up from the larger reddish-brown square of their field onto an elevated white platform, then to another set of stairs to the arena, wide and long enough for the battles to come.
"Thank you Cementoss!" Mic thanked the fellow teacher up in the booth. "Hey Sports Fans! Are ya Ready?!"
The crowd roared with barely contained excitement. Ryukyu managed to wake Miruko up from her nap, Inko Midoriya was being calmed down by Mitsuki and Masaru for who was fighting in the first match. Taishi, Nejire, and Riley, all in their own places watched, antsy to see what their newest member of their people will do.
"After all those pulse-pounding events and fun activities to get our blood boiling, it's time for the real battles to begin! Can't you feel the excitement?!" Mic announced. "Our competitors are on their own now. No teammates, no Pokémon. Sometimes Heroes have only themselves to rely on and these finals are to show who is top dog of our new Hero hopefuls. Who was the best Knowledge and Wisdom to outwit their opponents? Who has the best skill and courage to face down any obstacle? Who has the best strength and heart to power through all adversaries? That's who's gonna win this Festival, and now it's time to see who that special someone is! Get Ready to Go, Plus ULTRA!"
As the crowd roared with excitement, Izuku stood in the middle of a dark hallway, staring down the white light at the end of tunnel that waits the cheering crowd, the arena, and his first opponent in the finals.
'And it won't be my last.' Izuku promised to more than himself, but to his friends, Serena and Ojiro who deserved justice for what happened to them, to his mother out in the stands cheering him on, to his Pokémon, likely now sitting in the stands rooting for him, to All Might, his mentor who he is meant to succeed and surpass, and to Momo, who above all is counting on him, and everyone else, to save her from her predicament.
Izuku breathed in and out, trying to relax his nerves and wait for his cue to go out and enter the area. Suddenly, he heard a voice call out to him. "Hey!" Izuku turned to see All Might walking up to him.
"All Might!" Izuku was surprised to see his mentor here, originally thinking he was in the teacher's stands.
"Sorry I haven't said hi yet." All Might apologized, giving him a thumbs up. "You're doing amazing, kid. You're harnessing One For All in that Full Cowling of yours well."
"Thank you, All Might." Izuku smiled, heart still pounding at warmth his mentor's praise gave him. "I still think I'm only at 8% currently, but I might be able to push it to 9 for a short while. Though, it's still too risky."
"As long as you keep a level head and hold onto it, then it's more than fine." All Might waved off Izuku's concerns. "But I also see you using that power you used back in the USJ. You left me completely shell shocked. Does it mean you mastered it, as well?"
Izuku frowned. "No." He shook his head, staring at his left hand. "I think it was more the thrill and adrenaline of the fight that made me use it, and even then, it was an incomplete form that I took advantage of. I'm nowhere near able to handle this power. It was just blind luck that I managed to do it then."
Izuku felt a hand chop down on his head lightly, yet still enough to snap him out. "Hey, stop that." All Might said, seriously, yet carefully. "There's really no such thing as luck, just the choices and strength that we have. You're never going to be the Hero you want to be if you behold yourself to something like that."
Izuku flinched. "Y-Yeah, sorry." He muttered.
"But look, kid." All Might place a hand on his shoulder, making Izuku look at his idol's sunken eyes. "The fact that you are still trying and even managed it that one time shows that you are improving. Maybe not as fast as you would like it, but it's still progress. If you don't want to use it in the tournament then don't, Heroes have to understand their limits, more than anyone else."
"But if you see that path to victory, if you feel you can still fight and pull ahead, then latch onto what you believe in, what pushes you forward, and power through, no matter what, to victory." All Might pressed a closed fist over Izuku's heart. "That's what going Plus Ultra is all about."
Izuku's eyes watered, quickly wiping his eyes of the tears that threatened to flow out. "Yes, sir!" Izuku nodded, fully determined and inspired. "No matter what."
All Might nodded. "I know I'm not supposed to play favorites among my students, but I will be rooting for you, Young Midoriya." All Might flashed his signature smile. "Go break a leg out there, kid." All Might quickly frowned and shook his head. "Not literally by going full 100% and-y-you know what I mean."
Izuku cracked out chuckle and nodded. "Yeah." Izuku said, finally turning around and heading towards the end of the tunnel.
"Alright, audience!" Present Mic yelled out, the pyres at the four corners of the arena alit and roaring, like the crowd. "Let's cut to the chase and get on with the First Match up of the 3rd and Final Event! Let's see our first fighters!"
"In one corner, he's the spooky underdog that's taking the Festival by surprise." Mic began announcing as the indigo haired teen walked out the tunnel and up the stairs of the arena. "From General Studies Course, we have Hitoshi Shinsou!" The crowd cheered for the teen, especially upon the mention of his underdog status.
"And in the other corner, he's our mean, green bean, fighting machine that's been dominating the Sports Festival, round after round!" Izuku walked out to the crowd that went into an excited uproar at his arrival. "From the 1-A Hero Course, it's everyone's favorite Class Rep: Izuku Midoriya!"
"Remember, kiddies, you can fight all out to your hearts content, thanks to Recovery Girl waiting in the wings!" Mic continued as Midoriya and Shinsou reached the main arena and stood on opposite sides, in the middle of both at least one-thirds inside. Standing outside the ring, on a podium in the middle, was Midnight was the referee. "Winner is decided either by pushing your opponent out of the ring, knocking them out unconscious, or making them say uncle. But please, don't go for fatal blows, guys. Heroes are supposed to put Villains in jail, first and foremost, not kill them."
"I'll stand by in case things go out of hand." Cementoss announced, creating a seat for himself.
"Well, let's not wait any longer, ladies and germs!" Izuku and Shinsou stared down at each other. "The first matchup of the Sports Festival Begins NOW!"
AAAAANNNNNNDDDD SCENE! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! I have trapped you all in a cliffhanger just as things were going to get wild! And you won't be able to see what's coming till next chapter! MWAHAHAHA! *Cough cough* S-Sorry, making my voice Skeletor levels of high was hurting my throat.
Anyways, hope you guys like this chapter. I know it probably won't be seen as great as the last chapter, after all the likes and support from it, but I hope this chapter going over the aftermath of the 2nd event and heading towards the finals was good enough to sate your thirst. Also, we had the talk with Todoroki with a bit of a twist. Most fics would have Shoto just have the same motivations and the same damage it's doing to himself, but this version is kind of more a jerk, manipulating Izuku's friends to break his spirit, mistreating his Fire Type Pokémon, something that I hinted all the way since Chapter 11, and using his Quirk engagement with Momo as a tool. See I told you guys you would feel sorry for her, at least I hope so. And also, just make things clear, I'm not making light of Todoroki's trauma by making him more a jerk, or Endeavor more regretful, but rather showcasing the dark road similar to Endeavor that Todoroki is going on that Izuku might have to break him out of.
Yeah, Momo's currently engaged to Todoroki and the only way for her to break it off is to win the Sports Festival or have someone of her choosing to win and tell her parents off. Quite a bit of more stakes I'm putting in this Festival to really get Midoriya willing to win at all costs. And you all know what Serena and Ojiro are talking about and why they were on Shinsou's team, but more of that next chapter.
Also, we have some new matchups in these finals, with some fights coming earlier, some new ones, but will they all have the same result as canon? And we had some more teases with Izuku and the girls, some Ryukyu and Miruko bantering (relax its friendly in the end), and some hints to the former and Riley's relationship. And don't worry, with Scarlet and Violet now out, I have promising new selections for our Class 1-A. Speaking of which, time for another character update list. This time with Shoto Todoroki.
Shoto Todoroki:
-Height: 5'9
-Age: 15
-Birthday: January 11
-Quirk: Half Cold Half Hot
Pokémon:
1. Ninetails: (Alolan version)
-Gender: Female
-Type: Ice/Fairy
-Moves: Icy Wind, Blizzard, Dazzling Gleam, Moonblast, Ice Beam
-Ability: Snow Cloak
2. Vulpix: (Kantonian Version)
-Gender: Male
-Type: Fire
-Ability: Flash Fire
-Moves: Ember, Flamethrower, Disable, Quick Attack
3. Darmanitan: (Galarian or Britanian Version)
-Gender: Male
-Type: Ice (Standard Mode), Ice/Fire (Zen Mode)
-Ability: Zen Mode
-Moves: Rock Tomb, Avalanche, Zen Headbutt, Overheat, Rock Slide, Brick Break
4. Drizzile:
-Gender: Male
-Ability: Sniper
-Moves: Water Pulse, Pound, Sucker Punch, Aqua Jet, U-Turn
And with all that said, hope you guys liked the chapter, comment your thoughts on future Pokémon predictions, especially the new ones, check out my other stories if you want, and keep each other safe, healthy, and sane.
This has been Zayden StormVoid and now, like my impression earlier, I'm going to go escape. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!
