Welcome! A New Pencil returns to the desk!

Underline is for English.

Italics is either thoughts, a flashback, or a song/poem.

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, My Hero Academia, OMORI, Final Fantasy, or any of its characters or music. They all belong to their respective companies and owners.

Chapter 22: Brainwashing, Drama, and Secrets, Oh My!

(Silence)

"Welcome to the first round of the Sports Festival's Finals Tournament!" Mic announced, "On the left, we've got Izuku Midoriya of the Hero Course of Class 1-A!" As the crowd roared, Izuku popped his knuckles. "Vs. Hitoshi Shinso, from the General Studies Course of 1-C!"

Shinso rubbed the back of his neck as Mic continued, "The rules are simple! If you can immobilize your opponent or force them outta the ring, you win! You can also win by forcing them to cry uncle!"

(Play: MHA OST - People Always Reaching for the Top)

"Are you ready?" Mic announced. Sora watched the match from afar in his seat, noting that Hitoshi seemed agitated by Mic's last comment regarding having a person win by knockout or surrender. "BEGIN!" Sora continued to examine Hitoshi as he began to speak to Izuku. He couldn't make out what exactly Shinso was saying. But whatever he was saying, Izuku wasn't pleased by it. Hitoshi was saying more and more, and Izuku's frustration and anger was clearly visible now. After Hitoshi said something regarding someone, Sora could barely make out what Izuku said next.

"Don't you dare talk down to Ojiro-kun like that! You hear me?!" Izuku shouted. Oh, Sora thought. Shinso must have insulted Mashirao in some way to rile up Izuku. But why?

He then got his answer, as suddenly, Izuku froze with a blank expression, as if turned to stone. Shinso smirked, making the Key Bearer realized what happened: Shinso's Quirk must have been triggered and forced Izuku to look like... that. But what caused it?

"Damn it, Midoriya!" Ojiro cursed, "I told him not to say anything!"

Sora recalled Mashirao having experienced something like this, during the Calvary match when he was on Shinso's team. So whatever Hitoshi did, his opponent needed to speak first. Which was probably why he was speaking the way he did to Izuku, to get him to say a word and activate his own Quirk... whatever it was.

Impressive strategy. Using his opponent's emotions against them, just like when the Organization used his feelings for Kairi to get him to do what they wanted. Sora scowled a bit at the memory. Though he knew this was a casual match, the thought of Shinso using such a strategy that Sora fell for once and paid dearly for was… a bit of a trip down memory lane for the Key Bearer.

"Come on, Deku-kun." Ochaco muttered, worried for her friend.

"What in the world is going on?" Tenya asked.

"Huh?" Mic gawked, "What's with these two? A first match should always start with a bang! The fight started, and now Izuku Midoriya is… completely frozen! And what's with the look on his face?! Looks like a Quirk at work! Whatever the case, Hitoshi Shinso has Midoriya looking stunned!"

(Silence)

Everyone in the crowd was silent, watching the fight, waiting for anything to happen. Aizawa suddenly spoke.

"This is why the Entrance Exam isn't rational." he commented, and Sora looked up to the place where Aizawa and Mic were commentating.

"Huh?"

(Play: MHA OST - It Sounds Scary at Midnight)

"Since we're onto individual matches, I had some information on our final competitors," The Class A homeroom teacher explained, "Shinso failed the Practical Exam to get into the Hero Course. Since he applied for General Studies as well, it seems he expected to fail. His Quirk is powerful, no doubt, but the Entrance Exam required fighting of robot villains. Those with physical and flashy superpowers had an advantage in combat and rescue, and got more points than the ones with more unseen superpowers in both categories. Despite his strengths, Shinso, and many others like him, never had a chance at passing."

Sora paused. He was now remembering the talk he had with Pony after the Entrance Exam, how she complained a bit on how the exam seemed to be more reliant on beating up bad guys. That was before they knew anything about the rescue points.

But Aizawa had a point. There were Quirks that had no way to physically enhance the user's strength enough to beat the bots to a pulp, which would've proven vital in a brawl against Villains. Quirks like Mari's and Hero's would've never stood a chance in the practical for the Entrance Exam, as well as those who only had one time usage of their Quirk until after they cooled off. The only possible way they could get anything at all was use it to rescue others in the exam.

And that would prove next to impossible for those like Mari, Hero, and Shinso. In a way, it would've been impossible for Izuku, too, considering his lack of control for his Quirk.

Strange. Now that he thought about it, Izuku getting 60 rescue points from just saving Ochaco from rubble was quite a lot, considering he only saved one person. Not to mention that seeing that he had no real points in terms of combat at the Entrance Exam, the Keyblade wielder had to wonder if there was more to Izuku getting into U.A. than the results let on. Then again, that 0-Pointer could've hurt other people had Izuku not done what he did, so he might have gotten extra points for that particular rescue. Who knows.

He definitely wouldn't. Even though he did something similar, it was after time had run out for the exam, so that rescue score couldn't be compared to Izuku's.

With everybody silent, Sora could better hear Hitoshi's next words. "So here we are." he said coolly, "You're lucky to have been blessed, Izuku Midoriya. Now turn around and walk out of bounds, like a good little Hero."

With those words, Izuku turned his back on Hitoshi, walking a few steps away. "WHAT?! Holy smokes, listeners!" Mic commented, "Midoriya is actually obeying him!"

Midoriya took one step. "Deku-kun, what are you doing?" Ochaco wondered aloud.

Another step. "He can't walk out! He'll be eliminated if he does!" Iida said frustrated.

Another step. Bakugo was eyeing Shinso, knowing this wasn't going to be easy if they faced one another.

Sora finally figured out what was going on. Hitoshi's power was a form of mind control, triggered by speech from his intended target directed at Hitoshi. When he applied that Quirk to how far Shinso had come in these events, it made complete sense. He made others do the heavy lifting with his Quirk to get him to this point. Now he was doing it with Izuku, but this time, making sure the message he was trying to send was clear by simply letting him walk instead of run or jump out of the ring.

While Present Mic commented, Sora looked towards Izuku, scouting for any form of resistance to the mind control, but found none. What had Shinso done to make sure Izuku wasn't in control? Locked his heart? Overcome Izuku's will and force his own will on him? Were there limits to the Quirk? He thought of Riku, who was controlled before, but had been able to resist Ansem after Sora stabbed himself to release Kairi's heart, and of his fellow Guardian, Terra, who had also been controlled, but had no way of resisting without outside help from close friends. Was it something similar to either of the two?

(Play: MHA OST - Nevertheless, Go Beyond)

Sora's train of thought was stopped as he noticed Izuku getting closer and closer to the edge of the ring. Shinso's words rang out as Izuku got to the brink, "Even with a Quirk like this, I have my own dreams of becoming a Hero." From his words, Sora guessed that people hadn't been kind to him because of how his Quirk worked. "So… lose for me."

But before Izuku could obey, a huge shockwave erupted from him that shook the stadium, and Class 1-A could only guess what happened. When the dust settled, Izuku was out there, panting heavily, before clasping a hand to his own mouth. His feet were still in bounds.

While the crowd cheered for Izuku having overcome the mind control, Sora noticed something about his hand: two of his fingers were purple, likely due to them breaking.

So that was the way to do it. Some sort of physical attack on the victim, whether self-inflicted or by something else, could be enough to snap the target out of Hitoshi's mind control if it made contact. Every power had its limit, and it looks like Izuku found Shinso's, though it seemed like he found it by accident.

And based on the General Studies student's reaction, he had never once seen his Quirk thrown off so quickly.

"No… impossible," Shinso exclaimed shocked, "You're not supposed to be able to fight back! What did you do?!"

Izuku covered his mouth, as he suddenly seemed to realize the trigger for Shinso's Quirk. He glanced at his broken fingers, confused.

"How did you do that?!" Hitoshi demanded, angered when his opponent remained unresponsive. "Come on, say something!" Still nothing… not even a peep from his opponent. Calming down, Shinso decided to continue his verbal assault. "I didn't know you had so much power in your own fingers. I'm kinda jealous of you."

Izuku didn't respond, but instead chose to charge towards Hitoshi with a determined expression. Shinso took this as a chance to throw out more words, "Because of the way my Quirk works, I've always been at a disadvantage. But someone as blessed as you would never understand that!"

Blessed...

"Duh! You're strong because of the ties you have with other people. As if the Keyblade would ever choose a wimp like you..."

Sora's expression softened. Izuku, being Quirkless up until now, could relate to Hitoshi's situation more than he realized. He could relate to Shinso as well, being the only one out of the Guardians of Light to have NOT been chosen by the Keyblade at first. That didn't bother Sora. At least, not anymore. But the belief of not being as blessed as others was definitely bothering Hitoshi.

He could tell Midoriya was thinking the same thing as he stared down the General Studies student. As Izuku continued to run, Shinso began to shout, "You're LUCKY to have a HEROIC Quirk! It'll be SO EASY for someone like you to reach your goal!"

With a response like that, Sora took that as Hitoshi believing that his Quirk was villainous, likely stemming from the fact that other people considered it to be so. Given its nature, it is quite a power to be worried about if used for the wrong reasons, but it was admirable that Shinso was trying to prove the world wrong and that he could use his power for good, hence his dreams of going into the Hero Course.

Quirk bias and discrimination was something that bothered Sora when he first arrived here, starting off with Izuku's initial Quirklessness. In this world, those with flashy or powerful or heroic-like Quirks were put on a big pedestal, and honestly, despite seeing the reasons why, Sora had to admit it was kind of stupid. Especially with how villainous-looking Quirks and Quirkless people were ostracized, it reminded Sora of how skin color was discriminated against back in his world.

Though he really disliked Quirk bias, he couldn't do much about it, being a world traveler. The only thing he could do was voice his own opinion, and honestly, Sora wasn't really all too bothered by Hitoshi's Quirk. In the right hands, it could prove very useful. If only other people could see it that way…

Eventually, Izuku managed to make contact with Hitoshi, and started to push him backwards towards the edge. "Say something, dammit!" Shinso then flung a right-hook onto Izuku's face, but the green-haired kid wasn't fazed at all. He kept running and pushing Hitoshi. Said student turned to find that he was being pushed closer and closer to the edge. Getting desperate, Hitoshi slammed his fist onto the two broken fingers Izuku had. "Dammit," he grunted, reversing the momentum and got around Izuku, "GET OUT OF THIS RING YOU LUCKY BRAT!"

For a split second, Sora thought Izuku was finished and eliminated, but then the hero course student suddenly grabbed Shinso's gym collar to stop his own fall. Then, his other hand grabbed Hitoshi's arm, fighting through the pain of his broken fingers, before using every ounce of strength he had left to fling Shinso over his shoulder and onto the ground, slamming him into the ground. He came into the air after the impact, lying flat on his back with his feet outside the line.

(Silence)

Midnight raised her hand and shouted, "Shinso is out of bounds! Midoriya now advances to the next match!"

The crowd roared as Midoriya was declared the winner, and much of Class A looked to one another in relief. Sora, on the other hand, was still staring at the field. He was happy for Izuku, but more concerned for Hitoshi, who visibly looked angry, especially when Mic commented at the lack of flashiness that the particular match had.

Sora could tell Shinso was also angry at several other things, but it slightly disappeared when Midoriya went to seemingly ask him a question. Hitoshi turned around to look and speak back to Izuku, and though Sora couldn't hear, his face spoke volumes of what he could be speaking to Izuku about.

(Play: MHA OST - From Me to You)

Whatever he was saying, however, resonated with Izuku, as his own face began to change into a look of understanding, yet sadness. Sora watched Shinso walk away with a solemn and defeated look on his face. He then understood a pinch of what was going on, and based on his expression, the hurt he was feeling was not from the move Izuku pulled at the last second.

"You were awesome out there, Shinso-kun!" a voice called out, and Sora followed Hitoshi's gaze to the source. Another screamed, "We're proud of you!", followed by another. It was Shinso's whole class cheering him on, much to the boy's surprise.

"You never told us you were that good, man!"

"You're the star of our program, Shinso-san!"

"I can't believe you put up such a great fight against a guy who's gotten first place at everything so far!"

"Hey, hey! Listen to the Pros!"

At that, Sora turned his attention to those people, and they were talking amongst themselves.

"With a Quirk like that, it would be very simple to capture dangerous Villains." one of the Pro Heroes commented, "I wish I had that."

"I can't believe a kid like him is in General Studies," a female Hero added.

"Well, there are a ton of applicants this year." a fish-like Hero told her, "Guess some people like him slip through the cracks."

"If only he had more combat experience."

"I bet he would've dominated if that was the case."

"What a waste on U.A.'s part."

"Yeah. Real bad move, honestly."

"You hear that, Shinso-kun?" a General Studies classmate shouted, "It's great! They think you're incredible!"

Though Hitoshi didn't have a reaction, Sora saw a glimmer of hope return to the boy's eyes, thanks to the combined support of his classmates and several Pro Heroes. He declared to Izuku, "Depending on the results, they may just transfer people into the Hero Course. Remember that. Even if it didn't work out this time, I'm not giving up. I'll get into the Hero Track, get certified, and then become a better Pro than any of you."

Sora was happy Hitoshi wasn't going to let this bring him down. Midoriya nodded to him in support, before he was suddenly frozen again, no thanks to Shinso.

"You know… people usually tense up when they talk to me," Hitoshi turned to face Izuku, "If you're not on guard, someone's gonna defeat you. You better not lose and make me look bad,"

"I won't!" Izuku agreed, before he was suddenly hit with Hitoshi's Quirk again, the latter of which looked at him as if he was stupid. Sora decided to move out, telling his friends he was off to get some air.

But there was another reason he was leaving.

(Silence)

Each match had a ten minute interval in-between for breaks and preparation for each contestant. Sora knew this, and was planning to use it to the fullest, though not in the way one would expect.

(Play: KH BBS OST - Eternal Moments)

Four minutes later, Sora found the person he was looking for, slowly walking to the bleachers' entrance. He called out, "Hitoshi,"

Said student turned around to see Sora walking up to him, remembering him as the person who had supported his desire to be a Hero. What was he doing here, and what did he want?

The two stared at one another before Sora offered his hand and a friendly smile, the same gesture he made when he and Hitoshi first crossed paths.

"See you in the Hero Course." he told Shinso. This time, his words got a reaction: Shinso looked rather taken aback.

Sora kept smiling, "I did say that I hope you make it as a welcome addition. And given how well you performed against Izuku, you definitely earned a spot. So…" he closed his eyes before his mouth split a grin, "I hope the next time we meet, it'll be in the Hero Course."

Shinso stared at Sora's outstretched hand, thinking about everything he's been through up to this point, before smiling and bringing his hand up to meet Sora's own. The two shook. "Count on it, Nakajima," Shinso told him with a new fire in his eyes.

Sora nodded with the same gaze, but didn't say anything. "Smart," Hitoshi nodded with an appraising grin. "You and Midoriya are the ones I'm gonna be rooting for, so don't lose at least until the semifinals." Sora gave him another nod and thumbs up, before Shinso walked away.

"Hitoshi." Shinso turned back to him, "You can just call me Sora."

Once again, Hitoshi was surprised, before nodding his head and turning back, a firmer look on his face. Sora watched him until he was gone. He was happy Shinso hadn't given up yet, and hoped that he too would be entering the Hero Course as well. He deserved that right just as much as he did.

(Silence)

"You really do reach others pretty easily, huh?" a voice alerted him to Cloud's presence, and he turned to see him leaning near the wall, arms crossed.

"It's not easy, you know. It took a lot of practice beforehand." Sora smiled, "You heard the whole thing?"

The SOLDIER shrugged, "More or less."

Sora looked around, before saying, "Well, guess I'll be going now. I wanna see the next match."

"I'll come along." Cloud said, "My shift's over for now anyways."

"Sure. The more the merrier,"

With that, the two swordsmen walked down the hallway, Sora grabbing a dango from a stand outside before heading back, but Cloud passed on the food. As the two were about to turn a corner while they were heading back to the stands, Sora heard voices.

(Play: MHA OST - Forever No. 2)

"It's time to stop this childish rebellion of yours." a deep voice started from around the corner.

Sora raised a hand to stop Cloud, who wasn't paying any attention. He looked to Sora in confusion when he bumped into his hand, before the boy pointed to where the voice had spoken.

Oh.

Cloud raised a brow, before sighing and crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, eyes closing and waiting. Sora then turned his attention to the voices.

"You have a duty to surpass that imbecile, All Might." the voice continued, "Do you understand that?"

Sora looked confused. This guy didn't seem all that nice, considering his tone, as the voice continued, "You're different from your siblings. You're my greatest masterpiece."

My greatest masterpiece? Cloud's eyes opened and narrowed when he heard that, glancing towards the area where the voice had spoken. Sora remained lost. Was this person trying to compliment his kid? If it was, it was a very, very odd way to do so.

"Is that all you have to say to me, you bastard?" a second voice growled. Sora's eyes widened. That was Shoto's voice. Was he talking to his dad? And why did he just call him a bastard? Cloud's expression didn't change, but he did move from where he was on the wall to get a better spot at hearing.

"I'll win the match using only my mother's Quirk. I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me use yours." Shoto's voice rang out in a way Sora had never heard him speak before. There was so much... loathing, in his voice when he was talking to his dad.

Cloud looked down. He knew who Shoto was speaking to. The Number Two Hero himself, Endeavor, who had a fire Quirk, and was the father of Shoto. If that was the case, Shoto's power must be a combination of his father's and his mother's. The fact that Shoto appeared to talk about his fire like it was something vile, and how Endeavor was calling him a masterpiece instead of acknowledging him as his own kid sent off alarm bells in Cloud's mind, though he kept a steady head and remained calm. He couldn't make assumptions just yet.

"Even if it does work in the tournament, you will soon find the limits to your power." Endeavor replied sternly. A scoff came from Shoto afterwards.

Sora and Cloud looked at one another, both of them having the same idea, and turned around, walking quietly back the way they came.

(Silence)

So many questions were ringing in Sora's mind as they gained distance away from the father and son duo. Why was Shoto cursing the fire part of his Quirk? Did it have something to do with Endeavor? What happened between them? Was the scar on Shoto's face part of the reason Shoto cursed his fire?

He turned to Cloud, who looked troubled himself. "You okay?"

"Huh?" Cloud looked back to Sora, "Oh. Yeah."

"...You were thinking about what happened, weren't you?"

"A bit," he admitted, before looking up, "But now's not the time to think about it. You have a match to watch, don't you?"

Sora nodded, "Uh-huh. But… Cloud…"

"Not now." The SOLDIER increased his pace, his fists clenched, and Sora knew that he wasn't in the mood to talk about it at the moment.

Sora finished his dango and walked back up to the bleachers, with Cloud standing at the entrance to spectate from there. Those on the edge of the bleachers noticed him, and they shivered as they remembered how much of a beatdown the swordsman had dealt them. Cloud didn't seem to pay attention, eyes focused on the second match.

(Play: MHA OST - Strategy vs. Wilderness)

The next two combatants entered the ring, with Mic announcing: "Now that's enough standing around! Let's welcome our next two players to the stage!" As the crowd cheered, the main screen showed the fighters that arrived.

"He's got quite the skill, at the expense of some creepy-looking elbows. We've got Hanta Sero of the Hero Course!" Though Hanta looked annoyed at the small jab, he remained determined as he faced his opponent.

"His opponent? An early front runner of the competition who's way too strong for his own good. Someone who rightfully got into the Hero Course through recommendations. Give it up for Shoto Todoroki!" Said person's eyes weren't visible, as his hair hid them, but Sora could obviously tell he was angry, "Now let's get this second match started! READY?"

Sora could see Hanta looked extremely discouraged, as if he knew this was a losing battle. "BEGIN!" Immediately, Hanta sprung into action, launching tape towards Shoto and trapping him. "But even If I don't win… I don't feel like losing either!" With that declaration, Sero began to pull with all his might in an attempt to send Todoroki out of the ring.

"WOW! That attack could send his opponent out of bounds!" Mic shouted, "A thrilling surprise opening from the underdog! Way to start off strong, Sero!"

(Silence)

But then, Sora gasped, as he and Cloud stood at attention.

Because at that moment, just like with Katsuki, small wisps of darkness erupted from Shoto as Sora could barely see his eyes: a glare that was pretty close to Cloud's own against Shigaraki at the U.S.J.. "Apologies." Sora could barely hear those words as Shoto then made his move, freezing the ice below him as it headed towards his opponent.

"Shit!" Cloud cursed out loud, leaping back from the railing as he realized what was going to happen.

One moment, Shoto was close to getting out of the ring, ice forming from his leg to stop his momentum; the next, a mountain of ice blocked Sora's view, along with the rest of his classmates as it came extremely close to them, barely touching them as it extended beyond the bleachers and out the stadium.

"Is… is everyone okay?" Sora called out in English.

"Y-Yeah… just barely…" Izuku responded, though he, Ochaco, and Tenya were terrified at the ice that was blocking their vision and was WAY too close for comfort. It was larger than the ice attack Shoto had used on Cloud a few weeks back. Though against a foe like Hanta, however necessary it had been, it was too much.

(Play: MHA OST - Your Power)

Everyone was speechless at what occurred. Was it overkill? Very. Sora could barely hear Hanta say, "U-Um… W-Wasn't th-that a l-little o-overboard?". He couldn't help but feel sorry for Sero. And he was sure others would agree with him.

"Tell the truth, Sero," Midnight calmly asked, "Can you move at all?"

"A-Are you k-kidding? O-O-Obviously not!" came the reply, "M-My body is freezing!"

The crowd remained silent as Midnight announced Todoroki as the winner. That is, until a Pro Hero called out, "Nice try, Sero!". When that happened, more and more people began cheering for Hanta, who hadn't given up despite the impossible odds. He didn't deserve to be beaten the way he had been.

Sora then barely heard Shoto speak, "Sorry. It was a bit much." As he said it, the ice started to melt as he continued, "I was just angry is all."

When Sora got a better view that wasn't just ice, he noticed Shoto melting it with fire, but his face showed nothing but sorrow. Sora guessed that he really was sorry for blowing off steam, but only because he didn't do so at the person he was mad at, and based on an earlier conversation, and with a glance towards Cloud, Sora knew who exactly Shoto was mad at.

Suddenly, for a moment, as Sora looked back to the arena, he didn't see Todoroki there.

In his place was a young man, with height he could only hope to match, short silver hair, and blue-green eyes, holding a purple flame in his left hand instead of an orange one. The same sad look was all on the older boy's face, and Sora's eyes widened as he whispered,

"...Riku?"

(Silence)

Yet another 10 minute interval was taken to clean up the large iceberg Shoto had made, and to make sure the bleachers were clean so that no one slipped. Sora and Izuku excused themselves for said break, saying they were going to get drinks, but the Keyblade wielder knew it wasn't that.

When they got some distance, Sora told Izuku, "I'm guessing it involved whatever was bothering you earlier during the time between the Cavalry Battle and the Finals. Did Shoto talk to you then?"

Izuku nodded, and confessed, "He… he told me some personal things, and I really want to help him. I… just don't know how."

"So you hope that I might give you some pointers," Sora concluded. Midoriya nodded.

"Look… I can understand wanting to help him. I really do." Sora told Izuku, thinking back to his own best friend, "Just be sure you know what you're doing when you two go head to head in the quarterfinals."

"Huh?" Midoriya was confused, before realizing what he meant. Since Izuku and Shoto won their respective rounds, they'd be facing one another next once the first few rounds were said and done, "But… What do you mean?"

"I think at that point there is the best time and place to try and help him," Sora explained, "From my experience, you won't know a person truly until… they're on their last legs."

He said the last part with a more solemn tone, which made Izuku worried for Sora as he sounded like he had seen this many times before.

"What do you think about him?" Izuku asked.

Sora sighed, "From what I can see, I think he believes that his fire is like a curse." he looked towards his fist, "It's something he doesn't want on him, like it's some sort of virus that could kill him. The only way to help him is to find a way to prove his perception is wrong."

"But… how?" Izuku asked, "I don't have a fire power like him."

"Change his view on it," Sora offered, "Understand what he truly sees his Quirk as, and then make him see it in a different light, without changing his perspective on it." He then recalled that Anna did something similar with Elsa regarding her ice power back in Arendelle. Though Izuku wasn't Shoto's brother, he had to take the chance.

Izuku gave those words some thought, before deciding to trust his friend's words of advice. With several matches before the fated battle, Izuku had time to figure out a way to help Shoto out while he watched the other matches.

(Play: KH 2 Final Mix OST - Dearly Beloved)

"Oh yeah…" Izuku looked to Sora, "Your mom's watching the Festival, too, right?"

"She is. With Hero, I think," Sora nodded.

"So… is she doing better?" Izuku ventured to ask.

Sora looked down, hands twitching and brow furrowed as he bit his bottom lip. Honestly, he didn't know if Shimizu was recovering well. Her condition had gotten better since she was in the hospital, but only by a bit. One of her wounds wasn't healing, and it was near her stomach area, where something had been plunged there, most likely a fist.

The doctors didn't know how bad the wound truly was, and they didn't know if it was infected, even when they X-Rayed and scanned the area she was injured. It baffled the doctors so much.

Sora knew what the injury was from: Only a strong Heartless could've done that lasting damage. Had he not used Cure right then and there back then, and if that injury wasn't treated, his mom would have…

NO! Sora shook his head, Focus, darn it! She's in good hands, so that's not gonna happen, Sora.

That's not going to...

"Sora?"

Sora looked up, seeing Izuku looking at him with concern.

He smiled, "I'm fine."

Izuku frowned, "You don't sound like you are… is it about your mom?"

Sora sighed, clenching his fists and raising them up, "I'm sorry… it's just…" he huffed, "I just wish I could do more than just wait…"

Izuku only listened as Sora continued to speak, "There's so much that I need to do after this is over. Finding out what can help her… looking into how to pay off the medical bill and rent while she's out of work… finding out who attacked her… where they might strike next… what to do now that the Heartless are here… I just… ugh..." Sora sighed and let his arms drop to the side, his head averted as he asked his friend a surprising question.

"Izuku... be honest... am I doing enough right now?"

To say Midoriya was shocked was an understatement. He'd never seen Sora acting like this before. Sure, he probably was feeling worried and stressed when he showed up holding his injured mother at their doorstep all those weeks ago, but he seemed to look better after she had woken up, as if the incident had never happened.

But now, Izuku realized that Sora's stress from that incident wasn't coming back. It never left him in the first place. He was still very worried for her, and for everyone else with the appearance of the Heartless at the U.S.J.. Not to mention that the attacker still hadn't been apprehended, due to the focus on what happened during the U.S.J..

The Heartless, combined with the mysterious attacker and the uncertain outcome of Shimizu's recovery, was a huge weight on Sora's back. And he was starting to show signs of straining as he was carrying it.

Even if it was just a little bit, Izuku wanted to help him and ease the weight he was carrying.

"Sora…" Izuku told him, "You've done so many things since I met you. You've made friends with almost everybody in our class, and you helped protect us against those monsters back in U.S.J.. Not only that, you also saved your mom from dying. That's really, really admirable, especially for people like me training to be a Hero."

Sora turned his head looked at him with eyes widened as the taller boy continued, "I'm… almost jealous of you in a way. You're strong, kind, and willing to do what's right. You smile, especially when times get hard, and that's also great as a Hero. You're reminding me of All Might in more ways than one every day."

"You're not the only one who thinks that way," The Keyblade wielder looked back down, "Basil said the same thing to me, but..."

"He's right," Izuku pressed on, "You're… how do I put it… amazing. You've done a lot of good things, Sora." Izuku looked at him, "And I think you are doing enough. We both are. By showing what we can do for others in the Festival, right? So..."

Izuku then decided to do something crazy. In a swift movement, he went over and wrapped his arms around Sora, shocking him, "Don't worry too much. I know your mom's gonna be okay. And I know you will be, too. You're doing all you can." He looked to Sora, "But if you need someone to talk to about it, just let me know, okay?"

Once again, Sora's heart jumped to his throat, harder than the last few times as he felt something wet in his eyes. He stood there for a few seconds, before he managed to return the hug too, "Thank you… Izuku."

On that happy note, the two went to get their drinks, and returned to the bleachers, with Sora having more of a spring in his step and a slightly brighter smile.

(Play: MHA OST - Go Seize it!)

"Welcome back to the finals, everybody!" Mic called out from the booth, "Sorry for the long wait! Now that the insane amount of ice is removed, we can introduce the newest competitors!" Sora watched as the orange-haired girl Cloud warned him about walked up to the ring, "Even beautiful flowers have hidden thorns! Give it up for a graceful assassin from Class 1-B, Hanabi Zinnia!" She nervously smiled at the crowd, though slightly annoyed at the title she was given by Present Mic. "Verses, the kid with an electric personality. Another rising Hero, Denki Kaminari!" He looked determined as he glanced towards Hanabi.

Sora's left eye twitched.

The crowd cheered as Mic hyped the crowd, "KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" he announced, "I wanna see a flashy battle this time round!"

(Silence)

Sora then glanced over to Denki, who looked conflicted as he faced Hanabi. Sora knew that this was probably the first time the others in Class A were interacting with Class B. Sora had already had his fair share.

From what he saw, Bakugo did NOT give Class B a good impression of Class A as a whole, though Sora talking with them and being friends with one of them did ease the wound a bit. Many of them were good-natured at heart, even Monoma. He was willing to give them a chance.

Now… were they going to do the same?

(Play: KH Union X OST - Wake Up World!)

Sora had no time to think further as he saw Hanabi get into a ready position.

"BEGIN!" Mic called out.

"So," Denki called out, catching her attention, "What do you say you and me go out after this?"

"H-Huh?!" Hanabi took a step back, a small blush on her face.

"I'd be happy to treat you to a bite." he continued. Sora just stared at him. Was he… flirting with her? Hanabi seemed to think so.

"U-Uh, I th-think I'll-"

"And comfort you after your loss." Kaminari finished with a grin, "Because all this will end in two seconds, honey."

Oh… it was a taunt. Hanabi realized it too, her blush vanishing instantly as her expression on her face turned into a glare, "Oh, you're so gonna regret saying that, bolt boy."

"Will I?" Denki kept that grin, before sparks flew all over his body. The girl got into a defensive stance similar to Aqua's as Kaminari shouted, "INDISCRIMINATE SHOCK: 1.3 MILLION VOLTS!"

The electricity he released began to spread out in every direction, but with the way Denki positioned himself, all of it headed straight for Hanabi, who only closed her eyes.

Sora heard her classmates muttering why she wasn't doing anything, until she finally opened her eyes.

And that was when Sora gasped.

Because suddenly, just as the electricity was about to electrocute her, she vanished.

"HUH?" Mic shouted, "What just happened?"

Kaminari looked up, only to find that his opponent had vanished from her spot. "Where did-?"

"Looking for me?" a voice whispered into his ear.

Kaminari jumped, but before he could do as much as face her, it was too late. Immediately after she did that, Hanabi put her fists together, before separating them and, to Sora's shock, summoned two glowing blades of electricity.

"My turn!" she shouted, swinging the blades without hesitation. Both blades struck Kaminari without relent as Denki was struck and electrocuted at the same time. Hanabi struck again and again, until she finally stopped, examining her handiwork. Said handiwork was currently looking like he'd been in the oven and barely came out alive, while a stupid grin rested on his face.

"Now then… Denki, wasn't it?" she walked up to him with a mischievous smile as he stood there looking like an idiot, "I do hate to be rude, but I'm going to have to pass on that offer to dinner. I appreciate it nonetheless."

She then put a hand on his shoulder, before saying, "See ya!"

With a palm strike that emitted a familiar gust of wind, Denki was thrown out of the ring.

"It's a Kaminari ring-out!" Midnight declared, "In two moves, Zinnia has managed to take the win!"

(Play: KH Union X OST - Mission Complete!)

As Midnight declared Hanabi the winner, the latter took a deep breath and a smile, before pumping her fist in the air, "Yippee!"

"Aw yeah! Way to represent Class 1-B, Hanabi-san!" Tetsutetsu cheered.

"Wow… she's good." Kyoka remarked.

Cloud, who had returned to his own seat next to Tifa, was stunned, as was his partner, at what Hanabi had just pulled.

"You saw that, right?" Tifa asked, astonished.

"As bright as day," he nodded, looking at his friend, "Looks like we're not the only ones..."

Meanwhile, back with Class A, Sora was staring at Hanabi as she went over to help Kaminari up, before she guided him to staff that helped him walk back to the bleachers. "Sora-kun?" Ochaco asked him, causing him to look back to the brunette.

"Huh?"

"Yours and Iida-kun's match is next right?"

"Oh yeah." Sora nodded, "I'm guessing that's why he's not here?"

"It makes sense," Izuku nodded, "Good luck out there, both of you."

"Got it!" Sora grinned, before heading down the bleacher exit, nearly bumping into Monoma along the way.

"Looks like your friend was right," Monoma grinned as their eyes met, "The match did last two seconds. Makes ya wonder if his real Quirk is foresight or something."

"Maybe." Sora jokes, "Hanabi did great out there, though."

"Of course she did." Neito boasted, "And hey, wasn't Class A supposed to be better than us?"

"Nobody said that," Sora told him, before noticing Kendo glaring at Monoma, "In my opinion, you guys are also strong as well. The world just needs to see that in action. Once they do, there'll be no doubt that they'll see you as great Heroes in training as well."

"Hmph." Monoma scoffed, "Your explosive friend would beg to differ."

"Well, I'm not him, and neither are the rest of my classmates," The Keyblade wielder said, before walking away, his thoughts drifting to the match from earlier.

(Play: KH 3 OST - Heart of Mystery)

When they had first met, Hanabi had been more of an enigma to him than most others, mainly due to that funny feeling he had when he was around her, like he was meant to know something about her. Now, with her match against Denki, Sora had another piece of the puzzle.

Kaminari's blitz was a bit unexpected and it did give him an advantage, but Hanabi had been ready for it even before she closed her eyes. She wouldn't have been that prepared unless she had seen or experienced an attack like that before more than once. But it wasn't her reaction speed that made Sora worry.

No.

It was what she did to dodge and counter Denki's lightning. She disappeared, which almost seemed like to most that she had moved super fast, but no. She had actually vanished. Then she reappeared right behind Denki and summoned blades of energy. That wasn't normal, even for a Quirk. Not to mention she also amplified them with electricity of her own.

That… had been magic. A spell that allowed her to summon those blades of energy. Not to mention she used what was likely a Thunder spell to enhance them.

There was no doubt in Sora's mind now. He knew why he had felt something off, and why Cloud was so wary of her: it was because Hanabi could cast magic.

No…

It couldn't be.

Was it possible that she knew about other worlds too? There was no way she could've learned that specific magic unless it was taught to her byt someone from the world outside. Or it could be that she had the ability herself. He hadn't even seen anybody, not even AQUA, call forth blades like that. The closest person who could do that was Ventus with his Wingblade Command Style.

But Hanabi didn't even use a Command Style here. Just how strong was she?

Sora looked at the clock. Nearly 6 minutes before his match with Tenya began. Deciding to focus on Hanabi's abilities later, he walked towards the entrance to the inner stadium where the ring lay. He focused on his match with Iida first, and smiled. He already had a way to deal with his classmate, so long as he didn't have any other special moves up his sleeve. If he did, Sora would adapt as best he could.

(Silence)

He summoned the Keyblade to his hand, examining his longtime companion since the Heartless appeared on the island. It hummed a bit in response.

"Let's do our best out there, kay?" he told the Kingdom Key, before he let it vanish in his hand. He looked to the ceiling, placed a hand to his chest, and muttered, "May my heart be my guiding key."

A movement.

Sora turned to the left, where he thought to find someone there, but found nobody in the vicinity. He stared at the spot for a couple seconds, before shrugging and looking back outside.

(Play: KH 2.5 Remix OST - Courage)

"Let's keep pumping these things out and move on!" Mic shouted, "Let's get ready for the fourth match, and say hello to our next contenders!"

At that, Sora began to move out from the entrance to the ring's edge, and saw Tenya on the other side with a determined expression.

"He's the kid with engines in his legs, it's Tenya Iida of the Hero Course!" Present Mic started, and cheers came from the crowd for the speedster of 1-A. "Verses… the swordsman born overseas, who has trained his body, mind, and spirit behind that cheerful goofy smile… give it up ladies and gentlemen, for Sora Nakajimaaaaaa!"

As the crowd cheered for him, Sora couldn't help but wave to the audience, before looking back to his opponent. This was the moment. It was time to shine as bright as the morning sun.

"Tenya!" Sora called out, "May the best man win!"

"I'm sorry, Sora-kun, but that is something I cannot agree with," Tenya replied, catching him by surprise, "To accept those words would be like accepting defeat." He then raised his hand forward to Sora, "And I am here to win. So I will not go down quietly."

Closing his fist, Iida then bent down and got into a running position.

Sora looked at his friend for a few seconds, before he closed his eyes and grinned. He looked up with a new glint in his eyes as he too raised his fist to Iida, "If that's what you want, then let's make this battle one the crowd will never forget!"

"On that, we can agree." Iida grinned, engines revving for the fight to come.

"Oh, such youthful energy and sportsmanship!" Midnight sighed dramatically, "It makes me excited for the battle to start!"

Now Class 1-A was watching this battle with more interest than before. Sora has always held back when they've seen him, other than a select few who have seen a glimpse of his full strength. Now, in a crowd full of other people, Sora had free reign over his abilities. They were excited to see what he could really do.

"ARE YOU READY?" Mic announced, as Sora and Iida got into stance to show the world their power.

"BEGIN!"

(Play: Mario and Luigi: Dream Team OST - Try, Try Again)

And here we go, folks! The moments you've all been waiting for! Chapter 22 kicks off as we go into the tournament matches, and man, we've got a lineup! Izuku holds his own against Hitoshi, Shoto gets pissed and has signs of darkness, and now we learn more about Hanabi! She's a magic caster, too! The question is, just how far does her magic capabilities reach?

And wow... Sora's getting stressed now and venting slightly to Izuku... At least his friend helped him feel better, at least for now.

And Sora vs. Iida next chapter, along with several others! Let's see what differs here.

As for Cloud reacting to Todoroki's Heaven Piercing Ice Wall before it fully bursts, remember folks, he got encased in a similar move back in Chapter 18, and even though he got out quickly, that doesn't mean he still felt the sheer temperature drop instantly the moment he was frozen up. He's not planning to be encased in ice twice by the same dude.

Onto Reviews!

Gamelover41592: Based on what we saw, I think we just found out.

Jaded671: No worries, Jaded. That was entirely on me. Thanks for the feedback!

The OC Maniac: Sure thing! Take it slow, though! And don't worry. There's going to be something special at the end.

keybladelight: We're getting there. Patience.

Guest: Oh trust me, you might be surprised about this one!

Shadow Tiger24: Most likely, Shadow. Given how Cloud is wary of her, Sora better be too. Especially now that she's revealed to cast magic.

blueassassin996: Well... almost on par would be pushing it. Even so, her light is strong, and for good reason. Sora better stay on his toes once he throws down with her in the quarterfinal. But to do that, he has to pass Tenya first.

Moss: Nope. And that isn't a dumb question. Hanabi could be anyone at this rate.

Guest: I'm keeping that a secret. I'll tell you when the time comes.

ZeroOrHero: That's pretty much the case. Funnily enough, Manga Vexen considers most of the Organization's missions as secretive, wanting to drive attention away as much as possible, and isn't afraid to scream that at Manga Roxas's face during their mission together. As for returning weapons, you'll have to wait and see. And be hyped. Hanabi's secret will soon come to light.

Also, I've made a decision. Once I'm done with the Sports Festival, I'm gonna try and take a break from this. No, I won't abandon this story, and writing it is a blast, but I am going to keep some distance from it for a time and go on to focus on other things in life. I hope you guys can understand.

What do you think about this chapter? I'm glad if you enjoyed it, but if not, I'm sorry for not meeting expectations.

Thanks for reading my story, and until our paths cross again!