I don't My Hero Academia or Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Please enjoy this story to your heart's content!
Chapter 13: It's a Long Way to The Top
"Let's train together, Johnny!"
Johnny blinked, turning to face the energetic smile that split Kirishima's face in two, halting his wheelchair just short of the door to their homeroom. The evening bell had rung mere moments ago and nearly half their class had already left, presumably to prepare for the Sports Festival in their own way. The rest lingered to talk amongst themselves, discussing possible events that might occur during the festival or how to properly strategize against the other first year classes aiming for the top. This had become routine in little less than a week since the incident in Nabou, but it proved that everyone in Class A was taking the Sports Festival seriously.
Naturally, Johnny was no exception. Ever since he was confronted by All Might, he had been training none stop with Gyro. The Italian didn't pull any punches for their training, pushing both Johnny and himself, as well their horses, to their limits in the short time frame they've been given. Yet this was the first time that anyone, outside Gyro of course, who offered to train with him. An offer he was quite unsure of, if he was being honest with himself. It wasn't that he disliked Kirishima, even if he was a bit overly friendly, rather he had no idea what he could offer him in terms of training. Quirking an eyebrow at the spiky redhead, he said, "…No thanks." Gripping his wheelchair, he started to push out the door… only to be pulled back by a firm hand.
"Come on, Johnny," said Kirishima, letting go of the wheelchair before side stepping to stand in front of the American. "Don't be so cold! Let's work together to do our best for the Sports Festival! I can show you a few manly moves that I've been workin' on for the last few days."
"And how will watching you practicing being a Metapod help me?"
"I can do a lot more than simply harden my body, you know…"
"Oh, of course. How can I forget the punching and kicking moves you got?"
Kirishima's face fell for a moment, staring flatly at the handicapped American. "Very funny, Johnny. But you'd be surprised how strong my punches and kicks can do. Which brings me to why I want to train with you. I want to see how strong your nail-bullets are against my Quirk."
Johnny raised an eyebrow at his proposal. "You do realize my nail-bullets can cut through thin layers of metal, right? I'm not going to assist you in suicide."
"I know that, but I've been practicing with my Quirk as of late." His lips suddenly curling into a sharp-tooth grin once more. "My body can withstand falling down a several story building and crashing into concrete without leaving a scratch now! Hell, I think I can tank Bakugo's blasts no sweat!"
"….Just what the hell was going through your head when you decided to do something like that for training?" asked Johnny, his expression incredulous as he stared at his reckless classmate.
"Heh! I've thought of all kinds of things to get me pumped up for the Sport's Festival. Though honestly… I would've never thought half the stuff I have planned for my training if it wasn't for the villain attacks we had recently. Especially that last one."
Johnny frowned for a moment as the memories of that fateful day came back to him, but he quickly dismissed them. "Alright, but you still haven't answered my question: how's your training going to help me out?"
A bright flame burst forth within Kirishima's eyes which held Johnny's intently. "You're going to the top of the Sport's Festival, yeah? Everyone who's a first year is going to be gunning for that spot as much as we are. There is no telling what kind of awesome Quirks they got, but if you spar and train with me then we'll both at least have a chance to reach the top. I know I'm not all that great in the strategy department like Midoriya, but I can try help you with whatever everyone's got in store for us at the Festival. Heck, with us fighting as much, you'd at least be able know what I have to offer. And likewise I'd be able to get used to your Stand.
"But that's not all I have to offer! I asked Aizawa Sensei about using U.A's testing facilities for us to train in and he said that there open for everyone at this time. I know you normally ride a horse around for fighting, Johnny, but I don't know whether they'll be using a big enough stadium or track for the festival this year. So training in Ground Beta or Ground Gamma would be great for you! You'll be able to practice in close quarters combat with me! How can you not like this idea?! It'll be perfect for us! Besides, isn't this better than training alone?"
Resisting the urge to remind the redhead that he was currently training with Gyro, Johnny pondered the proposal. It was simple, but it did have some merit. Fighting against someone as tanky as Kirishima, someone who can possibly take what he could dish out and keep on going without any problem, would make for an excellent fighting partner. Not to mention he had a point about the festival. There was no telling what kind of events will take place during the festival until it started. If any one of them used an up close and cramp environment then he was basically screwed. Though he'd improved a little during the fights with Stylo and Dr. Ferdinand, his daily training mainly consisted of him fighting on horseback. Perhaps Kirishima's plan wasn't a bad idea after all.
"All right… I'll go along with your idea," said Johnny.
"Hell yeah!" shouted Kirishima, startling the rest of his classmates who still remained in class. "This is going to be so man—!"
"On one condition though," Johnny cut in, causing the redhead to blink at him. "Gyro gets to come along with us. He'll help me practice with the Spin and also make sure to fix us up in case if we start turning each other into Swiss cheese."
"Done deal! Man this is going to be so awesome training with you and Gyro! I've been meaning to ask him to train with me for a while as well. Always wondered if his Spin powers can work on me when I have harden my body to the fullest."
Johnny was tempted to tell Kirishima how Gyro's Steel Balls could leave dents in solid concrete, but decided to remain silent. He doubted that would deter or change the redhead's upbeat attitude considering how determined he was to train with the foreigners. If anything it would got him more fired up. Though the least he could do was give the over eager boy a fair warning. "Just don't be disappointed if you get your ass handed to you," he dryly said.
"No worries, Johnny. If I get knocked down, I'll just get back up like a true man would!"
"Right…" Well at least he warned him. If anything bad happened, then he wouldn't be held accountable. Though as soon as he thought that, he knew deep down that something inexplicable would happen as soon as they started training. After everything that happened with the villains in such a short amount of time, he wouldn't put it passed the universe to throw another crazy disaster his way. "I'm overthinking this…" he thought silently to himself. "With all the added security that U.A. has going on since the last accident, especially for the Sport's Festival coming up, there's no way something bad will happen at campus."
"What the hell are you damn extras doing here?!" demanded Bakugo, a sheen of sweat dripping down his brow as he glared at the trio that dared to disturb him. Like the new arrivals, he wore his U.A. gym suit, though it was smudged and more than a little torn up at odd ends. Smoke trailed behind him, with several burnt pieces of concrete dummies and targets littering the training grounds. Though surprisingly, the buildings that were part of the current area's theme remained unmarked.
"…Of course he would be here," sighed Johnny, regretting his decision to be hopeful even for a brief moment. He taunted the universe with such thoughts and now he had to be punished for it. Resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, he stared at Bakugo, holding tightly to Slow Dancer's reins who nickered at the mini explosions that crackled in the temperamental youth's hands.
"You got something to say, Horseshoe?!" Crimson eyes spinning around till they locked on to Kirishima's own bright red pair. "What the hell, Shitty Hair?! You never told me you were bringing these two extras!"
"Now, now, Bakugo," said Kirishima, holding his hands up to soothe his friend's violent temper. "I did say we we're going to train, but I thought it would be a good idea to bring Johnny and Gyro along as well. Their super manly fighting styles will surely help us out in the Sport's Festival!"
"Like fucking hell I need their help! The only reason I accepted your stupid offer is because I need someone to be my punching bag before the Sport's Festival!"
"…You never told me that you asked him to join us, Kirishima…" Johnny stared blankly at the spikey red haired youth, ignoring the deathly gaze that Bakugo was sending him.
"Uh, well… I saw Bakugo at the last minute, so I thought why not give him the same offer, you know? After all, one more training partner never hurts. Not to mention with his manly drive, he'll be perfect as a sparring partner."
"Sure, if you don't count him blowing apart your teeth with a single punch."
"Do you want to die, Horseshoe?!" Bakugo growled, stomping forward till he was a mere foot away from Slow Dancer, ignoring the warning nicker the horse gave off.
"I think what Johnny meant to say is that he doesn't want you go megaton before the start of the Sport's Festival," said Gyro, holding Valkyrie's reins as he stood between the two horses. Silence greeted the smiling Italian along with blank stares from his classmates. "Get it? It's because you've always been dynamite that it's only a matter of time before you goes nuclear! It's an original joke of mine! Nyo Ho Ho!"
"Oh my god, Gyro…" Johnny whispered out faintly, resisting the urge to slam a hand across his face. Thankfully his friend seem too self-absorbed by his own weird world to hear him.
"That's some shitty humor, Goldtooth," Bakugo flatly told the jockey.
A frown instantly replaced Gyro's smile as he glared down at the spikey haired boy. "I'll have you know that all my jokes are comedy gold, Bakugo. You're just too much of a short fuse to appreciate them unlike those with good taste. Right, Johnny?"
Straightening up at suddenly being singled out, Johnny stared at Gyro's expectant face before turning to Bakugo's murderous glare. He caught Kirishima giving him an uncertain look behind the two boys, but it was clear that he didn't have the lifeline that Johnny could use to get out of this mess. So he went with the simplest approach he could think of. "Of course, Gyro," he said dryly. "Your jokes are so good, that I think you have a better future as a comedian if you keep this up."
"You think so?! Damn… maybe I should reconsider my career at this rate… maybe start doing standup on the side when I become a pro hero…" Gyro cuffed a hand under his chin, tilting his head to the side as he seriously considered the idea.
"You can't be that be that stupid to not notice that he's fucking with you, right…?" Bakugo grunted in disbelief.
"What? Johnny would never do that to me! Would you, Johnny?"
"Nope," Johnny answered so sarcastically this time that it would be impossible for the Italian not to notice. "I would never do that to you."
"You see, Bakugo? I guess this means your humor is just as bad as your judgement."
Johnny stared blankly at his mentor. He knew that the Italian could be a bit oblivious to how bad his humor was and sarcasm in general, but this simply was beyond ridiculous at this point. Whether or not it was a game that the Italian was playing on him, he had no idea. Yet a morbid part of Johnny was curious to see how far this would go on until his friend finally took a hint.
"You really want to get your ass handed to you, don't 'cha?" A vicious aura surrounded Bakugo as he continued to glare at the long haired foreigner, but paused when a familiar streak of spikey red entered his vision.
"Hey, hey! Let's save that for the Sport's Festival, ok? It would suck if we simply waste all our energy duking it out here before we can actually show off to everyone, right?"
"Shut up! As if I could get exhausted crushing this bastard!" Snapping his head to glare at the Italian once more, explosions popping to life in one hand as Gyro smiled goldenly in return. Seconds slowly dragged by as their intense gazes never left each other. After a minute, Johnny wondered if he would have time to pull Slow Dancer back before the inevitable firestorm got underway. That is until the explosive blonde let out a sharp tsk. "Whatever… Just stay the hell out of my way, Goldtooth, or your mincemeat." Spinning on his heel, he walked back to his improvised dummies, not bothering to give Kirishima or Johnny a single glance before aggressively blasting what little remained of them into fresh power.
"At least he's consistent…" Johnny noted as he patted Slow Dancer's neck, the Appaloosa let out a disapproving neigh at the nearby explosion.
"Yeah, but you got to admit, it's something to admire," Kirishima praised, respect brimming with the pits of his eyes. "Even though he's a little rough around the edges, he's super focused on being the best no matter who or what he faces. Bakugo is truly manly in his own way!"
"A little…?" That was putting very lightly, but Johnny had to admit Bakugo's tenacity was rather admirable… if one could ignore the gigantic elephant in the room that was the spiky blonde's enormous ego and pride.
"Well, if Bakugo's giving it his all, then it would be a shame if we fell behind, wouldn't it?" Johnny blinked, looking down to see Gyro's smiling face. Though he felt a small shiver run up his spine at the worrisome glint welling up in dark pits of his mentor's eyes. "Chin up, Johnny. Before the Sport's Festival begins, I'll be sure to beat Lesson 4 of the Spin into you."
Johnny felt a small bit of cold seat forming on the back of his neck at the long haired jockey's words, despite mentally bracing what was going to happen next. "…I think that's enough jokes for one day, Gyro."
Gyro gave Johnny a perplexed tilt of the head. "Who said I was joking just now?"
Gritting his teeth to hold back a frustrated growl, Johnny cursed inwardly as the muscles in his arms felt like they were going to tear apart as he held two spinning Steel Balls on the back of his hands. It wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the fact he was forced to try to maintain the exact rotational speed of both balls, while riding Slow Dancer up and down the streets of the training facility they were in. With no hands on the reins, he was forced to rotate his body in order to steer the appaloosa, but with every slight movement the Steel Balls twisted everything in his arms to an almost agonizing level. Despite the aching feeling of his nerves and tendons contorting to insane degrees, Johnny refused to back down now. He was determined to continue with this kind of training till he learned Lesson 4. The older horse let out a low neigh, as if sensing her master's displeasure, but never the less continued at a brisk pace toward the end of the street.
"Isn't this a bit much for him?" Kirishima asked Gyro from the sidelines of the street.
"Nah, he's doing absolutely fine," answered the Italian. "He's in good form, though if a bit wobbly. Plus the Steel Balls haven't stopped spinning for over a few minutes now. Better than he was a few weeks ago. Isn't that right, Johnny? You're doing well for yourself, aren't 'cha?"
"Oh absolutely…" Johnny spat out through clenched teeth, the Steel Balls spinning off the center of his hands for a split second. "I'm doing terrific and talking just helps me out so much!"
"Ya see? Told you he's fine."
Kirishima raised an eyebrow at his classmate "Dude… you do realize he's being—."
"Anyway! I believe it's time to push him to his limits."
"Wait, what? Isn't he pushing himself already?"
"Nope," answered Gyro, pulling out a third Steel Ball from his belt before rolling it between his hands. "Just look at his face. He's giving it all, but he's not straining himself enough to admit that he can't continue anymore."
"And that's a… bad thing?" Kirishima tilted his head to the side, his confused expression flickering between Gyro's calm figure to Johnny's straining body.
"Oh right, I forgot you were turned into a dinosaur when I explained Lesson 4."
"You don't have to remind me of about that bit…" shuddered Kirishima.
"Sorry. But to give you the short version, Lesson 4 isn't something you learn simply by hard work or winning battles. You can say that one must know defeat to truly understand the power behind the Spin. Anyway… Johnny! Heads up!"
Johnny bit back a curse that was threating to boil out of his throat, before slowly turning his head around to see what his friend wanted. For a brief moment, he watched as Gyro got into an all familiar stance, lowering his arm before swinging it backwards. "He's seriously not thinking…!"
"Catch!"
"God dammit, Gyro!" Johnny only had a moment to twist his body around, one Steel Ball to fall off his hand at the sudden movement, before Gyro tossed the third one. Scrambling to catch the spinning metallic sphere, the paraplegic reached out with his now free hand to catch it. Just as his fingers curled to grasp the ball, however, it suddenly veered to the side, now flying for his eyes. Barely having a second to even suck in the breath to curse, Johnny arched his body back, allowing the Steel Ball to sail mere inches passed his cheek while the remaining ball on his hand fell to the floor with a loud clack. Yet before his mind celebrated the fact that he wasn't going to have to his face caved in, his body started to slowly slide off his saddle. Desperately trying to yank himself forward as gravity took hold of him, Johnny tried to grab the reins, but his fingertips barely scraped its soft leather.
With an outraged cry, Johnny fell off his horse with a heavy crash, knocking the air out of his lungs as he rolled across the cold dirt for a moment. Coughing hoarsely, he tried to catch his breath, but the air seemed to clog itself within his throat. Quickly slamming his a fist against his chest, he barely registered that someone pulled him softly off the ground as he tried to get fresh air back into his system.
"Easy, Johnny," Kirishima said gently, carefully helping the light-brown haired youth up into a sitting position. Though he blinked when the paraplegic suddenly pushed him back, finally gulping down fresh oxygen.
"I'm fine…" muttered Johnny before noticing the cause of his fall approaching them. "What the hell, Gyro!? I could've broken my neck, you ass!"
"You endured worse, Johnny," said Gyro, walking over till he stood over his fallen pupil. "Besides, it got you to improve a bit."
"How?! By risking life and limb to catch a Steel Ball aiming for head with my teeth?! There's no way I can do that!"
"What? Did you honestly think that I wouldn't toss another Steel Ball your way? Or for that matter, do you really think that nothing will happen just because you're concentrating on something? That an enemy will simply drop everything and wait till you're finished or that you're at your strongest? That kind of thinking will only lead you to your downfall, Johnny."
Johnny let out a grunt at his friend's words. He knew all too well what the long haired blonde was getting at and had the scars to prove it. "I know that, Gyro… it's just…. I can't do this… I just—."
"Twice now, but the first one was a bit…" At the American's confused look, Gyro held up a single finger in front of his face. "Don't tell me you forgotten how Lesson 4 works, Johnny."
Johnny blinked for a moment before averting his gaze from his friend's. "I haven't… It's just…"
"Just nothing. I had to go through the same experiences when I was a kid, so don't think I will make an exception just for you. If you continue on like this, then I'm not sure you're going to make it through the Sport's Festival.
"Hey, that's a bit harsh, isn't it Gyro?" protested Kirishima. "You said it yourself earlier, 'he doing better than he was weeks ago'! With all the stuff you're putting him through already, I'm sure he'll make it through the first round of the Sport's Festival no sweat!"
"Maybe so, but what about the next round? Not to mention every other guy that made it through the first event. Or Class One-B for that matter. They probably got some strong guys, otherwise they wouldn't have made it into the hero course. Then there's that one guy with the heavy bags under his eyes. He was pretty ballsy to declare war on our class, so he must be pretty confident in his power." He then turned his gaze back towards his pupil, a serious glint flashing through his eyes. "You remembered what he said, right? If someone in the hero course performs badly in the Sport's Festival, then there's a chance they could be forced out of their class. As my student, I would be quite irritated if you failed to get passed the first round. I want you to get to the finals and show the world what you can do with the Spin and your Stand. To show you're more than a one trick pony."
Staring back into Gyro's unrelenting gaze, Johnny felt unease gnawing at his stomach as the true weight of his friend's words sank in. Cold sweat trickled down his cheeks as the sickening feeling continued to build up like clogged up sewage. He wanted it to go away, to leave him be so that he could get back to the task at hand, but despite this, his body refused to obey. It didn't help that his mind was slowly buzzing to life with doubts. He'd suppressed them at the start of his training a few days ago, but now, with the very possibility of failure in the Sport's Festival facing him dead in the eyes once again, they sprang forth like a plague.
Desperation washed over him like a monsoon as he realized how low his chances were in his current condition. Clenching his teeth till they nearly cracked, Johnny raised up a hand before causing the nail on his index finger to Spin. Tusk materialized on his shoulder, chiming sadly into his ear, but he ignored it, his attention solely on pouring everything he learned into making the fingernail Spin infinitely. The flesh surrounding the nail contorted and twisted till it looked ready to be bend the entire finger backwards. For a moment, it looked like it truly reached infinity. The finger nail had yet to slow down… but that was it. There was no increase in the rotation nor any indication that the power had strengthened to something greater. Only the sheer amount of concentration had grown the longer he continued.
Johnny could feel that the was on the cusp of it, that with just a little bit more time he could reach the pinnacle that was Lesson Four, but he knew that he had reached his current limit. That sudden realization stunned him for a brief second, yet the damage was already done. Without his complete concentration, the nail's rotation slowly contorted off its near perfect cycle. Snapping out of his shock, Johnny tried to wrest back control, but it was far too late as the nail shot off his finger. Crashing and tearing apart the stone cold floor like a hot knife through butter, the nail created a thin line before finally coming to a complete halt.
"Dammit!" Johnny slammed a fist on the floor, his eyes torn between the tear he created and the finger that shot the nail.
"You can't force it to spin infinitely, Johnny," chided Gyro, walking over before crouching down beside his pupil. "It doesn't work like that. You can put as much concentration and power into the Spin, but if you don't learn the proper way to use, then you'll only be stuck in a rut. You need to learn to 'Pay Your Respects' first before you reach the Golden Spin."
"How though?! I'm trying to do like you said, but no matter what I do it's not working!"
"Well, first you need to calm down and relax…" Gyro scratched on of the square patches on his cheeks. "Maybe you should take a break. If you keep pushing yourself like this, then you'll only burn yourself out before you master Lesson Four."
"But I can—!"
"No buts. In your current condition, you're not thinking clearly. To master lesson four, one must experience defeat and say the specific phrase four times, but not at the risk of having a complete mental breakdown. You'll never learn the true meaning behind 'Pay Your Respects' if you can't think straight."
"True… meaning?" Johnny blinked before turning to face his friend, the doubt and fear that clouded his mind stilled, allowing a moment of the Italian's words to echo throughout his brain.
"…Get some rest, Johnny. We'll resume training, in a half an hour." Gyro then turned to Kirishima, a grin forming on his lips. "So… I heard you wanted to spar with me, right?"
"Uh, yeah, but…" Kirishima blinked at him for a moment before flickering to Johnny, concern written all over his face. "Are you going to be all right, Johnny?"
"…Yeah… go train with Gyro…" The American didn't bother to glance at the spikey redhead, his eyes once more glued to his hand.
"Ok… But if you need anything, give us a holler, ok?" At the cripple's halfhearted nod, Gyro and Kirishima walked to a nearby makeshift ring they made earlier, leaving Johnny to his thoughts.
Furrowing his brow, the young paraplegic continued to stare at his hand, Gyro's words ringing in his ears. "The true meaning…?" he muttered out, tilting his head slightly while his free hand scratched his chin.
"Yo, Horseshoe!" Johnny blinked at the sudden, yet familiar aggressive shout before turning around. The sun casted a menacing shadow over Bakugo's face as he stood over his classmate, staring him down like a vulture waiting for its helpless victim to finally croak. Simmering anger and growing irritation encompassed his face, but something flickered within his burning, crimson orbs. Johnny wasn't quite sure what it was, but as the seconds continued to pass by, with both of them deadlocked in a mute staring contest, it was almost like Bakugo was… searching for something.
"What…?" asked Johnny, breaking the intense silence that formed around them. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time that Bakugo talked to him, or anyone for that matter, without immediately going into an explosive rant or insult. Though knowing him, that wouldn't last for very long.
"Gotta question for ya… Heard you met Deku before coming to U.A., right?"
"Yeah…?"
"Did he have his power back then? Did he have a Quirk?!"
Johnny blinked at sudden question, leaning back a bit as Bakugo crotched down till he was eye level with him. Out of all the things he'd suspected to hear out of the explosive youth, that was not one of them. He wasn't too sure how to answer it, especially how dangerously close it was to revealing One for All. So Johnny decided to play the safe route for the time being. "…What're you talking about?"
"Don't play fucking dumb with me!" A hand grabbed ahold of the paraplegic's collar, yanking him forward till he was mere centimeters from Bakugo's face. "That damn nerd was Quirkless as a kid, like your sorry ass! He should be Quirkless! I refuse to believe that bastard was given some kind of borrowed power from someone! You'd been hanging out with him, so tell the truth. Did. He. Have. A. QUIRK!?" Crackling explosions erupted from Bakugo's free hand, threatening to sear the flesh of bone if he didn't get the answer he wanted.
For a moment, Johnny hesitated as soon as the explosive youth mentioned the borrowed power, thinking that, like himself, he'd picked up on the truth behind Midoriya's power. But then he remembered Midoriya's words; that he told no one else of his secret, though he came close with Bakugo after their confrontation in Ground Beta. However, it was clear that, even now, he refused to believe a word from the green haired youth. His pride wouldn't allow him to accept the truth even if it was slammed into his brain with a sledgehammer.
Without batting an eye, Johnny stared calmly back at Bakugo's crimson gaze, writhing with barely suppressed violence and rage. "…He had a Quirk before getting into U.A."
"Bullshit!" roared Bakugo. "That damn nerd was Quirkless, I know it! I was supposed to be the only one to make into U.A.! ME! You're covering for him, I know it! Quirkless runts stick together, right? You must've helped him gain a Stand or something! If you're lying to me, I'll burn you to a crisp and scatter whatever rem—!"
His rant came to a sudden halt as a finger suddenly appeared in front of his left eye, the nail trembling and ready to be let loose any time. Blinking at the sudden appendage, Bakugo's eyes shifted meet to Johnny's, but paused at the sight of them. They burned brightly with a fire that would have rivaled his own explosions, yet it was the dark flames that simmered deep within the pits of his pupils that caught his undivided attention.
"…I don't know what's happened between you and Midoriya when you were kids," said Johnny, his tone had an edge of anger cutting into his calm tone. "And frankly I don't give a damn. So let me make this perfectly clear: Midoriya has a Quirk, not a Stand. And it's his own power. If you don't like it, fine. But don't drag me into your little spats with him just because you don't like the answer I give. If you do… then I won't hold back."
The tension was so thick in the air that it felt like it would've crushed anyone who happened to be nearby. Tusk chimed softly above his master, hugging his shoulder with a sad shake before fading back into his body. Yet Johnny didn't notice. His sole attention was on the violent youth in front of him. He meant every word he said. He wouldn't hold back on Bakugo's account, even though it would get him in trouble with U.A.'s staff for an unsanctioned fight. The way the spikey haired blonde spouted out of his egotistical accusations struck a furious chord in him. He wasn't about let him run his mouth off just to satisfy his pride and ego. Especially since Johnny knew now the full extent of what Midoriya had to do to get into his dream school… and how it reminded him all too much of himself and his endeavors.
For the longest time the two boys stared at each other, neither blinking nor twitching as the seconds passed by. There was no fear in either of their eyes, just an intensity that threatened to boil over at any moment. Finally after what seemed like an eternity had passed, Bakugo let out a snarl, his grip loosening from Johnny's collar. In turn, Johnny lowered his finger. "Like you could ever hope to beat me, Horseshoe," growled Bakugo, quickly standing up to shadow over the American. "I'm only letting you live for now since Aizawa would be on my ass before the Sport's Festival. But make no mistake, I'm to crush you and everyone else in it! And no one, not you and especially not Deku, will stop me from taking first place! You got that, Horseshoe!?"
"Whatever makes you feel like a tough shit, Bakugo," Johnny said sarcastically. Heat and dust exploded caressed his face as Bakugo lit up his palms like a firecracker.
"Fuck off, Horseshoe!" With one last growl, the violent blonde walked away without so much as another glance at his classmate. Leaving Johnny alone to ponder his own thoughts and to resume his own training.
"God damn… it felt like a freakin' tuna can today…" Johnny muttered in English as he rolled himself out of the bullet train. After pushing himself out of the over packed station, he pulled out his iPod before putting on his earphones and played a song at random. He needed something to help him relax after dealing with a agoraphobic's worst nightmare as he headed to school, as well the growing uneasy that had slowly been building up for the last few days.
The rest of the week flew right by as the American threw himself into his training until finally the day of the Sport's Festival was upon him. Although an excited atmosphere quickly taken hold of the city, and that of the entire nation, with practically everyone he met gleefully talking about and predicting what events U.A. would have in store for the best and brightest students in the world, Johnny was quite anxious. Despite all the hard work he put himself through along with improving his marksmanship skills with Tusk, he'd failed to learn the secret behind Lesson Four of the Spin.
Every time every time he pushed himself to his absolute current limit, every time he seemed to come close to understanding it, he just couldn't seem to truly grasp the concept that made up Lesson Four. Even sparring with Kirishima and Gyro, both more than willing to help him experiment with his moves, nothing seemed to work. It always seemed to slip away just out of his reach. It was almost maddening and for the last few days sleep practically became an option for Johnny at this point. Thankfully he was able to get a good full eight hours of rest the prior night, he wasn't stupid enough to risk exhaustion before the Sport's Festival, but Lesson Four's riddle still gnawed at his mind like a starving rat. Without Lesson Four, he hoped that what skill and power he had from Tusk would be enough to survive in the—
Suddenly he felt someone tapping his shoulder, halting him dead in his tracks before slowly turning around to see who it was. Standing before him was none other than Jiro, curling a finger around one of her earphone jacks as she looked down upon him. "Good morning, Johnny," she said politely, though her voice was muffled due to the loud lyrics blasting in the American's ears.
Letting out a huff, Johnny yanked out his earphones, not even bothering to turn off the song he was currently listening. "Good morning…"
"I'm a little surprised to see you heading to school like this, would've thought you'd ride your horse to school," she noted curiously. "Not take the train."
"Oh, I love riding trains. There is nothing better than getting crammed together with dozens of sweaty people—some of which get a little too touchy—as if I was stuck in a busted meat locker in the middle of July."
"Okay, okay, you don't have to get all touchy about it."
"Hmph. As for why I'm taking an alternative method to get to U.A., I doubt that the police would like me riding a horse down crowded streets." He nodded his head over to the dozens upon dozens of people running up and down the streets, all of which ultimately heading in the same direction the students were heading. "Just because I got permits to ride Slow Dancer where I need to go for school, that doesn't mean I can do so whenever I feel like it. Besides, she's already been taken to a holding pen at U.A., in preparation for the Sport's Festival."
Not only Slow Dancer, but Valkyrie as well. The staff at U.A. made sure that the two would be well in hand so that their riders wouldn't have any trouble before the official start of the opening ceremony. While Johnny was grateful that they would allow him to ride his horse, he was still surprised that they weren't banned from the competition all together, just to make sure there was equal footing for all students. Though from what Gyro had told him, since they were Quirkless, they would be put at disadvantage at the start of the first round, despite the fact they had Stands and the Spin. He would've understood if it was just him, but with Gyro getting to ride his Valkyrie, it was almost like the staff was looking down at their power. A sliver of anger wormed its way through his head for a brief moment before he suppressed it. There was no need to look a gift horse in the mouth and in this situation, where his very position in U.A. was on the line, he couldn't afford to waste any advantage that he can get.
"I see, that makes sense," said Jiro, her earphone jacks swaying side to side. "Also… is that Tom Sawyer?"
"What…?" Johnny cocked her an eyebrow.
Her earphone jacks quickly extended before wrapping around the still playing earphones wrapped around the boy's neck, lifting them up till they were eye level. "Tom Sawyer, by Rush. I recognize Neil Peart's drum tempo and Geddy Lee's synthesizer anywhere. Very good choice to listen to before the Sport's Festival. Though I would've chosen something more soothing since you seem a little tense. Maybe Stairway to Heaven or Take it Easy. Though lately I've been listening to Savage Garden's I Want You. Those work wonders for me when I feel stressed out or when I'm studying for a test."
Johnny blinked at the purple haired girl in front of him before looking down at the still playing earphones before staring back at her. As the seconds dragged by, the color in Jiro's face slowly turned into a rosy pink. "What?" she asked, tapping her earphone jacks tentatively together. "Since you seem to like Rush, I thought you might like some of those songs."
"I do, it's just… I didn't take you to be someone you liked Rock and Roll…" Now that Johnny thought about it, he didn't really know Jiro that well. Or most of his other classmates for that matter outside Midoriya, Gyro, and Kirishima, the latter of which slowly forcing his way into his life whether he liked or not. Though he should have realized Jiro's taste in music the moment he saw her hero costume. It reeked of eighties rock star themes.
"Oh, well… My parents I got me into it when I was little. They're really passionate about it, taught me how to play all kinds of instruments and… well, it just kind stuck with me as I grew up." Her fingers curled around her earphone jacks absently, keeping her eyes firmly away from the foreigner beside her. "Although, I doubt that knowing over one hundred bands and thousands of songs would help me with my career choice as a hero."
"Maybe, but who cares what other people think about your hobbies?" said Johnny, causing the petite girl to blink at him. "You like it, right? Then don't let anyone or anything stop you from enjoying it. I should know…" A dark cast shadowed his eyes for a split second as he stared at his lame legs. "If you want to mix Rock and Roll with being a hero, then go for it. You'd probably make a killing once you go pro. Besides, you already got the Joan Jett look going for your hero costume, so why stop now?"
If Jiro's cheeks was pink before, it was completely crimson now, staring wide eyed as her mouth dropped open. No word came out of her, yet her earphone jacks writhed wildly around her neck, looking conflicted on whether to hide the embarrassment on her cheeks or jab at the cause of it. Thankfully she was quickly able to recover, clearing her throat as she brushed her uniform absently.
"Ahem, well, I'll consider it, but for now I think I'll focus on my studies." Jiro thumbed an earphone jack absently before giving the boy beside her a sideways glance. "But, thanks for the advice, Johnny."
"No problem." Johnny blandly shrugged. "But speaking of studies, let's get to school otherwise Aizawa will have our asses for being late."
"Yes, let's get going." Jiro said, following in beside Johnny as they strode down the street. "By the way, what's your favorite Rock band?"
"Fleetwood Mac."
"Really? I figured that since you like Rush then you might've like AC/DC or the Guns N' Roses."
"I listen to those too, but you asked what my favorite is."
"Fair enough. Though if you're interested, I know some Japanese bands that are pretty good. Daisuke Ishiwatari in particular has some great tracks that I listen to all time. Not to mention L'Arc-en-Ciel and ONE OK ROCK have some amazing beats in their songs. Also are you into rap or hip hop?
"Not really, but I don't hate them either."
"Ok, then I think I have a band that might change your mind about that. They're called SOUL'd OUT and they love to mix and blend genres till they become harmonious melodies that are blissful to the ears."
As Jiro continued to list off band after band, getting more enthusiastic as she went on, Johnny couldn't help but slowly get into the conversation. Little by little, he started to loosen up and forget about his earlier anxiety, giving more detailed responses about bands that he liked until they both finally reached U.A.
"Is everyone good and ready?!" shouted Ida, gesturing severely to his classmates as they mingled together in the prep room provided for their class. Some sat together, discussing what possible obstacles that could happen in the first round. Others sat alone, trying to keep their nerves under control and fears in check. Despite the calm before the storm, there was a growing edge of excitement for each and every one of them. After all, this was first time they would participate in a world renowned event that had overtaken the Olympics instead of sitting at home and watching it on T.V. "The event's about to begin!"
"You bet, chief!" answered Gyro, casually spinning a water bottle in one hand as he sat cross legged at his table. "We're ready and willing to kick ass and chew bubble gum today! And I'm all out of bubble gum."
"Good thing too, otherwise your perfect smile wouldn't look half as good with bits of pink stuck in between your grills," Johnny quipped beside the Italian, carefully stretching out his arms to limber them up before the start of the festival.
"Oh crap, you're right! Would've have looked like a complete clown if I did that. Thanks out for looking for me, Johnny!"
"It's what I do."
"Man, I can't believe you get to wear your hats." Johnny blinked before turning to see Ashido staring at his hat, letting out a pout as she looked down at her gym clothes. "Wish I coulda worn my costume. Doesn't seem fair to me…"
"They're not allowed, in the interest of fairness," Ojiro pointed as he stretched his tail.
"Ok, but then why do they get to wear their hats?!"
"Because they're not our costumes," Gyro grinned, his grills shining brightly as he tipped his hat. "Besides, simple headwear doesn't give you much of an advantage in competitions…. Just makes you look devilishly good for the crowd."
Ashido puffed her cheeks at the long haired blonde while Johnny resisted the urge to slap his forehead. Shaking his head, he opened his mouth to say something, only to pause as a cold voice suddenly spoke up.
"Midoriya," said Todoroki, grasping not only the messy green haired youth's attention, but everyone else's, directing it solely towards him.
"What does he want…?" muttered Johnny as he eyed the two, now standing face to face with each other.
"Todoroki… what is it?" Midoriya eyed the red and white haired boy uncertainly.
"Objectively speaking, I'm stronger than you," Todoroki said bluntly, catching everyone off guard as they stared at him. "More capable."
"H-Huh?! S-Sure…"
"All Might's got his eye on you, doesn't he?" That immediately caused Johnny to straighten up in his wheelchair, his eyes locked on Todoroki's back as the tension in the room slowly rose up. "Now I'm not about to pry into why that is, but… I will beat you."
"Where the hell is this coming from?!" Johnny thought silently, furrowing his brow as he watched the two boys stare each other down. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he'd seen the two of them talk together since the start of the semester outside the attacks from the league of villains. It was more than a little odd to make such a declaration now of all times, especially when they were about to hit the field in a matter of minutes. But what really had him on edge, was what Todoroki said. "Does… does he know about One For All? No… No, there's no way he could know about that… Then he's just assuming there's something going on…" If that was the case, then Todoroki wasn't too off his mark.
"Ooh! A declaration of war from the strongest in the class?!" commented Kaminari, a bit of sweat rolling down the side of his head.
"Hey, man, why pick a fight now?!" Kirishima chided as he walked up to place a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "We're about to go on…"
"I really don't care," Todoroki bluntly admitted, shaking the offending hand off his shoulder, his eyes never leaving Midoriya's. "I'm not pretending to be anyone's friend, here."
"Wow, way to spread the love around, Todoroki," quipped Gyro. "As if it can't get any colder in here than the Cold War. Right, Johnny?"
Ignoring the unsubtle poking from his friend, Johnny kept silent as his eyes never left Midoriya, waiting to see what kind of response he would make to such an unexpected challenge.
Small beads of sweat formed on the fanboy's temple, uncertainty flickering across his face for a split for moment before looking down at the floor, tearing his eyes away from Todoroki's ice cold gaze.
"Todoroki," he said, "I'm not sure why you felt the need to tell me you'll beat me… You're clearly stronger... and I can't measure up to most of the others here in skill…"
"Don't be so negative, Midoriya," said Kirishima, raising his hands up soothingly. "No need to beat your self—."
"But…! You, Kacchan, Gyro, everyone… Even the kids from the other courses are aiming for the top…. And I'm… well, lemme say this. I'm not gonna fall behind." Raising his head back up, Midoriya's eyes shined as he stared Todoroki in the eye, never flinching, no longer wavering. "I'm going for it too. With everything I've got!"
Johnny felt the hairs on his neck rise at the declaration. It was different from the others he heard over the course of the week—whether they were overconfident bluster, quiet desperation, or in Todoroki's case, calm confidence. Yet what he saw now, what he felt from the fanboy, was resolve that went beyond words. A fire that sparkled deep within his eyes that roared with each word that left his lips. It was something that told all that he would follow through with his declaration. Despite knowing he was still weak, he set his sights on a goal and didn't back down when the obstacles proved to be mountainous.
Something that Johnny knew all too well.
Feeling his lips curl ever so slightly, the young paraplegic's respect for Midoriya grew. And there was only one thing he could think of in such a powerful display of will.
To show everyone in the Sport's Festival that he too was going to give it his all until he stood alongside those who craved their way to the top.
"It's U.A.'s Sport's Festival!" Present Mic's voice rang loud and true throughout the entire stadium that housed U.A.'s grand event, hyping up the hundreds of spectators who came to watch the next generations of heroes in the making. "The one time each year when our fledgling heroes compete in a ruthless grand battle!"
"He's really in his element, isn't he?" commented Gyro, peering at the end of the corridor that led out and into the main field of the stadium. All eleven classes were ordered to wait in their respective tunnels until they were given the signal to make their grand entrance.
"What did you expect?" Sero said as he did some last minute stretching. "Present Mic's been practically chomping at the bit to perform at the Sport's Festival for the last few days."
"Nyoho! Like a fish taken to water, huh? He sure knows how to get me pumped up! Right, Johnny?"
Johnny ignored him, his sole attention focused on the end of the tunnel. A sense of nostalgia tingling up his spine, the hairs on every inch of his skin standing on end, the growing chants from outside quickly became murmurs as he shutout nearly everything that might distract him. It had been such a long time since he felt this familiar feeling that he almost forgot what it was like. The intensity, the anticipation, all of it came rushing back to him… along with some memories that refused to stay buried and forgotten to time.
"And coming up on the track is the kid genius from Kentucky, winner of the regional and state tourneys, you know him and love him, it's Johnnnnnnnny Jooooooestar! Otherwise known by his loyal and loving fans, Jo—!"
Suppressing the memory before it went further than that, Johnny grimaced as he tried to regain his focus. There was no time to dwell on the past. All that matter was what lay beyond the end of the corridor and what he would make of it.
"First up… you know who I'm talkin' about!" Present Mic's loud voice filled the stadium once more, signaling the students that it was time for them to make their move. "The miraculous rising stars who brushed off not one, but TWO villain attacks with their steely willpower! The first years of the hero course! IT'S CLASS A!"
Without further ado, everyone marched out the tunnel with steady strides. As soon as they took their first step outside, the stadium erupted with thunderous roars. Snaps and clicks from hundreds of cameras echoed after the cheers, more than one attendee had their phone out to record the students of U.A.
Yet as they continued to the center of the stadium, where a large platform was raised, Johnny noticed several concerned shouts mingling in with the enthusiastic cheers.
"Hey! Is that kid disabled?!"
"Should he really be here?!"
"How'd he make it into the Hero course in his condition?!"
"He must be super strong if can keep up with his classmates, but still…!"
Gritting his teeth, Johnny became a blank mask as he stomped down the tiny sparks of anger that threatened to disturb the calm that he imposed onto himself. He wouldn't allow their doubt to affect him now. He refused to accept their pity!
"Whoaaaa…" muttered Midoriya, staring wide eyed as the crowd continued to chant loudly. "What a crowd…."
"And we're expected to put on the best performance we can in front of so many spectators…!" noted Ida, managing a more neutral, yet lively expression compared to his classmate's. "I suppose this is merely one more necessary skill if we hope to become heroes."
"Meh, you'll get used to it," said Gyro, flourishing his hat to the crowd with a golden smile. "Besides, nothing beats the rush that comes with everyone watching your climb your way to the top."
"That's because you're already famous, Gyro," ribbited Asui.
"Yeah, but I think they're really giving us too much credit…" Kirishima admitted, small beads of sweat already forming on his temple as he swept across the roaring audience. "But we won't let it shake us, right, Bakugo…?"
"Nope," Bakugo said simply, a slasher smile quickly forming from ear to ear. "Just gets me pumped up."
"Following Class B, it's Classes C, D, and E of general studies…!" Present Mic continued with the introductions, each class quickly following out their respected tunnels, fueling the ever deafening cheers. "And here come the support course classes, F, G, and H! And the business course…"
It was at this point that Johnny basically tuned out Present Mic and the rancor from the crowd. He even swept his gaze briefly over the other students, ignoring the long looks some gave him while noting some potentially difficult ones, such as the indigo haired boy from a few weeks earlier. Though he did paused when he spotted All Might sitting with the rest of the teachers of U.A. in his natural form. Giving him a nod as their eyes met ever so briefly, he turned his attention was drawn to where the first years quickly gathered in an orderly rows in front of the platform in the center of the ring. Due to being a paraplegic, he naturally got a front row seat so he could see, placing himself right beside Midoriya and Yaoyorozu.
"Now for the athlete's oath!" exclaimed a feminine voice followed by a sudden crack filling the air.
Climbing up the stage till she stood on its edge was a curvaceous woman with long black hair and blue eyes. Yet what drew every eye in the stadium was her rather intense choice of clothing. A jet-black breastless leotard over a white bodysuit covered the majority of her skin, which emphasized her breasts, body, and legs along with translucent black thigh-high stockings and equally dark knee-boots adorning her feet. A small red domino mask outlined her eyes, while unchained handcuffs were attached to each wrist and a stylish utility belt separated her body. Placing a hand on her hip, she flicked a flogger-styled whip with her other hand as she looked down at the first years, licking her lips with an intensity that matched her gaze.
She was the perfect definition of a dominatrix.
"What the hell…?" muttered Johnny, unable to keep his eyes off the scandalous teacher, dusting his cheeks a light shade of pink. "How is she a teacher?!" This was not the first time he seen her before, she was one of the teachers who came to save him and his class at the USJ after all, but he never got a good look at her back then. Yet would never imagine in his life to see a teacher, or a hero for that matter, get employed while wearing something like that!
"OOH! The first-year's ref this time is the R-Rated Hero, Midnight!" A hero wearing a feathered helm shouted from his seat in the stands.
"Oh thank you god for this wonderful gift!" Mineta held up his hands in prayer, several first years glaring holes at the back of his head.
"Someone really should have a talk with Midnight Sensei about what she's wearing," Kirishima commented, his cheeks similar to that of the majority of his peers as he tried to keep his gaze off any one place of his teacher, which proved to be rather difficult.
"Yeah, that costume must come with a warning," agreed Kaminari, though unlike the redhead, he didn't avert his eyes that often.
"Is that really appropriate apparel for a high school?" asked Tokoyami.
"Oh I don't know, seems quite fine to me," Gyro said appreciatively, eyeing her up and down with a small grin.
"Silence everyone!" A crack echoed from the whip throughout the stadium as Midnight stared down at the young participants. "Now then… Your student representative is… from Class One-A, Katsuki Bakugo!"
That jolted Johnny out of his stupor, turning to stare as the explosive youth blinked in surprise. With all the declarations he'd made in the past few weeks, there was no way that this was going to end well.
"Whaaaa?!" Midoriya's mouth dropped open as Bakugo started to make his way towards the platform. "It's Kacchan?!"
"Must be because he placed first in the entrance exam," Sero theorized nervously.
"The hero course entrance exam, you mean…" A girl from general studies muttered next to Johnny. Though the cripple barely heard her. Instead he braced himself for the ticking time bomb that was about to go off.
Making his way up the stairs, Bakugo stood before a mic that Midnight had set up. "The athlete's oath…" he started with no hesitation, "…make no mistake about it. I'm gonna take first place."
The entirety of first-years, excluding Class One-A, immediately erupted in furious howls, hissing and booing as Bakugo flicked his thumb across his neck at them.
"Don't get cocky, Class A!"
"You dirty bastard!"
"Get down here and say that to my face!"
"Why must you show contempt for the dignity of this event!" demanded Ida, frantically waving his arms around as more and more students glared bloody murder at Bakugo, and by extension, the rest of Class A.
"You'll all make great stepping stones, I'd say," Bakugo said, ignoring the increasing amounts of threats and insults hurled his way.
"Overconfident Jerk! I'll be the one to crush him!" the jagged eyebrow boy from Class B growled out, smashing his hands together with a loud smack.
"Well… that went about as well as I expected… Though I'm a little surprised that faculty allowed that…" muttered Johnny, watching the cause of the riot forming behind him slowly get back in line with the rest of his class. It would be like Bakugo to drag his entire class down with him due to his pride and arrogance. And yet Johnny felt there was something off about him. He couldn't figure out what it was, but it felt like the ash-blonde haired boy had… matured to a very small degree. Perhaps it was his imagination—the more likely case—but the feeling nagged at him until the crack of Midnight's whip brought him back to reality.
"Now then, without further delay, let's get the first event started!" exclaimed the dominatrix teacher, an excited smile etched across her lips as a huge holographic display appeared behind her. "This is where you'll start feeling the pain. These are the qualifiers! It's in this stage that so many are sent home crying each year! But what will it be?!"
Flicking her whip up high, the middle bar in the screen behind her suddenly started to spin so quickly that no one could make out what possible events were in store for them. After a brief moment it finally stopped, the stylized words "Obstacle Course Race" displayed for all to see.
"And there we have it, boys and girls! This first round shall be an Obstacle course! It's a race between every member of all eleven classes! The course is a four-kilometer lap around the stadium itself! Our school preaches freedom in all things! Heh, Heh, Heh… So as long as you don't go off the course, anything is fair game. Speaking of which…" Clapping her hands together, Midnight then jutted her whip off to the side.
Curious, Johnny followed its direction before his eyes slowly widened. Coming out of a nearby tunnel was none other than Slow Dancer and Valkyrie, being led by their respective handlers as they headed towards the center of the stadium. The horses nickered as they immediately pranced proudly to their owners, most of the first years making way for them, unsure what to make of the scene.
"Due to the requests made by Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, they have been given permission to use their horses for the race in order to be on even footing with the rest of the competitors in the Sport's Festival!"
"What?!" screamed a boy with metallic rods sticking out his shoulders. "How's that fair?! This first round is an obstacle course! They'll have a complete adva—!"
"Silence!" A sharp crack from Midnight's whip clamped the upset youth's mouth shut. "Didn't you hear what I just said?! Anything is fair game once the race begins! Due to their circumstances, they have been given permission to use their horses and equipment like many of you outside of the hero course." Suddenly she licked her lips as she turned her gaze directly towards Johnny, a vicious intensity flickering through her eyes. "However! Don't think that they are above you! They'll be using a special longer route for the first leg of the obstacle course race, which will then connect with the main route during the second/third. In this special route, they'll face similar obstacles and hindrances that will test their mettle as much as the rest of you! You're free to follow after them if you so wish, use any advantage you can take after all! In this event, it doesn't matter what power or item that you have. Every obstacle has been carefully designed to give you a challenge that only those who go Plus Ultra will make it pass the first round! So give it your best shot, all of you!"
Despite the skeptical mutterings coming from the students and the crowd, Johnny frowned at Midnight's words. "So that's why they allowed our horses…" he muttered, mentally kicking himself for thinking that the first round would be that easy. Yet that wasn't what really hung him up. It was that the longer route that he and Gyro were taking was not exclusive to them. It didn't make sense. If he were in the other students' shoes, then he would've jumped at the chance to take the shorter route.
Suddenly a loud siren went off, drawing everyone's attention to one end of the stadium. The wall carefully rearranged itself into two corridors about fifteen meters apart from one another. They were about the same in height, nearly reaching the ceiling, but the one on the left was far narrower than its counterpart. Johnny's eyes flickering between them before turning to the hundreds of students beside him, clarity clicking into place like clockwork. "If everyone rushes the main route…" he thought quietly, "then they'll quickly get jammed together!"
Johnny wasn't the only to make note of this clever trap, several students beside him eyed the wider path, weighing the pros and cons of risking to take a longer route.
"Racers, to your positions..." The sharp snap from Midnight's whip cut off whatever thought that ran through the participants heads. Without wasting another second, Johnny pushed all other thoughts away as he got of his wheelchair. Slow Dancer lowered her head before quickly lifting him off the ground with a flourish, startling some of the students and the majority of the crowd. Some of which giving a bit of applause at such a feat. But he paid them little heed as he led Slow Dancer to the starting line beside Gyro and Valkyrie. From the corner of his eye, several dozen students lined up beside them, like Johnny suspected. But in the end though, it didn't matter.
All that mattered now was being one of the few who made it passed the finished line.
Time seemed to slow down for Johnny, the countdown clock that sprung up near the gates taking what seemed an eternity to tick down. The rancorous tones from Present Mic hyping the crowd to a frenzy once more dulled to muteness. The only sound that echoed within his ears was the steady beat of his heart, almost in sync with each passing number on the clock until….
"BEGIN!"
Author's Note: Before I begin, I must apologize for making you wait for so long for an update. I have to admit, I had plans to have this done by August, but... I'm not when I say that my old PC literally crashed on me a week after I posted my last chapter. So I got extremely lucky that I posted everything online before it finally died, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to recover as nearly as well as I have. Though I literally had to start from scratch with everything else other than my stories and plans. So that was "fun". And then, oh you're not going to believe this but... in the middle of September Windows 10 on my new PC crashed... due to a fucking bad update from Windows. So yeah, I had to wait more weeks for Geek Squad to fix my PC, then more weeks to fix a bug they accidently caused with my document folders, (basically the documents were locked to their admin accounts, not my admin account of my PC). Basically at that point, I got super frustrated and it killed my mood to write for a while, and even when I started to write again on Oct 12th, I didn't do as much as I would have liked.
But little by little, I got back into the swing of things, getting the start of the Sport's Festival underway and delivering on some character interactions that I've promised. I hope you like them, I had fun writing Bakugo's and Jiro's sections. I also wanted to make sure there wasn't too many screw ups for this chapter, due to everything that has happen for me recently and all, so I took the additional time to double check for grammar mistakes. But if you still seem wrong, I'm deeply sorry about that and I will try harder next time! Also, I apologize if there isn't a whole lot for this chapter, but this is literally setting up the start of the first round and boy oh boy do I have some plans for that. I won't make any promises on when exactly the next chapter will be done, since my work is kinda training me at the moment due to the snow finally hitting, (I work outside and I have to drudge my way through the snow for my work now), but I already started to write down notes and ideas for the layout phase. I feel the next chapter will go a lot smoother than this one, hopefully with my drive back max speed, but until then I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter!
And thank you all so much for sticking with me despite the sudden silence I placed you all through. I'm sorry about that! *Bows deeply*
Anyway, the musical reference for the title this time is AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to The Top (if You Want To Rock and Roll)!" I choose this title since it fits the theme of the Sport's Festival Arc perfectly, each student is giving it their all to win and be the best, to reach the top and tell the world they are the best. It also highlights the intense struggle for Midoriya and Johnny, since they have to work even harder than everyone else due to their disabilities and not truly understanding their powers completely just yet.
Anyway, since this took me so long to make, and I'm feeling dead tired at the moment due to work, I'm unfortunately going to have to hold off on comment responses for this chapter. I will be getting back to it next chapter.
Once again, I thank you all for sticking with me this far and I hope that you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it. Until I hope you have a nice day!~
AnD A hAPpY HaLLoWeEN~!
Sincerely, Count Chaos.
