Chapter 59:
Midoriya dropped down on his butt like the other two members of his team with him. He sat there panting with his shoulders slouched and his gaze up towards the screens showing the four teams advancing to the finals. He, Todoroki, and Iida were all shirtless, and only Todoroki still had his blue pants still together below his knees. The three muscular, exhausted teens had their names called out that they received first place in the event. After two events in a row of fighting start to finish, Midoriya barely even heard that though.
He finally lowered his head and started wheezing harder as the audience cheered around them. First… He thought, and his hands clenched into fists down at his sides. His bowed head lifted back up, a determined expression on it as he stared out towards the summit that looked nothing like it did before the round started. It was a lot more spread out and had no flat surface with even the biggest chunks of arena tilting up one way or another. But the finals, are where is really matters, Midoriya stared towards Bakugo who he saw turn his way and glare at the three of them who got first that round.
Jirou sat across the arena floor on the south side of the mountain slope. The brainwashing Shinso got her with cut off before she got through the tunnel, but when an idiotic Kaminari went flying from the summit she knew there was no way they were going to catch back up to the leaders. She sat next to Kaminari whose head was bowed and was looking exhausted like most others around them. "Ahhh," Jirou sighed, lifting a hand and putting it through her dark hair as she looked up at the summit. Didn't make it to the finals this year, she thought as she scratched her head. Former semifinalist, and you were there too, she thought, glancing at the boy next to her. Then she lifted her gaze and noticed others who made it into the finals last year but were disappointedly looking up towards the arena from around it. Sero put his hands down on his knees and shook his head, and Ashido snapped her fingers then winced and rubbed the arm she snapped with. Shinso lay on his back, his body still shaking from the electricity he got zapped with at point blank, and Shishida sat up at his side and rubbed under his nose to wipe some blood away while he glared towards the boy who slammed a flying knee into his face during the round.
Around the arena, Tsuburaba dropped to his butt, and Kuroiro let out a long sigh while looking longingly up the slope in front of them. Not this year, Kuroiro thought, but he just rolled his shoulders a few times and actually lifted the corners of his always-dipped lips up a bit. Present Mic just shouted about how all of them did their best too, and Kuroiro rubbed his right arm and smiled hearing all the cheers in the stands around them. Disappointing there're no Class B's though, he thought while looking back up to the top of the stage. He stared at Tetsutetsu who got up after punching the ground in frustration, and then he shifted his gaze to a screen showing groups all over the arena surface with their various battle wounds. Present Mic started calling out about Recovery Girl having her work cut out for her, and Tsuburaba mentioned next to him, "Those Class A guys, are ridiculous."
"Yeah," Kuroiro agreed with a nod, his mouth lowering back into its usual teeth-showing frown. If Monoma and Tetsutetsu aren't in then… Kuroiro's eyes shifted over to a black haired teen looking up with a grin on his face and saying something to his partner. Go for it this year, Zach.
"Toru," Ojiro whispered as the girl he was holding winced and made a whimper of pain. Koda leaned forward worriedly too, and Ojiro said with a frustrated look on his face, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you that hard."
"Let's go to Recovery Girl now," Koda suggested in a hurried, high-pitched voice.
Ojiro nodded his head, and he said, "Can you stand? I, I don't know where you're hurt, so I don't want to lift you-" Ojiro felt a hand gently touch the side of his face, and his eyes opened wide.
Not too far from them, Hiro Kazumi walked over towards his girlfriend who was talking with a boy around Hiro's height who she had partnered with. Kazumi's eyes widened a bit as he headed over, and he said, "You haven't cancelled it yet?"
Sato turned towards Kazumi and frowned at him for a second, then he reached up a hand and scratched the back of his head. "We did pretty well there for a minute," Sato said. Kazumi looked at him in surprise, then to his own girlfriend who shrugged and agreed with her new friend. Rikido Sato did not have hard feelings towards his teammates. They did pretty well after all, even if part of the strategy had apparently been tricking him into falling in love with the cute girl at his side. Sahara explained right after it ended that the main point of that was getting the two of them she used her powers on to act out of character towards their own classmates, as it was mainly Class A students who had made it to the second event. The more in love they were, there was an actual power up involved, but the Quirk got too unpredictable at that point.
"Yeah," Kazumi agreed after getting over his surprise at Sato's unaffected reaction. He had not even gone over to talk to his own partner yet after seeing him over there with the invisible girl and her partner, and he glanced over his shoulder again to see the two boys heading away towards Recovery Girl who came out of the south tunnel. "Thought we had it too," Kazumi agreed. And we might have, but Kyomi's power is too much sometimes, he thought while thinking about how Ojiro had slammed Hagakure with his tail. Feel bad for him, even if he did cost us our chance at moving to the finals.
"Looks like the top four teams from the last event-" Kendo stopped herself and looked around after she started saying it. She and Shiozaki stood on either side of a small boy with blood all over his face who lay unconscious muttering pervy things in his sleep. Kendo focused on a blond who got first place in the last round and was not moving on this time. "Well, almost," she corrected herself to Shiozaki who nodded at that. They both looked back at the teams that had passed, seeing both Midoriya and Uraraka, Bakugo and Kirishima, and Yaoyorozu and Todoroki had all made it even after switching up teams.
The fifth place of that first event was Shiozaki and Monoma, and Shiozaki sighed and lowered her head as she looked towards the broken up summit she was not standing on. "We were so close," she whispered in a disappointed way. They had kept trying even after losing their defensive position earlier, but their third member had gotten pretty badly beaten up, and neither of them looked perfect anymore either. Shiozaki turned to Kendo who just put a hand on her back, and the orange haired girl smiled at her friend and gave a nod showing she felt the same way but that it was alright. Shiozaki paused a moment, then she nodded too in acceptance and just looked back with a smile towards the teams who were moving on.
Itsuka Kendo faced the battleground and smiled firmly despite the frustration of just missing the finals for the second year in a row. The Sports Festival is about more than each of us, she thought, and she called up to Tetsutetsu who was still looking like he needed to punch something.
Zach turned from Shoji and looked up in the crowd as he heard someone shout for him through the other cheers. There it is, Zach thought, as he heard the call of 'Lifebringer' over a bunch of other voices. Who was it? Probably someone random. No reason to think it's someone I saved. Zach smiled towards the stands then looked back towards Kirishima and Tokoyami. He saw Kirishima turn towards him at that same moment, and Zach grinned after they made eye contact.
"Haven't lost yet?!" Kirishima called over.
"Told you," Zach called back, "not until we get our fight." He lifted his left fist, and Kirishima grinned back at him as their promise to fight was still on. They had said they wouldn't lose to anyone else until they faced each other, and although Kirishima and him had had a small quarrel during that event, the real fight was yet to come. Kirishima grinned even more back at him, and then Present Mic called out to everyone and made all eyes shoot towards the commentators' box.
"Before we take a break to give everybody time for lunch, and we'll have some other activities going on too! First, we're going to make the bracket for the final event! It's a fight tournament!" Present Mic's voice was accompanied by the four big screens in the stadium showing a bracket that was just created. On it were eleven names written vertically at the bottom, and above those names was the actual bracket shape itself. The first three rounds of the final event were set up so there were three empty boxes with lines sticking out of them leading to a single box above. "There are eleven finalists!" Present Mic yelled, "So the first three fights, are going to be free for alls between three students! The final match will be the only one on one! YOWW!"
Yaoyorozu and Tsuyu focused up on the screen, and the taller girl hummed to herself after hearing that. Is it a disadvantage to be paired with two others rather than one? It could be, as it is a one in three chance instead- but if against a stronger opponent who both of the others know is stronger, it leaves opportunity for more cooperation. A one on one with Bakugo or Todoroki, and I do not think I would be able to counter even with the time they are giving us to prepare during lunch…
Is that why they're giving us a big gap? Have us prepare more specifically for who we're going up against later? I like it, Zach smiled more as he looked towards the screens, wondering which box his name would be put into. I'll try teaming up with someone, if I get into one of the matches of one on one on one. Present Mic yelled about there being a random selection, and Aizawa added that they were pulling lots out at random up in the booth one by one. "First," Aizawa said in a tired voice, "is Katsuki Bakugo."
First? Bakugo thought in a pissed-off way, as if them giving him that title after he had just come in second for the second event in a row was a taunt. He was heading towards Recovery Girl with Uraraka who made herself weightless so it would be easier for him, though he just told her to 'shut up' when she said why she did it. She just thanked him in response for carrying her over in the first place because of her injured leg. I'll show you what first really is, Bakugo thought, his teeth grinding and the corners of his lips pulling far up as he walked. Who're my opponents?!
"Up against!" Present Mic continued shouting as he pulled out two more names from a bucket of small papers he and Aizawa had put together. He leaned forward and yelled into his microphone, "Tenya Iida! And the two of them will also be fighting, Tsuyu Asui!"
"Tsuyu," Yaoyorozu whispered down to the shorter girl next to her. Tsuyu looked pretty exhausted, but she looked up at her friend and just smiled in a way to show she was fine. "I'll be rooting for you," Momo said to her teammate, smiling back at Tsuyu after seeing that positive attitude despite going up against some of the strongest guys in their class.
"The second fight!" Present Mic yelled while people were still shouting and cheering about the first matchup. "What's the first name?" He asked, leaning towards Aizawa who just pulled out another folded slip of paper from their bucket.
"Shoto Todoroki," Aizawa said, and the crowd cheered while Todoroki stood up himself, deciding he better go over to Recovery Girl. Iida got up with him, and they both held out hands for Midoriya who grimaced that he needed to be helped over, but even just trying to stand caused too much pain in his legs at this point. He had pushed them to the limit over and over without risking exceeding his maximum power, and he accepted his comrades' help, taking their hands and allowing himself to be helped towards Recovery Girl. "Against Izuku Midoriya," Aizawa continued, and the group of three walking towards Recovery Girl froze.
Midoriya lifted his slightly bowed head, and he turned to the right as the boy helping him over turned to the left. "YOW! A repeat of last year?! I hope not," Present Mic said the last part a bit more hesitantly. "Well it will be different after all, as the two of them will also be fighting… FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI!" Present Mic shouted the third fighter's name, and Todoroki and Midoriya turned their heads towards the mountainside that Tokoyami was climbing down towards Yaoyorozu and Asui.
Whoa, Zach thought while looking around the other contestants going into the finals. I wouldn't want, to be in either of those fights! Damn, that's not a good way to think. Not a winner's mentality. I have to win no matter who I'm up against! Zach's fists clenched harder at his sides as he stared back up towards the big screen above the commentators' booth, ready to hear his name get called and see who he was up against.
"For the third round of the finals," Aizawa started. "We'll have- Eijiro Kirishima."
"UP AGAINST!" Present Mic continued without any pause. "MOMO YAOYOROZUUUU! Another matchup between former partners?!" Hizashi Yamada wondered loudly, leaning back and looking through his sunglasses at the last slip of paper he had yet to unfold. "The final fighter of their match…" Mic and Aizawa looked at it, and what Mic just said echoed in their heads. Two others were already thinking about it, down on the stage where they for some reason expected the name Present Mic shouted.
Shoji and Zach turned to each other, hearing Uraraka's name get called out for the stadium. The two of them faced each other from a couple feet away, the realization already setting in before Mic announced anything about it. Shoji, Zach thought, looking his partner up and down with his gaze turning serious. Not the best matchup I could've gotten. Then again, not the worst either. Mic shouted out their names and the crowd cheered for the two who had just had a great battle together as a pair. Everyone wanted to see what they would do now, up against one another in the finals.
"Hey Bakugo! Over here," Kirishima pointed at the table he was sitting at, and Bakugo grunted before heading over with a tray in his hands. He was looking away as he marched towards the table, and he took a seat at one end across the table from his red-haired friend. "You good?" Kirishima asked after Bakugo sat, as he lifted his hands over the table and clenched his fists a couple times before grabbing his utensils.
"Mind your own business," Katsuki Bakugo muttered, and he picked up his fork and started eating without another word. His expression was intense and focused, even though he was still thinking on what Recovery Girl had told him a few minutes ago. Damn it. I'll get number one in the finals even without it. He felt a tingling sensation in his arms and clenched his right fist at his side again while eating with his left.
The boy Bakugo sat next to looked at him seeing a strange look on Bakugo's face, but Tokoyami turned back to his own meal and continued eating to prepare for the finals too. Across from him and next to Kirishima sat Yaoyorozu who had three more plates of food in front of her than anyone else at the table. She was starving after that last match, and she needed to fill up in order to use all the lipids for her Creation Quirk in the finals. Her cheeks were a little red as she devoured her meals, spotting the boy on her right glancing in at her with big eyes at how much she was eating.
Zach quickly looked back to his own meal, then glanced up across the table at Shoji who created a mouth on his top left hand above the one holding his fork. "Zach," Shoji began, his voice serious. Next to him, Tokoyami glanced in wondering what this was about. Yaoyorozu paused with puffed out cheeks, and Kirishima looked in as well though Bakugo just kept eating. Midoriya and Uraraka looked left from Zach's right side, but across the table from them, Iida and Tsuyu continued talking to each other in hushed voices.
"What's up?" Zach wondered, a bead of sweat on the side of his face at Shoji's serious tone.
"You should pull out of the next round," Shoji said. The others at the table started going wider-eyed, then Shoji's new mouth lifted in a grin, "Don't want to embarrass you in front of everyone."
Bakugo smirked while lifting his next bite to his mouth, while most of the others just stared at Shoji in shock at what was apparently a joke.
"Ha, I was going to say the same thing," Zach replied after gawking at his partner for the last round for a few seconds. He grinned back at Shoji and said, "'Cause I'm the one who's making it to the semi's."
"We'll see," Shoji said, then he lifted his fork up to that arm-mouth and put some food in it.
Everyone got more competitive looks on their faces after that. As much as it was a joke, it was also a promise from each of them and the rest of them felt the same ways. Hanta Sero was walking through the cafeteria, and he looked towards the table next to the one he was going towards with wide eyes for a second at the sight of all their serious looks even if a few of them were grinning. He shook his head before walking to the next table closest to it and sat with most of the rest of Class A. "Winner's table back there's got these looks in their eyes," Sero said after sitting on Kaminari's left as Mineta scooched over to make room for him.
Kaminari glanced behind him, then he sighed while looking back forward. "I could have a look like that," he said in a longing tone.
Jirou sat across from Kaminari, and she looked past him at the group heading into the finals. Thinking about Kaminari with a look like theirs on his face made her eyebrows lift up for a second, only for that face in her head to change its expression and for her cheeks to puff out. Kaminari looked at her and said while pointing a finger, "What did you just think about?" She covered her mouth as it was apparently too obvious, and Kaminari groaned as he thought about how he left the arena before with a dumb look on his face televised across the world.
Next to Jirou sat Ashido who was looking to her right and talking to Sato and the girl next to him from the support course. Her and her boyfriend from general studies were invited over by the Class A students who wanted to hear about their cool Quirks that they managed to do well through the Sports Festival using. Sahara and Kazumi stopped talking about their powers as a couple of others walked over to the edge of the table, looking towards them, (or at least they thought the second person was looking towards them considering the angle of her floating shirt's collar).
Kaminari glanced to his left down the table from the edge where he was sitting, and he grinned after a second as the two from outside their class started talking to Ojiro and Hagakure, and any bad feelings from the previous round were being quashed. "I still can't believe it," he said, looking past Sero but closer now than the other side of the table. Sero turned to him, and Kaminari said while the next boy down turned too, "It's crazy that Mineta was lucky enough to get all those cute girls on his team. Both rounds!" He added as if it were even more amazing. Mineta leaned back and beamed proudly, because even if he had lost the second round, he had won something.
The blond boy who said that glanced out the corners of his eyes nervously at something he caught in his peripheral vision. He spun and held up his hands defensively, "Not that I wasn't too!" The girl whose earphone jacks had lifted up a bit in front of her humphed and nodded her head in an accepting way that made Kaminari sigh in relief. Sero started laughing at him, while Jirou looked down at her food and wondered, Does that mean I'm a "cute girl," or was he just saying that to avoid being hit… Jirou's mouth curled up at the corner, and Ashido leaned forward at her side with a smirk on her face that made Jirou's mouth dip far down right away and a groan to escape her lips as she continued to eat.
"Mineta may have been lucky for a second there," Sero said. "But man I did not want to be you after you guys were in first-"
"It was so scary!" Mineta exclaimed, slamming his hands down on the table. He leaned out of his seat like he had wanted to talk about this but needed someone else to bring it up first. "Everybody just attacked us at the same time, and then just me!" Mineta's face turned kind of blue as he looked around the table, at a bunch of people who were part of that group that swarmed him.
Sero laughed as he remembered attacking Mineta then too, but he looked over his shoulder and said, "Just thinking about how Shoji tossed you into the crowd all gunning for you…" he pursed his lips then laughed again as he thought about Mineta's yell of horror as he was tossed like a piece of meat to a pack of piranhas.
"It's not funny!" Mineta complained to the boy next to him, while the others around them started laughing too.
At the table behind them ten meters away, Zach glanced over for a second hearing the laughter coming from their classmates. A part of him wanted to be over there laughing with the others, but he looked back forward and kept a serious look on his face as he continued eating. To beat Shoji, I need to be fast. He's a big guy, but he isn't any slower because of it. Just the grappling gun to give me some extra range, my martial arts… and my experience. Shoji's big though. Bigger than I can toss. And strong. If he grabs me I'm done. I'll never get out of that grip, especially with six arms to worry about…
Zach lifted his gaze a bit, and Shoji and Iida each scooted away from each other a bit to make the gap between them larger. Shoto Todoroki sat down between them, and Midoriya looked across the table from Zach's right side with a worried look on his face. "Are you okay, Todoroki?"
"Fine," Todoroki replied to his opponent in the next round. He did not want Midoriya thinking anything was wrong before they went into it, and he wondered if his face was giving away that he was thinking about something strange. He glanced around and saw some of the others still looking at him after he said that, and they were wondering why he had been called off on his own anyway. Zach felt like he saw a somewhat unsettled look on Todoroki's face as he came over too, and he kept looking at the boy with half white and half red hair for a few more seconds until Todoroki sighed. "Endeavor was called to take on some villains and left early. Some other hero he asked to tell me about it was doing that," Todoroki explained.
"Oh," Midoriya said, leaning back in his seat. He still looked at Todoroki funny after hearing that response, but then he smiled and got back to his food with a thoughtful and focused look replacing it.
Zach also stared at Todoroki with a confused look even after hearing that explanation. Can't really tell, how you feel about that, Zach thought, but he shifted his focus back to Shoji. He stared at the muscular boy across the table from him out the top of his eyes while pretending to be looking down at his food, yet he could not keep his thoughts from wandering just a bit, his expression darkening. Endeavor…
"Hey look," Uraraka motioned to the side, and Midoriya lifted his head to look past the girl next to him and out farther into the cafeteria.
Iida and Asui turned too, and Iida said while sitting up more in a respectful way, "Sensei."
The others around the table looked over, and they stared at one of the two commentators for the Sports Festival as he walked towards them. Aizawa stopped next to the table, and the man with long curly black hair said in a low and tired voice, "Good job on making it to the finals."
"Thank you sensei," a few of them said together, and a few others added afterwards.
"Couple things," he continued, lifting a hand and scratching the bottom of his right cheek a few times. "Some of you noticed, others didn't. Cooperation was key in this competition, so far at least." Bakugo frowned more and kept digging into his food that he did not turn away from, then he stopped as Aizawa continued, "But another big point was stamina- How long you can go for without stopping."
Midoriya lifted his gaze up to Aizawa's eyes and he bit down, thinking of something Aizawa told him on the first day of school the previous year. I still, hurt myself too often…
"Midoriya, Bakugo, the two of you injured yourselves too much in the first round," Aizawa paused and looked down at the girl closest to him on his left, "and you too Uraraka." The short girl with brown hair got a more sheepish look on her face as she thought she dodged a bullet there. "Sometimes real fights happen one after the other," Aizawa continued, and the others at the table stared at their teacher more thoughtfully at what he was saying. A lot of them had fought enemies in the training camp forest, only to have to fight again with whatever injuries done to them in the previous fights only minutes before. "Recovery Girl won't always be there for you like she was after the second event. If there was no break for other activities and lunch though, how many of you would have been able to give it all you have in the final round? I think to teach you a lesson they shouldn't have let her… but it doesn't matter now I guess," he scratched his face again. "You should think on that though, and try to avoid making these mistakes in the future."
A few of them nodded at their teacher, intense and some regretful looks on their faces. Bakugo clenched his fists at his sides in a more frustrated way, grinding his teeth at the lingering pain in his wrists.
"Other than that, you all did very well," Aizawa said before turning away. "Good luck in the finals," he said, then he started walking off.
Tsuyu smiled wide as Aizawa walked off away from them, and she said, "Thank you Aizawa sensei."
"We will all do our best," Iida assured him in a firm voice. "Right everyone?" Iida asked, looking around at the others at the table.
All of them started nodding, and they looked around at the other ten sitting with them. "We'll give it our alls," Midoriya said and nodded at Iida.
"Everything we've got," Kirishima added, clenching his right fist up over the table with a fiercely competitive look in his eyes.
"Agreed," Tokoyami said with a stoic nod, and then a small smile.
Zach grinned at Iida, then looked up and after Aizawa who kept walking as they all agreed mainly to each other. Won't be everything I have… but I'll do my best. The best I can, without turning into a scary monster. Sorry guys… but when I win, you'll have to know that I beat you without using my full… Zach lowered his gaze back to his tray. As if. Well, there's no point in counting myself out. I can win. I can win any fight. I can do this! I can win!
"WHOA-HHOOO!" Present Mic yelled. "A DOUBLE RING-OUT AT THE SAME TIME!"
Tenya Iida and Tsuyu Asui slid off the wall they just slammed into not far away from each other. Back on the stage, a new arena set up almost identical to the one from the previous year except in a triangle shape, Bakugo panted while leaning forward with his hands sparking explosions as he glared towards his two opponents. He lifted his right arm after hearing Mic's shout, and he rubbed it across the left side of his face where there was a bloody cut, then he stood straight up out of his bent-kneed position.
"Oh man," Kirishima said, lifting his right hand and scratching the back of his head with it. "And I thought Tsuyu and Iida's combos were pretty cool too."
Zach nodded dumbly next to him, while still staring down at Bakugo with wide eyes. I thought he was still hurting or something. Geez, he's a fucking genius when it comes to combat. I thought the others had it there for a minute. Bakugo, is just too good. Zach shook his head around, unable to think of any ways around Bakugo's powerful Quirk, combat prowess, everything.
Three others stood up behind Zach and Kirishima, and Zach looked back hearing their classmates giving the three encouragements. Midoriya, Todoroki, and Tokoyami all thought about going downstairs to warm up early, but each of them wanted to win the tournament as a whole too. They did not want to miss the fight of the one who would be their opponent in the next round, whoever that may have been. Each of them expected the outcome though, as each of them had been beaten by the monster who dominated this round at least once before themselves.
Their thoughts quickly shifted off of Bakugo though, as not one of the three believed their next fight was going to be an easy one. None of them had talked to each other about their fight beforehand either, unlike Iida and Tsuyu who had planned together, and Kirishima who kept egging on Yaoyorozu and Uraraka. Even Shoji made the joke during lunch, though he and Zach had kept quieter about their match since then. After getting awed by Bakugo, Zach had to remind himself at the serious ways in which the three in the next round started heading off that he needed to focus too. Zach's eyes closed, and in his head he pictured himself down on that arena floor, and Shoji standing ahead of him with a fifteen meter gap between them.
No matter how I see it, he'll charge first, Zach thought, and he watched as Shoji charged at him in his mind-view. I could run back at him, probably surprise him as he'll expect me to try and run away around the outside. He thinks I'll do that though, because it's the best option. Still, think about running right back at him now. The first move. The very first one could make the fight, except… Zach saw himself fire his grappling hook from a decent distance, and one of Shoji's arms became a sacrifice. Zach tossed the gun afterwards since Shoji would not let go, and he could see some of Shoji's arms smacking it away and likely breaking it, catching it and crushing it in their grip, or just letting it hit him and bounce off. Don't throw the gun at him. Unless I can manage to hit him hard and preferably near the eyes so to cut off his vision for a second, though then he can just make new eyes on the ends of his arms.
Kirishima turned to Zach to ask who he thought had the best chance out of the three heading out for the next fight. He stopped himself though at the look on Zach's face, his eyes closed and his lips flat, but his eyelids twitching for some reason. On Zach's other side, Hagakure leaned forward and looked back at Zach's face herself. She wanted to say something about it, wanted to mention to him how serious he looked, or ask what he was thinking about. Interrupting him now though seemed like a taboo, and the left corner of his lips dipped for a moment before he shook his head once.
Alright so first move is definitely to run away. Can't try sliding, if he gets a foot on me I'll have to concede, or he'll carry me out or knock me out when I don't. Not giving up is a strong point, but I'll just embarrass myself more if not giving up doesn't lead to anything… Run around the outside. Shoji is fast. His legs are longer than mine too. Did I beat him in the long run the first term? Did I… It doesn't matter. I can avoid him. I can weave, and duck, but that's not fighting. Running away would just make me look scared, and weak, and in front of all these people I want to look strong. I want the world to see me and think that the person they think I am, or who I think they think I am, is real. The hero, Life…Bringer. Lifebringer. Lifebringer. Focus! Attacking Shoji then. Facial expressions. That's what'll do it, huh?
I need Shoji to think I'm just running away to wear him out. I'll have to do it for a while, and if he catches me before I can put it in action I'll have just made a fool of myself. Hopefully he tries to make a move though to get me after it's been long enough, and that's when the nervous look wipes. Don't just turn, turn with a focus and intensity that'll give him a moment hesitation like he should second guess his moves. Zach's eyes snapped open and he stared straight down towards the arena. Punch. If I have the moment hesitation, just a straight left as hard as I can. As strong as he is, he's not actually harder than the rest of us. Last round I noticed it, Tetsutetsu's hits hurt him a lot more than his did to Tetsutetsu. He's still skin and flesh and bone, even with that enormous strength. Hit and run? I can't stay close and wait to see the results before following up, because if they're not great, and he swings a fist in at me, he could break ribs or my arm if I block with it. Would he- no. Don't think he won't. I can't expect him to go easy. I've given my classmates plenty of reasons to take me seriously. Last round Shoji would have seen it. That moment where I was fighting all those people at the same time, dodging and keeping my feet on the ground and counterattacking all at the same time… That was cool. I don't know how many people were watching. Ah! FOCUS!
Zach blinked his eyes a few times, then he refocused down on the arena while drowning out everything Present Mic and Aizawa were calling out about that last fight. Joints. Leg joints. Neck. Eyes. Not the eyes. Not really. Not in front of all these people. Block vision, but don't aim for eyes. Ears. He can make new ones! Shit, he can make new eyes. Can't forget about that. Clapping the temples over the ears should still ring his head though, and I don't know what's under that mask but I could probably aim for it. I can't go for body shots. Can't go blow for blow with him. Can't throw him with the grappling gun. After last round I know he's more like a solid object when he was swinging me around by the gun. Even Iida had to account for his own speed and momentum to not be thrown himself when swinging Tsuyu by her tongue, but Shoji wouldn't have that problem. The explosion that blew every other team away, Shoji managed to stay on the arena. He caught me, held us there. Zach did not shift his gaze, but he saw Shoji out the corner of his eyes past Hagakure's head that he looked straight through and in front of Ojiro's face. What is your weak point? I never could find one. You're stoic. You've got a strong will when it comes to being a hero. You got badly hurt going after Tokoyami and Bakugo in the forest. Last year why didn't you make it? That's right. You, Mineta, and Tsuyu had a good plan and you guys even took our headband. It was Shinso! He took your headbands at the end. Who's really beaten you in a fight? Damn it. No mental weakness to exploit. The ability to create eyes and ears takes away the chance of dulling your senses. It has to be surprise then.
A surprise? Zach heard the next contestants' names getting called out, and three students started walking out to the arena from different sides. That's it. Make you surprised with my own facial expressions. Trick you into thinking I don't think I can beat you. You know how much I want to win this though… so I have to start losing before I can look like that. If he gets a hold of me though, I really will lose. I need to get close to getting caught. So close, I risk losing each time. Multiple times. It has to be. Make it so he thinks I know that I'm barely keeping in it, and that's when I suddenly flip the switch. Zach started nodding to himself, leaning back on his seat as he got ready to watch the next match he knew was going to distract him from making a clear plan anyway. Shoji. This is going to be difficult for me. I'm sure you don't expect it to be a walk in the park either though. I hope, you don't. Even though that would help me beat you. I think you're smarter than that. I think you think better of me. I think, this is going to be a crazy fight. Difficult. Interesting. And if I drop my guard for a second, you'll beat me. Whereas even if I can get you off guard, I… I… The right corner of Zach's lips lifted up, I'll win.
"BEGIN!"
"Not letting you get close," Yaoyorozu said, holding up a stun baton in either hand and circling the middle of the stage with the girl facing her.
"Shouldn't lose focus Yaoyorozu!" Kirishima called out, as he leapt in the air on her right side and came down with his body as hard as could be. She spun towards the boy she never actually took her eyes off of, and she spun a baton into him, only for Kirishima to bite down through the shock and lift the corners of his mouth. The boy in Unbreakable mode slammed his right fist forward, but he stopped himself midway and dove to the left.
There was a reason Yaoyorozu could not focus fully on Kirishima, even though he had been in the middle of attacking her. She spun back and swung her other stun baton, but Uraraka made it look like she was going to jump back, only to duck down instead. Yaoyorozu leaned backwards, pulling her other arm back, and then Uraraka's hands touched her. Uraraka pushed, Yaoyorozu hit the shorter girl with a stun baton, and they both yelled out.
Kirishima's body unhardened and he turned his head to the right, then lifted it up more as he saw Yaoyorozu floating up in the air over him. She had a panicked look on her face, but after a second it disappeared and the center of her back started glowing. Kirishima shot to his feet and started running at Uraraka only a few feet away from him who he dove when he saw how she had suddenly sprinted the distance during his attack on Yaoyorozu. He saw her get shocked, but his eyes opened wide as Uraraka turned towards him, and with her whole body shaking she lifted her hands up to make Kirishima stop or risk losing his gravity. "Alright!" Kirishima shouted, baring his sharp teeth and making a huge grin on his face. "Let's do it Uraraka!"
Kirishima slammed his fists together, and he ran at the girl in front of him who balled her fists into a fighting stance. Uraraka punched her right fist forward, then Kirishima grabbed her by the right forearm and pushed up so even bending her wrist she would not be able to touch him. She brought her other hand in for his arm grabbing her, but Kirishima brought his other hand up and caught that arm by the forearm too. Then he slammed his head down and forward into Uraraka's face. He did not harden his body at all during it, but he locked his hands with Hardening around her forearms after that headbutt. Kirishima spun around and he held up Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu stopped shooting down with a jetpack holding her stun batons out in front of her.
The hesitation not to jab both stun batons into Uraraka's defenseless chest, gave Kirishima his moment to do a three-sixty spin and then throw the small girl up at Yaoyorozu. The taller girl had a jetpack to help with her movement, but she still had zero gravitational force. So when Uraraka slammed into her legs, it sent Yaoyorozu spinning around and around through the air. Have to- center- reposition- Yaoyorozu was spinning over the side of the arena, but she forced flames out of her jetpack just at the right times that she was finally able to steady herself again. In her left hand, a grappling gun started forming and she grabbed it tightly by the hilt before pointing down towards a part of the triangular arena away from Kirishima. She had created a flat prong with a sticky surface so that wherever she fired it, it would attach to.
Kirishima turned to where he thought Yaoyorozu was about to fire and took a step, only for her gaze to have been a feint as she spun her arm the other way. Yaoyorozu dropped. She pulled the trigger, her eyes huge and darting towards Uraraka as she did it, because the short girl had just released her gravity and Yaoyorozu had not been using her jetpack. Yaoyorozu was a foot from touching the ground when she forced some flames out of her jetpack, giving her the extra moment in the air she needed to get back inbounds.
Uraraka gasped as that did not work, and the girl lying on her stomach who had lifted her head up and saw Yaoyorozu floating out of bounds started pushing herself up harder. Kirishima grabbed her by the ankles though, and Uraraka started spinning her head with huge eyes as she had somehow forgotten about the boy who tossed her in the first place. She knew where the out of bounds was, and she shook away her dizziness with a rapid change in her expression to one so intense that Kirishima almost let go afraid that she would be able to curl her body in and touch him before he let go. He released first though, and Uraraka's reaching hands grasped at nothing, then pulled in towards each other in a last ditch effort.
Uraraka turned herself weightless, then Yaoyorozu pointed the grappling gun she had lifted back up, and she fired the flat hook into Uraraka's back while she was arcing down off the side of the stage. She was already below the stage level, and her eyes shot open wider than Kirishima's as Yaoyorozu prevented her from dropping. Present Mic shouted as this happened, "WHAT?! Uraraka just tried dropping her out of bounds, but now Yaoyorozu-"
"It's a good strategy," Aizawa began. Present Mic looked in at him, then the darker haired teacher continued, "But to do something like this…" Kirishima was already sprinting across the stage, and Aizawa finished, "Is like admitting to the third contestant that she doesn't think she can beat him."
Yaoyorozu dropped the grappling gun when Kirishima was right on her, punching forward towards the girl who looked and was acting scared of him. Aizawa's eyes widened in the booth as Yaoyorozu was countering what he just thought and commented on, and a grin spread over his face. Uraraka was upset Yaoyorozu had to save her, but she was prepared to get back into the arena. That's why her eyes shot open even wider as Yaoyorozu never pulled her in, but just sent her flying up higher in the air still off the side of the stage. Yaoyorozu's other hand that had been subtly hidden on her far side from Kirishima popped up while she turned and ducked down under Kirishima's punch. She slammed forward into his chest and then ran by him, yelling, "You better harden, Kirisihima!"
Kirishima snapped his head down, and his entire body hardened while the audience dropped their jaws as the sight of the blinking red light on the device stuck to Kirishima's chest. BOOM! Kirishima blew backwards and Yaoyorozu dove to the side and then came spinning out of a roll panting and feeling her stomach hurt after that. Did I get him?
Oh my God, Zach was panting hard while standing out of his seat and looking down at the stage. What if he didn't harden?! I can't bring back Kirishima again! No, no Yaoyorozu's smart. She even called to him to do it, and she probably waited until she saw him harden too. Does she know how much he can take? Did she measure it perfectly? Is Kirishima- A silhouette rose in the smoke, and loud thuds sounded out as Kirishima stomped towards Yaoyorozu. And I thought Shoji was a tank, Zach thought, finding it hard not to crack a grin. I want to face Kirishima. We have our deal after all, but I also want to root for you, Momo. How are you going to-
Zach's eyes rose up, as did everyone in the stadium, even Kirishima a second after the rest. He was panting and looking towards Yaoyorozu with a wide grin and a hardened body, but his eyes lifted after he saw what just hit the ground behind Yaoyorozu. Yaoyorozu heard it and turned her head, looking down instead of up like everyone else. She stared at the hook on the ground, and then snapped her head up to follow the wire. The wire was already retracting though, pulling the weightless girl at the end of it who had been flying around dragged by a gun that she made weightless as soon as Yaoyorozu let go, before it could start dragging her down with its gravity.
Uraraka did not make Yaoyorozu weightless, but instead she touched her own fingers together when she was just about to come down, and her weight returned right as she extended her left foot at her classmate's face. Yaoyorozu leaned back and tried raising her arms, but Uraraka was falling too fast, and leaning back just made it so the kick hit her in the chest. Yaoyorozu was leaning back, and the kick in the chest sent her slamming back-first into the ground, with Uraraka landing on top of her and leaning down with a fist lifted over Yaoyorozu's face, a crazy intense look in her eyes. Yaoyorozu started coughing while Kirishima stared at the scene with wide eyes, then the redhead had an idea as he looked behind the two girls.
"Uraraka, quickly, ack-" Yaoyorozu started to the girl who she knew would not consider what she did earlier an actual sign of trying to work together. "Turn," Yaoyorozu warned, unable to say much else with what felt like a bear sitting on her chest, and that was without Uraraka's knee pressed into it like it was. Uraraka spun towards Kirishima, then she reached down and grabbed Yaoyorozu, and she did what Kirishima did to her earlier to Yaoyorozu this time, tossing the taller girl at the third opponent. Uraraka pulled Yaoyorozu out from under her, then pressed her fingers together to return Yaoyorozu's gravity which she removed for the throw. Kirishima caught Yaoyorozu despite her weight returning, and he just kept sprinting forward and smashed Yaoyorozu's front into Uraraka's wide-eyed face as the girl she tossed came flying back at her.
Kirishima kept sprinting, pushing Uraraka on the other side of Yaoyorozu who yelled out for Uraraka to stop them! Kirishima released with one hard shove while he was still eight feet away from the line for out of bounds, as he thought any closer and Uraraka would probably make Yaoyorozu, and maybe him because he was touching her, weightless. He just threw Yaoyorozu with one extra hard shove that knocked Uraraka off her feet, and sent both girls sprawling out on the ground and sliding back. And when those girls opened their eyes where they lay in pain on the ground, they felt such pits of despair in their chests at the sight of the boundary line they were lying on top of.
Uraraka's hands had flattened below her even while her eyes were still clenched in pain from the slide and roll with Yaoyorozu falling on top of her. Those hands curled into fists as her eyes clenched again, such a frustrated look on her face as Mother Russia dropped down to the ground at the boundary where they two girls had just gone out. The referee called it, while Uraraka thought, I couldn't do it. Again. I couldn't be like you, Deku.
I knew Kirishima's strength. I should have used something bigger. I was too concerned- it's too easy for the things I create to hurt people… Yaoyorozu dragged herself up to her hands and knees, then she turned her head as she saw Kirishima standing next to her, his hand down and outstretched for her to take. It was not what she wanted to do, feeling the way she was feeling at the moment. She couldn't deny him though, knowing the kind of guy Kirsihima was and considering all the people watching them right now and wanting to see her sportsmanship. She grabbed his hand, and Uraraka pushed herself up near them to avoid that happening herself. My Quirk, can be too strong… Against Kirishima, I needed something powerful, but I needed to be careful. How do I balance that? How do I beat powerful opponents who are strong, but can be vulnerable? Without seriously hurting them? … Yaoyorozu listened to the cheers and looked around the stadium at the sounds of them all, but she focused up on the section where her own class was sitting. The boy who just came to her mind was not up there though, and she wondered for a moment if he had seen the end of the fight. He must already be preparing for his own, she thought, shaking her head though and adding to herself, But I believe he would have stayed until the last moment. How do you do it Zach? Balance how strong you need to be, based on how strong an opponent is? If I had used a rocket launcher…
Below the stadium's bleachers in the round tunnel going around the arena, Zach jumped up and down to loosen himself up. He stretched already, and it was time to get the blood pumping. He saw Shoji had not waited to watch the entire last fight, but he already had his strategy ready. The longer he had to sit around thinking about it, the more he had to second guess his plans that he thought were going to work. Kirishima. Good. We'll get our match. Once I beat Shoji. One I take down a tank, with nothing but my bare fists and a grappling gun. Bare fist. I've got kicks though too. Shoji's legs aren't that thick. Even though I won't be able to push him, back of the knees are always good. Ankles are thin too, and really a focused attack on anywhere not too muscly will be painful. Not just painful though, I need long term damage. Long enough to take him out of a fight. We have Recovery Girl, so I don't need to- but I can't! I can't, use certain things. Things Dabi showed me. Techniques, villains use. I want to be a hero! Fight, like a hero! Even without my Quirk.
Zach took in a deep breath, then he stopped jumping around and turned his head as he saw a couple of people walking towards him. He kept nodding his head, and he started jumping on his feet again at the sight of the three of them looking tired and bruised. Uraraka lifted her gaze and gave him a small 'good luck,' but she was clearly focused on something else and kept walking. Yaoyorozu and Kirishima stopped though, and Kirishima opened his mouth- "Gotta focus. Talk after," Zach said quickly, interrupting his friend about to say how Zach better make it into the next round. Shoji's too strong! How can I do this, holding back Nightmare?! I can't show it! I don't want to! Even if the rules… even without my grappling gun- And I can't… I have to win! I want to win. I want people to see me, see the person I've been trying to show them I am, instead of the one they think I am. Fight, and win, against someone bigger than me. Keep him chasing my tail. Have him get overconfident in the huge gap in our abilities. "I've got this," Zach told the two in front of him who were looking at him like he appeared way nervous for this.
"Yeah you do," Kirishima said, walking past Zach and just patting him down on the shoulder. "Go for it man."
Yaoyorozu nodded and she walked forward after Kirishima had gone by. She lifted a hand and put it on Zach's shoulder too, but she left it there instead of just patting it once. "You can win."
I can win, Zach repeated in his head, turning with wide eyes to the smartest girl he knew. She's right. Zach heard his name called, and he started for the tunnel the three others had come from before. He walked, his breathing calming down to a steady pace. His heart rate was up from normal, but not racing. His eyes narrowed and his face became serious, but then he smiled as he reached the tunnel and started going down it. I can do it. All of it is possible. This is an important step. Winning here, at this moment, I need to do it! Zach smiled more as he neared the bright light ahead of him. If I'm ever going to make changes in the world. If I'm ever going to make it a better place! If I'm ever going, to change the answer! Then I need to win, right here, right now! Zach stepped out into the light, and he heard thunderous cheers from all directions. He stared across the stage that was suddenly a rectangular shape again thanks to Cementoss, right at Shoji walking towards him from the other side. Shoji, I will beat you!
A/N Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if I did rush by a couple of fights. Next chapter Zach faces off against Shoji in the finals of the Sports Festival! How will it turn out?! Some review response time:
LaughingALOT chapter 58 . Aug 9
Mother Russia! Kick Ass (Will you make a hero based off that name?) I died when I saw that! Good Job!
XD Totally forgot about that actually! Just rewatched a scene with her in it, and yeah she's a total badass. Probs won't make a Kickass character, as really it was just off the top of my head since Mother Russia's like a common phrase, you know? Glad you liked her and thanks for the review!
LordOfTee chapter 58 . 10h ago
This was a big action-packed super awesome mega bomber chapter! And it was a blast to read, keep on doing what you do dude cuz I'm loving it and so are others!
Thanks! It was a blast to write too, so I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Shade11224 chapter 58 . Aug 9
Nice chappy, but I still Momo and Zach together I'm pretty sure there's never been a oc and Momo pairing in any good fanfics. So that means you have to put them together or you'd have teased a history breaking ship and then told everyone who got their hopes up to go fuck themselves although I suppose it's fine as long as you don't turn this into every other fanfic out there. *looks at the unending mountain of gay Hero Academia fanfics*
Time to make history... or maybe not, who knows? Haven't shown any signs of it being a gay one I don't think, and if anyone's thought that it's really just friendship you guys. I'm all aboard the Momo ship too... hope I don't sink it for myself! Thanks for reviewing!
Guest chapter 58 . Aug 9
For class 1-A, or I guess 2-A now, they gave them stats from 1 to 5 or F to A for Power, Speed, Technique, Intelligence and Cooperativness. What would Zach's stats be?
Hmmmm... Don't normally answer these, but let's try: Power- 1 maybe a 2, Speed- also 2? Intel- 4-5, Coop- 3 or 4, and I'll give him a 5 for Technique cause of the Shatterer raid. Anyone's free to agree/disagree. Might have made the character, but he's developed for me as much as he has for the rest of you so I'd wonder what you guys would give him too. Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!