While the final contestants of the first round entered the arena, Midoriya was watching the arena intently. "Are you okay, Midoriya?" Asui asked her Class Historian.
"Oh, Tsu..." Having turned his attention to Asui, he looked to the ground. "To be honest, I'm not quite confident in how I'll defeat Todoroki. Something Brief said gives me faith in a new technique, but I'm not sure if I have full control over it."
"Gee, what kind of technique is it?" She asked as Uraraka and Iida joined their classmates.
"Sorry I'm late. I had to call my parents." Uraraka started as she took her seat behind Midoriya.
"I was informing my mother about my status, as well." Iida explained as he followed.
"To answer your question Tsu, it's a secret." Midoriya suddenly said, thinking back to when Iida revealed his Recipro Burst. "I need to save it until it's absolutely necessary. Even though we're friends, I need to make sure I save my trump card."
"That's fair. I can see why Iida kept his ace hidden. Ribbit. It only makes sense that you'd do the same." She said, putting a finger to her chin.
"What are you talking about, Deku?" Uraraka asked, peeking over his shoulder.
"Oh, Uraraka!" Midoriya said, finally noticing his friends. "Tsu was just asking me about my technique, but it'd be better for everyone to see, instead." He explained as her face suddenly went blank.
"Oh... Y-Your techniques, huh?" She tripped over her words before calming down, instantly realizing that it wasn't quite what she was thinking in that moment.
"ALRIGHTY EVERYONE! IT'S TIME FOR THE FINAL MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND! BOTH FROM CLASS 1A, WE HAVE THE BIRD-HEADED BOY OF DARKNESS, FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI!" Present Mic suddenly announced.
"What was that comment about my head?!" Tokoyami grumbled to himself.
"AAND... WE HAVE CLASS 1A'S VERY OWN CLASS DEPUTY: THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND TO THEIR CLASS REPRESENTATIVE: MOMO YAOYOROZU!" Present Mic announced as Yaoyorozu took a bow to her opponent. "We've got in interesting battle setting in motion, and I, for one, can't wait to see it! So without further adieu, BEGIN!"
As he spoke, Yaoyorzu swung her arm, and from her skin, several nesting dolls flew towards her opponent. "That won't be enou-!" As Tokoyami spoke, his Dark Shadow swiping away the nesting dolls, they broke open, revealing several black hexagonal cylinders. "What?!" Just as the battle began Yaoyorozu dashed forward.
Dark Shadow is immobilized... Does that mean that he can't act independently? No, he was protecting Tokoyami during the cavalry battle, without direct commands. It's sentient to an extent... She thought to herself as she remmebered Midoriya's team during the cavalry battle. Ramming herself into Tokoyami, and tackling him with all of her weight, she pressed her shoulder into Tokoyami's chest and straightened her arm, aiming her open palm downward. Could it be that his name is more accurate than I realized? No, it couldn't be... The light from Kaminari's electricity would have had a greater affect...
"WHAT THE HELL?! I CAN'T SEE!" Present Mic yelled as he covered his eyes.
"She made flashbang grenades inside of nesting dolls in order to mask their true purpose. Not bad at all." Aizawa chimed in, clenching his eyes shut.
As a thick rod shot towards the ground, Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami flew towards the border of the arena, just above the ground. "Nice try, Yaoyorozu." Tokoyami said as pair of large black hands wrapped around Yaoyorozu. "But I'm afraid that I'll have to end this quickly." As the rod beneath them broke free of the confines of her skin, and fell to the ground, Tokoyami fell towards the ground and landed, falling to one knee as Dark Shadow held the struggling Yaoyorozu in his grasp. As he began to walk towards the border, Yaoyorozu began to panic.
"HOLD ON!" Present Mic announced. "After a blinding assault, Yaoyorozu, who was rapidly approaching the victory, is now being carried outside of the stage!"
Think, THINK! I need a plan! She thought to herself as a familiar voice called out to her from the stands.
"MOMO! I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THIS IN THE BAG! THINK OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE BEFORE! APPLY IT OUTSIDE THE BOX!" Bulla yelledf from the crowd, causing Tokoyami to stop and look towards her.
"The Class Representative calls out to her partner in her time of need! What a beautiful moment!"
"What I've done before...?" Yaoyorozu thought back to the start of the battle and replayed every moment through her mind carefully.
"Surely she doesn't think that I'll fall for that blinding onslaught of light a second time." Tokoyami mumbled as Yaoyorozu's eyes widened.
The onslaught of light... So that's weakness! As Tokoyami continued carrying her towards the border, Yaoyorozu bided her time. Just a little closer...
"What is this?! Yaoyorozu has stopped fighting back against her opponent! Has she accepted her fate and given in to a more powerful opponent!?" Present Mic said, creating a stir among the heroes of the crowd.
That's right... Create doubt, shift expectations, and make a new perception... That way...at the moment to strike... As Tokoyami stepped forward, now roughly five feet from the border, a rod suddenly shot out sideways from Yaoyorozu's leg. As the end of the rod met the roaring flame in the corner of the arena, it erupted in a brilliant light. "I'll shatter their expectations!"
"What's that?!" Tokoyami asked himself as he was forced to retrieve Dark Shadow, releasing Yaoyorozu from his grasp. As she touched down to the ground, she dashed past her opponent, detaching the rod from her leg next to Tokoyami, and grabbed the one that she had previously discarded.
"WOAH! THE ARENA HAS BEEN FILLED WITH A BLINDING LIGHT!" Present Mic yelled. "HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO COMMENTATE WHEN I CAN'T SEE A THING?!"
"It's a rod of magnesium, which can burn as brightly as the Sun when ignited at a low temperature!" She explained as Tokoyami turned around, covering his eyes. Unable to see clearly, he was unable to avoid the steel rod jammed into his gut as he tripepd over the discarded magnesium rod behind him. Blinded and off-balance, Tokoyami felt himself hit the ground, and the light faded as Yaoyorozu pressed the burning end of the rod against the ground.
With the crack of a whip, the winner was decided. "Tokoyami is out of bounds. Yaoyorozu advances to the second round!" Midnight presented as Yaoyorozu stood triumphantly against the excited roar of the crowd. Helping her opponent to his feet, the two shook hands, and Tokoyami let out a sigh.
"You're certainly craftier than I gave you credit for. The title of Class Deputy is rightfully yours." Tokoyami praised with a smile.
"Thank you, but I owe a lot of who I am to Brief. She gave me the confidence I needed to win." She praised as she bowed to her opponent.
"And that does it for the first round!" Present Mic announced. "Thank you for joining us, but we're going to take a quick break before we carry on with the second round!"
Once the first round had ended, Bulla found herself entering the halls of the stadium in search of her friend. "Geez, these halls are just as confusing as the school halls!" She said to herself in frustration. It wasn't long before she heard the dull hum of a quiet conversation, and as she neared the sound, she stopped at a corner to listen.
"I'm not All Might, Sir. And Todoroki isn't you!" That's Midoriya's voice! Bulla thought to herself as Midoriya walked away.
Looking around the corner, Endeavor's massive figure filled her view. No way! Don't tell me that he was telling off Endeavor! As he turned the corner, Bulla picked herself off the wall in an attempt to mask her eavesdropping. "Oh, you're that girl who advanced to the second round." He said, looking down to her.
"Oh...yeah..." Is that really the only reason you remember me?
"It's likely that you'll battle my Shoto in the third round. So I want you to push him to his limit, if at all possible." He demanded, raising his arm in a pointless gesture.
"Is your son okay?" She asked, trying to jog Endeavor's memory.
"Of course. He's just going through a rebellious phase, right now. As seems to be a trend with the boys of your age. That buffoon's class must be instilling pointless lesson's and ideas of useless forms of-" Before he could finish, Bulla suddenly interrupted him.
"Mr. Endeavor...do you remember me at all?" Bulla asked, swallowing the saliva building in her mouth with a gulp.
As he narrowed his eyes, he took several moments of silence before finally speaking. "Ah, you're that Class Representative who came to my home to visit my son."
"Yes, Sir. With all due respect, Todoroki was the only person that I could not check on. I told you before that I did what I could to fight off that villain before the Armored Maiden arrived. I risked my life to keep my class safe, and that included Todoroki. Regardless of how strong he may be, he's not invincible. Especially not mentally, not at our age. So the next time I drop by your home for a Health-and-Wellness Check, please allow me to see my classmate." Bowing her head, Bulla put her true feelings on show, hoping for the best possible response as she clenched her eyes shut.
"My son doesn't need you to check on him. Just like I said before. He's not weaker than you. All I asked of you was to try to push him, but this pitiful display tells me that you may be wrong for the job." Endeavor said coldly, despite the consistent embers around his mouth. "Good day to you."
As he left the hallway, leaving Bulla alone in her bowing position, several tears sliped through her clenched eyes and dropped to the floor. Am I really...pathetic...?