Ken Hatsume stood alone in his repair shop and stared at the broken car he was supposed to fix by the afternoon. The customer had been the best he could hope for. Desperate with money to burn and he needed to get his car back by the afternoon. Every other mechanic had said the job was impossible, but Ken had promised to try.
For a fee. A big fee. One that the customer had been more than happy to pay.
Ken activated his Quirk Iron Works and took the car apart in seconds. The parts floated around him and he spotted the problem immediately. He pulled out the faulty parts and threw new ones into the mix before reassembling the car. Hours of work condensed into a few minutes.
Ken's phone started ringing. A smile crept on his face when he saw it was Mei calling. He'd been relieved when Mei had said she'd be staying at the school for a few days and giving him some time for himself, but the relief had soon passed. The house felt lonely without Mei and the meals were depressing.
"Hi…" Ken managed to say.
"Dad! No time! Bring the jet pack to school!" Mei yelled.
"What?"
"No fucking time! Bring the jet pack! The tournament is about to start!" Mei screamed before hanging up.
Ken stared at his phone. He'd been planning to crack open a cold one and watch the tournament from home, but it looked like he'd be seeing it in U.A. He sent a message to the client telling that he could come pick up his car from the shop's parking lot. Then he got the jet pack from Mei's study and carried it with his Quirk into his car.
The drive to U.A felt longer then it was. When he saw the great building, bittersweet memories filled his mind. Memories of Rei and how he'd screwed everything up.
Is the bathroom in the top floor still out of order, he wondered.
Ken dragged the jet pack to Mei's and Midoriya's workshop and… stopped. Mei and Midoriya were busying themselves cleaning a set of power armor. He'd seen the blueprints Mei had drawn for Project: Indestructible but he'd never thought she'd actually pull it off. Sixteen years old and already his daughter was a better engineer than him.
"Dad!" Mei said.
"Oh. Sorry. I brought…" Ken said.
"No time!" Mei said and shoved a pilot jacket into Midoriya's hands.
The pilot jacket was dark green and had the words Project: Indestructible printed in its back. It looked custom made. And expensive.
"Wear this in the opening ceremony and try to get in the cameras." Mei said.
"How did you afford that?" Ken said.
"Crowd funding. Go get 'em, Izuku." Mei said.
"Crowd? What…?" Ken said.
"… it was nice to see you, Mr. Blacksmith." Midoriya said and took the jet pack.
After Midoriya had ran out, Mei got back to tinkering with the power armor.
"What's wrong with it?" Ken said.
"Sabotage!"
"Want me to help?"
"My project! Let me work!" Mei yelled.
"Okay, okay." Ken said and left his daughter work in peace.
Did all teenagers treat their fathers with such disdain or just Mei? He would have been lying if he claimed he hadn't earned it.
There was still time to kill before the tournament started and Ken spent it walking around his old school. Pictures from past tournaments had been put on the walls to commemorate the annual event. It didn't take long before he found the picture from the year he'd participated.
What the hell was I thinking with that haircut, Ken thought.
What would his younger self think if he could see through time? He'd probably be disappointed in this wretch who had grey in his stubble and hands covered in oil stains. The way Rei was smiling in the picture broke his heart all over again. She had her whole life ahead of her. Or at least she thought so. She'd destroyed her way through the tournament and gained the attention of a monster.
A monster he'd failed to help her beat.
"Well, well. Did someone fail to answer a bridge troll's riddle and it escaped?"
Ken smiled and turned to face his old junior.
Power Loader… Higari hadn't changed in the passing years.
"How can you flash your nipples all day and not get fired?" Ken said.
Higari laughed and pulled off his helmet.
"I'm that good." Higari said.
They shook hands. If Higari had been wearing a shirt, Ken would have hugged him.
"Good to see you. How are things?" Ken said.
Higari shook his head.
"Not good. Some pink-haired demon has wormed her way into U.A and turned my life into living hell. You wouldn't know anything about that?"
"That… might be on me. I was too lenient on her growing up and now… well, too late to do anything about it now. When they hit sixteen, you're less of a father and more of an abused landlord."
"Sounds rough." Higari said.
"It is." Ken said and glanced at the direction of the Support Department: "What happened to the armor?"
"Sabotage. Weirdest thing ever. The guy who did it wasn't even a student here. He just walked right in with an old uniform and I.D. Slipped right through the radar."
"Security still blows, huh? Shouldn't you be helping her fix the armor?"
"I tried. She said I wasn't qualified to wipe my own ass. Much less help her." Higari said.
"Sounds like her. Just don't let her get her hands on the sabotaging bastard."
"I won't." Higari said when he got a message: "Gotta go. Want to grab some drinks after this is over? Catch up?"
"Sounds good." Ken said.
After Higari was gone, Ken kept walking. He'd been afraid of coming here but not all the memories were bad ones. Despite everything that had happened after U.A.
"I'm expecting you to win. It's time you showed me that your training has paid off. Disappoint me again and I won't be pleased. I'm tired of this rebellious phase of yours."
A chill blew through Ken when he heard the voice. That guttural growl. His muscles were twitching. Telling him to run. No point in starting a fight he couldn't win. The last time had come close to costing him everything.
Then he heard the other voice.
"I'm not doing this for you."
The voice was a cold monotone but there was an undercurrent of fear in it. If you knew what to listen for.
Ken stepped into the hallway where Endeavor was lecturing his son. Endeavor was even bigger than the last time they'd met. A mountain of muscle that towered over Shouto. His face was hidden by a burning beard. The burn mark on Shouto's face made Ken shiver but even with the scar he could see flashes of Rei in the boy. Shouto. Rei's son.
Ken cleared his throat.
Endeavor turned to look at him and… for a moment Endeavor didn't recognize him. Even though they had worked together for two years and then spent ten months trying to destroy each other in court. How many others had Endeavor torn down if he wasn't even worth remembering? Then recognition hit him, and Endeavor's flames burned even more intensely.
"The show's about to start. Wouldn't look good if he was late from the opening ceremony." Ken said.
Shouto saw his chance to walk off and took it. Ken was left alone with Endeavor and he tried to fit as much hate in a single look as he could muster.
"Blacksmith." Endeavor said.
"Endeavor." Ken said.
Ken barely reached Endeavor's throat and the monster was free to look down on him.
"You look terrible."
"If you say so. How's the child abusing business?" Ken said.
Endeavor bared his teeth.
"Watch it."
"Or you'll do what? Sue me again? Would be just your word against mine. Not much to go by in court." Ken said.
Endeavor snorted.
"Talk. That's all you've ever been good for."
Ken laughed.
"Got me there. Lucky for you. If I had been a man of action, I would have killed you ten years ago."
This actually gave Endeavor pause.
"You…" Endeavor growled.
"You wouldn't have been the first villain I took out permanently. And not the least deserving. The things you've done to that boy…" Ken said.
For a moment Endeavor sounded defensive.
"It wasn't me who burned his face." Endeavor said.
"And who drove her to that point? You turned Rei into a broodmare. You stole her life. If you…"
"People like you could never understand what I'm trying to do." Endeavor said.
"I understand perfectly. You want to beat All-Might." Ken said and shrugged: "I admit. You have balls for trying that. But you could say that about all the world's greatest monsters. And that's what you are. A monster."
"You think a weakling has any right to judge me?" Endeavor said and smiled: "With you, Rei would have been just another nobody. I made her the mother of a hero who'll surpass All-Might."
Rage had welded Ken's jaw shut. Endeavor got ready to leave before suddenly turning to look at him.
"I heard your daughter has been building weapons for some Quirkless freak. How do you think he'll fare against Shouto?"
Ken was left alone in the dark hallway with a lifetime of regret. Then it hit him. What had he done?! If he'd pissed Endeavor off, who would the child abuser take it out on?!
Izuku was sweating buckets under the harsh stare of the world. So many people had gathered to U.A to see future heroes give it their all. The stands were full and hundreds of thousands more were seeing this from home. The pilot jacket Mei had given him felt heavier than a mountain. His only consolation was that the other students shared his unease. If he failed here…
"Cool jacket, bro!"
Kirishima slapped him in the back.
"Must be great to get all this free publicity." Kirishima said and looked at the stands: "I can't wait to see your armor in action."
"… busted." Izuku said.
"What?"
"… we had… technical difficulties." Izuku said.
"Oh." Kirishima said and looked nervous: "Are you sure you should be doing this?"
"… we have backup plans." Izuku said.
"I believe you. It's just… I'm planning to win. I won't… I can't go easy on you if we have to fight." Kirishima said.
Izuku forced himself to smile.
"… I'd be insulted otherwise."
The beginning of the ceremony drowned out Kirishima's voice. The loudspeakers came to life and Present Mic's voice filled the stadium.
"Welcome everyone to the annual U.A festival! I am your host! Present Mic! Here with Eraserhead!"
"Good to be…" Aizawa-sensei said.
"And what a show we have for you today! Midnight! The floor is yours!" Present Mic howled.
There was the crack of a whip when Midnight-sensei climbed on the stage and suddenly all eyes were on her. The male students started cheering. Midnight-sensei struck the ground with her whip again.
"Quiet down! The queen is here! Before we can enjoy todays entertainment, the class 1-A valedictorian will be giving a speech! Can I get a round of applause for Katsuki Bakugou?!" Midnight-sensei said.
Bakugou climbed on the stage looking unusually mellow and for a moment Izuku thought that the gravity of the occasion had affected even Bakugou.
Then Bakugou opened his mouth.
"To everyone here I have only one thing to say. I'm going to win."
It was not a popular speech and a wave of boos washed over Bakugou. Bakugou just laughed and flipped the whole stadium off.
"Shut up, side-characters! You should be honored to be my stepping stones! If you have a problem with that, beat me! If you can!"
Kirishima was practically swooning.
"He's so manly."
Izuku could only stare and shake his head in disbelief. Love did terrible things to a person.
"Manly? More like arrogant."
Izuku and Kirishima turned to see Todoroki standing behind them. He was staring at the podium and the only thing that betrayed his anger, was how tight the muscles in his jaw were.
"He's just being confident." Kirishima said.
"You're not very bright, are you?" Todoroki said and turned his gaze to Izuku: "Deku. A moment of your time."
Izuku knew the look Todoroki was giving him and dreaded it. Bakugou had looked the same every time he'd been pissed off and needed someone to take it out on. For a moment he was Deku again and could only nod meekly. Kirishima placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder.
"He doesn't look like he wants to talk with you." Kirishima said.
Kirishima's touch and voice drove Deku away. He was Izuku Midoriya and… Todoroki deserved to say his piece after all the abuse Mei had thrown at him.
"… it's okay, Kirishima." Izuku said.
"You sure?" Kirishima said.
"… yeah."
"Okay. If you say so." Kirishima said and let go.
Izuku followed Todoroki into a quiet corner.
"… look… Todoroki… what Mei said…"
"You're dropping out of the race." Todoroki said.
For a moment Izuku was too dumb-founded to answer.
"… what?"
"Your armor is broken. If you do this, you'll only get in everyone's way and hurt yourself. Give it up. Not everyone can be a hero." Todoroki said.
Whatever hopes Izuku had had of making peace with Todoroki were gone. Give it up? Not everyone can be a hero? He'd clawed his way into U.A. He'd faced villains. He'd raced All-Might. What did he have to do before it was enough?! Before he proved himself good enough?! Even after all that Todoroki just saw a Quirkless freak who needed to have some sense beaten into him.
"You're just like Bakugou." Izuku said.
Todoroki's eyes narrowed.
"I'm trying to help you." Todoroki said.
"I know all about your… help. I don't need it. If that was all, I have a race to win." Izuku said and tried to leave.
Todoroki blocked his path.
"I guess I have no choice but to force you to understand." Todoroki said.
"You're wasting your time if you think he'll listen to reason."
Bakugou was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. Izuku sighed and rubbed his face.
"… what do you want, Bakugou?"
"Shut up, Deku. I'm talking to scar face." Bakugou said.
Bakugou pressed uncomfortably close to Todoroki. If he'd been hoping for Todoroki to back away, he was in for a disappointment. He wasn't tall enough to tower over Todoroki and Bakugou's glare didn't impress Todoroki.
"Get out of my face." Todoroki said.
"Make me, scar face. I've been waiting for this. Everyone says how great you are just because your old man is Endeavor. Guess what? Doesn't matter here. I'll show everyone…"
Bakugou let out a yelp when Todoroki froze his hand.
"I warned you." Todoroki said and rubbed the scar on his face: "If you want to scare me, try harder. And if you get in my way, I'll crush you."
Without saying another word, Todoroki left Bakugou to rub feeling back into his frozen hand. Izuku looked at Todoroki's back and at the humiliated Bakugou. Shame had painted Bakugou's face dark red.
"Don't get cocky just because you lucked out once. You'll never beat me, and you'll never be a hero." Bakugou said and emphasized his words by pushing Izuku out of his way.
Angrier than he'd ever been Izuku went to pick up his jet pack. He'd already beaten Bakugou once! He'd do it again and this time Aizawa-sensei wouldn't be there to get in his way. Then he'd force Todoroki take back everything he'd said. He wasn't just some Quirkless freak that would never amount to anything!
The jet pack was still heavy and would make running difficult, but the weight didn't crush him anymore. Maybe they should have put some time aside to develop the jet pack and he could have just flown over the obstacle course. Now there was just enough power to keep him in the air for barely ninety seconds. He'd have to make do with short bursts of flight.
"Need help with that?" All-Might said.
All-Might was standing in the hallway in his garish yellow suit that somehow looked good on him.
"… I… uh… yes." Izuku said.
All-Might helped him put on the jet pack and Izuku fastened the strapping around himself.
"… thank you." Izuku said.
"My pleasure, young Midoriya." All-Might said and scratched his head: "I'm sorry about what happened with the armor. I know you both worked hard on it and… you sure you should be doing this? Everything you and Mei have done hasn't gone unnoticed. New chances will come."
Izuku clutched the strappings.
"… the world doesn't owe me anything. I… I can't count on there being new chances. This… might be the only one I get."
All-Might laughed.
"You have moxie, young Midoriya. I like it. I know I should be impartial as a teacher but good luck." All-Might said.
"… thank you, sir."
The tournament had been divided into three parts. Or as far as Izuku was concerned, the first two events were just there to find out who were fit to take part in the real tournament. The obstacle course and the cavalry battle were merely foreplay to get people excited about the big fight.
Participants were told to get ready for the obstacle course. Izuku hurried to the starting point and found that the race started at the end of a narrow corridor with all the students mushed together.
"On your marks! Get set! Ready! Go!" Present Mic said through the loudspeakers.
When people started running Izuku realized that the corridor was the first obstacle. When everyone tried to rush through a gate that was too small for all of them, they just got stuck. Only the fastest participants managed to avoid the first hurdle and rush towards the next obstacle. Izuku heard how a series of explosions carried Bakugou ahead but he also saw a glimpse of Todoroki.
The shoving became more aggressive when people saw the competition leaving them in the dust. While everyone tried to push through by force, Izuku used a trick he'd learned from riding the subway as a child. Instead of trying to get ahead he moved in a skewed line. Getting past people went from impossible to simply challenging.
Then finally they were out.
And they found that Todoroki had left them another surprise just outside the corridor. People slipped and stumbled on the frozen ground and to make matters worse Mineta had used his glue balls to make himself a bridge over the ice. Izuku felt a flash of pity for everyone who got caught in Mineta's trap. The race was over for them.
Izuku turned on the jet pack and jumped over the ice. Another slow burst slowed down his fall and then he was running. The moment he heard someone panting behind him, another burst from the jet pack gave him enough speed to keep his lead.
The earth shook when huge doors in the ground opened and the robots size of buildings rose from the ground and blocked the path of anyone with a lead. In a way getting stuck in the corridor had been a blessing in disguise. Those who came before him had set off future traps and that gave him time to think.
He could keep playing it safe and wait for the more powerful students to carve him a path but… he didn't want to play it safe. He didn't want to just barely make it to the next round. He wanted to win! He wanted to excel! He wanted to shine as brightly as All-Might!
A quick glance at the energy levels helped him make his mind. If this worked, he was genius. If not… maybe All-Might would save him.
When more robots rose from the ground blocking the runners retreat path, Izuku used another speed burst from the jet pack. That gave him just enough of a kick to land on the head of one of the rising robots. Standing on the shoulder of a giant, Izuku went up with it. When the robot was fully out, Izuku took another look at how much energy he had left. There was enough for forty seconds of flight or for twelve more speed bursts.
Oh, God. Please let that be enough, Izuku though.
The jet pack gave a screeching complaint when he thrusted it at full power and for fifteen seconds he flew.
Then he turned off the power.
He fell like an arrow. Keeping his body stiff Izuku controlled his fall and tried to aim it towards the finish line. The wind was howling in his ears and slashing his face. Tears filled his eyes, but he could see he had glided over the pit course. The students who'd made it that far where nothing more than dots in a map, but he could guess who had made it there already.
"Screw you, Bakugou!" Izuku yelled.
The wind swallowed his yell, but it was the gesture that mattered.
Finally, Izuku's nerves gave out and he turned the jet pack back on. For a moment he feared that he was falling too fast and the jet pack didn't have enough power to slow him down but eventually it did bring him back into the ground in one piece. At least he thought so at first. He'd tried to slow down his fall in a controlled fashion but even then, he'd pulled something in his back. Luckily, the adrenaline kept the pain in check.
The other contestants were so far behind, but he wasn't the first to make it to the last obstacle. Todoroki had already started the trek through a field that signs warned was filled with mines. Todoroki was so far ahead. Catching up to him would be near impossible. Wouldn't second place be good enough? When no one had thought he'd ever make it? Especially not Todoroki.
Give it up. Not everyone can be a hero. I'm trying to help you.
Why did it have to be Todoroki?! Why not Momo? Or Tsu? Or Ojiro? Or even Mineta? He would have gladly given the first place to anyone else but not Todoroki or Bakugou. He'd show them both. They'd never be able to look down on him when they'd been beaten by a Quirkless freak. Todoroki's lead was too immense for Izuku to have time to be careful. The jet pack had enough juice left in it for three more bursts but not full flight. He'd have to make the most of them.
Throwing caution in the wind, Izuku leaped into the mine field. By timing the burst carefully, he could use the exploding mines to give himself even more speed. And then, in a glorious flash, he overtook Todoroki.
"Science for the win!" Izuku yelled at Todoroki's shocked face.
"Deku!"
Izuku wasn't the only who could fly and unlike him, Bakugou didn't have to be stingy with his power source. The explosions carried Bakugou to Izuku's side and then he reached out at the jet pack.
Bakugou's Quirk tore the jet pack off Izuku's back and he hit the ground face first.
"Screw you, Deku!" Bakugou yelled over his shoulder while flying towards the finish line.
Izuku groaned.
Everything hurt. He'd twisted his ankle when he'd slammed into the ground and his nose was bleeding. His breathing came out in pained wheezes. When he tried to move, pain flashed through him. Todoroki was standing over him looking… conflicted. Scared. His only working eye darted between Izuku and the finish line. After some hesitation Todoroki chose the race and kept running.
Izuku tried to fight his way back on his feet but his twisted ankle made standing, much less walking impossible. Soon the other participants started rushing past him. Izuku tried one more time to get back on his feet to no avail.
No! Not like this! He was so close! He tried crawling, but the finish line seemed to be moving away from him. Why now?! He was so close! Please! Someone! Anyone! Help!
More people kept running past him without giving him a second glance.
No! Mei was counting on him! She had given him this chance! This one chance! He couldn't let her down! Not after everything she'd done for him! He'd never forgive himself if he failed her now! Why wouldn't his body move?!
"Quite a fall you took there. That shit was crazy, kid."
Izuku looked up and saw… a student who looked like Cesare with his wild hair and flat eyes surrounded by deep shadows. What really stuck Izuku was how he was being carried by other students like a mad emperor. Among the students carrying him were Ojiro, Hagakure and Aoyama. All of them had an empty look in their eyes.
"Come on guys. Give the fellow reject a hand." The Cesare looking student said.
The entourage obeyed like robots and yanked Izuku on his feet and then threw him on their backs. Then they started running.
"Izuku Midoriya?" The Cesare looking student said.
"… yeah?"
"Hitoshi Shinsou. A huge fan of Project: Indestructible."
"… uh. Thanks."
"No need to thank me. Us fellow failures have to stick together." Shinsou said.
Izuku looked at the students carrying them. What was wrong with Ojiro and the others?
"… what did you do to them?"
"I'm just one smooth operator, whiz kid. Now sit back and enjoy the ride." Shinsou said.
When they'd been carried past the finish line, Shinsou jumped off his human carriage.
"Pleasure doing business with you gents. I'll be back for you later. Keep it real, whiz kid. Keep it real!" Shinsou said before disappearing into the crowd.
Ojiro and the others blinked when reason returned to their eyes.
"What the hell just happened?" Ojiro said and looked around before noticing Izuku: "… Midoriya?"
"… hi." Izuku said.
"Oh God. I feel so…" Hagakure said and then she saw Izuku: "Midoriya! You're bleeding!"
"… yeah. Could you… help me to get to Recovery Girl?" Izuku said.
Aoyama was clutching his stomach.
"… used my Quirk. Have to…" Aoyama said and then started running towards the nearest toilet.
They stared after him.
"I… think he was like… shitting himself." Hagakure said.
Ojiro and Hagakure helped Izuku walk and took him to the nurse's office. The lines on Recovery Girl's face grew deeper when she saw Izuku and told him to sit down. She pulled his shoe off and looked at his swollen ankle.
"You've sprained it pretty badly. And that's just the worst of it. You should think about dropping from the race." Recovery Girl said.
"No! I'm alright!" Izuku said and got up.
Pain shot through his leg and knocked him off his feet.
"Midoriya. You should listen to her." Ojiro said.
"I think he should keep going." Hagakure said.
"Don't you see how hurt he is?" Ojiro said.
"It's just… he came this far. Its not fair." Hagakure said.
Izuku looked at Recovery Girl as pleadingly as he could. Puppy dog eyes had always been his last weapon when he needed something from mom. They were always most effective against older women.
"… Recovery Girl. Please. Fix me up so… I can survive the next event."
Recovery Girl's maternal side clashed with her Hippocratic oath. Finally, she sighed.
"I'll do what I can but if no one wants to partner up with you, you're out." Recovery Girl said and then leaned in and gave Izuku a smooch.
I'm never getting used to that, Izuku thought.
His leg felt… better. It was far from healed but he could at least put weight on it again. He stood up and looked at Ojiro and Hagakure.
"… if you need a teammate, I'm…"
"You're hurt and you're not getting injured because of me. Or her." Ojiro said and looked at Hagakure: "Got it?"
"Hey…" Hagakure started.
"Did you get it?" Ojiro said.
"Fine. Fine. I get it." Hagakure said.
"Good." Ojiro said and looked at Izuku apologetically: "I'm sorry."
"… no. I understand." Izuku said.
Ojiro and Hagakure left Izuku alone with Recovery Girl.
"You should hurry. The teams for the cavalry battle will be announced soon." Recovery Girl said.
Izuku limped back into the stadium. He just needed to find three people who'd take him. Three people. How hard could it be?
Harder than he would have liked.
Everyone took just one look at him and his bad leg and told him to find another team. Groups were being formed and the students who hadn't made the cut were eying his position hungrily. Bakugou had already formed his own team with Kirishima, Mina and Sero. Todoroki's group consisted of Iida, Kaminari and Uraraka. When Bakugou noticed him, Bakugou flipped him off.
It didn't take long for Midnight-sensei to find him.
"No team, huh?" Midnight-sensei said.
"… I'll find one." Izuku said.
"Let me help you." Midnight-sensei said and cracked her whip.
All eyes turned to them.
"Is there room in anyone's group for Midoriya?" Midnight-sensei said.
The crowd was silent. Midnight-sensei turned to look at him.
"I'm sorry, Midoriya, but…"
"Wait up! I said wait up, goddamn it!"
Mineta forced himself through the crowd. Momo and Tsu walked behind him.
"If no one else wants him, we'll take him." Mineta said.
Midnight-sensei nodded.
"I guess this is yours." Midnight-sensei said and handed Izuku a headband: "Good luck. You'll need it."
Somewhere behind him, Bakugou was growling. Izuku's legs shook when he walked up to Mineta, Momo and Tsu clutching his headband with both hands. He felt like crying.
"… thank you. Thank you, Mineta. Thank you." Izuku said with tears in his eyes.
Mineta grinned.
"Thank me when we win. I have a plan."
"… a plan?" Izuku said.
"Four teams will make it to the final event to fill the roster. With our collective points we're in the clear." Momo said.
Izuku glanced at his headband that marked him worth hundred and fifty points.
"The best part is that everyone will go after Bakugou. He came in first so he's worth ten million points." Mineta said.
"Those ten million points should have been yours. Bakugou shouldn't have done that." Tsu said and glared at Bakugou.
"Are you alright? It was a bad fall." Momo said.
"… I'm fine." Izuku said.
"Are you sure?" Momo said.
"He said he's fine. He's survived worse. He just has to carry me until times up." Mineta said.
"… shouldn't we aim to get the ten-million-point headband?" Izuku said.
"Save your strength or you'll be too tired to fight in the final round." Mineta said.
There was a half time before the next event which left them time to prepare. Mineta watched Momo's and Tsu's warm-up with a smirk on his face.
"The things I do to be a hero." Mineta said.
"… I've been meaning to ask you. Why… do you want to be a hero?" Izuku said.
"Midoriya. Look at me." Mineta said.
"… okay."
"Really look at me." Mineta said.
"… I'm looking." Izuku said.
"See how hideous I am? If I want to get laid, I better be rich and famous. You think All-Might ever sleeps alone?"
"… that's… uh… very…"
"Very honest? I know. And I'm not alone." Mineta said and turned to look at Uraraka: "Hey! Uraraka! Weren't you in this for the money?!"
"And the bitches!" Uraraka answered.
The half time left Izuku time to prepare too and he headed into the showers.
After stripping he sat under a stream of cold water until the pain in his leg and back numbed out. He'd been saved again. He owed so much of his success to others. And so many of his failures to Bakugou! He stared at his swollen ankle and grinded his teeth. The bastard could have killed him! Once he got the armor, he would…
The door to the showers opened and Mei stepped in. Izuku screamed like a little girl and tried to cover his privates. Even with the cold water his hands couldn't quite hide all of it.
"Relax, Izuku. We're pals. Pals show each other their junk all the time." Mei said.
"What?! No, they don't!"
"They don't, huh? Guess we watch different pornos, then." Mei said and handed Izuku his phone: "Your mom wanted to talk to you."
Mei gave Izuku his phone and left him in the showers. After making sure she was gone, Izuku dialed mom's number. When mom picked up, he could only hear wet sobbing.
"… mom?" Izuku said.
There was more crying but finally he could make out words.
"I thought you were going to die!" Mom said before breaking down again: "Bakugou… if he had… Please. Izuku. Stop this. Come home!"
Tears started running down Izuku's cheeks.
"I'm alright, mom. I swear. It will be alright. The next part… it will be okay." Izuku said while wiping his eyes.
"You promise?" Mom said.
"Yes. I promise. I love you." Izuku said.
"I love you too. Please. Don't get hurt."
"I won't, mom. I'll see you at home." Izuku said and hung up.
Izuku sat under the cold water until his tears were washed away. Mom. She had been crying. Bakugou had made mom cry. That hateful monster had made mom cry! Izuku was too angry to care about the pain in his leg or his modesty and stepped into the locker room where Mei was waiting for him.
"Nice." Mei said.
"Mei. The audio from my fight with Bakugou… upload it." Izuku said.
Mei smiled.
"You sure? No taking it back after that."
"Bakugou made my mom cry!"
Mei's smile grew into a mad grin.
"You got it, partner."
Before leaving Mei handed Izuku an earpiece so she could give him updates on the armor. She needed just a little more time. Izuku planted it in his ear and started counting when Project: Indestructible's next video would drop.
Mei left Izuku in the dressing room to get dressed and nurture his grudges. When she stepped out, she found Shouto waiting in the hallway.
"What… were you doing in the guys' locker room?" Shouto said slowly.
"Sexual favors. The stress is running pretty high, so they needed some release." Mei said and tried to leave.
Shouto was even easier to fluster than Izuku. The rest of his face turned as red as his burn scar and he looked away.
"Was he… was he okay?" Shouto said.
Mei stopped and turned to look at him.
"What do you care?"
"Maybe someone should." Shouto said.
"Oh? Was that a jab at me?" Mei said.
"You claim to be his friend. If you don't stop him, he'll get himself killed." Shouto said.
"He has science on his side. He'll be fine."
Mei tried to leave again but Shouto was hellbent on wasting her time.
"I know about Blacksmith."
Mei stopped dead in her tracks.
"I'm sorry what my father did but this won't fix anything." Shouto said.
"And apologizing will?"
"If you want revenge, don't drag others into it." Shouto said.
"Maybe you should take your own advice." Mei said.
"What?"
"I know something about you that Izuku doesn't. I know about your other Quirk." Mei said.
There was a crack in Shouto's cold demeanor.
"You don't use it. Why? To piss off old man Endeavor? I can respect that but… people might die because you're half-assing it. Not very heroic." Mei said.
"I don't have…"
"Yeah, yeah. You don't have two Quirks and I watch porn for the acting. Guess we're both full of it." Mei said.
Shouto sighed.
"Why do you hate me so much? I'm not Endeavor."
"Why? Because every time I look at you, I see your parents. Because you're part of them. Because hurting you, will hurt them. Because I want your family to know what it feels like to have everything taken from you."
Mei stepped closer and Shouto actually backed off.
"You can only fuck others for so long until they fuck you back and guess what? Your nemesis is here, and the fucking is about to start. Bakugou ain't the only one who has a date with a titanium dick."
Shouto sighed.
"Fine. I'll play. I'll crush him in the next round." Shouto said.
"Feel free to try. Mei Hatsume out!"
