Shuichi sat alone in the Shi Hassaikai manor's yard and watched the U.A tournament from his iPad. Mustard had stomped back to their room to sulk after the Quirkless… no. After Indestructible had made past the first round. Shuichi couldn't help but cheer for him. There was something lovable about the green-haired wonder boy.
The manor was unusually quiet. Everyone in the Shi Hassaikai were watching the tournament in the auditorium while getting drunk. Shuichi could appreciate the serenity. It almost felt like the manor was his alone.
Well, almost.
He caught a glimpse of the manor's ghost hiding behind a tree. Looking at him. A little girl with white hair, pale skin and… a horn. Shuichi waved at her. The girl flinched and almost ran off. Shuichi was used to children being scared of him but this… was something different. The girl seemed to be terrified of everything. That was probably to be expected when your dad was Overhaul.
He turned the iPad, so she could see the tournament running on it.
"Wanna watch? We're getting to the best part." Shuichi said.
Sight of the tournament hypnotized the girl and she started approaching him slowly like an abused animal. Shuichi put down the iPad and gave her room. The girl sat down and picked up the iPad but was always ready to bolt if he made any sudden movements.
"Got anyone you're cheering for?" Shuichi said.
For the briefest of moments, the girl's face lit up like a normal child's.
"… Indestructible."
"Yeah. He's pretty cool. Don't tell Mustard I said that." Shuichi said and leaned back: "We actually met him once."
The girl looked at him like he'd shook hands with a god.
"… really? What's he like?"
"We got off on the wrong foot."
"… oh. I… I like Project: Indestructible. Mr. Chisaki likes it too." The girl said.
"Tried watching it once. The editing was sh… I mean, it was pretty bad." Shuichi said.
"… it gets better when he races All-Might. And it's even better when he fights Lord Explosion Psycho Murder."
Shuichi laughed.
"I should give it another chance then." Shuichi said and smiled: "I'm Shuichi."
"… Eri."
They watched the rest of the tournament together.
"Sorry, whiz kid. I want that seat in Heroics but don't worry. I'll name drop Project: Indestructible in my victory speech. You can walk off now and then forget this conversation ever happened." Shinsou said.
Izuku turned and started walking towards the edge of the arena. His thoughts were growing cloudy and he was so tired. He tried to fight the sleep, but his struggling grew more and more hopeless. He was no longer his own master.
"Izuku?! Damn it, Izuku! Wake up! You can do it! Plus Ultra!" Mei yelled in his ear.
Mei's voice cleared his mind, but it didn't make him any less Shinsou's puppet. He doubled his efforts, but the edge grew ever closer. He wished he could have told Mei that he was sorry. Sorry that he had failed her.
"Well, fuck me, Izuku. Where's that megaphone?" Mei said.
Oh no, Izuku thought.
Mei's breathing grew louder when she put a megaphone on her lips.
"Wake the fuck up, Izuku!"
The scream blew Izuku's skull wide open and kicked him off his feet. He held his ear and cursed Mei into the deepest depths of hell. There was a thumping pain in his ear that echoed to the rest of him. If he just went deaf, he was… Then Izuku realized he could move again freely. He got up and turned to look at Shinsou. Shinsou's confident grin was gone and he looked like a man who knew he was screwed.
"Oh… oh shit. Ah… I'm screwed, aren't I?" Shinsou said.
In response Izuku zapped him with the shock glove.
"The winner is! Izuku Midoriya!"
The victory gained him only lukewarm applause. Izuku couldn't blame the audience. As fights went, this one hadn't been very exciting. To them at least. He turned to look at Shinsou.
"… you okay?"
"I think I shit myself." Shinsou said.
"… oh. Sorry."
"As you should be. Help me up."
Izuku helped Shinsou back on his feet.
"How did you do it?" Shinsou said.
"… not telling."
Shinsou smirked.
"I'll figure it out. You better win. It's about time one of us failures show those smug bastards at 1-A who's boss."
"… they're not smug but… I'll do my best." Izuku said.
"You do that. I'm going to go find myself a clean pair of pants. And I'm still expecting you to sign my shirt."
Izuku got off the arena and rubbed his ear. It hurt so bad.
"Woo! Team Indestructible for the win! Plus Ultra!" Mei said.
"… please stop yelling. You almost blew my eardrum." Izuku said.
"No pain no gain and you can't argue with results. I'll build you a new eardrum."
"… can you finish the armor first?" Izuku said.
"Just a bit more time." Mei said.
"… also… since when have we been selling t-shirts? Where's my cut?" Izuku said.
"Uh… can't hear you! You're breaking up." Mei said while rattling a piece of paper next to her earpiece and hung up.
That evil, scheming witch, Izuku thought.
Izuku returned to his seat where Mineta and Tsu were waiting for him. When Izuku got there, Tsu hugged him. Izuku just stood there paralyzed with fear and looked to Mineta for guidance. Mineta just blew a razzberry at him. Finally, Izuku patted Tsu in the back.
"Congratulations!" Tsu said.
"I softened Shinsou up for him." Mineta said and scratched his ear: "I could almost swear you got help but… that would be cheating. Outside interference and all."
Izuku smiled nervously.
"… thanks, Mineta, and congratulations, Tsu. You… I… I knew you could do it." Izuku said.
Tsu looked away while smiling.
"I'm just glad that I got to take a swing at Bakugou first but… don't congratulate me yet. Next up is Todoroki."
"Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll fall down a flight of stairs." Mineta said.
"I can always hope." Tsu said.
Izuku tried not to let his nervousness show. He couldn't see an outcome where Tsu came out on top against Todoroki but… he'd thought the same about Bakugou. Maybe Tsu would surprise him again. Or maybe this was just too bad of a matchup. Would Bakugou have fared better against Todoroki? If… if Izuku had been the one to beat Bakugou, would he be feeling like this now?
Izuku rubbed his face. This was no time to think about Bakugou or what could have happened.
"… has either of you heard about Momo?" Izuku said.
"I tried calling her, but she didn't pick up." Tsu said.
Mineta rubbed his chin.
"So, she's feeling down and depressed? I might finally have a shot."
"Class act, Mineta." Tsu said.
"Class is one of those things I can't afford. She'll be fine. I got my ass kicked too." Mineta said.
"… what about Kirishima?" Izuku said.
Both Tsu and Mineta frowned.
"He needs time." Tsu said.
"… maybe… posting that video was a bad idea." Izuku said.
"The faster Kirishima found out the better." Tsu said.
"You should've probably told him sooner." Mineta said.
"… yeah." Izuku said.
He should have, and he hadn't. Because he had been a coward.
New names appeared on the wide screen.
"Next up! Tenya Iida facing Ochaco Uraraka!"
Mineta jumped up and thrusted his fist in the air.
"Kick the four-eyes ass, Uraraka!" Mineta yelled.
"… how did you two become friends?" Izuku said.
"Game knows game." Mineta said.
Both Iida and Uraraka came into the fight with their previous strategies. The difference was that Iida's strategy worked better. Uraraka was out before she had time to levitate any of the rocks in the arena.
"The winner is! Tenya Iida!"
Mineta slumped down with a heavy sigh.
"Glad I ain't you, Midoriya." Mineta said.
Izuku started biting his nails. Iida had to have a weakness. Maybe… when he was running that fast he'd have to keep his strategies simple… unless his mind raced as fast as his legs.
If I managed to punch holes in the ground…, Izuku thought when someone invisible glomped him from behind.
Tits! Those were tits squeezing against his back! And Hagakure wasn't wearing anything besides her sneakers, so…! Nipples! He could feel her nipples! All the color had been sucked from Tsu's face and she'd started croaking.
"Midoriya! Can you do me an itty-bitty favor and borrow that baton and the glove? Tetsutetsu is tough and someone has to avenge Kirishima." Hagakure said.
Izuku would have sold her one of his organs if she'd asked. He handed her the baton and the glove without a word. He could still feel her breasts pressing against his back when she walked away.
"You look happy." Tsu said coolly.
"And I'm happy for him. You sure you don't have some kind of pussy magnet Quirk?" Mineta said.
"Who has a pussy magnet? I want a pussy magnet."
Uraraka was walking up to them while holding an icepack to her swollen cheek.
"Wow. Didn't think you'd show your face after a loss like that." Mineta said.
"Screw you, Mineta." Uraraka said.
"I can't. Even my standards aren't that low." Mineta said.
"At least I made it to the second round." Uraraka said and squeezed herself between Izuku and Tsu: "So, what are you doing after this?"
"… uh… I have to make food for my younger siblings." Tsu said.
"Cool. I love kids. You need help with that?" Uraraka said.
"… I'm good." Tsu said.
"Next up! Toru Hagakure facing Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!" Present Mic said.
The weapons he'd given her, allowed Hagakure to fight back but it also cost her the biggest advantage she had. Tetsutetsu activated his hardening Quirk and lunged towards the weapons. If Tetsutetsu's Quirk was an exact copy of Kirishima's, he'd have low level super strength when he used the hardening. All he had to do was get one blow in and Hagakure was done for.
Hagakure wasn't interested in giving him even one free hit.
She danced around Tetsutetsu and provoked him to attack more wildly and recklessly. Tetsutetsu fought like a brawler with big haymakers holding nothing back but it also tired him out fast. And he'd already spent the entire day fighting. Hagakure on the other hand was saving her strength and moving only the bare minimum.
When Tetsutetsu slipped, Hagakure went on the offensive. She swiped Tetsutetsu in the face with the shock glove and when he brought his hands to his face, Hagakure smacked him in the balls with the baton. Hardening on or not, Tetsutetsu wasn't just walking that one off. Izuku and Mineta grimaced in sympathy pain.
"Hagakure holds nothing back and goes straight for every mans weak point!" Present Mic said.
"That's why heroes should always use a jockstrap." Aizawa-sensei said.
After an attack like that the flow of the battle changed. Tetsutetsu tried to continue his reckless attacks but Hagakure was now inside his head and wearing him down. Whenever the baton so much as pointed at his groin, he flinched. Pain, fear and humiliation made him sloppy and desperate. The more desperate he became, the more elusive Hagakure was and finally Tetsutetsu's Quirk gave out. Even then Tetsutetsu didn't back down or surrender and took another swing at Hagakure but when Hagakure electrocuted him, he didn't get back up.
"The winner is! Toru Hagakure! Next up! Tsuyu Asui facing Shouto Todoroki!"
Tsu got up and took deep breaths.
"Wish me luck." She said.
They watched her head to the arena.
"Hate seeing her leave. Love watching her go." Uraraka said.
"This is so weird to see from the other side." Mineta muttered.
Mei realized she couldn't do this. There was too much to do and not enough time to do it. She would have needed at least an extra day to be able to pull this off alone and even then she was being very generous. Even genius had its limits and she had found hers but that didn't mean she was done. Izuku had done his part. She wouldn't be the reason Project: Indestructible failed! Not even if she had to resort to vile and desperate measures. She would have to… ask for help.
She picked up her phone.
"Dad? Got a minute?" Mei said.
Despite being past forty, dad was in great shape and made it from the stadium to the workshop in less than five minutes without being out of breath.
"What's wrong?" Dad said.
"I… can't fix the armor or Sagan alone."
Dad studied the armor and Sagan's computer for a moment before activating his Quirk Iron Works and took them apart. The pieces floated around them and Mei spotted the problem immediately. Something foul had corroded the more complicated parts and they still reeked.
"Mei… these are too badly damaged for us to fix. Unless you have spare parts…"
"Dad! Go to the snack shop and get food. All the food! Then get back here." Mei said while dialing Momo's number.
While dad went to get the food, Mei counted the seconds.
"Come on, Momo! Answer the goddamn phone!" Mei cursed before finally hanging up: "Damn it!"
She had to find Momo the old-fashioned way before Izuku's match with Iida. Where would she go if she didn't want to see anyone? She checked the roof and the classroom to no avail. Had she left?! No! Her shoes were still here. She had to be somewhere at the school! But where? There… there was always the toilet in the top floor that had been out of order for years.
Fear cramped Mei's stomach when she ran for the abandoned toilet. Her hands were shaking when she pushed the door open. If Momo wasn't here… A sigh of relief slipped out when she saw Momo huddled in the corner hugging her knees. Her eyes were red, and snot was dripping from her nose.
"Go away." Momo said and hugged herself tighter.
"No."
The lizard part of her brain told her to just grab Momo and drag her to the workshop but that would have been counterproductive. Plus, Momo had dinosaur strength. No one would be dragging her anywhere.
Mei sat next to her. Momo didn't pull away.
"Wanna talk about it?" Mei said.
Tears glistened in Momo's eyes and her voice came out cracked.
"When I was eight… my class did a play. I… I got the main role. I practiced so hard. My parents were coming to watch. I was so proud." Momo said.
She tried wiping away the tears and the snot with her sleeve.
"When we started… I froze. I only stood there… in front of everyone. In front of my parents. Until I started crying."
Momo started to weep in long, ugly sobs.
"I could've done better! I could've won! I… I thought I could do it now! But… but…"
Momo couldn't continue and gasped for air between the tears.
"Check this out." Mei said and pulled up her shirt.
The left side of her stomach had a spot of grey scar tissue the size of her palm. Momo shivered when she saw it.
"It's… it's hideous." Momo said.
"Not much of a filter on you. But then again, who am I to judge? Got this in a science fair when my first baby blew up the moment I turned it on. I got three weeks in the hospital and a lifetime ban from science fairs."
Mei tugged her shirt back in.
"Do you know what I realized at the hospital?" Mei said.
"What?"
"That morphine is awesome. But once the drugs wore off, I realized something else. I was free. I'd suffered the worst defeat of my life and I was still alive. I was free to be awesome." Mei said.
"But… what if you… failed again?"
"Then I'd fail, and I did. After that day I barely noticed. Now, you're free too. And the best part is, that no one will even remember. Not after the ass kicking Bakugou got." Mei said.
Momo's eyes widened.
"Bakugou lost?"
"Bitch got destroyed." Mei said crossed her fingers: "How insensitive would it be to ask for a favor?"
Momo smiled.
"What do you need?"
"Parts."
Mei got up and offered Momo her hand. After some hesitation she took it and Mei pulled her on her feet.
"You hear that?" Momo said.
Mei did. Steps and words.
"You had one job! One fucking job! And you fucked it up!"
"I know! I know! I love you!"
Jiro and Kaminari rushed in while tearing each other's clothes off. Both were so caught up in each other that they didn't noticed them until they almost pumped into the blushing Momo.
"… uh?" Jiro said.
"We… you…" Kaminari said.
"Don't mind us. We just finished. Have fun." Mei said and grabbed Momo.
Izuku was sweating bullets.
"The winner is! Shouto Todoroki!"
Tsu had fought bravely and as long as she could but Todoroki was a force of nature. After her opening spit attack had failed, she'd been able to dodge the ice for a while and even coming close to taking a swing at Todoroki, but the cold had made her slow. Izuku wondered if her Quirk made her more susceptible to low temperatures.
Izuku turned on his earpiece and prayed that Mei would give him good news.
"Mei?! The armor?!"
There was no response. No response! Why didn't she answer him?! He couldn't face Iida without the armor! He couldn't! Mineta and Uraraka were looking at him with pity.
"Mei! Answer me!" Izuku yelled with tears in his eyes.
"Next up! Tenya Iida facing Izuku Midoriya!" Present Mic said.
"… no." Izuku whispered.
"It was nice knowing you." Mineta said.
"Trust me, Midoriya. Losing is the easy part. The shame hurts so much more." Uraraka said.
"… oh god." Izuku said.
He got up and started heading to the arena. He could barely stand.
"Wait! I've just been informed that Tenya Iida has withdrawn from the tournament!" Present Mic said.
"… what?" Izuku said.
"Holy shit. Did his family fall some stairs? Am… am I a wizard?" Mineta said.
Uraraka pulled out her phone and tried calling Iida.
"He's not picking up." Uraraka said.
Relief and terror twisted Izuku's stomach. It hurt! He was going to…!
"… have to go." Izuku managed.
He ran to the bathroom as fast as he dared while covering his mouth. He made it just in time and threw up in the toilet. He kept gagging and barfing until there was nothing left. He could see half-digested painkillers among the bile. Even when his stomach was empty he kept spitting out yellow water. He'd lucked out again but that didn't buy him much time. Hagakure's and Todoroki's match had already begun. Hot tears filled his eyes.
"Midoriya?"
Izuku turned to look at the stall next to his.
"… Aoyama?"
"Yeah. You okay?"
"… no. You?"
"I've been shitting myself to death since my fight with Iida. Did he get you too?" Aoyama said.
"… he dropped out. A family emergency." Izuku said.
"What?! Is he alright?"
"… we don't know. He's not answering his phone."
"I see. Did you get the armor?" Aoyama said.
Izuku hurled out more yellow water.
"Guess not. You know… you made it to the finals. You get to take a swing at the championship. That… that might be enough." Aoyama said.
"… Shinsou had to carry me over the finish line in the obstacle race and Mineta was the one who won the cavalry battle. Momo… barely put up a fight and Shinsou… not a great showing if I go down immediately in my first real fight."
"Guess not." Aoyama agreed: "You're fucked, aren't you?"
"… guess so."
"Well, maybe you can still get scouted." Aoyama said.
"… yeah."
Aoyama's stomach grumbled, and he let out a pained groan.
"Midoriya… could you leave me for a moment?" Aoyama begged.
"… way ahead of you."
After stumbling into the hallway Izuku turned on the earpiece again.
"Mei! Is it finished?! Please tell me it's finished!" Izuku said.
There was no answer.
What was wrong? He… he should go check out the workshop. Yeah! That's what he'd do! This was obviously Mei's idea of a joke. She was just busting his balls before the final match. The armor was done, and he'd use it to beat Todoroki and get into Heroics and become a Quirkless hero and…
"Next up! Izuku Midoriya facing Shouto Todoroki!"
"No!" Izuku yelled.
His mouth tasted of vomit and he felt like a man facing execution when he walked to the arena. The shaking got worse every step of the way. Why couldn't he be brave like the heroes? Like All-Might? All-Might wouldn't have thrown up or wanted to run away. He would have walked out full of confidence with a smile on his face.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls of all ages! Today you get to witness something you've never seen before! A Quirkless genius inventor from Support facing off against the son of the number two hero! Let me hear some noise!" Present Mic said.
When the cheering and clapping hit him, Izuku realized that Hagakure still had his weapons. Not that it mattered. How could a baton fend off an avalanche?
Todoroki stepped into the arena and walked up to greet him. He looked at Izuku's pale face and trembling hands for a while. Sweat had glued Izuku's shirt into his back but Todoroki was cool as a winter's day.
"Iida was supposed to be facing me." Todoroki said.
"… I know." Izuku said.
"Begin!" Present Mic said.
He expected Todoroki to blast him with ice the moment Present Mic told them to begin but… he didn't. Todoroki just stood there. Watching him.
"You lucked out. Don't push it. Walk away." Todoroki said.
Izuku stared at the edge of the arena. Todoroki was right. He'd lost. There was no point to keep fighting. All he would do was make mom worry. It was time to call it quits and go home.
So, why was he raising his fists into a boxing stance like Ojiro? Todoroki shook his head exasperated.
"You stupid… Fine. We'll do it your way." Todoroki said and copied Izuku's stance: "I don't need my Quirk to beat you."
"Incoming!" Mei yelled through the earpiece.
Smoke bombs hit the arena and all Izuku could see was grey mist. Todoroki let out a shocked yelp and leaped backwards to create some distance before putting up a wall of ice between them. The audience had gotten on their feet and were staring at the arena mouths agape.
Three drones dropped a package in front of Izuku.
"What the hell are you doing?! Get out!" Aizawa-sensei was screaming at someone in the announcer's booth.
"I'll allow it!" Present Mic said.
"Let go off my microphone, Hatsume!" Aizawa-sensei yelled.
The loudspeakers broadcasted a quick tussle when Mei fought Aizawa-sensei over the microphone.
"Sorry for the wait everyone! I'm the director of Project: Indestructible! Mei Hatsume! And it is my honor to introduce the next Symbol of Peace! The hero Indestructible!"
Izuku opened the package.
