(A/N: So, not sure if this chapter will show up for you guys on time because Fanfiction is being weird recently. But I hope it does!
Formatting reminder: "Dialogue heard through a sound system." ... "PRESENT MIC'S DIALOGUE HEARD THROUGH A SOUND SYSTEM." ... -Dialogue using sign language.- ... "-Dialogue using sign language and verbal language.-" )
...
"COMING IN AT SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH RESPECTIVELY, WE HAVE YAOYOROZU FROM 1-A AND MIDORIYA FROM 1-H!"
The crowd cheered as Izuku crossed the finish line close behind Yaoyorozu. He slowed his pace from running to jogging and finally to a stop further onto the field as more students made it to the end.
Seventeenth, huh? I can work with that, Izuku thought as he focused on calming down and catching his breath. He lowered his mask so it hung loosely around his neck and lifted his goggles to rest on his head. Clear the first round? Check.
"Congrats on getting in the top twenty, Mido!" Uraraka cheered as she made her way over to him.
She was followed by Iida, Tsuyu, and Todoroki. The latter took a spot so he was standing close to his friend's side. Green eyes met gray and blue as the taller boy instinctively reached for his hand, briefly linking their pinkies as a brief but encouraging gesture before letting go. Despite the moment being so fleeting, this did not go unnoticed by Uraraka, but she chose not to draw attention to it. For now.
"Thanks, Uraraka-san," Izuku said, smiling as he turned his attention to the rest of the group. "Where did you all place?"
"I got fifteenth," Uraraka answered first.
"Twelfth for me," Tsuyu replied next, a finger on her chin and her tongue poking out slightly.
"I placed in fifth," Iida reported with robotic arm movements as always. "I would have preferred first. But being in the top five will have to do."
Speaking of first…
"Um, who did place first?" Izuku asked, still slightly annoyed with himself that he tuned it out.
"It was me," Todoroki said, though he didn't sound too happy about it.
"Wow, really, Todoroki-kun? Congrats!" Izuku praised, though he planned to ask about his friend's not-so-happy reaction to placing first later.
"Thanks," Todoroki responded, giving him the smallest of smiles.
"You really didn't know, Izuku-chan?" Tsuyu asked.
"Heh, um, no. I was a little…distracted," Izuku confessed while rubbing his head.
"By what?"
"Excuse me," a voice called out to the group. Izuku turned to the voice and saw that it was Yaoyorozu. "Sorry to interrupt. I wanted to thank you for what you did earlier, um…"
"Midoriya Izuku," he offered with a smile and a bow. "And it was no trouble."
"What did he do?" Todoroki asked, one eyebrow raised ever so slightly in curiosity.
"Near the end of the obstacle course, he helped me with a…problem," Yaoyorozu explained with a slight grimace. "The boy with the purple balls on his head who was kick out of our class. Mineta, I believe? Well he, um, he…used his Quirk to stick to my back after I cleared the minefield."
She turned to show the purple balls that were still stuck to her shirt. Izuku's ever thinking mind started brainstorming ways to get them off. Beside him, Todoroki usually stoic face sported a slight frown out of concern for his fellow student/casual friend as well as anger at the fact someone tried to use her like that.
"Mineta? But I thought he was expelled?" Uraraka asked, confused.
"Perhaps it was another of Aizawa-sensei's 'logical ruses'," Tsuyu chimed in with a finger on her chin and her tongue peeking out.
"Maybe he was only expelled from the Hero Course but not UA altogether," Izuku offered.
"It is possible," Yaoyorozu commented, looking thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "Anyway, Midoriya-kun saw what he did and managed to get him off me."
"How?" Todoroki asked, turning his attention to the greenette curiously.
"With this," Izuku answered, grabbing one of his escrima rods and activating it to show the end sparking.
"Midoriya-kun!" Iida interjected before starting to reprimand him. "While your actions were commendable, it is unbecoming of a UA student to attack a peer in this manner."
"Cool your jets, Iida," Uraraka cut in, quick to defend his actions. "He was only trying to help."
Iida looked like he was about to continue pushing his own views, but Izuku cut him off.
"I-I know that technically a-anything goes so what he did w-would have been ruled o-ok," Izuku stated, putting the rod back and rubbing his hand together nervously. "B-but it didn't sit right with me that h-he would take advantage of her like that. A-and I heard he was k-kicked out for not being…respectful enough. S-so I stopped him."
He and Uraraka shared a look before he turned back to the pony-tailed girl. He sent her a look to convey he knew what happened and that he was sorry that it did.
"Thank you, Midoriya-kun," Yaoyorozu said with a warm smile. "That was very noble of you. Oh, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Yaoyorozu Momo from Class 1-A. It's nice to meet you." She bowed in greeting.
"Nice to meet you too, Yaoyorozu-san," Izuku said, bowing again for good measure. He was a polite boy after all. "Do you, um, want help getting…those off?"
"You can do that? Really?" Yaoyorozu asked, black eyes widened slightly in surprise. "I was planning on asking for a new one. But if it's not trouble, then please do."
The group moved off to the side so they weren't blocking anyone. He just started to examine the creation girl's shirt as she stood with her back to him when another student approached the group. Izuku felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up to find it was Kouda.
-Excuse me,- the quiet boy signed. -Sorry to intrude. I wanted to thank you for protecting me from the ice.-
"Oh, you're welcome!" Izuku replied as the others turned to see the newcomer. "Glad to see you made it! Though it's still unfortunate that there weren't any animals for you to use your Quirk with. Where did you place?"
-I placed in nineteenth,- Kouda answered. -But how did you…- He began to sign before getting interrupted.
"Izuku," a familiar voice called out. Izuku gestured for Kouda to pause for a second before turning around and seeing it was Hitoshi.
"Hitoshi-kun! You made it!" Izuku chirped, smiling brightly making the others squint. "Where did you place?"
"Twenty-sixth," Hitoshi answered as he approached. "Do you think that's going to be enough?"
"Oh, for sure," Izuku affirmed as his friend joined the group. "They're still giving placements and haven't mentioned anything about the qualifying cut off yet."
The rest of the group looked at the greenette in confusion. He blushed from all the attention and answered, "I-I researched the past f-festivals and the number of qualifying s-students that go on to the next round a-averages about fifty."
The others, minus Hitoshi, looked at him in shock, surprised at his level of preparedness. But Izuku turned his attention back to the quiet boy.
"What were you going to ask me earlier, Kouda-kun?"
-How did you know my Quirk worked with animals?- Kouda signed, before his eyes widened in realization. -Wait, how do you know my name?-
"Oh, um, that's because…"
"HERO-KUN!"
The greenette found himself enveloped in a sudden embrace as Mei joined the group, announcing her presence as energetic as ever while being mindful of his gear.
"-Hiro-kun?!-" Yaoyorozu exclaimed at the same time Kouda signed with a look of shock and a squeak.
"Oops," Mei said, detaching from Izuku. "Sorry, Izuku."
Izuku sent her a half-hearted glare before patting her shoulder to let her know he forgave her. It was an accident and the secret would come out eventually. "So where did you place?"
"Fortieth," Mei answered. "Still no announcement of the number of qualifiers."
"Huh, I wonder when the cut off is going to…" Izuku said only to be interrupted when a signal blared over the noise of the crowd.
"WITH THAT SOUND, WE HAVE REACHED OUR SECRET-UNTIL-NOW NUMBER OF QUALIFYING STUDENTS!"
Wow, way to cut me off while talking about the cut off…
"COMING IN AT FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PLACE RESPECTIVELY, LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR LAST QUALIFIERS, MINETA FROM 1-E AND AOYAMA FROM 1-A!"
Looking over, the group watched as the last qualifying students crossed the finish line. The short purple haired boy entered the stadium looking a little too smug for someone in second to last place of the qualifiers.
Damn, the pervert made it through.
He was followed by the normally glittery Aoyama who currently looked a little greener around the gills as he held his stomach grimacing. Izuku made a mental note to look into a way to help the boy with the negative side effects of overusing his Quirk. The blonde was also missing a shoe which led Izuku to think that Mineta might have sabotaged him to make it into the stadium just before him. Allowed but still seemed like a dick move.
After being distracted by his friends and the other 1-A students joining them one by one, the sight of the short pervert reminded Izuku of the task at hand. That of removing the purple ball still stuck to the back of Yaoyorozu's shirt. He presented the problem to Mei and explained what he knew about the related Quirk. After a few minutes of discussion, Mei had some ideas that she wanted to try and requested Yaoyorozu remove her shirt so she could test them.
Izuku was surprised when the creation girl easily agreed to do just that. After he asked multiple times if she was comfortable, which she assured him she was, the others formed somewhat of a circle around Yaoyorozu with their backs to her to give her as much privacy as possible. She then took her shirt off and stood surrounded by the others in her sports bra.
After a few minutes and some trial and error with some of Mei's experimental serum babies, they were able to get the purple balls off without damaging the material of the shirt. Izuku handed the shirt back to the creation girl who quickly got dressed again and the protective circle dispersed.
"Thank you again, Midoriya-kun. If I may ask, are you really Hiro-kun?" Yaoyorozu asked to which he nodded. She glanced at the others seeing that they, besides Kouda, didn't seem shocked by the reveal. "Why aren't the rest of you surprised by this?"
"Well…," Uraraka said, rubbing her hair nervously. "That's because we already knew?"
"Mei-chan, Hitoshi-kun, and Uraraka-san were there when the idea of Hiro was…created," Izuku explained, gesturing to each person in kind. "Kirishima-kun, too. Then I told Iida-kun when I asked about his Quirk and he didn't know how I knew what it was. Tsu-chan figured it out on her own after the USJ attack. And I told Todoroki-kun when I was helping him with his Quirk after school."
Upon mention of the USJ, there was a collective cringe from those who had been there but were quick to recover.
-Is that why you know my Quirk and my name?- Kouda signed to Izuku.
"Yeah, it is, Kouda-kun," Izuku answered, then signed and spoke, finger spelling his name. "-I'm M-i-d-o-r-i-y-a I-z-u-k-u. Nice to meet you.-"
-I'm K-o-u-d-a K-o-u-j-i,- Kouda signed, finger spelling his name as well. -Nice to meet you. I'm selectively mute, but I can hear and talk. My name sign is 'Kouda'.-
The rock-like boy signed the gesture for animal with his hands forming in the sign letter 'K'.
-Kouda- Izuku signed, repeating the sign back to confirm and Kouda nodded with a smile. "Wow, that's a cool name sign, Kouda-kun! I don't have one myself."
-I could give you one,- Kouda offered with a shy smile.
"Really? I would be honored!" Izuku replied cheerfully. "-Thank you, Kouda-kun-." Signing his thanks as well as the other's name again. It's always good to practice!
-You're welcome,- Kouda replied, a slight blush on his cheeks. -I'll let you know when I figure out the right one. It will be nice to have a friend to sign with.-
He thinks of me as a friend already? Izuku thought as he beamed at his new friend.
The two students most recently let in on the Hiro-kun secret looked like they had more questions. But they were interrupted before they could ask as Midnight called for everyone to assemble back in their class groups. In their own little group, the Hero students left for the far end of the field, Hitoshi headed over to where 1-C was gathering, and the two Support students joined the others from 1-H. As students shuffled around, the results for the race were displayed on the screens.
Oh, looks like Katsuki got second. He can't be happy about that.
Glancing over to where 1-A was, he easily spotted the seething blonde who was glaring at Todoroki as he walked over, while being held back by Kirishima like a human shield. The redhead must have said something to placate the explosive teen that made him turn his attention away from the ice user. Only for his fierce red eyes to meet green briefly before Izuku ducked his head and looked away. He did not need Katsuki's scrutiny on him right now and needed to keep his distance for as long as possible.
...
Katsuki was pissed. Second. He came in fucking second. Right after that Half-and-Half bastard. Who didn't even look proud of his 'win'. If you could even call it that. Was he looking down on him? Thinks that Katsuki wasn't enough of a challenge for him? It pissed the blonde off so fucking much. On top of that, the damn nerd somehow made the cut into the next round.
Fuck. Deku better not let getting past that shitty Obstacle Course go to his head. Bet it was a fluke. How else did his Quirkless ass get through? Whatever.
Shoving thoughts of the Quirkless Blunder aside, Katsuki tuned out the extras around him and started to theorize what event UA would throw at them next. Whatever it was, he would definitely win this time and kick IcyHot off his damn high horse. If only the extras would hurry the fuck up and get back to their class areas. He was itching for the next round to start.
"So that really was Hiro-kun," Ponytail said as she and a few others walked over, finally joining the rest of the class. "He's a very kind and considerate boy."
"Yes, but keep who he is a secret, ok?" Round Face said, as she walked up with the other girl along with IcyHot, Four Eyes, Frog Face, and the extra that never talked. "He doesn't want Bakugou to know."
As soon as they noticed he was in listening distance, the idiots shut their traps and moved away from him. Only until they were a bit farther away from him did the group of not-so extras continue to whisper amongst themselves.
What the fuck?
"Who the hell is Hiro?" Katsuku muttered quietly to himself with a scowl. Kirishima gave him a somewhat disappointed look but kept quiet to help keep Midoriya's secret.
Seriously, who the fuck is Hiro? What shitty secret is he keeping? And why doesn't the extra want me to know?
Katsuki swore to himself he would fucking find out. After he claims victory over everyone, of course.
...
"With the elimination round complete, only the top forty-two will advance to the next round!" Midnight announced once the students had settled in their groups. "But don't be too worried if you didn't make the cut! We have some other opportunities for you to shine!"
Of course! They hold side games before the final one-on-one battles, Izuku thought, remembering his research. This allows the others to still show their skills while those competing in the last round have time to prepare.
"Now, on to the second event where the real fun begins! What do we have in store for you next? I know, of course, but you must be dying in suspense! Let's end this torturous waiting, shall we? The next event is…THIS!"
'CAVALRY BATTLE' popped up on the screens.
So, that's this year's group battle…cavalry, huh? I think last year they did a version of capture-the-flag.
Some of the students groaned at the reveal. While others started questioning how the event was going to work since it was team based. Midnight began to explain as a graphic of an example of a 'horse' appeared on the screen.
Oh my god, All Might looks ridiculous as the rider and he's so tall you can barely make out Snipe behind him. Would Thirteen, Yamada-sensei, and Snipe actually be able to hold up the Symbol of Peace like that? Last I knew he weighted like 562 lbs., in his buffed up form at least, and let's face it, Yamada-sensei is a toothpick. Albeit a strong one but a toothpick none the less.
"Our participants will form teams of their choice made of two-to-four people! The rules are fundamentally the same as the regular cavalry game! However…to spice things up, we've add our own little twist!"
Called it! I knew they would have a twist. Wonder what it is this year…
"Each of you has been assigned a point value depending on how you placed in the last round!"
Various students started to theorize amongst themselves about how it would all work until Midnight snapped at them with an accompanied snap of her whip. Seems they were getting ahead of themselves.
"Maybe you should shut up and let me talk! As I was about to explain, your point values go up by increments of five starting at the bottom. For example, forty-second place is worth five points, followed by forty-first being 10 points, and so on. As for the value of the student at the very top…"
Midnight paused for a second and squared her gaze on Todoroki.
"…our first-place contestant is worth…"
Kayama-sensei sure does like to build suspense, Izuku thought as he and everyone else turned to look at Todoroki too.
"…TEN MILLION!"
Oh boy…this is why I avoided trying for the top. Whoever has the ten million holds the points to instantly win while also becoming the primary target of the other teams. Hope you can handle the pressure, Todoroki-kun!
Izuku glanced over at his friend whose expression remained neutral despite everyone eyeing him as either a prize to gain or an obstacle to knock down. Their eyes met and Izuku sent him a, hopefully, reassuring nod and smile. The corner of Todoroki's mouth twitched ever so slightly up and he tilted his head minutely accepting his friend's concern.
I'm really starting to get the hang of reading Todoroki-kun's subtle changes of expression, Izuku thought with a small warm smile.
"That's right, everyone! This is the survival round and also your chance for those at the bottom to overthrow the top! The game will last fifteen minutes! Your individual values will be added together to make your team total! Your worth will be displayed thanks to your headbands! Swipe as many headbands as you can to increase your team's score until the time is up! Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up! But don't worry if your headband is stolen! Whether you lose all your headbands or your formation is broken, keep playing until time runs out! It's not over 'til it's over!"
With forty-two contestants dividing into teams of two-to-four, there should be about ten to twelve teams on the field at once. This round will be a test of our teamwork and coordinating skills. Not all Quirks work well together and teammates need to be considered carefully. Not much point strategizing too much now until the teams start forming.
"This battle is going to be rough! You may use your Quirks as much as you like! However, there are still rules against attacking other teams and making them fall on purpose! Do that and I will slap you with a red card, disqualifying your entire team!"
Katsuki won't like that.
"Now, you have fifteen minutes to form your teams! Choose wisely~! BEGIN!"
I don't plan on trying for first and have an idea to gather more points while everyone else is gunning for the ten million. So, the point value of those I team up with doesn't really matter. However, I figure most students will stick to those from their own class. Which means I'll have to find a team willing to allow me to join. Perhaps I can convince them by sharing what I know about the others' Quirks.
"Hey, Mido!" Uraraka called out, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Let's team up!"
Izuku blinked at his friend owlishly before asking, "A-are you sure? Don't you w-want to team up with the o-others in 1-A?"
"Well, sure I could but I'd like to team up with you too, Mido!" Uraraka replied with a smile. "You're really smart and good at strategy. Plus, you know the others' Quirks which I think will come in handy. Besides, we're friends and teaming up with people you like just seems right."
Being the emotional Midoriya that he is, Izuku couldn't help but tear up a little at that. It still felt strange at times to have friends after so many years of being outcasted by his peers. But it was sinking in more and more that UA was different. In a good way.
Wiping away his tears, Izuku turned to his friend/teammate with a determined look. "Right. That means with my 130 points and your 140, our current total is 270 points so far. So, who else should we asked to join our group? I have a few ideas but I'd like to hear yours too."
Uraraka smiled and seemed happy he wanted her input as well. "Let's see. Iida's out. I tried to get him to join us on my way over but he had already joined Todoroki's team."
They stood there discussing possible options for other teammates when Izuku got hugged/tackled from behind.
"Hero-kun!" Mei practically screamed in his ear. "Team up with me!"
"Mei-chan! That was right in my ear!" Izuku exclaimed, pulling away from his friend slightly while rubbing said ear.
"Sorry," Mei apologized though still smiled excitedly. "But seriously, I want to team up with you. Together we can show them all the beautiful babies we've made!"
Despite having spent time with Mei and all her eccentricities, Uraraka still blushed slightly at her habit of calling her Support Items 'babies' while Izuku merely rolled his eyes at her antics. He knew she would never change and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
"Weren't you planning on joining who ever got in first?" Izuku asked as Mei detached herself to stand beside him like a 'normal' person. But then again, in a world of Quirks, who was normal anyway? "You know, so you could put your babies in the spotlight since everyone would be focusing on them the most."
"Oh, I did," Mei answered simply. "But Todoroki's team was already full before I could get to him. Explody boy may have come in second, but I would never team up with him. And since we're the only two Support students in the second round, we can combine our babies to make one hell of a show!"
"Wow, great to know I'm your secondish choice?" Izuku said with a playful punch to her shoulder.
"You know I love you, Hero-kun," Mei retorted with a wink.
"Ok. With Mei-chan joining us brings our 270 points to 285," Izuku said, hand on his chin in thought. "With our combined Support Items and your Zero Gravity Quirk, that gives us options for offense as well as improved mobility. But we could use some more defense…"
"Do you have someone in mind?" Uraraka asked with a tilt of her head.
Izuku scanned the crowd and his green eyes seemed to light up as they fell on one particular student.
"I do."
...
Tumblr blog name: ja0-s-blank-canvas-fic
Notes extension: post/633793911837671424/chapter-37-sports-festival-qualifiers
Qualifier Rankings: post/633793742765195264/bcfic-sports-festival-post-obstacle-course