A/N: Hey guys, I hope everyone (at least in the U.S.) is getting ready for a good Thanksgiving Day, even in spite of all the circumstances around us. And if you're from overseas, I hope you're just having a good week in general. I also want to say that I am thankful for the people who take the time to read my stories- without you guys, there would be no reason for me to put these works out there. Extra thanks go out to those of you who leave reviews with your thoughts concerning this new take on MHA- your comments make my day when I get them.
Without further ado, let's see who's taking home the gold for the UA Sport's Festival!
Read, review, and most of all, enjoy.
Phase 1: Chapter 16
The Fight Concludes
"You're gonna do great."
A smile decorated Kurai's mouth as he said, "Thanks, Mom. Tell Dad and Akarui that I'm really glad they came to watch. Love you." With that, he hit the disconnect button and handed the phone over to Mina, who smiled brightly at him.
"I'm really proud of you," she said as she pocketed the device. She, along with Uraraka and Midoriya were once again gathered in the prep room, waiting for the signal that it was time for the battle to commence.
"You got this, Hikari!" Uraraka said with a big thumbs-up. "I know we're all classmates, but I really do hope that you win. Nothing against Todoroki or anything- I just think that you'll be a great hero someday, and that this is a chance for you to shine early!"
"I can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store for us!" Izuku added, his notebook and pencil in hand. "Maybe I'll think up some new moves for us to try while I watch!"
"Thanks, you guys," Kurai told them, marveling once more at how only a few weeks ago, these people had been total strangers to him. Now they were among his closest friends, and he was very happy about that fact. "Your support makes all the difference."
"Hey, do you guys wanna take a picture real quick?" Mina asked, pulling out her own phone. "I totally forgot until now that we were all on the same team for the cavalry battle! Maybe someday we can take a picture when we're all pros, and it'll be like a before and after!"
"Yeah, I'm down!" Uraraka said as she held out her hand for the device. "Here, just let me set it to a timed mode." Mina let her handle the phone so that she could use her zero gravity to hold it in place mid-air while everyone else gathered in front of the camera.
Izuku and Uraraka ended up standing next to one another on the left, both of them wearing big smiles, while Mina and Kurai each ended up putting one arm around the other, also smiling for the picture. There was a clicking sound, and Uraraka went to cancel her quirk and grab the device so that they could all see how it had turned out.
When it had gone around to each of them, with Izuku receiving it last, he said, "I think this is gonna be a really great 'before' and 'after', you guys."
"And here's to everything in between," Kurai said as he bumped fists with the other boy. Just then, the buzzer sounded that indicated that it was time for him to head out. "That's my cue," he said as he stepped away from the small group. "I'll see you guys after the match."
"Good luck," Mina said before she pecked his cheek, leaving him a little red-faced and smiling as he left.
"ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTS, YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE!" Present Mic declared as Kurai and Todoroki took to the stage. "BOTH FROM THE HERO COURSE, WE'VE GOT SHOTO TODOROKI AND KURAI HIKARI! BOTH OF THEM SCORED NUMBER ONE IN THEIR ENTRANCE EXAMS, BUT ONLY ONE CAN BE NUMBER ONE HERE TODAY! ERASER, ANY THOUGHTS?"
At least he kept it short this time, Kurai thought as he stepped up onto the concrete field at the same time as his opponent, who wore a blank look on his face again.
In response to Present Mic's inquiry, Aizawa said, "Both of them have the potential to be incredibly talented heroes, but their skill level and lack of finesse puts them both at high risk whenever they overuse their quirks."
Kurai made a face as he and Todoroki reached their designated spots, saying, "Would it kill him for once to just say, 'They have potential', and leave it at that?"
"He's not wrong," Todoroki answered, surprising Kurai- he had honestly expected to be met with the silent treatment again. "We have a lot to learn."
"BEGIN!"
Present Mic's declaration interrupted what Kurai had been about to say, and Todoroki wasn't going to give him a chance to finish, either. With a blast of subzero temperature, the heterochromic boy sent forth a wave of ice that instantly buried Kurai in its depths.
"WHOA!" Present Mic exclaimed. "TODOROKI STARTS THINGS OFF WITH A BANG, JUST LIKE HE DID AGAINST EVERY OTHER STUDENT SO FAR! IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A WINNER DOWN THERE?!"
"Unlikely," Aizawa said dryly. "The attacks are powerful, but predictable. Hikari's a smart kid, so I doubt he would have gone into this fight without some kind of a strategy in mind."
There was a rumbling sound that began to emanate from the ice, along with a yellow glow that began to shine from within the mini-mountain.
"Man, Todoroki done goofed," Mina said with a nasty grin as they watched the light and sound build in its intensity.
Midoriya was already writing rapidly in his notebook, muttering his thoughts aloud. "If Todoroki had been able to definitively bury Hikari, it wouldn't have been a bad move, but it's likely that he used Energon to counter the ice enough to create a space for him to hide out in and charge up one of his stronger attacks. On the other hand, Todoroki is pretty mobile when he uses his ice to surf around, so Hikari will have to be careful with how he uses his attacks, or else he risks overusing his power…"
"Are we sure Midoriya doesn't have two quirks like Todoroki?" Mina asked in an aside to Uraraka. "Cos I don't know how anyone can talk or write stuff down that fast without taking a sec to breathe."
However, the other girl wasn't looking at her friend, but at the stadium, pointing and saying, "I think Hikari's about ready to get started."
BOOM!
The ice exploded upward from about halfway up the frozen mountain, sending chunks and shards in all directions, forcing Todoroki to dodge some of them, but he managed to keep his eyes fixed on the source- Kurai, now standing just below the crater that he had made in the ice. He had a grim look on his face as he held a large ball of Energon by his side- a move that his classmate knew all too well. After all, he'd first seen it in action against Nomu, and again recently when Kurai had defeated Bakugo, so he knew exactly what it was capable of doing.
"Your ice won't hold up against this, but a concentrated form of plasma might," Kurai said pointedly as the orb grew a little brighter.
Todoroki's eyes narrowed at the implication that his classmate was making. He knew very well that his flames would be better suited for fast-paced dueling at long range, but there was no need for Kurai to remind him of that. Why are he and Midoriya so vested in helping others, even when they haven't been asked? He wondered, resentment and frustration warring with his desire to be free of his hatred, even if only for a few seconds again.
His mind flashed back to his fight with his green-haired classmate, and the words that had lit a fire in him; "It's yours! Your quirk, not his!"
This power is mine, he thought, though his body refused to acknowledge. But it came from him and his ambitions, not my will…
"Todoroki!"
The boy looked up, startled to realize that Kurai hadn't blasted him yet, even though he'd had plenty of an opportunity to do so. "Neither of us have given our best to be here, have we? Not really fair to our classmates, when you think about it."
"So what?" Todoroki shot back.
"Maybe we can extend each other a little courtesy and stop holding back!" Kurai shouted right before he launched his Kamehameha straight at his opponent, who swiftly made an ice ramp in order to surf away from the attack.
He misjudged the reach of the resulting explosion, however, and it wound up throwing him off his ice, and nearly out of bounds. However, he managed to stop himself with a cluster of ice crystals that he put between himself and the edge of the arena. He whirled around to glare at Kurai, who was bounding down the ice that had been meant to keep him prisoner, cracks forming every time that his feet struck the freezing surface until he came to a stop on the concrete, both of his hands holding sparks of Energon in them.
"What do you say?" he asked as his palms turned to face Todoroki, who could feel frost beginning to coat the right half of his body. "I don't want to have to flatten you without giving you a fighting chance."
"You're overconfident," Todoroki grunted as he got to his feet properly. "If I used my flames, you'd be overwhelmed. You can't use your full power without risking a fatal seizure, right?"
"Wrong," Kurai replied, the sparks of energy in his hands dying as he closed his eyes. The ground around him began to rumble, cracks forming in the stone beneath his feet while an orange aura began to build up around him.
"HEY, WHAT'S HIKARI DOING?!" Present Mic demanded, only seeing that the match had come to an unexplained standstill.
Todoroki tried to take advantage of his opponent's lowered guard, but before he could, he was nearly knocked down by a burst of air that raced away from Kurai as his body transformed, his dark hair and eyes becoming a fiery orange and deep blue, respectively. The ascended student looked down at his opponent and said, "It's like we were discussing- Midoriya's a big help."
"He… helped you gain control of this?" Todoroki asked as he forced himself to stand up tall in spite of the racing wind and stray energy sparks.
"And I'll bet that he helped you with your fire," Kurai answered with a sharp nod. "This isn't about just our own pride on the line, Todoroki. We owe it to the people that have helped us advance this far to give it our all."
The other boy still looked indecisive, but both of their attention was caught by a familiar voice shouting, "What are you waiting for, Shoto?! Use your fire!" They both glared up at Endeavor, who was looking most displeased by the way that the match was going.
"Butt out!" Kurai roared back, his temper rivalling the fire of his aura. "If you're not in the ring, then we don't need your opinion!" Endeavor swelled ominously, but neither of the boys made a move to resume the match.
"WHOA!" Present Mic shouted with a nervous laugh. "UH, HOW'S ABOUT WE ALL GET BACK TO FIGHTING AND KEEP THE CHIT-CHAT TO A MINIMUM, YA DIG?"
"I can't give him the satisfaction," Todoroki told Kurai, ignoring the people around them calling for the fight to resume. "He wants me to be like him, and if I use the power that his blood gave me…"
"Our blood doesn't define who we are!" Kurai insisted. "We get to choose what we do with our gifts, no one else!" He saw something in Todoroki's eyes, then. Something like recognition, he thought. "Now come on! Let's see which one of us can set the standard for our generation!"
It took a moment, but then he finally saw what Izuku had tried so hard to awaken in the previous round. It started as a spark in his eye, but then the frost on Todoroki's body evaporated, followed by a blazing fire that covered the left side of his face, melting the ice around them as Kurai felt a smile stretch his face.
"Now that's more like it," he said, his power surging through him while even the melted water began to evaporate in the wake of the fire.
"I never took you as one to enjoy a fight, Hikari," Todoroki commented as he took a wide stance.
"Normally no, but when I have this much power running through me?" he grinned fiercely as light began to gather in his right hand. "I think even the most pacifist of souls would be tempted to go just a little wild." The energy began to whirl like a vortex, and Todoroki recognized the beginnings of the attack that had taken Iida out of the fight.
"You wanted my fire?" he asked as he aimed his left palm at Kurai. "Here you go!" Flames blasted out of his hand, scorching the air ferociously as they headed straight for his classmate.
Kurai flooded his limbs with Energon and launched himself out of the way of the powerful attack, knitting his brows together as he concentrated on getting his energy built up to the momentum that he needed for the Rasengan, as well as maintaining his transformation without utilizing raw, unrestrained emotions as the fuel.
He felt the air chill rapidly as Todoroki sent another ice barrage at him, the ice spikes reaching up high in an attempt to trap him in midair. Using his left hand, he blasted the fingers of cold while continuing to build up his finishing move, though the effort was starting to give him a headache.
Landing on a clear patch of concrete, Kurai unleashed a trio of Energon bursts at Todoroki in an attempt to buy himself some time, but the boy's fire effectively canceled them out, even causing them to detonate prematurely in the space between them. Ducking the roaring flames, Kurai rolled to the side a few times before he realized that he was not going to be able to use his Rasengan to smash Todoroki out of bounds like he had with Iida.
Still, he had a half-finished one in hand, and it would be a shame to waste it, he thought. Settling into a half-crouch, he slammed the whirling orb into the ground, breaking it apart and knocking several fragments up into the air. Springing upward, he lashed out with a series of bewilderingly fast punches and kicks, sending each piece of rubble big enough to use as ammunition straight at Todoroki, who was now forced to dodge on another ice wave.
Willing more Energon into his legs, Kurai dashed to the side in order to intercept Todoroki's current path, smashing into the boy himself and sending them both crashing through the ice, delivering cuts and bruises to the both of them as the barrier shattered. They ended up rolling on the ground, nearly falling out of bounds again as they began to wrestle to and fro. Todoroki tried to burn Kurai, but the other boy increased the energy output on his right arm so much so that his opponent couldn't actually touch his skin.
The orange-haired boy managed to get the upper hand when he elbowed Todoroki in the temple, stunning him and giving him the space he needed to get away and concentrate on reinforcing his body with more Energon instead of just expelling it outwards. As his classmate got to his feet unsteadily, he leaped further away, clearing half the arena in the time it takes to blink, energy whirling in his hand again.
This time, Kurai thought, his head aching abominably at this point. His only consolation in the pain of using his advanced powers was that he did not feel pressure building up in his nose that would indicate a bleed from an aneurism.
"That trick again?" Todoroki called out from across the way as he raised his left hand. "It didn't work last time, so why would it now?"
"Well, if I told you, that'd take the fun out of it!" Kurai laughed right before he launched himself straight at Todoroki, startling him just enough to make him hesitate for a crucial second. As he flew through the space separating them- mere inches above the concrete flooring- the orange orb in his hand suddenly accelerated in its growth and rotation speed, reaching the proper attack size just in time for Kurai to be right in front of his opponent, a fierce grin on his face.
"I thought-"
"Wrong." Kurai interrupted Todoroki right before he slammed the orb into his classmate's stomach, through a barrier of ice that the other boy tried to put up as a last-ditch defense. "Rasengan!" His smile widened, certain of his victory while the orange sparks exploded everywhere, sending Todoroki flying up into the air.
He was nearly out of bounds when, with a massive effort, he unleashed a blast of fire at the sky, one so hot and powerful that it sent him flying back toward a very surprised-looking Kurai. "What?!" he yelped just before he was forced to dodge, Todoroki sliding to a smooth stop on a ramp made of ice, the flames on his left side having died down.
"You almost had me, Hikari," his opponent admitted breathlessly. "But you're still not hitting as hard as when you fought Nomu… I thought that we weren't gonna hold back here."
"I'm trying something new," Kurai admitted, keeping his guard up for the slightest hint of ice or flame. "My powers aren't as strong as they were, but I think you can agree that I still pack quite a punch."
"You do," Todoroki nodded as he stood up straight, abandoning his combat stance. "But I don't think that the power matters, in the end. We've both given our best here, right?"
"Yeah," Kurai said with a slight frown, unsure of what his classmate was up to.
"Then I can be satisfied with that," the dual-quirked boy said with a peaceful look on his face. "You and Midoriya have given me a lot to think about today, Hikari. But the one thing that remains clear to me, is that I will not be his pawn, no matter what it costs me."
Kurai's gaze flicked over to Endeavor, who, like most of the crowd, appeared puzzled by the latest standstill in what had been a very start-stop fight. His eyes returned to Todoroki, who still hadn't moved an inch. "What's he got to do with this?" Kurai demanded, still not understanding.
"For once, I'm going to make sure that he has nothing to do with it," the other boy answered as he turned on his heel and promptly walked out of bounds, stunning Kurai, and everyone else in the stadium. He looked over his shoulder long enough to say, "I know that out of everyone here today, you've fought the hardest to be standing where you are, Hikari. The win is yours." With that, he headed toward the exit tunnel, ignoring the protesting cries of the crowd, and the furious look that Endeavor was giving him.
"Er, Todoroki stepped out of bounds!" Midnight said amidst a combination of confused shouts from the stadium. "Hikari is the winner of this match, and the First Year Tournament! Congratulations!"
Kurai could hardy register the words of the professor, such as they were. His mind was too busy racing as he released his newfound power amid his heavy breaths. Did I really earn that? He thought, feeling dazed as he sat down, lightheadedness washing over him. Or does it just mean that his hatred for Endeavor means more to him than being number one?
Either way, he was the winner of the U.A. Sports Festival for his year.
After having his bruises and scrapes bandaged, Kurai was taken to a section underneath the stadium by Cementoss, where he found himself standing among the other finalists of the tournament, Todoroki, Midoriya, and- a barely restrained Bakugo. Kurai actually froze in place for a second when he saw the kid, tied up with multiple ropes to a cement pillar, with irons over his hands, and raging impotently through a muffler that had been placed over his face. His ferocious struggle redoubled as soon as he saw his victorious opponent come into the room.
"Uh… What?" he asked of no one in particular. Midoriya was standing next to the blond student on a podium marked with the number '3', and he looked rather uncertain as to whether the chains and ropes would actually hold the crazed student.
"He has been trying to escape in order to fight you again, it seems," Cementoss said as he directed Kurai to stand on a higher podium marked '1'. Todoroki was on his right, opposite of Midoriya and Bakugo, in the second-place spot.
The heterochromic boy kept his face blank, but Kurai noticed that the hard light had left his eyes to be replaced by a more thoughtful look. I'll see if I can't make sense of what really happened later, he decided, turning to look down at Midoriya with a grin, which his friend returned.
"Congrats," he told him.
"You too," Izuku laughed as they exchanged a fist bump. "Mina was really excited for you, by the way."
"Here's to hoping that I survive the bone-crushing hugs, then," Kurai laughed, doing his best to ignore Bakugo's furious screams. "How about you? Is Ur-" He stopped, some unknown instinct telling him to shut up now, shut his mouth and not even finish thinking what he had been about to utter.
"What's up?" Midoriya asked, also appearing as though he were trying to focus on anything but Bakugo.
"Sorry, I meant to ask, did your Mom call you?" he stammered as he scratched behind his head. "I'm sure she's proud of how far you got."
"Yeah, she actually called me while Recovery Girl was healing my hand," Midoriya answered. "She was worried, of course, but she did say that she was proud of me."
"Sounds about right for a good mom," Kurai laughed lightly while Cementoss went to kneel beside the platform that they were all on. "I haven't actually even had a chance to talk to my family, and they're here in the stadium."
"All right now, get ready to go up," Cementoss told them. "All Might will be giving you the medals in front of all of your classmates, so do your best to be ready for the cameras."
"How is anybody supposed to be camera-ready when we've got him set up like that?" Kurai asked dryly while he jerked a thumb at a still-struggling Bakugo.
"I said to do your best," Cementoss said with an apologetic look. "Sorry, but the principal insisted that he be a part of the ceremony. He earned his place up there, just like you earned yours' at the top."
"Fair enough," Kurai shrugged as the ceiling above them began to recede, admitting sunlight and the sound of a cheering crowd once more. As soon as the roof had been retracted wide enough, Cementoss sent them up with a moment's thought.
The entirety of the first year was assembled before them in the stadium, with Midnight standing between the two groups. Cameras innumerable were flashing and recording this moment- which boded poorly for Bakugo's future career, Kurai thought with a small smirk.
Then he shook himself internally, thinking, Since when did I get so mean?
He saw his friends in the crowd, all of them wearing big smiles as they looked up at their classmates. He saw Mina throw him a kiss, so he decided to respond with a wink and a grin of his own, which set her to smiling even wider.
"Here they are, the winners of this year's sports festival!" Midnight announced, interrupting the silent exchange. "Well done, all of you!" Turning to look up at the edge of the stadium, she added, "But of course, there's only one man worthy of distributing the medals- you all know who it is!"
"HA! Hahahaha!" All Might's laughter boomed down from the lip of the coliseum as his silhouette emerged from the same spot. "Citizens!" he called down, just before he leaped off of the mile-high roof to crash down next to Midnight. "I am here to hand out the medals!"
Unfortunately, it seemed that he and the R-rated heroine had failed to coordinate beforehand, because at the same time he was talking, she accidentally overrode him, saying, "It's the number one…! Hero…"
All Might gave her a frustrated look, prompting her to make an apologetic gesture and say, "Sorry, kinda ruined that, didn't I?" She quickly recovered, though, and went to retrieve a small board that had four white-and-red straps hanging over the sides, saying, "Since you're here, All Might, why don't you start the presentation?"
The massive man laughed it off and took a bronze medal from the woman before walking up a short set of steps to stand in front of Midoriya and Bakugo. Turning to the green-haired boy first, he said, "Young Midoriya, congratulations. You worked hard to make it here, and it shows. Even if you didn't win, you can go home knowing that you did your best, even if there still is room for you to grow." With that, he placed the medal over his student's neck, before wrapping him in a warm embrace. Midoriya looked as though he might faint from sheer happiness at the words of praise from his idol. "Very well done, young man."
"Thanks, All Might," Izuku managed to squeak out. "That means a lot to me, coming from you."
The number one pro laughed heartily as he stepped back and patted the young man on the shoulder with a surprising gentleness that Kurai wouldn't have thought possible with such a massive frame.
Briefly turning around to grab the other bronze medal, All Might paused when he stood in front of Bakugo, chained up like a feral animal and breathing heavily, apparently having at long last run out of the energy necessary for such violent struggles. "This, er… seems like a bit much, doesn't it?" he asked of no one in particular as he quickly undid the muffler on his student's face. "There we are."
Kurai braced himself for a round of loud verbal abuse, but all Bakugo did was growl viciously at his teacher before snarling, "All Might…"
"Hmm?"
"You can keep that piece of garbage!" he roared, startling the large man and causing his classmates to wince and edge away from him slightly. "There's no way I'm sharing the same placing as a weakling like Deku!" Midoriya flinched and visibly deflated as he clutched at the piece of metal hanging from his neck.
"Come on, now," All Might said in a placating tone. "This is a learning experience, Young Bakugo! You earned this spot by your own sweat and blood, never mind the efforts of your classmates. If you are unhappy with the place you earned, then let this medal serve as a reminder that you can always do better!" He tried to put the strap over the boy's neck, but Bakugo continued to protest, until All Might was forced to jam the fabric between his teeth, effectively forcing him to be quiet again, much to the collective relief of his classmates.
Putting on another big smile, All Might approached Todoroki with the silver medal in hand. "Young Todoroki, congratulations," he said quietly. "I know you must have had a reason for throwing the match, but as your teacher, I feel the need to remind you that you should never waste an opportunity, especially one right in front of you."
"I know, sir," the boy said as his instructor placed the ribbon around his neck. "But I honestly believe that Hikari would have won, in the end. And… there are some things I need to sort out before I can really begin forging my own path. I felt that I didn't have the right to stand up to someone so earnest in giving it his all, trying his best to become a hero like you." His blue and brown eyes rose to meet All Might's as he added, "I also want to be a hero like you, someday. So I promise that I'll remember everything I learned today, and use it to achieve that dream."
"That's good, then," All Might nodded before embracing Todoroki briefly. "I look forward to seeing your progress from now on, young man." Then he stepped back to receive the final medal from Midnight.
Striding up the last set of stairs after he had taken the gold piece, he stood before Kurai, who had remained silent throughout the entire proceedings thus far. "Young Hikari, congratulations," he said as his student bowed his head to receive his prize. "Though you have faced obstacles that many would have run away from, still you emerged triumphant. Ha! I suppose I can see why some expect you to replace me someday."
Kurai smiled and let a little laugh escape at that. "With all due respect, sir, I don't really think that there is anyone capable of replacing you," he said as he straightened himself, the gold medal hanging securely from his neck. "I'll just be happy to be another hero who does his part to keep the masses safe."
All Might's smile broadened as he replied, "While I believe that there is some truth to that, your actions speak of a greater ambition. Just remember that dreams and ambitions can change, Young Hikari, even if we don't realize that it's happening." He paused to let those words sink in before concluding, "Either way, you've done very well. The top spot of this year's Sports Festival is yours!"
Then it was Kurai's turn to be embraced, and again he was surprised at how someone so huge could be so gentle. Gives a new image for the old term 'gentle giant', he thought as All Might retreated down the steps to address the rest of the classes that had assembled.
"Remember, students!" he began. "Any one of you could have been up here on this podium! Think about what you've done today; about how you've challenged each other, learned, and taken steps toward your goals of being pros!" His smile somehow managing to widen yet again as he pointed to the sky, he added, "I think the next generation of heroes is proving to be our most promising one yet! So I only have one thing left to say- and you all know what it is! I want to hear everyone yell it with me!"
"PLUS ULTRA!" The crowd- and many of the students- shouted excitedly.
Unfortunately, it seemed that All Might had something else in mind, as evidenced by his simultaneous utterance of the words, "Thanks everyone, for all your hard… work…" He paused, unsure of how to proceed.
That is, until the crowd shouted at him, "That was the perfect chance to say 'Plus Ultra', All Might!"
Teachers around here really should be better at reading the room with the amount of press that they get, Kurai thought with a poorly contained smile while All Might tried to recover.
"I'm sorry, my bad!" he said awkwardly amid a cacophony of boos. "It's just that everyone did such a good job!"
That afternoon, they met in their homeroom for a brief address by Aizawa, who actually handed out some- however brief- praise that lacked a double meaning of any sort. He did also alert them to the possibility that they could be contacted by pro heroes that would have been scouting the festival for potential interns. He ended the matter by telling them to take it easy for the next two days- four, if one counted the weekend- but to be ready for more training as soon as they returned.
Kurai had only managed to get in a few minutes' time to meet up with his family in private before his father had to go back to work, but he made it clear that he was quite proud of his son's victory. His mother was glad of his safety, and of course, Akarui had to make fun of the fact that he won on a technicality. Still, it was clear that he was happy for his brother, so Kurai had let it slide. In any case, they didn't have time to get into an argument, with him needing to head back to the school with the rest of his class in order to meet up with their teacher.
When the class was dismissed, Mina set about gathering the majority of their number to plan a beach party, since the weather was scheduled to be warm for the next few days. Naturally, Iida wouldn't be joining them since he was out in Hosu in order to be with his family, and Bakugo was already gone, his mood even more foul than usual.
Kurai had already called his friend and offered to join him at the hospital, but apparently Tensei was only allowed to receive visits from family for the time being, and even those were going to be limited until he was in stable condition. The bespectacled student had thanked his friend for the offer, but their family just wanted to be left to each other's' company for the time being. Kurai didn't even bother telling Tenya that he had won the festival- he knew it wouldn't matter much to his friend at that time, especially given that they had been pitted against each other, and Iida had lost right before finding out about his brother.
I hope he'll be okay, Kurai thought grimly as he watched everyone else planning for the victory celebration.
He noticed Todoroki making for the door, so he caught up to him before he could exit the room, and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. When his former opponent had turned around with a question in his eyes, Kurai asked, "Would you be interested in the beach party we're planning? I think we're gonna end up making a full day out of it on Friday." Even as the words left his mouth, he mentally braced for the inevitable 'no' that the quiet boy would no doubt give him.
"Maybe I'll drop by for a few minutes."
Kurai blinked a few times, not sure that he had heard correctly. "Really?" he asked, just to make sure.
"Yeah," Todoroki shrugged. "There's something that I need to do first, but if I have the time, I'll come around. Dagobah Municipal Beach, right?"
"That's the one," Kurai nodded. "Hope to see you there."
Todoroki nodded as he turned back around and headed out the door. "Later, Hikari."
"Later."
The other person he made sure that he invited before they could leave was Yaoyorozu. He approached the long-haired girl in the hallway, having just confirmed alongside Mina that Shoji and Ojiro were planning to attend.
"Mind checking when Uraraka and Midoriya are coming?" he had asked his girlfriend. "I'm gonna see if Yaoyorozu wants to come, since Jiro already said she was down."
"Sure thing," Mina said with a cheery grin as she went to approach the mentioned pair, who were going over some of Izuku's notes.
As soon as she had gone, he made his way over to his training partner, who was speaking to Jiro and Hagakure with a smile, which he hoped meant that she would be willing to talk, especially if her friends were present. "Hi," he said with a nervous grin as he approached.
"Yo," Jiro said with a grin as he stood in front of them, while Hagakure waved in response- at least, he thought she was waving at him. His spirits sank a bit as Yaoyorozu's face went a little stiff, but he resolved to speak to her, anyway.
"Does your girl know you're over here, chatting up three ladies?" Jiro teased Kurai, causing him to redden instantly, and drawing a laugh out of Hagakure, furthering his embarrassment.
"Yeah, she does," he said, just managing not to trip over the monosyllabic words. "I was just, uh…" He paused, his mind suddenly blank. "Aw, crap."
Jiro and their invisible friend burst into laughter while Yaoyorozu asked in a neutral tone, "Did you need something, Hikari?"
"Er, yeah," he stammered, remembering what it was that he had intended to speak. "Mina and I were both wondering if you'd be interested in my party. Well, I mean, it's not really my party, it's celebrating Midoriya and Todoroki, too. Actually, Todoroki is probably only gonna stop by for a little bit, but he made second place, so I figured that he should be a part of it, and Kirishima is gonna try to invite Bakugo, but Mina thinks that it's gonna blow up in his face. Er, no pun intended." He paused, slightly out of breath, but also realizing that he was beginning to ramble.
"Dude, you and Midoriya need to learn how to stop and breathe between sentences," Jiro snickered.
"Actually, I think I'll be busy studying for the next few days," Yaoyorozu replied stiffly. "Thank you for the invitation, but I'm going to have to decline." With that, she turned to walk away, but now Kurai knew that she was at least irritated with him, and he didn't want to leave things like that.
"Wait," he said as he got in front of her, a slight frown creasing his brow. "Yaoyorozu, have I done something to make you angry with me?"
"No," she replied, just a little too quickly for him to believe her. "Please, excuse me."
"Just- hold on," he insisted, stopping her in place as she started to go around him. "I'm just trying to understand why you don't seem interested in speaking to me. I thought we worked well together in training, and you're the first person at this school that I told about my father, other than Iida. If I've upset you somehow, I'd really like to know what I did, and how I can make up for it."
"I told you, I'm not angry with you," she insisted, a little bit of color working its way into each of her cheeks as she denied his inquiry again. "Now please, get out of the way." This time, he stepped aside to let her pass, a puzzled look fixed on his face.
"Uh… what?" he asked Jiro, who shrugged.
"Don't look at me," she told him. "I can try to talk to her later, but I really have no idea what you did to make her mad."
"Yeah, me neither," he said, feeling supremely stupid as he wracked his brains, trying to figure out what he could have possibly done to anger the class deputy. Was it because I didn't vote for her as class rep? he wondered.
"Hey, stop thinking so hard!" Hagakure told him. "I can see smoke coming out of your ears, dude!"
"Yeah, chill out," Jiro chided him. "We'll all be there on Friday morning, kay? It'll be fun."
"Er, yeah, right," he stammered, scratching his head as he did his best to relax. "I'll see you both there."
That night, he had dinner with his father, mother, brother, and Mina, who had been invited to celebrate his victory with them. The mood was a little dampened by the Iida family not being able to join them, but they still had a good time.
He was glad that his girlfriend was getting along well with his family- though he wished that Akarui wasn't so free with the embarrassing childhood stories. The fact that his parents insisted that it was the price he paid for bringing home a pretty girl did not help matters. Even so, he figured it meant that they were okay with him having a girlfriend at this point, and that was a good way to end what had been a long day, one that seemed as though it had begun months ago.
So it was that when he fell into a deep sleep, he was smiling, glad of all that he had accomplished, and eager for the opportunities that the future would bring him.
Kurai: So Yaoyorozu is pissed at me! Why?
Mataras: Okay, first of all, good job on winning the tournament. Second, you'll find out why relatively soon.
Kurai: How soon is that?! And don't give me a generalization, I want an actual date for this!
Mataras: ...January 20th, 2021. Or the 16th, if you listen to the audio version.
Deku: That's two months from now!
Mataras: I said 'relatively'! Also, congratulations on placing in the tournament this time around.
Deku: Oh, thanks! It felt really good to be able to distinguish myself- even if I had to stand next to Kacchan while I did it.
Kurai: Don't change the subject, pal! You better have something to give us while you're making me wait on the whole Yaoyorozu thing!
Mataras: Okay, chill out, mate. You won the tournament, isn't that good enough?
Kurai: I won on a technicality.
Mataras: Fine... How about hero identities?
Kurai: ...I'm listening.
Mataras: Next chapter, we find out Kurai's hero name! don't miss it!
Kurai: You cheap bastard!
Deku: Next time- I Am
Kurai: I am pissed!
Mataras: That'd make for an interesting hero name.
Kurai: Rrgh!
Deku: Go Beyond!
Mataras: Plus Ultra!
Next time on Your Hero Academia...
His friend looked like he was going to reply, but then they both heard a familiar voice coming up behind them. "Midoriya, Hikari!" The two of them turned around to see Iida running at full tilt toward them in a poncho. "Why are you walking so slow?! You'll be late!" Without even slowing down, he shot past them, leaving small splashes in his wake.
"The bell isn't for another five minutes!" Izuku protested while Kurai remained silent.
"U.A. students should always be ten minutes early!" Iida called back over his shoulder. "Hurry up!"
"Well, at least it seems like he's doing okay, right?" Midoriya said to Kurai, who was still being quiet. "Hikari?"
The other boy looked at his friend gravely and said, "He's not okay, Midoriya."