AN: Hamers - Welcome to the community! I'm glad you are enjoying my little AU.

As Izuku was walking down the hallway towards the locker room, he saw Endeavor walking in the opposite direction. Izuku remembered what Shoto told him earlier, and tried to clamp down on his emotions. Now was not the time.

Endeavor, however, decided to talk to him. "You there, you are my son's opponent next round?"

"Y-yes sir." Izuku stopped and looked up at him.

"I have heard about you - the young man with an enhancement quirk."

"Yes, that's me."

For some reason, Endeavor smiled. "Good. You will be a good test for my Shoto. With his quirk, he will someday surpass All Might."

The anger Izuku was trying to keep in check escaped, his face twisting into one of defiance. "I am not All Might."

"Hmph. That much is obvious. But nevertheless, your quirk lets you have super strength, which is the important part. It is a good match for my Shoto. We will know-"

"I am not done!" Izuku suddenly cut Endeavor off. "I am not All Might. I hope to be like him one day, but I will not be him. But you know what else? Todoroki - Shoto. He isn't you. He is his own person. That much should be obvious, but apparently it's not."

"Now listen here!"

"No, you listen! I don't care about whatever issues you have with All Might! But Todoroki and I - we aren't part of that! I am not letting myself get dragged into whatever feud you are fighting! I'm here to learn how to be a hero! And you know what else? I am going to surpass you. Not because I'm stronger than you. No, I'm going to surpass you because while you conduct this stupid feud, I'm going to go out there and help people."

Izuku felt his nerves giving out, so he quickly turned around and walked away.

Less than a minute with Endeavor, and Izuku had to rethink his entire plan for the next match. He knew he shouldn't do it, that he should focus on winning. But something about Endeavor's tone set him off. It made him realize that underneath it all, Shoto didn't need a rival.

Shoto needed someone to reach out and help him.

A few minutes later, Izuku was called out to the field for his match. As he walked to the starting position, he felt Shoto's stare boring into him. Once he was at his designated spot, he turned and matched his stare.

"If you refuse to use your fire, you are going to lose."

Shoto's lip turned downward. "I can't wait to see you try."

They both got into a fighting stance, and moments later Midnight's voice rang out.

"Begin!"

Immediately, Shoto opened the match by firing a stream of ice straight towards Izuku, hoping to freeze him in place and claim a quick victory. Izuku countered by balling his fists together and swinging, using a 6% smash to generate air pressure. He felt the approaching ice explode into a shower of fragments and mist, its advance halted by his attack.

Looking across the ice-strewn field at his opponent's shock, Izuku couldn't help but smile. His assumptions were correct. He was going to be sore afterwards, but he could outlast Shoto. As long as his opponent was insistent on holding himself back, there was no way he could win. He would freeze himself long before Izuku would run out of strength. Now that he had established that fact, he felt much more confident in confronting Shoto.

Taking a deep breath, Izuku began clearing his mind.

Shoto stood in stunned silence for a moment. Izuku had actually managed to stop his attack. Maybe he should have gone all out like he did in the first round. But he had underestimated him, and Izuku had already shown that to be a mistake. Other than Endeavor's fire or Katsuki's explosions melting the ice, he has never faced someone else who was able to stop his ice completely.

Izuku was confidently walking towards him, and he launched another wave of ice, only to see Izuku use another two-handed smash, stopping it a second time. But a moment later, when the air cleared, Izuku wasn't there.

"I told you!" He didn't have time to react as Izuku appeared right next to him, punching him right in the chest. Shoto felt himself double over, as Izuku grabbed his right arm to throw him.

Shoto was able to encase Izuku's arm in ice, distracting him enough that he was able to slip free. Needing space, he created ice under his feet and slid away, giving himself some distance as the ice on Izuku's arm shattered, a green light dancing between the falling fragments of ice. Izuku locked eyes with Shoto and began running towards him.

"You don't get it, do you? You are better than this!"

Shoto saw the energy dancing along Izuku's arm and barely had time to throw up a wall of ice between the two of them.

The wall caught his attack and exploded in a shower of ice. But Izuku was nowhere to be found.

"You're acting just like your father." Once again Izuku appeared out of nowhere, his words enough of a warning for Shoto that he could block the punch.

Shoto didn't have time to think about why Izuku wasn't using his smash attacks against him.

"You don't know what it's like!" Shoto spat back. "Everything he put me through!"

"In that case, prove you are better than him!"

Shoto was forced backwards as he blocked the incoming attacks, Izuku had made the mistake of trying to grab his right side last time, and now was using his greater agility to stay on Shoto's left side. It was preventing him from going on the offensive.

"That's what I'm doing! That's why I refuse to use my fire!"

"You said it yourself, your quirk is unique. That means nobody else has it, only you. So why are you letting him hold you back?"

Shoto surrounded himself in a circle of ice, stopping Izuku's next punch. Knowing that it won't last, he followed up by summoning a column of ice under his feet, propelling him upwards, before forming a slide which he used to cross the arena. Landing, he looked down at his arm, and saw the frost beginning to coat it.

Izuku's warning at the start of the match was proving true. He needed to end this - and fast, before he was unable to use his ice anymore. It was a strange feeling, being pushed to his limits like this.

Normally it only happened during one of his 'intensive training' sessions with his father. But facing Izuku it felt different, somehow.

Looking back, he realized his mistake immediately. He was so distracted by Izuku's words, that he had taken his eyes off of his opponent, and lost track of him again. He quickly created a wall of ice behind him, and jumped forward as he heard it explode, spinning around in midair to land facing his opponent.

"Isn't it hypocritical, insulting me for not using my full strength, when you aren't using your full strength either?" Shoto launched a much larger wave of ice at his opponent. It was a risk, but he was running out of options.

Izuku clenched his teeth as he saw the glacier speeding towards him. Silently apologizing to all of the people who will be upset with him later, he put full power into two of his fingers, flicking them at the upcoming ice wall. The strength of the air pressure he was able to create was not only strong enough to completely stop the incoming wave of ice, but it also blew most of the built up ice out of the arena.

Shoto was staggering backwards by the strength of the counterattack, and only thanks to the quick creation of an ice wall was he able to stay in the arena. When he recovered his footing he saw Izuku walking towards him - and he was stunned by how angry he looked.

Izuku held up his left hand, displaying the two shattered fingers, swollen purple and hanging at odd angles, for Shoto to see. "I don't use my full power because I can't without breaking myself! You don't have this problem! And if you keep this up, you're going to lose!"

Shoto looked down at his hand, and finally admitted to himself that Izuku was right. He was beginning to slow down, overuse of his ice taking a toll on him without using Endeavor's fire to balance his internal body temperature. He saw green light wrapping around Izuku's arm, and threw up another wall of ice in front of him, temporarily stopping Izuku's attack.

He knew it wasn't going to hold, but it gave him precious seconds to think.

He is strong, but there is more to him than just raw power. If that was the case I could have chosen Bakugo or Yaoyorozu as my rival just as easily. No, he is also incredibly intelligent, able to not only grasp a situation quickly, but also to look at the options available to him and find the best solution. Not only that, but he backs his strength with compassion in a way that I have never seen outside of All Might.

He looks down at his left hand. And if I don't use my fire, I am going to lose. Worse, I am going to lose against someone who is only using a fraction of his power. He is right - he has a reason to hold himself back, and yet, he is still willing to do whatever it takes when necessary.

So why am I holding myself back?

Izuku's words echoed in his mind. My quirk is unique. My father may have contributed to half of it, but by pairing it with ice, it is no longer his. Everyone else is giving their best effort.

Shoto swore he heard his next thought in Izuku's voice. So why are you not giving it your all?

His thoughts were broken by Izuku punching him in the face, sending him flying across the arena. He somehow managed to throw up an ice wall to keep himself inside the arena, and he scrambled to a standing position. Already Izuku was running towards him, his arm glowing green, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

Taking a deep breath, Todoroki decided to take Izuku's words to heart, and activated his fire.

Izuku found himself thrown backwards by the explosive expansion of air, and when he landed he saw Todorki, his left side covered in flame, as he was rebalancing his body's internal temperature.

"Just so you know, you only have yourself to blame for what happens next."

Izuku gave him a fierce grin as he got onto his knees. "I wouldn't expect any less!" Taking a risk, he charged his legs to 8% strength and leapt at Todoroki, who launched an attack of ice and flame dancing between each other at him. As he was flying across the arena Izuku began to wrap himself in One For All's energy.

The crowd gasped as the arena exploded. Ice was flying in every direction. Present Mic was screaming something incomprehensible as the crowd waited for the dust to clear.

When everyone could see again, they saw that Shoto was still standing in the arena - barely, the ice wall he was using was all but destroyed. Meanwhile, Izuku had been flung out of the arena, laying in the grass several meters away.

Midnight appeared hesitant to enter the arena and congratulate the winner, but Shoto didn't seem interested in the theatrics. Once he had realized what happened he walked over to where Izuku was laying on the ground and offered his hand.

"Next year, you'd better be able to fight me with your full strength. After that performance I expect nothing less from you."

Izuku smiled as he took his hand, unsteadily pulling himself up. "Y-yeah. I promise I won't stop until I can use my full power without hurting myself!"

"I am holding you to that." Izuku saw Shoto's lip turn ever so slightly upward.

Midnight finally approached the two, her microphone in hand. "My my, such a passionate display of sportsmanship! Two opponents, strengthening each other." She licked her lips seductively. "These are the most exciting stories!"

Once Izuku was standing, he tested his legs, and winced at the pain. One of his ankles was twisted and swollen from hitting the ground so forcefully. He really needed to get better about using his quirk defensively, he thought to himself as he waved off the medical robot, and began limping off the field.

Meanwhile, Midnight had dragged Shoto back to the arena and held up his arm. "And we have our winner, Shoto Todoroki!"

As Izuku limped into the hallway he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Deku! Are you ok?"

He turned and saw Ochako running towards him.

"H-hey. I've been better."

Ochako closed the gap between them and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He began to protest but she cut him off. "You're limping, now it's my turn to help you."

Izuku silently nodded and let her help him down to Recovery Girl's temporary infirmary, where she laid him down in a bed.

Recovery Girl just sighed as she inspected his hand and ankle. "Why did you go and have to do that to yourself?"

Izuku at least had enough shame to look embarrassed. "I-I was angry." He admitted, looking away from Recovery Girl. "He called me a hypocrite for not using my full strength against him."

"Well he's dumb!" Ochako said. "He knows why you don't!"

"I know." Izuku admits, looking at his hand as Recovery Girl kisses it, the purple fading and fingers beginning to straighten as bone knit itself back together.

Recovery Girl handed Izuku several of her special gummies as he felt the wave of exhaustion kick in, before she began the process of bandaging his fingers, making sure they would mend properly.

"Are you going to let the villains goad you like that? You know once you become a professional you can't just expect me to patch you up after every fight."

Izuku flinched at that. "You're right. I need to get better about it."

Recovery Girl let out a resigned sigh. "At least you acknowledge it. I'm sure there are people around you who don't like seeing you hurt yourself needlessly either."

Izuku looked over to see Ochako nodding in agreement at that, before looking back down to focus on his hand.

As Recovery Girl was finishing up, Himiko burst into the infirmary, glaring daggers at Izuku.

"H-Hi Himi."

"Idiot. Why did you do that?" Himiko crossed her arms.

"Do what?" Ochako asked, confused by the accusation.

"Umm, if I didn't goad Todoroki into using the fire part of his quirk I would have won." Izuku admitted.

There was no use hiding it, he was pretty sure Tomoe would have reported everything, if she wasn't just using her quirk on Himiko. He looked down, watching Recovery Girl remove his sock to wrap his ankle.

"As long as he held himself back, I could fight him to a stalemate. In that scenario, Todoroki was going to wear himself out first and I would have won. But once he used his fire, the only way I was going to win would have been with two broken arms, and probably a broken leg as well."

Ochako gasped. "Why?"

Izuku looked up and gave the two a shaky smile. "Because he needed help."

Himiko frowned and shook her head. "You are way too caring for your own good."

"I wanted to show the world the kind of hero I want to be." Izuku admitted.

"What are we going to do with you?" Himiko squeezed his shoulder. "At least you had the good sense to not break your arms this time."

Izuku smiled at his sister. "You would kill me if I did."

Everyone laughed at that, lightening the mood.

Once Recovery Girl had finished up, she dismissed Izuku and chased the three of them out of her infirmary. In the hallway Izuku hugged Himiko, before they split up and she returned to the Class 2 seats while he and Ochako returned to their own seats.

Looking around, they only saw Tsuyu sitting there. "Where's Tenya?"

"He received a phone call. After that he left in a hurry, kero."

"I hope he's ok." Ochako said as she sat down.

"Me too."

Luckily, there was enough damage to the arena that even with the visit to Recovery Girl, they made it back in time to watch the other semi-final match. Izuku fished his notebook out of his bag and propped it open on his legs. He knows Momo has been experimenting over the past few weeks, and is curious to see what she has come up with to counter Katsuki.

"You're really into this, aren't you?" Ochako asked from beside him.

His left hand was wrapped in bandages and she had to help him with the stairs due to his ankle, but he wasn't letting that slow him down. Even if she didn't like his eagerness to help others at his own expense, his drive was inspiring.

Izuku nodded. "In terms of raw combat power, Bakugo has the edge. But Yaoyorozu has spent the last two weeks analyzing everyone's quirks, so she has the knowledge advantage in the fight. I want to see what she came up with to counter him!"

Ochako felt a pang of jealousy, but pushed it down. Momo was both smart and good looking, but there was another member of the quirk analysis class she was more worried about. It hurt every time she thought about it, but she wasn't sure how she could even compare to Emily. She just had to hope the upperclassman wasn't interested in Izuku that way.

Everyone's attention was pulled towards the field when Mic announced the final two competitors of the semifinals, Momo and Katsuki. They both confidently strode onto the field and fell into their respective fighting stances, as they waited for Midnight.

"Begin!" Midnight called out.

Katsuki opened by launching himself across the field, attempting to stop Momo before she could use her quirk. Momo, anticipating this, removed the top half of her gym uniform, revealing a red tank top underneath and freeing her arms. She threw the uniform at her opponent and used the distraction to duck under Katsuki's initial attack as a large pair of gloves popped out of her shoulders and landed on the ground.

Scooping them up, she rolled away and shoved her arms in them. Even from a distance, Izuku immediately recognized what they were. A pair of gloves off of a blast suit, looking like the schematic he saw Momo studying last week. She wouldn't be able to create a full suit, but with her hands and forearms covered, it would give her some protection from Katsuki's explosions. Creating a staff out of her shoulder, Momo then went on the offensive.

Katsuki tried to stop her with an explosion, but Momo raised her arms, using the gloves as a shield to protect herself, before swinging the staff, catching Katsuki by surprise and knocking him off his feet. She tried to swing the staff down and hit him again, but he rolled out of the way before propelling himself backwards with his explosions, hopping to his feet before charging back in.

Katsuki switched up his attacks, using his explosions to maneuver around Momo and hit her from angles faster than she could react. Momo responded by trying to create padded shields to absorb the worst of the blows. She was able to stop some of his attacks this way, but too many were getting through. Katsuki realized that aiming for her arms was pointless, so aimed his attacks at his torso and legs, where she couldn't use her quirk due to the clothing.

Despite that, Momo was still putting up a good fight. She was learning Katsuki's moves and adjusting her own style to counter them, coming up with ways to block more of his attacks and even landing a few solid hits in return. She was also using the smoke Katsuki was creating to create small landmines, each one filled with an adhesive. She just had to maneuver him to land on one.

After watching for what felt like an eternity, Izuku's eyes went wide as he finally realized Momo's plan. "Oh no."

Ochako turned to look at him. "What's wrong?"

Izuku pointed to the mines scattered around the arena. "She's hoping to trap him with those. This is bad."

Ochako looked at the mines and saw them, her eyes going wide as she remembered her own fight. At the same time, they noticed that Katsuki had also worked it out, as he suddenly stopped attacking. Pointing his hand towards the ground, he fired off a massive explosion.

The resulting shockwave caused all of the landmines to detonate, covering a large portion of the arena in glue. It was also enough to knock Momo off balance, and Katsuki ended the fight by rushing forward and delivering a kick to her gut, sending her stumbling backwards, falling into a pool of adhesive.

Everyone saw Momo struggle for a moment before yielding, and Midnight stepped out to declare Katsuki the winner. Katsuki accepted the win, while Momo pulled her hands out of the gloves and created a bottle of solvent to free herself, before walking off the field in embarrassment.

Before the final match, Izuku saw that Katsuki was saying something to Shoto, but couldn't make out what was being said, especially not over the roars of the crowd.

When Midnight announced the beginning of the match, the fact that Shoto was back to using ice exclusively had Izuku worried. He had hoped that after their match, Shoto would be more open to using his fire, but that wasn't the case. Instead, he opened the match by firing a massive glacier, similar to the one he used to trap Hanta during the first round.

Nobody could see Katsuki, but a few seconds later, everyone heard the explosions coming from within the glacier. It didn't take long for one side of the glacier to be blown outward, an angry Katsuki emerging from within. He yelled at his competitor and then began his own attack.

Katsuki had discovered Shoto's weakness, just as Izuku did. Shoto was too focused on ranged attacks, that if someone was fast and able to get inside his defenses he was vulnerable. He had his ice to freeze an opponent, but as long as he didn't use fire attacks, an opponent who was fast enough to stay on his left side could minimize the threat he presented.

Despite Shoto handicapping himself, he was holding his own against Katsuki. He was adapting, keeping distance and forcing Katsuki to slam into his ice. The competitors traded brutal blows back and forth for the next several minutes, neither relenting. Somehow, Shoto was continuing to push on, despite the frost buildup on his right arm.

Izuku furrowed his brow as he watched. It didn't make sense for Shoto to hurt himself like this. As far as he could tell, Shoto still had not fully accepted himself. And just like his match with Izuku, he would lose against Katsuki if he didn't use both halves of his quirk. Shoto had to recognize this.

Maybe it was too much to hope for, Izuku thought. He knew all too well how long it took Himi to accept herself fully. But he still had hoped that the effect he had wouldn't have worn off before the final match!

Having lost his patience, Katsuki finally launched himself in the air, unleashing a new attack that Izuku hadn't seen before. For a brief moment, everyone saw Shoto ignite his fire, bringing his body back into equilibrium. The crowd watched in anticipation to see how he would try and counter Katsuki's attack.

Instead, Shoto looked up to the bleachers and locked eyes with Izuku, before extinguishing his fire. He had just decided to accept the loss, and seconds later he took the full force of Katsuki's attack, being thrown out of the arena.

Katsuki noticed what he did, since he started arguing with Midnight immediately after she declared him the winner, yelling and trying to wrestle her microphone away from her until she was forced to use her quirk to sedate him.

Izuku couldn't help but stare at Shoto, watching as he stood up and quietly walked off the field.

After the arena was cleaned up, Izuku was called to prepare for the awards ceremony. He stood up and left for the gathering area, leaving his bag with Ochako.

Under the arena, Izuku met his other classmates and was ushered onto the third place podium with Momo. They watched as a now-awake Katsuki was continuing to argue with the teachers, saying he refused to accept the victory. There was a brief argument, before Hound Dog had managed to wrestle quirk-suppressing cuffs on Katsuki, and then, with the help of Ectoplasm and Cementoss, chained him to the podium.

It was extremely awkward for everyone involved, if Izuku was being honest. He didn't know why they were making such a show of it, and made a note to ask Nezu why they went through the trouble later.

Finally, after everything was ready, the stage began to rise. Once they had stopped, All Might walked onto the stage to present the students with their awards. First he placed the bronze medal around Momo's neck, which she humbly accepted, and then he turned to Izuku.

"Young Midoriya, you have the great makings of a hero, and I wish to present you this bronze medal for the skill you have shown today."

Izuku felt himself tearing up as All Might placed the medal on his neck. "I'm sorry All Might. I wanted to win, but I just couldn't do it without giving up who I want to be."

He felt All Might's hand on his shoulder. "Don't cry, young Midoriya. You held onto your convictions, and showed everyone what is truly important to you. In a way, that itself is a form of victory."

All Might then moved over to Shoto, and Izuku watched as Shoto was also talking with All Might, but he couldn't hear what was being said over the cheers. Finally All Might walked to Katsuki, and looked at him awkwardly, between his struggles against his bindings and his shouts about not wanting the medal because his opponent didn't take him seriously. Despite Katsuki's efforts, All Might somehow managed to hang the gold medal around his neck anyways, and stepped away, letting the four students have their moment of glory.

When the three students arrived at the apartment that night, Ochako was more prepared for Inko ambushing them. Right on cue, once the door opened Izuku was pulled into a tear-filled hug.

"Oh Izu! I'm so proud of you!"

"T-thanks mom." Izuku returned the hug

"Although you still hurt yourself." She chided him. "Why do you keep doing that?"

Izuku laughed nervously as he pulled away. "I um, needed to prove a point? But it could have been worse! I could have broken both of my arms… and my legs."

"Don't worry mom, I would have killed him if he did that." Himiko said, earning a laugh from Inko.

Ochako at least was able to slip her shoes off before she was grabbed by Inko. "You were so brave facing off against Bakugo!"

Ochako returned the hug. "Thanks! He deserved it."

That earned a laugh from Izuku and Himiko.

"Next year Uraraka's going to have to beat him properly!" Himiko declared.

After Inko finished hugging the three, she ushered them all into the living room, where they settled onto the couch while she went to prepare the tea. Ochako had already been warned that, despite the fact that everyone saw the event live, they were not going to break the sacred tradition of the Midoriya household and the four of them were going to watch the sports festival together.

Once they got to the individual rounds, Ochako saw that Inko had wrapped Izuku in a hug during his match. To her surprise, when it was time for her match to begin, Inko and Himiko switched places, and Ochako found Inko wrapped around her during the entire fight, tears staining her shoulder.

While it stung to watch her failure a second time, the presence of the Midoriyas was helping. Although Ochako would never admit it out loud, Inko was closing the gap between her hugs and her own parents' hugs.

After they finished watching the sports festival, they celebrated with Katsudon for dinner. After dinner Inko also served mochi treats for dessert, much to Ochako's delight. It was a nice surprise to lift her spirits after how hard she took her defeat.

She was glad to have become Izuku's friend, and for his family to accept her so openly the way they have.

AN: Later that evening, Nezu receives an email from Izuku's school account, recommending Shoto for therapy and asking about the absolute farce that was the first place medal ceremony. After what he witnessed today, Nezu sighs heavily and is left trying to figure out how he is going to explain that the HPSC likes making a big show of winners to keep heroes competing against each other and thus, fragmented.

See you all next Sunday, when the second years get their chance to show off.

For a brief explanation of how I'm handling the sports festival - instead of a one day event, it is a three day event held in a single stadium.

So, In the interest of fairness, the first and third events are the same throughout the event. However, the course used by the first event changes daily - all three days will present different challenges, so you can't plan ahead. Similarly, the second event will also change daily, so people can't unofficially form teams and plan their strategies ahead of time. The third event, meanwhile, is going to be the same. The students won't know who their opponents will be, so there is limited utility in knowing what the single elimination round is.