Competition
Midoriya waited by Dagobah Municipal Beach for his classmate. He had an idea for training that could help both of them advance in their extra training, though the class itself was cancelled for Saturday. He was stretching by the stairs to the beach in wait, performing a toe touch.
"Yo."
He yelped and shot up to see Toph walking over, barefoot as always.
"Alright I'm here, what's this training idea already?"
"Well," he had left it a surprise "can you see the, wait no, can you uh…"
"I can see the beach muttermouth."
"Right! Well, we're going to run for a while then do a spar on the sand. I remember you saying that sand was hard to navigate on, right?"
She set down her bag, thinking. "I guess. It would be nice to be able to see properly on more surfaces. I can make out shapes, but everything is so fuzzy and it's harder to move because of how loose it is."
"Well, maybe it's something you have to take time to get used to? Running should help with that and it will increase your stamina."
"Alright, let's go then!" She was off like a shot down the stairs and onto the sand.
"B-Beifong-san! You haven't stretched!"
"Who cares?! Catch the fuck up!"
The two ran down the beach for a while. Despite her bravado, this really was tough. The sand shifted all the time and was hard to keep track of. But Midoriya's breathing was easy to get a lock on, so she followed, kicking a bit harder the more comfortable she got on the sandy surface.
After a half hour of running, they stopped for a bit to catch their breath. Once they were ready, Toph drew a circle in the sand for their spar and the two began. Usually Toph would find it a lot easier to counter, but the shifts in weight were harder to measure. Didn't make Midoriya any harder to block, but he was getting better. They fell into a comfortable pattern, chatting as they exchanged blows.
"So why this beach?" She jabbed to his left, which he dodged. "There are lots of beaches around here, I felt them on the way."
"Well you see," He tried to sweep, but she jumped back. "This is where it started. In order to handle One for All without dying, I had to," he dodged another jab "train my body as hard as I could before the entrance exam."
"Got it, but" she went for a kick, which he blocked "there's nothing here."
"Wasn't anything here" he corrected, regaining his footing. "The place used to be filled with all kinds of trash as a dumping ground. Stuff would collect by the current and lazy people would throw their trash in to" he went for a one-two hit, receiving a hard counter in return "ouch, to conceal it."
"That sucks. So, to train" she tried a sweep, which he jumped over "you cleaned it all?"
"Yeah. I still come by every" two quick jabs, then he backed up to evade "now and then to check on it."
"Nice." They decided to stop and get some water before running back. "So, to handle it without dying. That was the criteria?"
"Yeah." He panted.
She took a sip of water, recalling all the broken bones. "Maybe you should have trained harder."
"Believe me, I tried. But All Might caught me doing extra and scolded me for overwork." He laughed.
The two rested a bit longer before running back. Midoriya had been playing with an idea for a while. "Hey Beifong-san?"
"Just Toph is fine."
"Toph-san, you can at least sense sand, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"What if you were on rubber or wood flooring and you just threw some sand on the floor? Would that help you fight?"
…
…
"That's…I didn't think of that."
"Would it work?"
"Hell, it might! I'll try it Midoriya, thanks!"
"N-no problem!"
xXx
Inko Midoriya had a lot on her mind this Saturday. With the villain attack and the sudden appearance her son's destructive quirk, there was a great deal to consider about U.A. High School.
Her son had been injured during the attack, and had apparently fought villains! Was she just supposed to be ok with thins? Sure, the injuries were healed quickly like in the entrance exam, but surely he couldn't keep on like this, could he? Those extra lessons she heard about from Izuku need to start helping if her son wants to really be a hero like he dreamed. She supposed she was also holding on because of shame. After all, she didn't support him the way she should have when he was diagnosed as quirkless and now here he was: making his dream a reality!
Her musings were cut short when the front door opened. "Hey Mom! I'm back!"
"Hi sweetie! Just making some lunch, red curry today!"
"Great! Do you think you could make enough for three today?"
She turned to look. Next to her son was a small girl with a messy bun, who had followed her son in while holding a small cane.
"This is Toph-san, my classmate I'm doing extra training with! Toph-san, this is my Mom."
She extended her hand towards her, not looking up. "It's nice to meet ya, Mrs. Midoriya."
Inko had frozen in place, staring at the girl in her house. That her son brought home. The girl, in her house, that Izuku, her son, brought home. To her house.
Tears started to spill.
"M-Mom! Are you ok?" Izuku cried. The older woman sobbed, burying Toph in a hug that lifted her off her feet.
"M-m-my baby has a friend! A real f-f-friend!"
Toph hadn't felt her coming and was caught off guard. "Uh…hi…can you…put me…down…air…" she managed to choke out. Sure she was a friend, but she wasn't…you know…friends for now or anything dumb like that.
After everyone calmed down, the three of them were seated to eat. Inko had apologized for making assumptions (and a different one that no one was aware of) and served lunch. Red curry, which Toph absolutely loved.
"So spicy!" She was ecstatic as she chowed down, purposely forgetting her proper rich girl manners. Inko took it as a compliment.
"I'm glad you like it! I don't make things very spicy since…well not for a while now." Inko admitted. She was thinking of that Katsuki boy of course, but she hadn't seen him in a long while now.
"MMHMM." She managed to grunt with her mouth full, not noticing.
After a couple hours, it was time for Toph to head home. She thanked Mrs. Midoriya for the meal and said goodbye to the both of them. Inko looked out for her as she left. She was clearly blind after all.
But not only did she not have any trouble walking down the sidewalk, a limo drove up to pick her up. Inko stared out the window for a solid minute.
She didn't think she'd be drinking wine at this hour of the day, but alas.
xXx
Toph arrived early Monday morning with Yaomomo, as usual. The sounds of chatter filled the room in no time, but today, there was only one subject of conversation.
"So, you were alone in the Downpour Zone, Tokoyami?"
"Indeed, though I'm never truly alone with Dark Shadow. None of the villains were a match."
"I know what you mean," Ojiro responded "I was in the Conflagration Zone, which was dangerous and all, but I was able to use hit and run tactics to get rid of them. Where were you, Hagakure?"
"The Landslide Zone! You should have seen Beifong and Todoroki, they were amazing out there!"
"EVERYONE, CLASS IS BEGINNING MOMENTARILY." Iida speed walked to the front of the room, dragging Toph with him. "EVERYONE, RETURN TO YOUR SEATS IMMEDIATELY."
…
…
Toph broke the silence. "Hey Iida."
"Yes, Vice Rep?"
"Everyone's seated but us. Just thought you'd want to know."
…
"Dang it…" he muttered from his seat. Uraraka patted him consolingly from her seat.
"So," Mina asked "who do you guys think will be running homeroom?"
"Beats me." Asui replied "Aizawa-Sensei looked really messed up from the attack, I hope he's ok, ribbit."
"Thanks for the concern."
Everyone's head snapped to the door. There he was, in all his bandaged glory.
"YOU'RE BACK TOO SOON!" Everyone said.
"I've dealt with worse and I was cleared today as long as I take it easy. Besides," Aizawa looked from his half-covered eyes "you have an even bigger battle to fight."
Everyone tensed. Another villain attack? Surprise exam?
…
"The U.A. Sports Festival is coming soon."
"ALL RIGHT!" Class 1A shouted with joy. He erased their quirks for silence.
"Listen up. For those who don't know, the U.A. Sports Festival is a yearly event for the students of U.A. to compete and show off their skills to prospecting pro heroes and agencies. You only have three chances to compete until you graduate."
"Excuse me, sir," Asui raised her hand "but isn't it dangerous to hold the festival right after a villain attack?"
"The administration wants to show that we have things under control, that we can still hold the festival from a position of strength. Besides, like I said, you only have three chances. After the Festival, agencies will give internship offers to students who impress in the main events. If you want to be intern with the best, you got to show them what you've got. You'll have normal studies in the mornings, but for the next two weeks, your focus will be preparing for the Sports Festival. Security's beefed up too with the latest technological advances and Pro Heroes will be on patrol throughout the event."
Toph nodded in understanding. Some of that technology was actually donated by her father to make the school safer after the attack. 'At least he's being constructive in his over-protectiveness.'
"That's all. Time for your next class, sorry for the wait, Mic." A headphoned figure slid in.
"WHAT'S UP LISTENERS? ARE YA READY FOR A POP ENGLISH QUIZ OR WHAT?"
xXx
Later that day, homeroom was dismissed to give Class 1A time to train. Toph started to leave, but noticed Iida was moving weird. 'This oughta be good.'
"Aren't you excited, Midoriya?" Iida said with knife-hands.
"Y-yeah! I just want to not mess up, you know." Midoriya replied nervously.
Toph walked to the group. "Don't worry, muttermouth. Just don't shatter all your limbs, and you'll be great!"
"Uh…thanks?"
"Deku! Iida! Toph!"
They looked to Uraraka, who was brimming with determination.
"Let's win this!" she said with ferocity.
"Ahh! You ok Uraraka?"
"Yeah, what's up?" Ashido joined in "You're like the most laid-back girl, ever."
Mineta had a perv thought. "PM-" smack
Asui had slapped him with her tongue.
"HEEEEYAAAAAAA! YOU GUYS!" She turned to them. "I'M GONNA DO MA BEST!"
"Yeah!"
"You go, girl!"
She turned to a different group who hadn't been listening till now.
"I SAID I'M GONNA DO MA BEEEEEEESSSSTTT!"
"Y-yeah!"
"Sure thing!"
"You ok?"
As she continued to hype herself up, Midoriya had something to ask her.
xXx
"Huh? You're in it for the…money?" Midoriya cried.
"Well…yes?" Uraraka answered. The three of them were in the halls, but Toph and Momo had been passing through and one of them overheard.
"Please don't think less of me! I know it sounds selfish!"
"Not at all!" Iida said sincerely. "There's nothing wrong with pursuing a more comfortable lifestyle! And finding a way to do it yourself is admirable!"
"Well, it's not really that, you see…"
Uraraka then began to explain how her parents ran a construction company and how business has been so slow. How she offered to use her quirk to lighten the load, but they declined, saying that she should pursue her own desires. How she committed to make money so her parents could live better one day.
Iida was bombastically cheering while Midoriya nodded in understanding. To the eavesdropping earth-user, well, she had her own opinions on living for your parents instead of for yourself.
'Not my life, though.' She reasoned with herself.
…
'Still…"
xXx
For the next two weeks, Toph practically lived in the Yaoyorozu Estate to train with Momo for the Sports Festival. She also trained with Midoriya regularly to both spar and learn how to manipulate sand. She was getting better, but it needed work. While she herself had never seen it, obviously, Momo and Midoriya explained that the Sports Festival consisted of 3 main events to cut down the competition and that by the second event, there were typically about 42 students left. After that event, 16 students would be left to participate in the final event, which was a bracketed fight to either knock out, immobilize, or push your opponent out of bounds. The battle was the only constant throughout the years and was where students got the most offers if not all.
She and Midoriya continued their remedial training to overcome their weaknesses. Aizawa wasn't around as much, so All Might took over Midoriya's training with One for All while Toph sparred with Ectoplasm and Midnight.
Speaking of which…
"Concentrate." Ectoplasm reminded Toph from outside the boxing ring. She was currently sparring with a clone, which could fade after a few solid hits. Problem was, it only works if she hit it.
Not that she wasn't improving. She managed to tag the clone numerous times, but they were weak, quick punches to save energy. Ectoplasm signaled to stop.
"I believe I see the problem. You're either overextending to deliver a strong hit but miss, or you're delivering small strikes to hit through coverage and speed. The latter is the better option, but it's a long and tough way to fight. Especially if your opponent has formidable defense."
"Yeah, I noticed. But I can't tell where you are in time." Toph explained.
"I believe you can, which is the other problem." He jabbed at her ear to emphasize. "You're unsure without your quirk to confirm my location. You can hear me and sense my movement, but you hesitate because you're not sure if I'm really there. Trust your senses and strike like you mean it."
She took a breath and a renewed stance. "Ok, I'm ready." And so, they went at it again.
Today, All Might, Midnight, and Ectoplasm were running rotations for the two students, with Toph learning to fight on non-earth flooring and Midoriya trying not to break his bones. When Ectoplasm melted away and Midnight switched in, Toph decided to experiment.
"Ho ho ho, you say you have something to try?"
"Yes, Midnight-Sensei. You might get dirty, though." Toph warned from the ring.
"I'm quite used to getting dirty, dear." She joked as she climbing onto the ring. "Ready…begin!"
Immediately, Toph pulled out a bag and threw it into the air. Sand rained down on the entire ring, including Midnight.
"What's this?" Midnight wondered.
Toph rushed in to fight. Every one of her strikes were either blocked or barely dodged, while Toph evaded and blocked every strike Midnight took. The R-Rated Hero was humoring her of course, but the change was clear. Toph was detecting not only how the sand shifted with Midnight's moves, but the sand on Midnight herself. The fight was halted after a few minutes.
"Very good, Beifong!" Midnight complimented. "Be aware that won't work on every villain, but it's an excellent workaround!"
"Thank you, Sensei!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the gym.
"C'mon Midoriya, focus on that egg."
"I'm trying…I'm trying…"
All Might and another Ectoplasm were watching carefully as Midoriya filled both of his arms with power. He seemed to be holding it, but it was still too much to just be used willy-nilly.
"You know what this reminds me of?" Ectoplasm commented.
"What's that?" Toshinori answered.
"Oil frying."
"Come again?"
He tilted his head in thought. "Too much oil in the pan versus the amount of food being cooked. The more food you put in the oil, the more oil or heat you need to cook them in a certain time-frame. You know, like fried chicken."
"You can fry chicken, Ectoplasm?"
"It's a hobby. You put too much chicken in a certain amount of oil, not enough heat goes to every piece."
Midoriya let go of the power, gasping and reeling in thought. 'Wait a minute. Oil. Chicken. Power. Arms. Every piece…"
The two teachers looked at the boy. "Young Midoriya? You alright?"
After about a minute…
"I GOT IT!"
"Y-you what?" Toshinori asked blankly.
"I'M NOT AN EGG, I AM A CHICKEN!"
"You're a…what?" They could faintly hear Toph doubling with laughter.
"W-which came first, muttermouth?! Ha ha hahahaha…" she shouted back.
"Hold on!" Midoriya backed up a bit. "I've been thinking about this wrong! Ectoplasm-Sensei, you said that the heat in the oil spreads to every part of the chicken, right?"
Ectoplasm was trying to follow. "Right."
"And more chicken means less heat to go around to every piece, right?"
"Correct."
"So," energy started to flow from the tips of his toes "if I spread One for All," it climbed up his legs and through his shirt "throughout my entire body," reaching to the ends of his green hair. "the energy is evenly distributed and on a lower setting!" The energy filled Midoriya's entire form and settled, setting off green arcs of energy.
"One for All: Full Cowling!"
All Might looked with pride. 'You figured it out kid! Weird analogy, but you got it!'
xXx
It was one more week until the Sports Festival as Toph was walking from the bathroom, only to find the door when completely blocked by a crowd of students.
It was near the end of day, but still. Not to be stopped, she shoved and pushed through. "Hey!" One kid yelled "Watch where you're going!"
"You're the one with eyes, you watch where you're standing." She replied coolly. She made it to the inside, where the rest of the class was trapped.
"What are they doing here!" Mineta asked "They've got us blocked in!"
"Wasn't a problem for me." Toph shrugged. Bakugo walked over to the door. "It's obvious." He said in an unusually calm voice. "We survived a villain attack, they're scoping out the winning class." He got the crowded door.
"At least you know what a future pro looks like, now move it extras." He said with a scowl.
Iida chopped the air. "You can't just call people extras without knowing who they are, Bakugo!"
"So," a tired voice spoke out "this is Class 1A. If all of you are like this guy, God help hero society."
"HAH?" Bakugo glared at the speaker. "And who the fuck are you?"
"Name's Shinso." The boy said. Toph was trying to get a read on him, but he was as calm as could be. "Just thought I'd let you know; the Sports Festival isn't just for the Hero Course to show off. It's also a way for the students in General Studies, like me, to jump to the Hero Course if we preform well. You know what that means?"
He paused for a moment. 'Dramatic bastard.'
He looked up. "It means that if you don't do your best, I'll take your seat right out from under you. Consider this a declaration of war."
Bakugo looked the purple-haired guy up and down. "You'll try" he challenged back.
"HEY!" a new voice from the back yelled "I'M TETSUTETSU FROM CLASS 1B, AND WE'RE GONNA BEAT YOU BASTARDS!"
"Whatever." Bakugo shot. "Now get the fuck out of the door, fucksticks."
"Bakugo, what are you doing?!" Kirishima cried "You're making us look bad!"
"That shit doesn't matter." Bakugo growled. He started to leave. "All that matters is that I'm number one."
He left for the day, with the others yelling after him. Toph sat thoughtfully. She's starting to understand him more and more every day.
xXx
The night before the festival…
"Sweetie, are you sure you're up to this?" Toph's mother stopped her before she went to bed.
"I'm sure."
"I know, its just," Poppy reasoned with her daughter "the Sports Festival is a really big event. If you do well, everyone's going to see you. Not only that, but you're also supposed to do a pledge? I don't know if you'll want the attention…"
"If you think I'll get kicked out because I'm blind, forget it."
"That's not what I'm saying, I just…" She took a breath. "Just be careful."
Toph turned to her, leaning in for a hug. "I know Mom, I'll be safe. Promise to watch?"
"Couldn't miss it for the world, now go to bed. Big day tomorrow!"
xXx
The entire classroom was filled to the brim with intensity. By the end of the day, everyone was nothing but tense for the upcoming event. Before they all left for the day…
"Midoriya."
Toph raised her eyebrows. Todoroki hardly ever spoke to anyone, much less muttermouth.
"I'd say objectively, I'm stronger than you."
'Wow, starting strong, my guy.'
"So bring everything you have to the festival, because I will beat you."
The class stared at the both of them. What was it with all these declarations of war? Bakugo in particular was smoldering.
"I-" Midoriya spoke up. "I agree that you're stronger than me."
'No, muttermouth! Stop that!'
"But I'll beat you anyway."
'Ok, that's better.'
xXx
"HEEEEEEEEYYY EVERYBOOOOOODDYYYYYYYYYYYY! WELCOME TO THIS YEAR'S U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL! LEMME HEAR YA SAY HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYY!"
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEYYY!"
"I'M PRESENT MIC, YOUR ROCKIN' HOT DJ, AND I'M JOINED BY OUR VERY OWN ERASERHEAD!"
"Why am I here again?"
"ANYWAY! WHO'S READY TO GET THIS FESTIVAL STARTED?"
The audience went insane in the gigantic stadium; families, friends, Pro Heroes, and those of all walks of life were in attendance. Vendors were everywhere and just as many Pro Heroes were on patrol for the internationally televised event. Millions of people were tuned in to watch, including Lao and Poppy Beifong, who cleared their schedules for the first time in years to watch after their child.
"INTRODUCING, THE CLASS THAT TOOK ON A VILLAIN ATTACK IN THEIR FIRST YEAR WITH BARELY A SCRATCH, HERO COURSE CLASS ONE A!" The first set of bay doors below opened up. Toph herself was quite nervous, but never let it show on her face. She and Iida were in the lead, as the Class Reps, with the rest of their class following suit. They were talking among themselves, either encouraging others or hyping themselves up for the challenge.
"NEXT UP, THE SECOND HERO CLASS HERE AT UA, NOT ANY LESS FORMIDABLE, GIVE IT UP FOR HERO COURSE CLASS ONE B!" The second class emerged next to 1A. They were led by a red headed girl who radiated responsibility for her classmates. Some of them seemed quite nervous, a bob-haired girl and a boy with a blue headband, while others looked ready to prove themselves with everything they had, like the loud guy with weird eyebrows and one with an insect head. A few, like one gray-haired girl, seemed impassive to the attention.
"NEXT, WE HAVE THE GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, HERE TO GIVE IT THEIR ALL, INTRODUCING GERERAL CLASSES ONE C, D, AND E!" More students emerged, though some were rather miffed about their lackluster introduction. Shinso, the one who challenged 1A, paid no attention to that.
"ADDITIONALLY, THE INVENTORS AND CRAFTSMEN OF THIS FINE ESTABLISHMENT, THE BRAINS BEHIND THE SCENES, GIVE IT UP FOR SUPPORT CLASSES ONE F, G, AND H!" These students were slightly different, being decked out in various support items and the like. As it was their thing, they were allowed to bring any support items they made themselves to the Sports Festival.
"AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, THE ONES WITH THE PLANS TO SUCCEED, THE BUSINESS CLASSES ONE I, J, AND K!" These students didn't seem near as interested in all this, as this wasn't their forte nor their goal. But they were here anyway to practice their marketing skills with whoever shined the most.
"NOW THAT WE'RE ALL HERE, I TURN THIS OVER TO OUR CHIEF REFEREE, OUR VERY OWN R-RATED HERO, MIDNIGHT!" Midnight then strode shamelessly onto the stage, whip in hand.
"Uh, does someone want to talk about what Midnight's wearing?" Kirishima asked.
Kaminari answered. "Yeah, I mean, this is a high school, right?"
"I think she looks great!"
"Really, Beifong? I didn't know you swung tha-oh." Kaminari slapped his forehead. "Why do you do that?"
"Because its fun, now shut up. She's talking."
"Alright! Listen up you crazy kids, it's time to get started! Before we get to the fun, it's time for the U.A. Pledge! The student giving this year's pledge will be Class One A's Toph Beifong!"
'Crap, now I'm talking.'
The only sign of nervousness she gave was a small gulp as she strode towards the stage. As the top scorer in the entrance exam, she had the honor of giving the pledge, as she was told two days ago. The platform was raised concrete, which she was thankful for, with a small podium with a microphone. She gave it a couple taps.
…
…
"One year ago from today, I made a pledge. Not to my friends and not to my family. I made a pledge to myself to always, from that day onward, forge my own path. To go where I wanted when I wanted to go. To never, ever allow someone else to dictate where my life takes me and to actively shape my own destiny."
…
"Since that day, my dreams have become reality. I have had struggles, victories, and have made many new friends. Many told me that my dream was impossible, improbable, not realistic; and not because of my quirk. You see,"
She took a breath; this was it.
"I was born completely blind."
Reactions in the crowd were mixed with shock, disbelief, anger, and surprise. Some saw a blind little girl in a place she should never have been allowed to be. Others saw a lunatic with a death wish. Some saw someone determined to make her life happen, rather than let life happen to her, one hero in particular.
"I won't ask for your pity. I don't want it and I don't need it. And if any of you think I shouldn't be here; you can leave right now. But I'm here, and I'm here to become the hero I want to be."
That got everyone's attention. Some had even started to boo, but were hushed by cheers.
"And to my fellow students." She pointed back at the crowd behind her without feigning to look. "If you even think about underestimating me, you will never keep up. Give it everything you have, or I will steamroll you. Don't you dare disrespect me by holding back."
The students of U.A. were shocked to say the least. She had just declared war on every single student at U.A. One student in particular was furious. And ecstatic at the same time. If she wanted him to put everything he had into destroying her, then he's be happy to oblige.
'Finally, someone who gets it.'
She turned back to the audience. "That's all I got. See ya in the big leagues. But before I go, say it with me!"
"PLUS ULTRA!"
xXx
The Beifongs gazed at their tv in shocked silence. Not only did Toph reveal that she was blind to the entire world, she challenged her classmates to do everything to beat her. Not exactly the speech Poppy helped her prepare.
Yu looked to the couple after seeing the event himself, choosing to prepare some comfort food and wine. They'll need it.
xXx
"The first challenge you must face is the Obstacle Race! Nearly four kilometers in length, this is where most of you will taste defeat, as only the first 42 competitors will be allowed to the second round!"
'Ok,' she thought, feeling the course ahead of time. 'just gotta get ahead of the crowd. If that's the entrance, there's no way everyone will start fairly. Gotta improvise.'
"On your marks, get set, GOOOOOO!"
Just like she suspected, everyone rushed the entrance, trying to get ahead of everyone else as quick as possible. Fliers and jumpers sailed over the best they could, mostly to evade the rushing ice that connected with everyone touching the ground at the time.
"WHAT'S THIS? TODOROKI, WHO GOT IN ON RECOMMENDATION, JUST FROZE NEARLY EVERYONE TO THE GROUND! THEY WON'T BE GETTING OUT ANYTIME SOON!"
"Apologies." Todoroki said as he ran past the competition. Some had evaded his attack, but he basically eliminated most of the competitors.
Most anyway.
"I WON'T LET YOU GET AHEAD SO EASILY! YOU ICYHOT BASTAAAAAARD!" Bakugo screamed after him.
He kept his eyes forward, preparing for the next obstacle when…
rummmmmble-crack
Right in front of him, Toph had popped out of the ground, leaving a large hole in her wake. Todoroki briefly lost his footing trying to evade the hole as Toph sped forward on a Rolling Hill.
"YO CHECK IT! TOPH BEIFONG IS STAYING TRUE TO HER WORD AND HAS PULLED IN FRONT OF TODOROKI FROM UNDERGROUND! CAN SHE KEEP THE LEAD DESPITE THE ROBO INFERNO?"
"Shit!" she cried, dodging missiles. "More robots!"
There were dozens of robots from the entrance exam to tear through, but she didn't need to fight them. She just needed to get past them. She dove underground again, letting her earthen ride crash into the offending 3-pointer.
"AND BEIFONG DIVES UNDERGROUND AGAIN! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL IF SHE'S IN THE LEAD OR NOT! HOW WILL THE OTHERS HANDLE THE BIG BOYS?"
The dubbed "big boys" were the 5 Zero-pointers blocking the way. While Toph burrowed beneath them, Todoroki stopped in front of them. Quickly he froze the ground he stood on as a robot reached down at him. "They should've prepared greater challenges." He muttered as the robot reached for him.
"Especially with my damn old man watching."
With an upwards swipe, he completely covered three of the center Zeroes in a gigantic glacier and ran under them. Others had chased after him, but he had frozen them while they were off-balance.
CRRRRRRAAAAAAAASSSSSSSHHHHHHH
On purpose.
"AND TODOROKI LEAVES THE ZERO-POINTERS TO BECOME A GREATER OBSTICLE TO HIS OPPONENTS! IS SOMEONE UNDER THERE? OH, IT'S EIJIRO KIRISHIMA AND TETSUTETSU TETSUTETSU! TOUGH GUYS, THERE! KATSUKI BAKUGO IS SOARING ABOVE THE CHAOS WITH HIS EXPLOSIONS! HE'S DEFINITELY A STRONG CANDIDATE FOR FIRST PLACE!"
"CANDIDATE?!" he screamed. "I'LL SHOW YOU ALL UP, YOU BASTARDS!"
"MOVING ON, TOKOYAMI AND SERO ARE ALSO SCALING THE DEBRIS WITH EASE! IT'S GETTING CLEARER WHO'S HERE TO STAY AND WHO'S HERE TO GO HOME! BUT DIGGING WON'T WORK FOR THE NEXT OBSTACLE, IT'S THE FALL!"
Todoroki dodged this time when Toph burst from the ground again, running side by side. He tried to ice her, but she stuck to his left side, making combat hard.
'How'd she know?'
They both sped for the Fall, which was a canyon between them and the next obstacle. There were pillars of rock though, with ropes connecting them. Todoroki went for a robe and slid by on his ice to get through. Toph stopped, focused, then launched herself forward, skipping to each pillar of stone. She "saw" this beforehand and considered a bridge, but then it would be used by the others.
It took careful aim, as she couldn't see while airborne, but managed to get to the last platform. She readied a jump when…
"DIE!" BOOOOOM
Bakugo flew straight over the canyon and blasted Toph in the shoulder, setting her off course. With a scream of pain, she careened down the canyon.
And plunged her hand into the canyon wall, stopping her fall.
"OH MAN! BAKUGO CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND NEARLY ELIMINATED BEIFONG! NATURALLY THE FALL WON'T KILL YOU AS WE HAVE NETS DOWN THERE, BUT IT'S STILL AN INSTANT ELIMINATION IF YOU HIT THOSE NETS!"
xXx
"MY BABY!" Poppy shouted at the screen. Lao was shocked too. That Bakugo could have killed her there!
"Don't worry, madam. She's still in, it seems. That blast must not be as bad as it looks." Yu reasoned.
xXx
The blast hurt just as much as it looked. Climbing with a burned shoulder was extremely taxing for the blind girl. She felt more and more people make it across the chasm.
"NO…YOU…DON'T!" She slammed her good hand into the wall, shaking the other pillars. Several would be's fell into the nets below as she kept climbing.
When she made it to the top, she focused on the next obstacle. Though about 40 or so competitors made it across, many were still struggling with the mine field as a few got blasted to high heaven.
She grinned to herself. "Too easy."
Ignoring Midoriya as she passed (who was digging up mines for some reason?), she sprinted through the minefield. Some tried to warn her, but she left them far behind.
"WITH BEIFONG BACK IN THE GAME, SHE'S ABSOLUTLY CAREENING THROUGH THE MINE FIELD ON FOOT! WHAT GIVES?"
"It's her quirk, Seismic Sense. It allows her to detect her surroundings through the earth. Those mines may be hidden to everyone else, but they are as clear as day to her."
"WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT! WILL SHE BE ABLE TO CATCH UP TO THE TWO LEADERS?"
"Good question" she muttered. As good time as she was making, Blasty and Half N Half still far ahead, though they were slowed down by fighting each other as they ran and avoided mines.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
'Hold on, that wasn't Blasty.' She kept running, but could hear something fly over, hit the ground next to the leaders hard, blast off again, and land. She ignored Present Mic as she sprinted. Only on the last landing did she identify the absolute madlad.
"MUTTERMOUTH?"
"THE FUCK YOU DOIN', DEKUUUUUUU?!"
Midoriya gained his footing and sprinted to the exit, activating Full Cowling as he went. Toph was gaining, slipping into Land Skimmer once she was past the mines, but was just behind Todoroki and Bakugo with no opportunity to send any attacks their way.
In the end…
…
"THE FIRST MAN WHO ENTERS THE ARENA IS THE WINNER OF THE FIRST EVENT! AND IT'S…"
…
"IZUKU MIDORIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
xXx
And that's Chapter 8! The Sport's Festival is afoot, with many students going for the top spot! Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!
So Toph's speech. I figured that her pledge would resemble the promise she makes to herself every day and it worked. Scarily familiar with Bakugo's pledge in Canon. Unbeknownst to her, she just earned a shit-ton of brownie points with a certain blond bomber. Not really liking her, but the respect is there. She also earned the respect of a certain hero in the crowd, guess who?
Training is going well for both Toph and Midoriya. I made fried chicken the other day and read that about oil frying in general. I thought of Midoriya's Full Cowl immediately and I like it a lot better than a microwaved biscuit. Also, Ectoplasm likes to fry chicken. It's ok though, everyone likes fried chicken. As early in the series as he is, I'd reckon he's handling just under 5% Full Cowl and can't hold it for that long. As for sandbending, she's getting closer and is able to use it to map out an area like in her spar with Midnight. Though, like Midnight said, it won't work on opponents who are liquid or can blast it away. But it's a foot in the right direction, no?
Todoroki shouldn't have declared war on just Midoriya it seems. Bakugo and Toph are set on making him work for it. Toph knows Todoroki only uses his quirk on his right side from observation and is taking advantage of that fact. He can't afford to fight half-assed for long.
And now for the reviews!
To Chessmaster65
Glad you enjoyed, it's going to be a delicate balance for what's she's involved in. Midoriya is the main character, after all. I have a definite plan for the practical exam. As for the internships and her potential involvement with Stain, it remains to be seen. I know who's taking her on though, so that's half the battle.
To AnimeLuver1492
Yes, they are still in the Philippines and there may or may not be a side chapter detailing their adventures in the near future. They did, but they are slightly different people now. Doesn't make them any less over-protective.
Yeah, fits the narrative better. Although, it could have funny considering the following interaction:
"Midoriya! You saved me! *smooch*"
"Actually, it's me, kero."
…
"Oh. Well. You can let me drown now."
But I figured the landslide had more possibilities, still funny though.
Ah, yes. Pretending to have psychic powers is totally something she would do, given the opportunity. Too easy.
To Shoveler
Thank you!
To D3lph0xL0v3r
Hey, if you want something done right, you do it yourself. I'm sure Lao feels more comfortable having contributed to their security himself; probably the only reason Toph's still there tbh.
As for the hero name, still TBD, but I like your thinking! She's training hard that's for sure.
Well, she can (kinda) see through metal, but it's uncomfortable/fuzzy. Nevertheless, the floor in the USJ, at least in most places, is dirt, ground and concrete, not metal. As far as I could tell, anyway. The stairs leading to the USJ are. But I could be wrong!
You bet they do!
Oh, it'll be good! She and Bakugo may end up in agreement there…
D-Bag Endeavor is gonna get clowned, just you wait ;P
She's got something special in mind for the grape when that happens/almost happens.
To Otakufreak1799
Thank you! Glad you appreciated the Psychic duo gag and that other bit is very important in later chapters.
She'll master metalbending in time, she just needs the right push.
To BruhBruhington
Glad you noticed! Love Game Grumps.
To SebjectCrimsonStorm
I am not Toph! I am MELONLORD! MUAHAHAHAHA!
To Forum Explorer (in reference to chapter 3)
On one hand, fair enough. But there's no way Toph knew any of that :P
(chapter 4)
It's the most rational conclusion, the way I see it. You had an invisible girl, grape boy, Dr. Dolittle[who isn't present in the fic big sad], and taser boy all do better in basic physical tests than the guy training his tears off for 10 months? Nah.
To Wondering Lyra
Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it so far!