"Each team will have a combined total of points based on the individual point value of its team members," Midnight continued to explain the rules of the Cavalry Battle. "That total will be the sum of each member. Everyone will know how much each team is worth by the number on their headband. Swipe as many headbands as you can to raise your team's score. Remember, if you lose your own headband that does not immediately disqualify you. You can still remain in the competition by swiping other teams' headbands to make up the loss in points."
She waved her whip at the students.
"All stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up, so the more you have the harder it will be to manage them. Once time is up, the eight teams with the highest score will move on to the final round. You may use your Quirks as much as you like, but there are still rules. Make a team fall on purpose and I'll slap you with a red card, disqualifying you from the competition. You have fifteen minutes to build your team."
Izuku and Twilight looked at each other worriedly before the rest of the Mane 6 and Marco gathered around them.
"Okay, okay, I can do this. I just need to find a team of people I can trust and-!" Twilight said feverishly before Izuku held her hands, making her stop.
"Twilight, it's okay...I'll be on your team."
Twilight stared at Izuku, her pale cheeks turning bright pink as the rest of the girls giggled before looking at each other and nodding.
"Well, considering we all can't be on the same team, we need to figure something out." Rarity said.
"I think I have a suggestion!" Marco said. "Since eight teams are required to pass, let's all split up, each of us leading one team. That way, we and whoever joins us will all make it to the next round!"
"That's actually the author's idea to help distribute everyone evenly since he has 40 main characters to work with!" Pinkie Pie giggled.
"Hey, Twilight, Midoriya! Can I join your team!" Ochako called out, waving to the two of them.
"Oh! Sure, Uraraka!" Izuku smiled. "That just leaves one more..."
"Hey! Sign me up, Mr. and Mrs. 10 Million!" Mei said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
"G-Gah! H-Hatsume?"
"That's my name, don't wear it out! Anyway, I figured I could showcase my babies the best if I was with you guys! Plus, Twilight's Quirk lets her use magic, right? I wanna see if Science and Fantasy can work together!"
"Well, I guess that can work," Twilight said awkwardly as Izuku and Ochako just shrugged.
"Alright, the rest of us better split up," Applejack said as the rest of the Mane 6 and Marco nodded before going around, asking for anyone who was interested in joining them.
"I'd be happy to assist you, AJ! C-Can I call you that?" Eijirou said as Applejack chuckled and nodded.
"Sure, all my friends do and the way I see it, you're a friend too."
"Hey! Wanna be on my team?!" Pinkie excitedly asked Hitoshi, who looked surprised at her sudden presence and pointed at himself.
"Wait...you want me?"
"Yeah! You seemed all lonely and sad and that made ME sad so I figured you needed a friend to put you on her team!"
Hitoshi stared incredulously at Pinkie's innocent smiling face before shaking his head and smiling.
"Alright, fine. Couldn't hurt to try."
"Hey, you're pretty fast, Iida...but together, we'd be even FASTER!" Rainbow said as Tenya looked a little nervous before nodding his head.
"If you say so, Dashell..."
"Hey, just call me Rainbow Dash, or just Rainbow, or just Dashie!"
Fluttershy and Marco had decided to stick together and had brought in Fumikage as part of their team. Now, Fluttershy was staring up at Ghidorah, the larger boy looking down at her curiously.
"Um, if it wouldn't be so much of a bother could you perhaps join our team?"
Ghidorah was silent for a moment before smiling. "I'd be delighted to."
"The greatness and powerfulness have been quadrupled!" Trixie laughed as Rarity had, rather reluctantly, asked her to join her team along with Yuuga. Starlight had also tagged along since she was closest with Trixie.
"Merci! We will be a truly dazzling team!" Yuuga said, striking a pose.
"How did I get roped into this..." Katsuki grumbled as Pinkie somehow managed to get him and Tempest to join her team.
"You're asking me?" Tempest questioned.
"I'll see you in the final round, babe!" Elleanor said to Katsuki as she and Tony had joined up with Rainbow's team.
"You better!" Katsuki called back.
"Guess I'll be the main horse," Terumi said as Applejack nodded before jumping onto his shoulders. Sunset had also joined and she and Eijirou were the back riders.
Soon, all of the Mane 6 had found their teams. The rest of Class 1-A was trying to team up with Shoto but he ultimately decided on a team with Momo, Denki, and Flash.
"Well, we do make a pretty versatile combination," Flash said.
Denki nodded. "Yeah, maybe my electricity can charge up your technology, Flash."
"And with Todoroki's fire and ice, we should be able to cover both bases," Momo added.
"No," Shoto said with cold finality as he glared at a certain someone in the stands. "In battle, I swore to NEVER use my fire."
Monoma had formed a team consisting of Tetsutetsu, a girl with vines for hair named Ibara Shiozaki, and a boy with a skeletal face named Juuzo Honenuki.
"Everyone's foaming at the mouth for what Class 1-A will do. Why are they stars? The only difference between us and them is that they fought a couple of villains. Just because we're Class 1-B doesn't mean we're second-rate. Or that we can't win this whole thing." Monoma scowled.
"You know that Envy is a Deadly Sin, Neito." Ibara chided gently.
"I agree. Besides, you say all that but you just barely made it past the first round. In fact, I think you were in 62nd place, dead last of all the ones who passed." Juuzo added.
"You're supposed to be on my side!" Monoma snapped.
"Not if you're being super unmanly we're not." Tetsutetsu said firmly.
"ALRIGHT, LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS A TEAM! LET'S GET THE FINAL COUNTDOWN STARTED!" Present Mic declared as all the teams got into position.
"Good luck, girls," Twilight said to the rest of her friends and they nodded in response.
"THREE, TWO, ONE...CLASH!"
All at once, most of the teams started rushing at Team Twilight. Juuzo was the first to make his move, hitting the ground to make it the consistency of quicksand with his Quirk, [Softening].
"Uraraka, Hatsume!" Izuku called out.
"You got it!" Mei grinned as she used a special jetpack of her own design combined with Ochako's Quirk to turn their team into a small space rocket. Ibara tried to catch them with her vines but Twilight cut through them with magical blades she controlled telekinetically while Izuku unleashed a smokescreen to cover the team's escape.
"So long as we keep our headbands we're guaranteed a spot in the finals!" Izuku said.
"So what we have to do is stay ahead of everyone else!" Ochako added.
"Oy, Pinkie!" Katsuki said.
"Yes?" Pinkie asked innocently.
"We should go after some of the other teams. Sooner or later, they'll start attacking each other for the chance to fight Deku's team and will be grabbing each other's headbands to lower the competition."
"A predator always goes for the easiest meal." Tempest voiced her agreement.
The rest of the Mane 6's teams already had similar ideas as they were moving around grabbing some of the headbands from the other teams.
"Everyone's trying to take out Izuku and Twilight cuz they're at the top but they forget that there are 32 slots in the finals!" Rainbow grinned. "Why go for the top right now when we can fight for it when it really counts?"
"Ingenious thinking, Dash!" Tenya said, voicing his agreement with the plan.
"Oh gosh, oh gosh..." Fluttershy fretted before instinctively forming a dome of oak to protect herself and her team.
"No need to freak out, Fluttershy," Marco said as he stomped his foot and Venus Flytrap-like monsters formed around the barrier for added protection.
"Let's see 'em try to take our points now!" Ghidorah smirked.
"Just be careful...Dark Shadow becomes antsy in the dark." Fumikage warned, the sentient Quirk twitching in the dark covering of the dome.
Back with Izuku's team, they were continuing to float through the air with Twilight using her magic to help Ochako with her nausea. Izuku then noticed Monoma's team running in, the blonde having an arrogant smirk on his face.
"You may think you have all the bases covered, but you'll find that we in Class 1-B held back to make sure we could surprise you and overtake you arrogant little-"
Monoma was suddenly punched in the face by mysterious black tendrils. Everyone looked shocked as Izuku saw the tendrils coming from his own fists.
"What's going on?" Mei asked.
"Wait...this is the Quirk of the 5th user of [One For All]!" Izuku realized.
"Yeah, Celestia and All-Might told me about them!" Twilight said. "That's [Blackwhip]!"
"I didn't know you were related to Lariat, Midoriya!" Ochako said in surprise, having some memories of the late hero from her parents.
"Well, relations to an old hero or not, this should help cover our blind spots!" Mei pointed out.
"You're right, Hatsume!" Izuku said as he launched the whips to deflect Ibara's vines as well as some hairballs tossed by Minoru, who was teamed up with Tsuyu and Shouji.
"Guess you weren't the only one trying to hide your power to surprise the others," Juuzo noted as Monoma grit his teeth in fury, a red mark on his face from where the whips hit him.
"Everyone hold on!" Twilight said as she waved her arms and formed a large purple intricate rune, which suddenly shot out jets of magical flames that propelled her team to the other side of the arena.
Toshinori and Celestia had also noticed Izuku's awakening of the 5th's Quirk and hummed in interest.
"Daigoro Banjo was one of the few holders of OFA to face off against HIM and win," Celestia said. "Sadly, he still lost his life saving innocents from a collapsing building. A young boy he had rescued was passed down the sacred torch and became the 6th user."
Toshinori nodded. "Yes...though knowing how crafty HE is, I dare say the collapsing building may have been part of his plan."
In the League of Villains' hideout, Tomura was scratching his neck with interest, being mindful not to cut himself with his new crystal claws.
"Wish I could have played Midoriya online during a gaming session, I could have used some tips for party building and team management. But that new ability..."
"Ah, I recognize it easily!" Tirek chuckled. "Lariat used that to hogtie me by the horns one time."
"A simple Quirk but the way he used it when fighting us was truly versatile," Sombra noted. "I still remember our battle fondly. Though I don't think Mugen thinks the same."
"Yes, Mugen had tried to steal the Quirk when facing Lariat...and that's when he realized that [One For All] was immune to his power," Chrysalis said.
"Whoa, really? I wasn't even born then!" Cozy Glow said.
"Whoa, Nelly!" Applejack said as her team was tangoing with Itsuka's team, consisting of her, Setsuna Tokage, Reiko Yanagi, and Kinoko Komori.
"Sorry about Monoma, you guys." Itsuka apologized as she looked to see Monoma's team trying to chase after Izuku and Twilights'. "His plan was to have our class throw the first round, only coming up towards the end.
"Everyone loves an underdog, right?" Sunset shrugged.
"Maybe in other schools, but this is UA High!" Setsuna pointed out. "We're supposed to be Plus Ultra, no matter what class we're a part of."
"You got that right!" Terumi voiced his agreement.
"Yeah, needless to say, we didn't follow through with his plan. Shiozaki was especially against it because she's not exactly one for lies and deceit." Itsuka said. "I keep trying to tell Monoma that the incident at the USJ wasn't staged but he keeps thinking you're all just a bunch of glory hogs who leave everyone else in the dust to hog all the limelight."
"Now that's just a load of horseapples!" Applejack said.
"Indeed, Monoma's ignoble ideals of heroism are taken straight from children's literature," Reiko said in her verbose manner of speaking. "He is too stuffed with envy to ever ascend to true heroism."
"How unmanly..." Eijirou frowned. "How did UA let someone like him get in?"
Unbeknownst to Team Applejack and Team Itsuka, Vlad King, the teacher of Class 1-B, was thinking something similar.
"I can't believe he managed to pass the entrance exam. We should consider altering it for next year to filter out anyone who would look down on others or hold a longtime grudge for perceived insults."
"Yeah, that limp-dicked little shit wouldn't even pass the entrance exam to a junior hero kindergarten school." Scoffed a petite girl with wild green hair and a black dress. This was Tatsumaki Kageyama, also known as Terrible Tornado, a member of a team of Pro Heroes known as the S-Rankers.
"I've heard that students on Recommendation have to go through an interview. Perhaps UA should make that mandatory for the normal entrance exam as well." Noted Bang Silverfang, an elderly martial artist and another member of the S-Rankers.
"Alright, we're doing good!" Ochako cheered.
"Izuku heads up!" Twilight called out as Izuku turned to see Shoto's team racing in.
"Heads up, you guys!" Flash said as his shoulders opened up to reveal missile silos that fired small heat-seeking missiles that exploded mid-flight to create a flashbang effect.
"What's the plan here, Todoroki?" Denki asked. "I can use my special move here and now and still hit them. But if we're not close enough, we'll never snatch that headband before Midoriya's team recovers."
"Why don't we just go after the other teams?" Flash suggested. "I mean, it's more important we stay in this rather than just chase after one thing!"
"I can agree with that!" Momo said as she created an insulating blanket to cover the team with as Denki turned his focus toward the other teams.
"INDISCRIMINATE SHOCK: 1 MILLION VOLTS!"
Rarity noticed the wave of electricity coming toward her team and gasped before erecting a crystal wall to conduct the electricity, much to the shock of Team Shoto.
"Ah-Ha! You have fallen for our carefully devised scheme!" Trixie laughed as she conjured a magician's wand and waved it around, manifesting a grappling hook from nowhere.
"Trixie, I gotta ask...what's the exact range of your spatial perception manipulation?" Starlight asked.
"Trixie just has to think and it shall appear to her with the wave of her hand!" Trixie said.
"Yeah, but that could lead to a whole lot of stuff if someone's belongings got displaced..."
"Alright! MAX SPEED!" Rainbow grinned as Tenya nodded, charging his engines to full.
"RECIPRO BURST!"
Taking off like a rocket engine, Team Rainbow sailed over the electrical current. Elleanor then stretched her arm out and snagged one of Team Shoto's headbands just as Trixie used her grappling hook to snatch another for her team.
"Oh boy..." Flash gulped.
Shoto snarled furiously and began icing over the field to make it harder for the other teams to maneuver.
Team Izuku was watching this go down before Izuku felt [Danger Sense] pinging and erected a web barrier with [Blackwhip] just as Dark Shadow slammed into it.
"Sorry, Twilight, Izuku!" Fluttershy apologized, her team having left the protective oak dome.
"Ow! That barrier's hard as concrete, Boss!" Dark Shadow whined.
"Are you okay? Do you need some of my healing water?" Marco asked, manifesting water from thin air that had a sparkling glow around it.
"Heads up you guys, things are about to get hot!" Ghidorah warned as his legs began superheating, glowing a blazing dark orange as the sheer heat began melting the ice around Team Fluttershy.
"Hey, Pinks! Let's get that Icy-Hot Bastard!" Katsuki said as Team Pinkie Pie began moving in, making a note to move on Team Shoto's left side.
"This is crazy!" Hitoshi said as he held on for dear life.
"Maybe for you...but I find pleasure in this sort of thing." Tempest smirked as a strange psychic glitter emitted from her forehead and rushed toward Team Shoto, which hit Denki in the side as he yelped in alarm.
"Ow! Something punched me in the brain! That doesn't even seem physically possible!"
"Denki, we need to get some points! I'm gonna give you a boost!" Flash said as his palm opened up to reveal a panel sparking with electricity. He then put it on the back of Denki's head as he absorbed the resulting currents.
"Whooooooa! I'm feeling super strong! ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THIS!"
Seeing what was going on, Momo quickly threw the insulating blanket over the team as Shoto directed Flash into a tight swerve to create an ice barrier to prevent anyone else from getting hit.
"DO IT NOW!"
"RIGHT! 2 MILLION VOLT VOLLEY!"
Denki practically lit up the arena. Tempest quickly conducted the electricity to prevent her team from taking the brunt of the damage while Pinkie just giggled at the tingly sensation running through her.
"Dammit! I'm gonna do something really insane!" Katsuki said before launching himself over the ice wall. Pinkie realized what he was doing and quickly tethered him with what looked like a thick string of party streamers to keep him from getting disqualified.
"You people are INSANE!" Hitoshi exclaimed.
"WITNESS ME!" Katsuki shouted at the top of his lungs as explosive energy glowed in his palms.
"HEADS UP, TODOROKI!" Izuku shouted, having also gotten the same idea as he flew forward while being tethered by a magic rope courtesy of Twilight.
Without even thinking, Shoto instinctively put up a fire barrier from his left side, forcing Pinkie and Twilight to pull their teammates back as Katsuki yelled out in annoyance just as the final buzzer sounded off.
"D-Did we just lose...?" Denki asked weakly, having almost made himself go stupid mode if it hadn't been for Flash supercharging him.
"No..." Momo said as she held up a grapple gun she had made, which had a few headbands in its claws. "I took some extra precautions and snagged a few headbands from some of the Class 1-B teams...and Bakugou while he was coming toward us."
Shoto was out of it as he stared at his left arm, which was still emitting some flickering embers which slowly faded away into the wind.
"They made me use it...the side I swore never to use..."
"ALRIGHT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE FINAL SCORES!" Present Mic announced.
Izuku and the Mane 6 all smiled in relief to see all their teams had passed, along with Shoto's team and Monoma's team.
"Those were some killer moves, Iida!" Rainbow smiled.
Tenya coughed into his fist sheepishly. "I'd been hoping to save it for the tournament. It overclocks my RPM but leaves my engines worn down for a while afterward. I prefer to save it for emergencies."
"Yeah, that's how you climb the pack!" Mei laughed proudly.
Marco was checking up on Dark Shadow along with Fluttershy, the sentient Quirk blushing at their attention while Fumikage gave his classmates a grateful look. Ghidorah just had his arms folded and nodded contently with his team's placement.
"You Hero Course guys are crazy..." Hitoshi said, shaking his head. "But...I had fun."
Pinkie Pie beamed and pulled Hitoshi into a hug, much to the indigo-haired boy's embarrassment as he tried to push her off.
"We made it to the tournament, Kaachan!" Elleanor cheered as she hugged Katsuki and gave him a big gooey kiss on the cheek.
"Heh, we sure did. Just don't expect me to go easy on ya!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Tony chuckled. "Especially if it's me you're facing."
Shoto was just staring at his left hand and then back at Izuku and Katsuki before clenching it into a fist.
"I said I'd never use it to attack, but Midoriya and Bakugou overwhelmed me and forced me to break my own promise. At this rate... I'll end up exactly who he wants me to be..."
Celestia had gone to get some water when she bumped into someone she hadn't been expecting but at the same time probably should have; the #2 Pro Hero behind All-Might, Enji Todoroki AKA The Flame Hero: Endeavor.
"Ah, Enji, it's been such a long time. Is your wife recovering?"
"Yes, Rei is doing well. The doctors are saying she'll probably be let out by the end of the year." Endeavor said before frowning in distaste. "I saw the Cavalry Battle, that Midoriya boy, the one All-Might has his eyes on...he made Shoto use his flames."
"A step in the right direction, at the very least," Celestia said. "Especially after you confessed about your family's situation."
"It's thanks to you, Celestia. Though, I guess Luna also helped in that regard..."
Celestia and Endeavor both looked down, some unpleasant memories flashing through their minds before quickly changing the subject.
"I know I failed at being a husband and father...I can't take back what I did to my family and the pain I put them through for my own ambitions..." Endeavor sighed.
"You're trying to build things back up. Anyone else would have simply given up, but you have the heart to see your mistakes and learn from them." Celestia said.
"I know...but some scars run deeper than others."
"Ah! Enji! It's been a while!" The jovial voice of All-Might came up as Endeavor scowled, clearly not too enthused about being with the Symbol of Peace. "I don't think we've spoken since high school!"
"We certainly haven't..." Endeavor said lowly.
"Enji, please. Perhaps it's best if you and Toshinori talk things out." Celestia said. "After all, it's thanks to me he's aware of your...unhealthy obsession."
Endeavor sighed, relenting. "I guess there's no harm in it...Especially in regards to those children you're so vested in..."
"And then Iida went ZWOOM!" Rainbow Dash as Class 1-A were all heading for lunch during the break.
"Please, there's no need to play it up like that, Dash," Tenya said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"It sucks that some of us didn't make it..." Derpy said with a pout. "I guess even my luck fails me..."
Flash gave Derpy a comforting pat on the head, which brightened her mood considerably.
"It's alright, I didn't make the cut either but I'm not exactly one for the tournament," Jotaro said. "In fact, I'll probably be on my way to help out Recovery Girl with any injuries you'll all undoubtedly procure during the match-ups."
"Uh, guys...do you know where Izuku is?" Marco asked worriedly, Click looked around while perched on his head.
"And what about Twilight and Kaachan for that matter?" Elleanor added.
Everyone else realized Elleanor was right; the three were missing!
Izuku, Katsuki, and Twilight had been taken aside by Shoto to speak in the halls outside the bathroom.
"So...d-did you wanna talk with us about something?" Izuku nervously asked."
In which its thanks to Celestia and the Magic of Friendship that Endeavor's family life isn't as fucked up as it is in canon.
Also, we have One-Punch Man characters now!