My Hero Academia - Under Pressure - Season 2 - Chapter 6 - Assessment and Placement
There was a buzz within and outside the arena of the UA Sports Festival. The crowd and the heroes were alight with conversation about what they had witnessed so far through both the obstacle course race and the tag-team elimination battle.
For the audience members, they each talked about the students that they felt were doing the best. Admiring their powers, even their looks in certain cases like with Anno. They wondered who was going to go and step up in the final round.
As for the heroes that were in attendance, as well as those who were watching from afar, they were calculating which ones might be worthy of joining their agency in the future. They knew that this class of students had potential, but which ones to try and raise to a higher level? That was a decision for them to ponder.
In regards to the sixteen who advanced to the final round, they eventually went off into their own little worlds in order to prepare themselves. While Class 1-B had stuck together as they were healed, eventually they realized they needed to get mentally focused for the final challenge. As did the others from 1-A and the Support student.
Some, like Kuroda, Eri, Chuya, and others went over strategies in their mind in order to think ahead and plan for various possibilities. Others, like Sanda, Hana, Ebirima, Ueno, Onai, and Izuro went and did certain activities to relax themselves and thus not let the pressures weigh them down.
Anno, the energy ball student from 1-A, Oshibu and Goya did small practices with their powers to make sure they were as on point as possible. Hagiken worked fast to ensure that he had all the bombs and explosive devices he needed for his first-round fight.
As for goth-child, no one had seen him since the end of the tag-team tournament. Not that anyone seemed to mind.
Finally, Tonen Keitomo found himself a nice quiet room, because he had gotten a text and had to make a call. Once he was sure he was alone he dialed a number and a video chat started, "Hey guys."
At their home, Soyuki and Shitaka were beaming at their son, "Hey!"
"Enjoying the show?"
"Oh yes! Very much so," answered Soyuki, still beaming. "You had me worried at points though, like your kamikaze dive! I was so nervous I thought I would break something..."
"You almost did," teased Shitaka, "she was holding onto my hand and squeezed it tighter and tighter the closer you got to the ground!"
"Forgive me for being nervous of our son going 'SPLAT'..."
"Well don't forgive me for having faith in TK, well done son."
Tonen laughed at their mix of emotions and reactions, "Thanks guys, means a lot. Wish you could've been here live."
Soyuki gave a sorrowful sigh at this, "We almost were. Your uncle though was personally asked to patrol the areas around the arena in case of villain trouble. Which leaves the area near our home vulnerable..."
"So you had to stay at home just in case, I understand. At least you're watching, that's what matters to me."
"Thank you, Tonen."
"You nervous for the final round, TK?" asked his father. "Last round was a banger, for sure. But this will be a lot more focused and intense. How are your reserves?"
"Pretty good actually. I've been working on my intake and outside of my 'kamikaze maneuver' and a few times in the tag-team round I've been pretty conservative. This break right now is helping too, and depending on when I do...well, whatever, I'll have even more time to load up on my air pressure."
"Very methodical, I approve. And...my other question?"
"Am I nervous? Not really. All I wanted was to get far enough to prove myself, and I think I did that. Now it's up to the Pro-Heroes to see if they want me."
"As cool as a cucumber as ever, TK, so proud."
"He gets that from me," joked his mother with a nudge to his father. "But seriously, we're proud of you Tonen. No matter how far you go in this final round, know that we are proud of you and we can't wait to talk to you a bit more in-depth after the Sports Festival."
"Very true," acknowledged Shitaka, "but one warning, TK. Just because you're calm about this, doesn't mean the others are. I saw the veracity of some of the other sixteen, they're in it to win it, and so you should push yourself hard until the end, because you can bet they will."
Tonen smirked and gave a thumbs-up, "You got it, dad. See you both later."
They both waved to the camera, "Bye!"
He ended the call and let the silence of the room fill him up. While he didn't lie in telling his parents that he wasn't nervous about the final round, something his dad said about 'pushing himself hard' rang in his head. Mainly because he did want to go hard, but not for pure reasons, but selfish ones. For as the saying went, he had "some receipts to cash". But he knew his parents wouldn't want this and thus he kept them in the dark.
In the arena, people were starting to take their seats and Projection returned to the booth and tapped the microphone, "Hello everyone! We hope you're enjoying this break for food and stretching your legs! Just so you know, in about ten minutes we'll be starting a small mini-event featuring the students that didn't make it to the final round. These recreational games will allow them to continue having fun and provide some...rather non-violent actions for us to follow. So if you're interested in that, it'll start soon!"
Once done with the announcement, Projection quickly turned off the mic and raced out of the booth. She ran down a few hallways until finally she came into a room that just so happened to house the rest of the school staff...or most of them at least.
"Sorry! Sorry!" she said as she entered and tried to catch her breath. "Forgot about making that announcement for the recreation games. They don't need me to announce that so I'll good now."
Zaba, aka Duplicate, snickered at her plight, "You need to work on your cardio. Also, while I appreciate your levity in the booth, if you had me there we could really be a riot!"
"Having you in the booth, Zaba, would actually cause a riot, so no thanks."
Before he could respond, Principal Ayatsune cleared her throat, "That's enough. You're fine, Uyeki, go ahead and take your seat. Since most of us are here...we'll start."
Uyeki took her seat and Ayatsune looked at the staff before her, which also included Angel Wings, Armed Guard, Abaru, Big Brain, The Tinker and Life Force.
"Fumiko? Are all the students healed?"
"Thankfully, yes," Life Force said with very clear relief. "That tag-team battle royale, or whatever you wish to call it, was a bit...harsh at points...but we made sure everyone was ok. Just finished with the last student about ten minutes ago."
"I'll be sure to send a thank you to your support staff, I'm sure they were a big help to you."
"They were indeed, thank you, Rinoda."
Principal Ayatsune bowed her head to her friend and then looked at the others, "So, my next question is about the students who advanced. Quite a selection, wouldn't you say? Most are from 1-B, a few from 1-A, a Support student, and many of our 'picks' from the last evaluation are there."
"Mine would've made it more than likely had it not been for those girls," muttered The Tinker quickly.
"I told you, they know how to do combo attacks," said Projection with a smile. "Don't get mad because they did what came naturally to them."
"Huh? What? Mad? Me? No, never! I'm just sad because The Twins could never have seen that coming due to them having limited experience with their fellow class. If they had known that combo attack was even possible, they could've avoided them entirely, or gone for them early!"
"A fair assessment," noted Big Brain, "of course, that only makes the result more valid. Because as informed as Pro-Heroes are, sometimes we don't know what our enemy can do, or who they have aligned themselves with. All it takes is one instance of having too little information for a defeat to occur."
"Indeed, and in defeat, they can make sure it doesn't happen again should they face those two again," added Armed Guard.
"Very wise you two," acknowledged Principal Ayatsune. "The reason we do these exercises at this festival is to simulate certain things for the students so they can have a small taste of what we have to face in the 'real world' if you will. The chaos of that tag-team battle was a great example of things we here at this table have all experienced at one point or another. And with what we know might be coming, or at the very least could be coming...the more experience in matters like these they have...the better."
Angel Wings gave a very worried look to Ayatsune, the principal did her best not to match it though to alert the others.
"Any thoughts on who has stood out the most in the remaining sixteen?"
This got Angel Wings to scoff in a way that was very unlike her, "Goya, as if you have to ask. That act at the end of the round was deplorable, and I'm going to scold him personally when I have the chance."
"I thought it was neat," admitted Duplicate, but a look from Angel Wings shot him down.
"He could've seriously injured them, Zaba! And if you heard what he said on the field, he didn't just grab random people, he grabbed two people close to Tonen! Whom he hates with a passion. It was a move of malice, and nothing more, and NOT something we teach here! Let alone in my class!"
"Then perhaps he needs to be taught by someone else..." came a voice.
They all turned and in the door was a very unique man. He had an air of confidence about him, one that was also very smug when you added in his expression. The man was tall, lean, and had an ensemble that didn't look like a hero costume, but more like an outfit meant to show off his style. He had dark pants, a tye-dye style shirt, and a coat that was draped over his shoulders in a way that it couldn't fall. His streaky brown hair was heavily stylized to accentuate itself, and to add to all of that, he was chewing on a sucker.
"Maruzumi, how nice of you to finally join us for a faculty meeting..." said Ayatsune with a very unpleased expression.
"Eh, you never needed me before, but I thought I'd pop in and talk the final sixteen," Maruzumi said with a smug look and a shrug to match.
"You seem awfully pleased about your students," stated Armed Guard with a stern look to his colleague as he sat at the table.
"And why wouldn't I be?"
His smugness riled up Angel Wings even more, "How about because you only have four students from your group in the finals? My class more than doubled what yours did."
He wagged a finger at her and shook his head, "Now now, Tsuru, I thought this wasn't about numbers, but who shined the most?"
"In which case, my class shined the most."
"Perhaps. But you know as well as I that luck factored into the results. Many of your 1-B children were matched up by luck of the draw, if more had been split up like my students, the numbers might have been more even. Besides, if we're talking quality, 1-A has it in the bag, isn't that right, Abaru?"
He gave a look to the other teacher, who was petting one of her cats while the other hissed angrily at him, "You speak of Kazekuwa?"
"I do. If I heard correctly, you picked in him in the last evaluation, and now he's in the final round thanks to...Goya, ironically enough. So tell me, will he win it all?"
"...more than likely."
"Then why shouldn't I be happy?" he asked in a rhetorical way. "Oh, and on the note of young Goya, why are you complaining about him?"
"We're supposed to be training him to be a hero, and from day one he's been focused on himself and no one else!" shouted Angel Wings, anger pouring out of her. "I have tried so hard to curb that arrogance of his, and yet not only does he not listen, he willing bowed out of the rescue mission for Tonen, and seeks to cause him pain! He was a villain out there, pure and simple."
"If you say so..."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"It means that it was a calculated plan! One that leaves him in perfect position to advance deep into the tournament."
The others were a bit confused by his meaning, Projection was the first to break the silence, "Alright, I'll bite. How so?"
"It's simple," he explained. "He could no doubt tell at that point that many of his classmates would be in the final sixteen, and he wanted them to be off-balance in case they faced him. So he used his powers to rattle them by striking down some of their own. You call it ruthless, I call it strategy. Because now, they're more likely to make a mistake than he is. I'd be stunned if he didn't make it to the final four based on what the final round is aiming to be match-wise. If not the finals depending on how things turn out."
Principal Ayatsune gave a particularly harsh glare to him, "So you're saying his acts were justified?"
"Of course! There are no friends in this Festival, all teachers tell the students to showcase their skills as best they can. Young Goya did just that by showing he's willing to go to extreme measures to get things done, which last time I checked...is sometimes what 'Pro-Heroes' have to do in the field."
He faced Angel Wings and smiled falsely at her, which got another rise out of her but Ayatsune motioned for her to stop.
"As crude as his words are," interjected Big Brain after a moment of silence, "the end result is correct. If his plan works and the others are more emotional than focused in a potential fight against him, he'll win more easily."
"Oh come on!" exclaimed Angel Wings.
"Peace, Tsuru," said Armed Guard with an odd calm in its tone. "He may be right to a point, but so are you. Young Goya may be a powerhouse, but he still has a lot to learn, and while his plan is likely to succeed, I foresee his arrogance stopping him from winning it all."
"Is that a wager I hear?" wondered Maruzumi, suddenly very eager.
"It is. I bet he won't make it to the finals, and it'll be his own fault for underestimating his opponent."
"Fair, and I predict it'll be Goya vs Kazekuwa in the finals."
"Fine, the usual amount?"
"Of course."
The reached across the table and shook hands to seal the deal. Abaru couldn't help but laugh at this, "They say we're adults, and yet you two are betting on children. Tell me, who's the real immature ones here?"
"Zaba," answered Maruzumi and Armed Guard.
"Guilty!" said Zaba happily.
"Oh, we know," piped in Projection.
"Enough!" overrode Principal Ayatsune, who rubbed her temples in frustration. "We all clearly have certain feelings about things, but let's not get at each other's throats about this. Uyeki? Start heading back to the booth, we'll make the announcement about the brackets soon."
"You got it, boss."
"Igasato? Make sure the brackets are good and fair, divide the duos like we discussed."
"Already done," Big Brain said with a small nod.
"Good, everyone else can leave. Except you, Maruzumi."
She motioned for the rest to leave and they did so. Maruzumi got up and leaned against the table to have a more free range of motion for his 1-on-1 chat, "So, am I in trouble?"
"Why ask questions you already know the answers to?" bit back Ayatsune.
"If this is about Tsuru, she deserved that cold slap of reality."
"The only one who deserves a slap is you. You're here for a reason, Maruzumi, and yet you mock it with everything you have. You push your students in ways that are good, great even, but you hold back in the paths that really count. Mainly in their personalities and how to overcome their flaws. You focus only on their power sets and how they can improve them, and them alone, it's very annoying."
"Then fire me."
"Would if I could, but this is your punishment, remember? And you know that if your students don't do well enough you'll receive a much worse punishment, so you do JUST enough to get by without raising suspicion."
"I am to please," he mocked.
"As if," she scoffed in reply.
"Answer me this, why didn't you give me Goya? Surely you knew that Tsuru couldn't change him, so why not give him to someone...on his wavelength?"
"And have him turn more into you? Please. If I didn't know better, I would've asked if he was related to you. It's scary how alike you are."
"Then maybe I should tutor him in private..."
"You try it and I'll make sure you regret it."
The two stared down, eventually Maruzumi raised up his hands in surrender, "Fine, I'll stay away. Anything else, oh wise principal?"
Principal Ayatsune turned and glared at him, "Yes, you WILL be at every meeting from now on, and you'll can your prodding of Tsuru. Else you'll be the test subject for a new move I've been practicing, and you'll see the true meeting of 'Blinding Light'. Am I clear?"
"Yes, clear."
"Good. Oh, and if you do lose that bet? You better pay up."
"Of course! I made be shrewd, but a handshake deal is sacred."
Maruzumi gave a mock bow before leaving the room. Once gone, Ayatsune's body glowed intensely as she let the anger out of her for a brief spell, but she calmed down and regained her composure.
"Arrogant fool, you and Goya really would be quite a duo if I allowed it."
A knock on the door came and Angel Wings popped her head in, "Rinoda?"
Principal Ayatsune did her best to put her best smile on for her friend, "It's ok, Tsuru, you can come back in."
"Oh, it's not me who wants to come in, it's someone else."
"Who?"
She opened the door and to Ayatsune's surprise, Brazen walked into the room with a beaming smile, "Hello Rinoda!"
"Higaza!"
With joy restored she rushed to him and hugged him, and he happily returned the favor, a glow now emerging around his body, "Oh, it's been too long!"
"Blame our schedules."
"Indeed."
"Tsuru, could you give us the room?"
"Of course," replied Angel Wings.
She bowed to Brazen, who returned the favor before she left the room.
He smiled mischievously at Ayatsune, "So, you two together yet?"
"Higaza!" Ayatune said with a shocked expression and a slap of his arm.
"What? I can tell you two care for each other, it's hardly the first time I noticed it."
"I hope that's not jealousy I hear."
"Jealousy is a powerful emotion," admitted Brazen, "but I was never mad that we broke up, or jealous of who you might see next. I always respected how we went our separate ways. With friendship and dignity in mind."
Ayatsune smiled at his kind words, "You were always a good partner."
"As were you, Rinoda. ...so...are you two together yet?"
She gave him a look of not being amused and he laughed mightily at that.
"Why are you here, Higaza? Aside from toying with me endlessly."
"In truth, I wanted to ask about Tonen."
"He's here, I can take you to him if you wanted."
"No," he said with a stern tone and look, "I don't want him to know I'm here. It would distract him. I want to ask you, my friend, and his principal...how is he doing?"
Seeing the uncertainty and worry in his eyes, Principal Ayatsune sighed and tried to look at him with as much honesty as her face would allow, "He's as good as one can be for what he went through. He did tell you everything, right?"
"He told his parents first, obviously, which was fine. I found out later and...I could tell he was trying to put on a brave face for me. His 'Hero Uncle"."
"Just like his parents, he didn't want you to worry too much. You're family to him, you know that."
"I do," Brazen acknowledged with a small smile. "But I also know that certain events can cause ripples throughout ones' life. You know that just as well as I."
"I do."
"So I ask again, how is my nephew doing?"
Ayatsune hesitated this time, not wanting to give Brazen an expected answer, but one that had layers to it. One that might put his mind at ease, "The Sports Festival is helping him, no doubt. It's focusing him. He was training pretty hard for it once it got closer. Also, his classmates...well...most of them, have been looking out for him. I know of at least five who have tried to check on him regularly. I'm sure more did as well as the festival drew closer. He's got a good group, he's not alone."
"That brings me relief. The one thing someone in pain and grief does not need...is to be alone."
Brazen gave her a very knowing look, she smiled at her old flame, "Like I said, you were a good partner."
"And now I am trying to be your friend. Have you been seeking out someone to help you through this ordeal as well? I know that you saw him, and he invoked your sister..."
"I'm fine, Higaza...but I appreciate you checking up on me. Though to answer to question, Tsuru has been my rock through this."
He looked at her for a bit to see if she was speaking truthfully, then nodded in appreciation of the statement, "Very good. And of course, if you do need a little extra muscle to take him, or The Deck, down..."
"You'll be on list, I promise."
"That's all I can ask, Rinoda."
"On that note, can I ask you to stay? I'm sure Tonen would love to know you watched some of his final matches."
This got Brazen to laugh loudly once again, and again causing a glow to emit around his body, "I'm sure it would. But I would be a terrible spectator, especially if he starts to lose. I want him to do this on his own. Besides...I'm supposed to be on guard duty around the event. I had a lull so I decided to sneak in, but I don't want to keep pushing my luck."
She shook her head at his...well...Brazen-ness, "I'm glad some things never change. See you around Higaza."
"See you around, Rinoda."
With a final look to her, he left, causing a silence to fill the room, until she broke it herself with a small laugh, "Quite the 'Uncle' you have there, Tonen."
In the arena, the final batch of recreational games ended, and the crowd cheered all the students who participated in them.
Projection, now back at her seat, got back into the flow of things, "Let's give the students around hand, shall we!"
The crowd again cheered as the final students went off.
"And now, let's get ready for the final round by bringing out the final 16 students of our Freshmen Class!"
Right on cue, the final sixteen students arrived on the arena floor. The crowd grew even louder as they appeared before them.
"To explain the final rounds action, please welcome back, Armed Guard!"
Armed Guard stepped forward with his microphone, "Thank you, Projection. Students, you have done well to make it this far, and I think any Pro-Hero here would be honored to see you in action alongside them. But now is NOT the time to rest on your accomplishments. Now is the time to go Plus Ultra!"
The crowd chanted, "Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra!"
"The final round will be one that many Sports Festivals have had in the past, and one that feels appropriate given...recent events. The final round is going to be a 1-on-1 battle tournament!"
The announcement got the crowd to go into a near frenzy.
"The duos you were in will be split up into groups of eight and then shuffled around. That way no pairing will have to fight each other until the final round. Consider this a small comfort. Because that means that you'll be facing the very people you tried to eliminate in the previous round possibly all the way up to the end."
The students didn't speak on this, but did think many thoughts about who they might face.
Armed Guard grunted loudly to get them to stop, "As for your battlefield, The Tinker will help with that..."
He made a gesture with his arm and The Tinker appeared from a nearby entrance alongside some machines. With a controller in his hands, the machines were guided towards an area just behind where the students now stood. With incredible quickness they constructed a solid stage area where the contests of skill and power could take place.
Once done, he took the machines and left with only a signal to Armed Guard to show he was done.
"Very impressive, Tinker. The rules of the matches are simple. You can win by one of three ways. KO, incapacitation through trapping them or making their powers useless, or ring out. Both feet must touch the ground to constitute a ring out. This is your chance to go all out, to show exactly what you all are capable of. If you want one final chance to impress the Pro-Heroes in the stands and watching at home...NOW is your chance. The brackets will be revealed momentarily, then you'll have five minutes before the first match starts."
"You heard the man!" said Projection, returning to the public's ears. "Let's see those brackets!"
They looked to the nearby screen, and the profiles of the sixteen remaining students blinked to life, then shuffled themselves until eventually they were put into a 16-seeded bracket.
"And there you have it! Looking at some of these matches, we're going to be having some really fun fights!"
The final sixteen immediately looked for their positioning. While some were fine with their placements, many others weren't. Including some in Class 1-B who had to face their own. For Tonen though, he wasn't fazed by his first opponent, but near ravenous at the prospects of who would come later.
"You see it too, don't you?" came a voice, and Tonen turned to see Kuroda next to him and looking up at the board as well.
"I see something, what do you see?" he answered coyly.
"If you play it right, you could get both Chuya and Goya in this tournament."
"You mean if I advance..."
"Yeah, that's what I meant."
"Well if you play it right, you might be able to get to Goya before me."
"Yeah, I just have to beat a shark."
"You just have to beat a shark."
They looked at each other and smiled.
Tonen again looked at the board, "We actually got seeded pretty well overall, do you think one of us in 1-B can win it all?"
Kuroda thought about it, but made a sound of uncertainty, "Lot of factors. I've never been one to count my blessings before they come."
"Which is why you're a good rep."
"Always nice to hear."
Before they could continue, a tapping got their attention. Up in the booth, Projection was raring to go, "Alright, will the students not competing in the first match depart backstage, and the two first match combatants please go the battlefield!"
Tonen, Kuroda, and the remaining students left, while Chuya and Ueno went up steps on opposite sides until they were a solid distance apart from one another. Each one had a very different look in their eyes as they prepared for battle.
"Let the first match of the final round...begin!"
*credits*
