New year new chapter. Days are actually getting longer again. The sun is actually up above the clouds till 4pm.

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Psy-Kick: Here's a new one.

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Proofread by 3DPhantom

Chapter 47: Turning Up The Heat

"Where's Tenya?"

"Right," Hitoshi started. His tone made Izuku immediately worried. "Principal Nezu came to see him during your match and told him there is a phone call he needs to take. He never came back after that."

Something squeezed Izuku's insides like an invisible hand had reached into him, about to rip something away. The words were innocent enough, except for the principal coming personally, but that fact, something in Hitoshi's voice, and Izuku's own instincts made a chill go through his spine colder than anything Todoroki could create. A phone was in his hand faster than even a notebook ever was. Hitoshi tilted his head.

"You kept a phone with you during the fights?"

"Not at first," Izuku said while picking the number. "I needed to pick up the phone for something. Good thing it didn't break."

Izuku raised the phone to his ear and waited in silence, no one interrupted. Unfortunately that included Tenya as the phone beeped busy. Eventually Izuku gave up and began staring at the screen that was only showing Tenya's name and face.

"Izuku, he's okay," Hitoshi said.

"Maybe, I mean he wasn't injured when he left, but… I got a bad feeling about this."

"I feel the same, but it is something you can't control, probably, at least not right now. You just won the UA sports festival. Take a moment to enjoy this, at least until we can reach him."

"I know that but…"

"No buts. You've spent the whole day worrying about others. Can't you take at least this moment for yourself?"

Izuku stared at the ground for a moment before looking at Hitoshi again.

"No." His voice was apologetic, but not hesitant. "Even if we don't know what is going on with Tenya…"

"Todoroki," Hitoshi said, "so what are we going to do about him?"

Izuku stared at him for several seconds.

"You think I'd let you walk into that mess alone, especially after what happened before? Eijiro told me about your encounter."

"Yeah, we aren't going to let you do that again alone," Eijiro agreed. "Just tell me what you need."

"You guys," Izuku said and shook his head. "You understand that anything we could do would put you on Endeavour's bad side."

"Never stopped you. If Tenya was here he'd tell you to not get burned."

"Heh, too late for that," Eijiro said. "So what do you want to do?"

"There are only two things that can help Todoroki. One is to get him to change what he is doing."

"Easier said than done," Hitoshi said.

"The other is to take down Endeavour."

Hitoshi didn't immediately say anything, so Izuku continued.

"Yeah, I know. The good news is he already doesn't like me."

"That's the good news?" Hitoshi shook his head.

"It made him show his true colours. Before we only knew what Todoroki told us."

"Still can't believe it," Eijiro said looking down. "I used to look up to him."

"Like most people," Izuku said and put a hand on Eijiro's shoulder. "He is one of the best examples of how the current system worships people that don't deserve it."

"Right," Eijiro sighed but quickly perked up. "So how can we help?"

Izuku smiled softly at the redhead.

"Just focus on Todoroki. Might need someone more unyielding to get through the ice he is hiding in."

Eijiro stared at him, looking briefly confused.

"Oh, you mean figuratively."

"Yeah. I need to talk with him before the awards ceremony, but we aren't really getting along at the moment. I might be able to light his fire, but not in a good way. Maybe you should find him and… soften him up first. We already agreed he needs people that can be his friends even when he pushes them away."

"Heh, that sounds like something you should ask Honenuki to do, but I can try."

Eijiro ran off looking for his target, leaving Izuku, Hitoshi, and Tokoyami behind.

"You think he can get through Todoroki's ice?" Hitoshi asked.

"If he can't, Todoroki might be a lost case. We still need to release Todoroki from his father either way."

"By taking him down? You know, there are a lot of people watching the festival. If Todoroki could share what he told us…"

"The glowing man would get whacked," Dark Shadow declared, hovering next to Tokoyami.

"It might work," Izuku said, "but Todoroki obviously isn't ready for that and… I'm planning something better for the awards ceremony… Should still get Todoroki along for that I guess."

"Oh, now I am interested," Hitoshi's smirk was so devious a clueless hero could have come to catch him as a villain. They headed in to look for their two-faced classmate. With the tournament over most of their classmates were gathered at the waiting rooms, but as Izuku stepped in he couldn't see either of his classmates with red hair.

"Anyone seen Todoroki?"

A tentacle reached next to Izuku and formed a mouth at the end of it.

"Haven't seen him since his fight with Kirishima, but… I heard someone shout 'Shoto' earlier before Kirishima came asking about him."

Izuku exchanged a concerned glance with Hitoshi.

"What direction did the shout come from?" Hitoshi asked Shoji. The tentacle reached out of the door to point towards another corridor.

"Thanks. How about Tenya?"

"Not since he left during the match, sorry."

"It's okay," Izuku shook his head. "Thanks."

Izuku left the room now, walking a little faster with Hitoshi on his tail. There weren't other people in the corridor that led from contestant areas towards some of the general audience and VIP areas. A door was open to one of the many doors to rooms different contestants and performers could use to prepare.

"Leave me alone!" Todoroki shouted. There was a flash of orange light from the doorway. Izuku changed direction to sprint toward the commotion, only stopping a step before the doorway just long enough to hold out his hand, telling Hitoshi to stand back, which went promptly ignored as Hitoshi pushed past him and they both struggled to be the first to get in.

Eijiro was hopping on one side of the room, still hardened and tapping out a fire that had caught on his sleeve and pants. Luckily the damage was limited and to one side. Hitoshi went to check on their seemingly unhurt friend so Izuku could focus on the culprit. He was standing facing a wall with his back towards them. The entire left sleeve and much of the rest of his shirt on that side was gone, burned away. Izuku's stare was cold enough it could probably have put down Todoroki's fire if he was still using it. His voice carried a threat that needed no specific words to be felt.

"So you won't use your fire for contest, claimed to refuse even using it to save people, but this is how use it? To burn your classmate? Do you still want to get rid of it? Because that can most certainly be arranged."

"Izuku wai…" Eijiro said to the side.

"Answer me!" Izuku's open hand twitched, ready to tear the quirk away from the target of his ire. Todoroki turned around slowly. His burnt eye met Izuku's first. There was something in the stare, not anger or threat. Then he turned fully and his cheek on the unburnt side was covered in tears that flowed over a dark bruise just under his eye. Izuku's hand relaxed. Todoroki was holding his left arm against himself like he was afraid it would jump away and do something he'd regret.

"What happened?" Izuku asked. Todoroki glanced at Eijiro.

"He… I did…" He could barely speak and was twitchy, stuck deep into flight or fight territory. Izuku made sure no not approach any closer or make any move that could seem like trying to touch the youngest Todoroki. He recognized the mental state Todoroki was in and they didn't have the relationship to make approaching safe.

"Not that," Izuku said. "You aren't going to convince me that Eijiro did anything that would justify this, and it doesn't seem like you either. So what happened?"

Todoroki didn't respond. Izuku spoke more quietly.

"What did Endeavour do? You didn't have that bruise after your fight with Eijiro."

Todoroki looked away. Izuku sighed, his anger redirected.

"It must have been bad if it made you use your fire, and on Eijiro of all people. I thought I'd be the one to get burned," Izuku paused. "He's angry you didn't win, right?"

Todoroki drew a shaky breath.

"Y… yes. He said he has gone too easy on my training and would 'correct' that."

"And hit you."

It wasn't really a question, but Izuku still waited in silence for a long time before giving up on getting a response.

"I can't say anything that would make it better. I can't imagine how it feels to be abused by both your pare…"

Flames flashed from the left side of Todoroki's face, hot enough to make the tears on the other side evaporate.

"Don't say that about my mother!"

Izuku stepped back, holding his hand in front of him in a calming motion.

"Okay, sorry."

He really meant that. He would probably have reacted the same if they were talking about his mother. Todoroki cooled down faster than he would have and avoided eye contact again.

"This changes things. I thought you were just being stubborn, but you're actually afraid."

Todoroki didn't contradict it, which was all the evidence Izuku needed.

"The rest is just an act, or maybe it is the only way you know to behave. Wouldn't be the only way in which you've been becoming another Endeavour."

At least that made Todoroki look at Izuku again.

"Don't," Izuku said. "We have already had that argument. It is more important to ensure your safety first."

"I'm fine, you shouldn't…"

"Don't make me slap you. I'd rather not burn my fingers," Izuku said. "You aren't fine, probably haven't been in a long time. You are just refusing to get help, at least the kind you actually need."

"It's not your…"

"It is," Eijiro said. "You are our friend, right? And real heroes don't ignore people that need help."

Todoroki looked at him for a moment, looking confused.

"You can't…"

"We can," Izuku said, "but you should. The one with the best chance to bring him down is you."

"I… I can't. How…?"

"Just tell people. The whole country follows this tournament. The idea of heroes might have been twisted to the point of being worthless, but even then, there are things that can break the illusion if exposed. I'd say Endeavour qualifies."

"I… I don't think it would work. People wouldn't believe it."

"Not if we said it without evidence. If his own son made the accusation that would be different, but that is not the issue… For all your talk about denying him you are afraid to oppose him and we can't force you, but think about it. Today is the best chance you will have in a long time."

"And we'll be there with you," Eijiro said, "or at least Izuku will be, for the ceremony."

Todoroki preferred to look at the wall over responding to them. Izuku sighed and turned around himself.

"Whatever you decide to do I'm going to do what I need to do. It's enough if you keep your fire under control. Not everyone can take it like Eijiro."

Izuku took a few steps towards the door before stopping.

"You might not have experienced this before, but bullies don't stop if you kneel in front of them or even pretend to not care about them. I made that mistake for about ten years. You need to either fight back or get away from them and… you don't need to fight alone. Bullies often don't. Your father is no different."

Izuku left the room and walked a bit down the corridor before stopping and leaning on the wall. He wasn't feeling weak like after holding it together in front of All Might or talking about his mother, but had he done or said the right thing?

"It's fine," Hitoshi said from behind him. "I think he needs someone who tells him things straight to his face. Not sure if that is enough, but… I hope you really have a plan even without him."

"Yeah… but this… he's, Endeavour is even worse than we thought."

"You are talking like you weren't already plotting to destroy the man."

"Not hard enough."

"I feel almost bad for him, but remember your own advice." Hitoshi put his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Keep your fire under control. Endeavour can still burn you in more ways than one if you get careless."

"I'll do my best. The more reason something needs to happen today, with… so many people watching." Izuku paused to draw a deep breath.

"Can you say what you want to say with so many people watching?"

"Hey," Izuku snapped and forced an attempt of a comforting smile on his lips, "I didn't even stutter with my earlier sales speech for you."

"True, we are so proud of you for that. Just keep it together till we get in the car."

"Okay doctor Shinso."

"Also, this is enough for you to worry about so leave filling Tenya's missed calls list to me and looking after Todoroki to Eijiro."

"I'll try."

"Do or do not. There is no try," Hitoshi said with a completely straight face. Izuku tilted his head.

"Are you quoting movies in a situation like this?"

Hitoshi shrugged.

"If the words apply, does it matter where they come from?"

Izuku shook his head, but to his credit he did rather than just try. It took a cold shower despite not switching out of his sports clothes yet, but he managed to go through the wait without making any calls, at least calls to anyone his age. Todoroki borrowed someone's shirt to look representable for the ceremony, but other than that didn't speak to anyone, though Eijiro was never too far when Izuku saw him.

Then it was time for the awards ceremony. Izuku met Todoroki and Honenuki at the corridor leading to the arena. Izuku gave a moment of attention to Honenuki.

"Are you feeling well?"

The former opponent's head perked up and he gave Izuku his strange smile.

"Well enough. I still feel a bit ill from how you shook my insides, but Recovery Girl assured me I got off easily. I am more hurt by how completely I failed in our battle."

Izuku looked down, thoughtful for a moment.

"You didn't fail, not exactly. You simply lacked the means to get to me or hurt me. Your quirk can't impact someone flying in the air… unless there is something tall you can collapse onto them, and I was beyond your reach without a suitable quirk. As a hero you could come up with ways, allies or support items to get around that, but the tournament doesn't allow that."

"That would still mean that my abilities are lacking, as is my quirk."

"Not really," Izuku said. "Every quirk has its powers and limits. Your works by touch. That gives it limits that make some people a better match for you than others. Winning isn't just about your strength but how your abilities match your opponent and how you deal with your limits. That's just how it is. Everyone has to deal with it."

"You too?"

The question gave Izuku pause. He looked at his hands and the small holes in them.

"Yes… sort of. I can add quirks to compensate for the weaknesses of others to not be so vulnerable. That is how I beat you."

"I can see that, but that would mean you could avoid ever being at a disadvantage."

Izuku hummed, not admitting to it audibly, but Honenuki understood the true power of All For One.

"Okay kids," one of the event staff interrupted. "Time to go." They stepped out in a line with Izuku first. Three concrete platforms had been set up in the middle of the arena with the middle one being the highest one. The rest of their classmates and other contestants were already gathered in a large formation opposite the platforms.