Okay everyone, here is the second half of the First Round chapter of the tournament. From here, it'll be back to the one-chapter-per-week format. I want to keep up my head start on chapters that have been written ahead of the most recent ones, after all. Takes a lot of stress off of my shoulders.
I want to give a big shout-out to MHA ASMR performer Aloe Vera for providing some foundational inspiration for a major part of this chapter. Her work is awesome, and I strongly recommend you all check her out.
My Hero Academia is the property of Kouhei Horikoshi and Shonen Jump. I only own my original characters, the original events surrounding them, and the alterations of established events that occur as a result of their existence in this universe.
Chapter 17
First Round, Part Two
(Первый раунд, Часть Вторая)
When Nikolay had finally regained consciousness, he had immediately been met with the now familiar glaring overhead lights of Recovery Girls' stadium office, forcing him to wince and cover his eyes as he began trying to get out of his cot. "Ah, you're awake. I must say I'm glad to see it didn't take as long for you to recover to that state as I thought."
The elderly nurses' voice carried all the same casualness as he had become accustomed to from his experiences with her, sitting up in his cot to regain his bearings. For a second he couldn't help but wince in pain, clutching at his stomach. "The bruises to your midsection were especially numerous, but don't worry, you'll still be back to 100% in plenty of time for your second round fight. I even got your nose and lip all back to normal already, as well."
When Nikolay was finally able to see clearly again, he was surprised to find both Tunguska and Tenya in the office as well, with Recovery Girl having just finished applying one of her healing kisses to the Class Presidents' face, much to his visible discomfort. Before anything else could be said, the large Russian Hero hurried to his sons' side, the biggest smile on his bearded weathered face.
"I'm so proud of you, Kolya! You carried yourself admirably out there! Your training really has been working out splendidly for you. You have such better control over your reaction timing and how much power you put into firing off your Quirk! You've come so far, my son! Granted, given malenkii Iidas' Quirk, I suppose trying your hand at our kind of martial fighting would've been impractical, but that doesn't matter! I'm so proud of you!"
Once his father seemed to have said his whole piece, Nikolay now noticed, to his momentary concern; that Tenya was now approaching as well, holding a small ice bag to one of his ears. "I have to say I agree with Tunguska-sensei, Bezpalov-san. Again, speaking as your Class President and friend, it genuinely makes me proud to see you've managed to pull through and actually emerge victorious. Considering you haven't had nearly as much experience and training with your Quirk as I have, these results end up being that much more impressive. You used the inherent absorption property of your Quirk to mount a last second defense, and disoriented me enough to save yourself, and secure a shot at victory. Your method was unorthodox, yet undeniably effective. Bravo!"
As Tenya and Tunguska alike began to eagerly clap in congratulations, Nikolay simply bowed his head, unable to hide the twisting of guilt on his face. "It wasn't like I planned ahead for it or anything like that; it was honestly just a gut reaction, a muscle reflex if nothing else. If anything, I just got insanely lucky. I just hope I didn't hurt you too badly, Iida-san. And I…I-I'm sorry I ended up forcing you to lose in front of your brother."
"Oh, you didn't hurt him too badly, dear. That shoulder charge into his stomach left some bruising, a few scrapes here and there from getting thrown back, but your Quirk itself really only disoriented him some, ruptured one of his eardrums; hardly anything I couldn't fix right off the bat." Recovery Girl chimed in from across the office, while Tenya once again straightened his glasses, as he always did when preparing a speech.
"Bezpalov-san, don't start weighing yourself down with guilt simply because you emerged the victor between us. We both simply did what the rules of the Yuuei Sports Festival asked of us, and there's no shame in being on the losing end, either. We all knew the chances of losing in front of numerous Pro Heroes from the moment Aizawa-sensei first told us of the Festivals' approach two weeks ago. I wasn't nearly arrogant enough to think I could somehow be exempt from the possibility of losing in comparison to anyone else in our class, or this entire school.
"The fact remains that we both gave our all out there against each other, and if nothing else, this simply serves as another example of why I must continue to challenge myself even further with my training, and any other trials that will come our way in the coming year. And I know that if my brother were here right now, he would be saying the exact same thing. So please, Bezpalov-san, take it to heart when I say, just as I did in the arena, that there are no hard feelings for simply playing by the rules we were given, and you coming out the winner."
The utterly noble air that Tenya exuded as he stood there, a respectful smile on his face, with a friendly hand extended, practically lifted Nikolays' spirits like magic, as he eagerly rose from his cot and met his friend and upperclassman with a firm and grateful handshake, while Tunguska looked upon such a display of young comradery with an approving smile.
At that moment, the door to the office suddenly flew open, and Nikolay and Tenya both stepped back from each other before nearly being bowled over by two more first-aid robots wheeling in a stretcher. Upon it was the normally twinkling form of Yuuga Aoyama, except that his laser belt looked to have been busted and smoking (partially melted to be precise), and his lower jaw almost looked to have swollen to twice its normal size. And yet, even with his eyes having been forced to squint because of it, they were still able to twinkle regardless.
'Wait a second…if Aoyama-san's here, looking like that, then does that mean…?'
"WHOOOH! I WON! I WON, I WON; I WON! SECOND ROUND, HERE I COME!" Mina Ashidos' normally bubbly, cheerful voice now had an echoing ring of boundless excitement as she nearly came bouncing into the office. The big, bright smile on her pink face was as happy as could possibly be, before quickly returning her attention to her technically unconscious opponent, "Sorry about that again, Aoyama-kun!"
Of course, her apologetic grin lit back up just as quickly once she realized Nikolay and Tenya were both back on their feet, barely managing to restrain herself from bouncing happily where she stood. "Oh, yay; you're both all right! Your guys' fight was so intense; I almost didn't think you'd be up again already! Are you guys okay?"
"Bezpalov-san and I are just fine, Ashido-san. However, if you would please try to keep your volume a touch lower; my eardrum is still in the process of healing for the next couple of minutes." Tenyas' minor reprimanding was firm, yet not too harsh, as Mina was still able to smile, albeit a bit embarrassed, before bringing her palms together in a gesture of apology. However, Nikolays' demeanor was comparatively more celebratory, not even trying to downplay how happy he was for his best friend managing to win her first fight. "Congratulations all the same, though, Mina. How did you do it?"
"Oh, it was awesome, Kolya-kun! Aoyama-kun kept firing his laser every time I tried to move, but remember how he said if he fires too much or too long he gets a stomachache? Well, I just kept jumping and swerving until he got winded, then I just threw some of my acid and made his belt go on the fritz! He starts freaking out, and that's when I rush in and just plant one right in his chin, and he's out like a light, and I'm pretty much declared the winner right then and there! I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't like hitting my classmates, but still, it felt so cool being out there and cheered by everybody!"
Mina even went so far as to partially re-enact the fight itself as she described it, almost resembling a little kid recounting the latest thing they saw on TV. It was frankly adorable to see, particularly from where Tunguska was standing, observing how eager she was to tell his son, especially, all about it.
"Hey, we only got a few minutes, you guys; we gotta hurry back! The fight for Fumikage-kun and Hatsume-chan is about to start!" Mina suddenly realized with a start, before eagerly grabbing both Nikolay and Tenya by the hand. Looking back, Recovery Girl gave the three students a gesture of approval to go, and like a shot; Mina had them all right out the door, leaving the nurse and Tunguska (and a blacked out Aoyama) to themselves. "I should probably get going, too. All Might is no doubt wondering if I got lost somehow," he finally joked before excusing himself as well.
"OKAY, FOLKS, OUR LAST FIGHT WAS EXECUTED WITH SWIFTNESS, GRACE, AND NO MERCY! WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM OUR SIXTH MATCH OF THE DAY?! LET'S FIND OUT! SHE WHO IS FULLY BEDECKED IN SUPPORT GEAR! HATSUME MEI, OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPORT!
"VERSUS!
"HIS PERSON IS SHROUDED IN AN AURA OF MYSTERY AND BROODING DARKNESS! LET HIS DISPLAY HERE IN THE ARENA STRIKE FEAR INTO THE HEARTS OF ALL VILLAINS TO COME! FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEROICS CLASS A!"
The crowd was once again rife with energy as the two new competitors stepped up. Among the 1-A students, many of whom had been quick to once again extend their congratulations to Nikolay upon his return, were watching with particular curiosity, their Slavic peer included.
It was nice to finally get a closer look at the girl known as Mei Hatsume without having to constantly be on the move and/or defensive, so he could really put a face to the name. As he'd noticed during the Obstacle Race, her hair looked much rounder, if not spongier, than most, while a slightly darker pink color from Minas'. She had a similarly bright and excited-looking smile on her face (if not looking just a touch devious), and her eyes were a bright yellow, with what almost looked like crosshairs in her irises connecting to her pupils. At least, he was able to make that detail out when the screens lining the stadium were able to get a closeup of her.
Of course, all these things aside, Meis' most eye-catching detail was the frankly ridiculous assortment of mechanical body implementations and gadgets she had strapped pretty much to her entire body, not even including the elaborate headset of goggles resting on her head. She even had what looked like a heavy-duty case clutched in one hand. Nikolay almost had to ask himself out loud how she was expected to move around in a getup like that at all, let alone enough to last in a fight against their exceptionally tough crow-headed classmate.
"STAAART!"
However, as soon as the announcement had been made and Tokoyami began to take the first step, the very first thing Mei did, instead, was drop the case and open it up, though nobody could tell what was inside from a distance.
"I'm gonna need you to hold on for a minute there, Fumikage-san. I've gotta get my babies the proper exposure for the folks watching, you know? I was hoping I'd get put up against someone more willing to give me a helping hand showcasing what I can do." Of all things, Mei was actually starting a conversation, while Tokoyami had been momentarily stopped in his tracks, a glimmer of actual confusion in his otherwise hostile eyes.
"What is she doing? How is she even able to bring something like that along? I thought weapons weren't allowed." Nikolay whispered in confusion as well, with Mina and several of his other classmates likewise shrugging in misunderstanding. "It's because Hatsume-san is from the Support Department. Their entire focus is around making adjustments to Heroes' costumes and their equipment, even inventing gadgets to help aid us in Hero work. Granted, if a participating student wanted to use gadgets to give them an edge in the Festival, they would have had to register for permission beforehand, hence why Aoyama-san would still be able to participate despite his Quirk requiring the use of his belt. Regardless, if anyone would take the chance to bring gadgets to the Sports Festival, it would be the kids of the Support Department. This is simply natural."
Tenya almost sounded like a documentary narrator, explaining this as he watched Mei unpack an assortment of incomprehensible looking machine wears, setting them up all around herself, while Tokoyami still looked utterly dumbfounded that she was choosing to do this now of all times.
"Hopefully you and the folks from the big Support companies are watching closely, Fumikage-san. It may not be the hands-on display I was hoping for, but everybody's gonna get the chance to finally see my babies in action for real, this time! Offense, defense, extraction, restriction, I've got everything Pro and student Heroes alike could want and need right here! I've got stimulation packs that could give you a continuous supply of energy to use your Dark Shadow indefinitely, even some boosters to aid you in speedy mobilization if you need to use it to go airborne! Or maybe even some—"SILENCE!"
Tokoyamis' sudden angered shout rendered the whole stadium silent with surprise, while Mei simply looked up at her opponent with mild confusion.
"Your display here is downright disgraceful, Hatsume-san! This Festival is for the potential future Heroes of the country to prove themselves as worthwhile disciples for the upholders of justice and protectors of the innocent and weak! This is a proving ground for those that will eventually shed their blood in the war against Villainy, and you're treating it like a damned science fair showcase! We must prove ourselves in battle, and yet you waste all our time with inane, senseless prattling and—"Isn't that what you're technically doing too, though, Fumikage-san?"
Tokoyamis' incensed speech had been swiftly cut off by a wayward commentary from Denki Kaminari, and just as swiftly, had what little talking there had been, been swiftly silenced once more. Even if many could not see it from a distance, the blonde boys' comment had struck Tokoyami right where it hurt most: in his pride. He was right; the crow-headed boy had effectively lowered himself to Meis' same level without even realizing it.
The shame he could feel in the pit of his chest was immeasurable, knowing he had not only allowed the Support Department girl to get under his skin so easily, but that he had gone and shown as much to so many people. Tokoyami solemnly bowed his head in embarrassment, while Mei simply looked about to make sure the Support company heads she had really been hoping to impress were indeed still watching. "Well…if you've gotten everything off your chest that you wanted to, maybe I could convince you to just let me slip some of my babies onto you, and we can just-!"
WRAM!
Before the last words had even exited Meis' mouth, her vision had swiftly been consumed in an intense darkness. Tokoyami, without even looking, had simultaneously summoned and sent Dark Shadow to attack her, and without a moments' hesitation, it had knocked Mei off her feet and back with such force, that she had gone flying over the rings' border and out of the arena onto the grass in the blink of an eye, ushering only a collective gasp of shock and surprise from the entire audience. Even Midnight had to take a moment to realize what had just happened.
"Er…Hatsume is out! Fumikage, you are cleared to go to Round 2!"
Only half of the audience had the awareness to begin clapping, albeit much more awkwardly, as Tokoyami begrudgingly exited the arena, heading straight for the nearest tunnel, still utterly humiliated by such a disgraceful excuse for a match.
A couple first-aid robots had already begun to wheel onto the grass to take Mei to the nurses' office, but the pink-haired girl practically flipped herself off the ground and back onto her feet, not a single speck of brightness diminished from her smile as she simply brushed herself off, before pulling out what looked like a little switch from her pocket. With a press of the single button it had, all the gadgets, odds and ends she had gotten out simultaneously were pulled back into her case magnetically, before the case itself latched back up tight, and then flew back into her grip, guided by a single magnetic chip inside the metallic harness on her torso.
"Well, you win some, you lose some, I guess. At least they got to see how well put together my babies are, and it was a little practice for my sales pitching skills, at the very least," she reassured herself before happily making her way for another tunnel, but not before stopping once she noticed Izuku up in the crowd, and all the other students she had come to recognize were also from 1-A.
"Hey, if you all liked what you saw from up there, be sure to swing by the Support Department and ask for me. If I can study your Quirks and your tools and suits, I guarantee you I can make some sweet babies to make you ten times—no, a HUNDRED TIMES more effective in the field! That's Hatsume Mei of the Department of Support, and don't you all forget it!" With that and a singularly confident thumb up, Mei continued on her exit, chuckling in satisfaction to herself.
"Wow. Do you think all the Support Department kids are as…unique as Hatsume-san is? I really didn't think she would take getting beaten so…so well." Nikolay admitted, still not entirely sure just what it was he had just witnessed. Meanwhile, Mina looked noticeably put-off, clutching the pants of her uniform tight. "I don't know…but I don't like the idea of her messing around with my costume. I worked really hard designing it, and it looks super cute and it's comfortable and it works really well with my Quirk! I don't want her messing anything up about it."
It was admittedly adorable to see Mina acting so protective of her costume, but as Nikolay looked around to the rest of the class, he saw that, with a few exceptions like Izuku and Tenya, many of his other classmates were similarly apprehensive to the idea of letting Mei tweak their suits and tools as she saw fit. Frankly, the more he thought about it, the less appealing the idea sounded to him, as well. Who knew just what kind of crazy Frankenstein-esque experiments she could come up with that, for all he knew, could end up backfiring with him as the guinea pig?
The seventh match of the first round had quickly been announced: Eijirou Kirishima vs. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu of Class 1-B. The red-headed boy had been quick to beckon his friends and classmates goodbye before rushing down for the arena. However, as they beckoned their mutual friend good luck in the match, Nikolay and Mina had been quick to notice something: Izuku, Tenya and Ochako were nowhere to be found among their classmates.
"Urara-chan's been missing so much of the tournament. Didn't she leave right when Setsuna-chan was going to fight Shiozaki-san?" Mina asked worriedly, while Nikolay was finding himself going deep into thought. Once this current match was over, Ochako was going to be up next, and against Katsuki Bakugo of all people. There was no doubt she had to be feeling the pressure and the fear. He seriously doubted even Bakugo was the type to go easy on an opponent just because he was fighting a girl. Surely Izuku and Tenya had to have gone to the waiting room to try and give her some last minute advice or emotional support before she'd have to go out there.
"You've talked with Urara-chan and Midori-kun fairly often, right, Kolya-kun? You think you might have any idea why she'd be gone for so long? I mean, she's been looking pretty intense all day today, like I've never seen from her before. You think she's feeling okay?" Nikolay reflexively looked in Minas' eyes, able to see just how deeply worried she was about the gravity girl she'd become relatively good friends with in this time. Truly, anyone would have agreed that she deserved to know the truth about Ochako in relation to today, right?
The fact remained, though, that this was something deeply personal for Ochako, and just like she had two weeks ago at school with him, Izuku and Tenya, she would only tell anyone else about the truth of her goal when she wanted to and was ready. If he were to tell Mina, and by virtue of eavesdropping, anyone else in class, he would have been betraying that great amount of trust Ochako had inherently placed on him, and she could potentially never forgive him for doing so, no matter what the intentions for it were.
"I wish I knew, Mina. I really do," he finally said, all the while mentally cursing the fact he couldn't just get up and go to the waiting room to try and cheer her up like the others. Him getting up and leaving for her sake would have no doubt drawn Mina and who-knew how many more of their classmates along, and then Ochako would be put completely on the spot, and he knew that was the very last thing she needed right now. So, with a great deal of begrudging, he left his answer at that little lie, and brought his focus back to the arena.
The match between Eijirou and Tetsutetsu had started out very tense, with students and audience alike on the edge of their seats when witnessing the two trade blow for blow with each other, especially due to their identical Quirks. The only difference between them was purely aesthetic, as Eijirous' body was able to essentially crystallize itself, and Tetsutetsu, like his namesake as Nikolay had come to learn through his Japanese studies, could turn his skin into iron.
Every single impact resonated across the stadium as the two boys continued fighting with absolutely everything they had. And yet, no matter how hard either one tried, the other simply would not go down.
And this was how their fight proceeded for nearly ten whole minutes, until at last, just when everyone was about ready to believe the fight would never end, Eijirou and Tetsutetsu met each other with a simultaneous punch straight to the face, sending them both flat on their backs and motionless.
Nobody was sure whether to cheer for whoever the winner was, because it was impossible to tell. Much like the last match, even Midnight had a difficult time deciding how to call it. In the end though, a compromise was eventually reached: "They're both down! IT'S A DRAW! In the case of a draw, after they both come to, the match will be decided by a simpler game: we'll have them ARM WRESTLE for the right to advance!"
Elsewhere in the stands, Tunguska felt a burning flame of equal pride and respect for both his more hard-headed students as they were wheeled out of the arena, mentally voicing his continuous support for either one of them to win when they came to.
However, even once the two had been cleared out, an almost physical air of cold foreboding settled over the stadium, primarily over the 1-A students. They all knew what was about to come, and the popular visualization of the outcome was far from pleasant. Even for as intensely as he himself could feel it, Nikolay could tell Mina and everyone else was feeling it too, even when Izuku and Tenya had finally made their return.
"Next match is that match…the match that's bound to be the most upsetting-kero." Tsuyu commented, pretty much voicing everyones' prediction, while Kyouka instinctively felt herself shudder in morbid anticipation: "I feel like I might look away the entire time."
Finally, movement could be seen from within the opposite tunnel, and everyone felt their hearts momentarily seize, as Katsuki Bakugo stepped out into the light, red eyes reflecting the same spite, hostility and all-around hate for everyone around him, all topped off with a downright sadistic-looking sneer on his face.
Just seeing such an expression on the screen left everyone even uneasier than before, with Nikolay feeling a frigid sweat begin beading upon his brow and his heart start pounding even harder.
And shortly thereafter, finally emerged the comparatively softer yet welcome image of the just-as-determined Ochako Uraraka, her brown eyes solely focused on her opponent, as she ascended the arena to meet him in kind.
As the two opponents locked eyes, everyone could just feel the tension building in the air, between the normally so sweet-hearted yet fierce gravity girl, and the walking talking embodiment of homicidal fury that was 1-A's residential hothead.
To simply watch these two continue staring each other down in unbearably tense silence, Nikolay could just hear Ochakos' whole story replaying in his head over and over from that day at school, the day he finally got to know just who she really was…just whose Hero she aimed most to be.
"ALL RIHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, FOLKS! IT'S THE FINAL MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND! THE BOY WHO'S BEEN SOMEWHAT FAMOUS SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL! BUT THAT FACE AIN'T THE FACE OF SOMEONE WHO'S ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW! BAKUGO KATSUKI OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEROICS CLASS A!
"VERSUS!
"THE KID I'LL BE PERSONALLY ROOTING FOR! URARAKA OCHAKO, OF HEROICS CLASS A AS WELL!"
As the announcement echoed, nobody dared to cheer, all clearly too caught up in the gravity of the moment. Nikolay couldn't stop shifting his gaze between the two, his mind still replaying Ochakos' confession on quickening repeats.
The only thing that managed to silence his growing anxiety for his friend down there, was suddenly feeling Minas' arms latching around his right. Looking to her, he saw she was visibly trembling, unable to take her eyes off the arena as well, her face showing nothing but deep-rooted worry. He didn't even feel the compulsory need to ask; in that moment, Mina Ashido could only feel unabated fear for Ochakos' chances.
"STAAART!"
Before the commencement had even finished, Ochako was immediately sprinting straight at Bakugo head on, and this was what finally reactivated the anticipation of the crowd and the students alike. Nikolay was already unconsciously grinding his teeth as he watched her charge. 'If she could just somehow get through his attacks and take away his gravity, she might be able to get an early chance.'
However, instead of going on the defensive, just as Nikolay and Izuku alike had come to expect, Bakugo instead reeled his right arm back and threw a fistful of explosion right in Ochakos' face, obscuring her in the fire and smoke. Nearly the entire stadium reacted with cries of surprise and pain, many no doubt thinking the fight was already over before it even started.
"Urara-chan…Kolya-kun, you don't think she-?" Mina could barely form the words, barely managing to speak above the softened tone of worry as neither she nor anyone else could see Ochako through the haze. Nikolay didn't want to make any assumptions just yet, but he had an immensely worried feeling in his gut as well.
He could see Bakugo intently approaching the smoke, clenching his fists in preparation for a no doubt finishing blow. Nikolay could feel the beginnings of a cry for Ochako to escape begin rushing up his throat, opening his mouth to do so just as Bakugo reached into the smoke to make his move.
However, that was when the smoke began to clear, and two things occurred at once: Bakugo and everyone else could see that where he had just reached down was no Ochako, but rather her P.E. uniform jacket, floating just above the ground. And second: Ochako herself, rushing from out of the smoke just behind his back, having left himself completely open. All at once, Nikolay and everyone elses' fear had instantaneously changed to dumbfounded surprise; pleasant surprise to say the least.
Up in the stands, Tunguska and Toshinori were watching this sudden shift in dynamic with rapt attention, the large Russian Hero feeling especially impressed. "Malenkaya Uraraka is showing vast improvement in her strategizing. She couldn't possibly have come up with such a diversion just at the moment of her opponents' attack. She must have taken mental notes from having witnessed him in action before, and used that to judge what his first move would be, and how she would effectively counteract it in a way that would give her an opportunity to attack. She already has a major advantage in that her Quirk renders her opponent effectively helpless for the first few moments, which inherently gives her plenty of time to lay down an attack that would secure her victory. She truly is a real late bloomer."
As he continued rambling to himself in admiration of her attitude and effectiveness in the fight thus far, Toshinori couldn't help but crack a wry smile, both at his colleagues' enthusiasm and support for the normally unassuming Ochako, and in realization of just how it had to have been she had figured out to plan this against such a specific opponent in the first place, momentarily looking to Izuku from across the stadium.
Among the students watching, the reveal of Ochakos' surprise fake-out strategy left many of her classmates awed with surprise, Nikolay and Mina notwithstanding. "She's so much more focused now! You think she might actually have a shot at winning?" Mina instinctively asked; her fear having now been replaced with genuine excitement and encouragement, while the young Russian beside her was still too intently focused to speak. 'I hope so. If she can just take away his gravity, the few seconds before Bakugo re-orients himself could be more than enough time for her to gain a win.'
BOOOM!
Just as Ochako had made her move for Bakugos' exposed back, he had immediately swung his offensive arm right back towards her, unleashing a full dose of his Explosion right in her face, once more earning numerous gasps from the crowd, and leaving a cold feeling in the pits of every 1-A students' stomach. 'Dammit! He's too skilled with his Quirk to be caught off guard even for that long, and his reflexes are as sharp as ever! If Ochako's gonna have any chance getting him off guard, she's going to need to be even sneakier! But how?'
Just as quickly as the smoke had cleared, she was once again charging straight at Bakugo, not a step lost as the explosive boy had her instantly spotted, throwing his left arm straight in her face, and meeting her with yet another blast to the face. By this point, Nikolay could feel his stomach twisting and turning, as with every blast, her story just kept replaying louder and louder in his head.
Like some kind of sadistic lather-rinse-repeat procedure, Ochako once again rushed Bakugo from the smoke, only to once again get thrown right back with another explosion. By this point, it was literally physically hard to watch this go on. Nikolay could hear pained moans from Kyouka who, just as she had predicted, now had her face buried in her hands, while many of the other students simply had looks of astonished horror on their faces; both in response to Ochakos' dogged determination they had never witnessed before, and especially at Bakugos' apparent cruelty to be this merciless even to one of his own female classmates.
"Why doesn't she just try to go over Bakugos' head, or just…do something besides charging straight at him? She can't even get close!" Mina sounded like she was in physical pain right alongside Ochako, watching this systematic torture play out. Nikolays' frigid sweat of anxiety had come back with a similar vengeance. "I don't think it would matter. His reflexes are just too fast and his Quirks' area of effect is too large for any evasive move on her part to amount to anything."
"Then what should she do, Kolya-kun?! This is terrible! She can't do anything to him! Why is she still going at him so intensely like that? Maybe…maybe she should…just forfeit. I mean, she tried, at least." As much as she was trying to convince herself of this, it was still clear to anyone listening that Mina hated the idea of even suggesting any of their classmates just surrender. But nobody else could come up with any ideas what the gravity girl could feasibly do.
As Nikolay looked back down to the arena, just in time for Ochako to get blasted back yet again, his head was now practically pounding with her words in that stairwell. He couldn't take it anymore, he had to finally say it: "She can't forfeit, not now. She's got too much riding on her to just do that."
He buried his face in his hands in agonizing sadness, knowing he had just opened the floodgates of curiosity for all his classmates around him, and at his own inability to think of how else Ochako could possibly hope to win. Among them, Izuku and Tenya had realized what their Russian friend had just done, neither of them sure if they should intervene and stop him from saying any more.
"Two weeks ago, Uraraka-san told me…told us…why she wants to be a Hero, above anything else. She said…she said that she wants to do it because of the money, but that's not entirely it. She said that was her reason…because she wants to be able to provide for her parents, because they're constantly struggling financially, and yet they kept supporting her dream of being a Hero. This Festival, this fight…this is her best, perhaps only way of getting close enough towards that goal, and being able to give them the easy life they deserve after everything they've done for her. That's why she shouldn't give up…why she can't."
Nikolay struggled to breathe, having finally let out as much of the truth as he could, too ashamed to lift his head for having pretty much broken Ochakos' trust. However, what he failed to see was that her true story had left a good number of their classmates wide-eyed with both surprise…and inspiration. Everything they had all come to know and believe about Heroes for years, even culminated by the lessons of their teachers, all seemed to ring with a whole new air of truth: Heroes were those that provided help to everyone in any way, shape or form, no matter how big or small it was. And truly, what could embody that principal of Heroism more purely than someone wanting to try and help their own parents?
"Don't give up, Uraraka-san! Stand up and fight!" "Yeah, don't let that bully take you down, Uraraka! Show him what you're made of!" "You can do it! You can do it! You can win-kero!" "Get up and kick his ass, Urara-chan! Do your best!"
Kyouka, Tooru, Tsuyu and Mina had suddenly started to cheer on and support Ochako from the stands with all the fervor of a small army, their collective fear and dread now replaced with a brilliantly burning feeling of compassion and support. Nikolay finally removed his hands from his face, looking utterly flabbergasted at this sudden upswing in his female classmates' moods.
From among the other students, Izuku and Tenya were watching this sudden pick-up in moral support for Ochako because of Nikolay spilling his guts to them, with equal surprise; surprise that gave way to a feeling of unifying approval and gratitude for seeing their peers come together like this to voice their support.
Amid the stands, Tunguska and Toshinori were likewise watching this dismal excuse for a "match" with considerable apprehension, instinctively flinching with the rumble of every explosion unleashed in Ochakos' face. What was more, they could both feel a growing tension in the air among all the Pro Heroes being subjected to this. All the clamorous excitement and cheer they had shown for every other fight up to this point was now nowhere to be seen.
Now, there was only discomfort, sympathy for Ochako, and an all-encompassing feeling of indignation at the senseless cruelty on display.
"I can't watch this! HEY! That's not the way someone who wants to be a Hero acts! If you're so much stronger than her, just throw her out of the ring and finish it! Stop toying with the poor girl!"
These were just some of the angered outcries beginning to echo out from the crowd, even after some of the 1-A students had begun chanting their support for the girl in question only moments before. The outrage of the Pros quickly picked up in power with a cacophony of boos, to the point Tunguska even began to visibly tense up. "They're right. This isn't a fight anymore, this is a beating. Malenkii Bakugo is taking this too far! Why isn't Cementoss calling the damn match already?!"
All the while, Toshinori couldn't find the words, simply watching the unfolding battle with intent, still trying to hang onto the thread of hope that Ochako would somehow be able to pull through even after having been met with nothing but Explosions for the past half-minute.
"BUT TO BE HONEST, I CAN'T HELP BUT AGREE—ACK! AN ELBOW! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?!" "Is the one who said he's toying with her a Pro? How many years of active duty?" Aizawas' sudden interruption of Present Mic echoed across the stadium with an especial edge, rendering a good portion of the once indignant crowd silent. His voice never carried humor, but it now was far more intense than even his most familiar fellow Heroes had heard from him before. He was well and truly incensed this time.
"If that's what you're taking away from this, then you can leave. No point in watching. Go home and start looking at job-hunting sites. She's come this far, and he knows her strength. His caution shows that he recognizes her as a worthy opponent. It's exactly because he wants to win so badly that there's no room for carelessness or holding back."
Their homeroom teachers' sudden hijacking of the commentary left all of 1-A shaken, speechless. It felt so surreal to actually hear him speaking in defense of one of their classmates, but at the same time, it had also given them some much-needed perspective, as they had quickly come to realize.
Their vocal and silent sympathy and worry for Ochako had inadvertently blinded them from the fact that, contrary to their blind emotions, Bakugo had been acting in defense from the beginning; not simply torturing her like they had all convinced themselves. The fact that he wasn't giving her a chance to get too close; clearly showed how seriously he took her, just as Aizawa had said. That still didn't make watching her get blown up again and again any less heart wrenching.
Finally, the smoke from the numerous explosions had begun to clear, and much to their mutual relief, Ochako was still on her feet, visibly more than a little roughed up by her staggering, but still standing nonetheless. "Unbelievable…how can she still be standing after taking that much punishment? Determination can only carry you so far." Kyouka muttered in disbelief, while Mina, Tsuyu and Tooru were all teetering on the verge of breaking into their impromptu cheering chants again. Nikolay, himself, had his hands folded in anxious expectation, his mind a flurry with nervous speculation.
'It's precisely because I said: everything she's been aiming for is hinging on this fight. She's probably going to keep fighting until she physically can't stand anymore. But is Bakugo even capable of getting winded? How does anyone know he can't just keep producing those explosions indefinitely? Unlike Midoriya-san, she doesn't have enough power to close that distance in the blink of an eye, and it's not like her anti-gravity gives her the ability to fly at any considerable speed. If this was a tag-match and I was her partner, maybe we'd be able to do the same thing as the first rescue test, but what's the point thinking on hypotheticals?'
"Uh…Kolya-kun?" Minas' voice carried an unmistakable air of shaken surprise, a comparatively pleasant change from the trembling verge of saddened tears from before. It was thankfully enough, alongside her insistent tugging on his sleeve, to bring the Russian boy back to reality and see that her eyes weren't focused any longer on the fight below, but rather up above. "I think…I think Urara-chan might have this fight, after all."
Following her line of sight, Nikolay felt his green eyes go wide, before the beginnings of a pleasantly surprised smile began tugging at the corner of his mouth.
The continuous barrage of explosions had done quite a number on her; Ochako made no mistake about that. Frankly, it hurt like hell to move, but she was more than determined to see herself through this match of her own accord. That was why she had done the frankly insane thing of turning down any of Izukus' offers for suggestive strategies against Bakugo. Besides, the way things seemed to be going, the plan she had been cooking up in her head for the last minute of constant punishment was about to finally pay off.
At the same time, as Bakugo stood staring her down, his initial fury he always took into battle had now changed into a deeply simmering, genuine anger. 'No…not yet. She's…NOT DEAD YET.' It didn't seem possible that someone could have withstood the last handful of explosions he had thrown her way, and yet there she was, scorched to hell and back, and yet still standing, and still giving him that infuriating look that she was still ready to keep fighting, no matter what he'd do to her. 'This round-face bitch…she's taking a page out of Dekus' book! Well…I hope that wimpy little pissant is watching…cause I'm gonna bury you before his very eyes!'
"Almost…ready…thanks, Bakugo…thanks for not dropping your guard."
With that declaration, Ochako suddenly brought her hands together, and the collective gasps of the crowd who noticed, drew Bakugos' confused attention from his opponent to up above, and what he saw, for a moment, left him legitimately surprised.
"I see it now…my god, that's brilliant." Tenya muttered in disbelief as all of Class 1-A had finally realized just what Ochako had done, as bringing her hands together brought an entire arenas' worth of stone rubble freefalling upon Bakugo from overhead. Nikolay and the others instinctively rose from their seats, half ready to jump and cheer once impact was finally made.
"Urara-chan really is amazing! She kept taking all those explosions, knowing it would make all that rubble! That's probably why she kept rushing in all low like that, too!" Mina exclaimed ecstatically, still tugging on Nikolays' sleeve while he watched everything unfold as if time had come to a stop, eyes wide with hope. "That's right…she must have been touching the ground along behind her every time she rushed Bakugo, knowing those explosions would reduce it to rubble, while still maintaining her Zero Gravity Quirks' effect on it after. That kind of pre-planning, even knowing what she would have to go through in order to pull it off…amazing."
It was finally happening. After all those explosions, all that pain and perseverance, her victory was finally coming. Ochako felt her spirit and heart alike pierce through the stratosphere as she watched her barrage of stone come raining down upon the motionless and wide-eyed Bakugo. "I'M GONNA WIN!" 'It should be enough! Whether he intercepts or dodges, I'll find my opening! In that instant, I'll close the gap! I'll win! I CAN WIN! I'LL WIN, JUST LIKE DEKU DID!'
BOOOOOOM!
Almost out of nowhere, the stunned silence of the arena was consumed in the most deafening explosion yet, the entire sky erupted in furious fire, as the entire veritable meteor storm raining down on Bakugos' head, had been reduced to harmless dust, all with one quickly raised defensive hand. "Yeah…that must have been it; all that hanging out with Deku. I knew you had some kind of plan."
"WHAT AN EXPLOSION! URARAKAS' SECRET PLAN JUST WENT UP IN SMOKE!" Present Mics' voice carried the same bravado and excitement as it always did, but this time, nobody in the stadium could summon a similar reaction. They had just witnessed a veritable miracle comeback be mercilessly swept away. They had just watched the normally precocious gravity girls' self-sacrificing strategy and attack be reduced to nothing, not even leaving so much as a scratch on Bakugo himself. There was something inherently devastating at watching such a turn of events.
All of Class 1-A had been reduced to horrified silence. Even those who had let themselves become so emotionally hooked into it, like Kyouka, Nikolay and Mina, couldn't even summon tears. What they were feeling, watching everything get snuffed out just like that…was plain and simple shellshock. Eventually, Mina could only summon broken syllables of devastated attempts at denial, black-gold eyes finally welling with tears. At the same time, all Nikolay could do was shake his head in disbelief, trying to find the words, while Ochakos' words now grew more distant, echoing through his mind. "No…no, no, no, it can't end like this, not for her…please…"
Even in the stands among the Pros, Tunguska felt his blood go cold, watching the student he had quickly come to consider one of their biggest late bloomers, have her entire strategy torn asunder. Not only as a teacher, but just as a once Pro Hero, watching such a bright-eyed hopeful like Ochako be reduced to such a helpless state after going through so much broke his already hardened heart.
On the arena, Ochakos' bravado had been replaced with devastation, barely managing to somehow get up from her knees as the gravity of what had just happened piled down upon her shoulders, while Bakugo still stood standing tall, none the worse for wear. 'That…that was the best I could do! But it wasn't enough!'
Finally, once she had managed to get back on her feet, she felt her once defeated hope fire right back up when she saw the sadistic, bloodthirsty grin on Bakugos' face as he was finally beginning to take the offensive, charging at her, and she meeting him in kind. Everyone watching was half ready to start screaming for Ochako to somehow still pull through and come out the winner!
And yet, just before contact could be made…her stance faltered, and Ochako ultimately collapsed flat to the ground, even bringing Bakugo to a stop, as the entire stadium once more fell silent as the grave. Blood went to ice in everyones' veins, hearts stopped in chests, and breath hitched in nearly everyones' throats, as Midnight rushed onto the arena to check on the fallen brown-haired girl.
As time seemed to pass at a crawl, Nikolays' vision finally began to blur with devastated tears of his own, numb to the feeling of Mina once again clutching onto his sleeve with both hands, as though hoping this would somehow turn things around in their mutual friends' favor. Kyouka, Tsuyu and Tooru had likewise begun to feel themselves succumbing to the stinging of tears, not wanting to accept the harsh reality of what they were seeing, for what it really was.
Alas, in the end, after checking the young girl beneath her thoroughly, Midnight finally got back to her feet, and with a single swing of her hand, made the declaration that, for once, nobody wanted to hear: "URARAKA…IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE. BAKUGO MOVES ON TO THE SECOND ROUND!"
Once the match had been called and Ochako had been wheeled out of the arena and Bakugo had taken his leave, Cementoss had been quick to get the arena repaired once more. Still, the air was filled with nowhere near as many cheers as before. "AWWW, URARAKA…UHH, OH, YEAH, BAKUGO BREAKS PAST THE FIRST ROUND…" "If you're gonna do it, do it right." "ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT I'VE COLLECTED MYSELF, THE FIRST ROUND IS NOW OVER! WE'LL GET RIGHT BACK TO IT AFTER A SHORT BREAK!"
Even Present Mics' commentary had an unmistakable forlorn air to it this time. Nobody could blame him, least of all the observing students of 1-A. It all felt so cruel, having been brought to the edges of their seats with worry, then having some of them get so fired up to cheer for Ochako so fervently, only for it all to go up in smoke and see her efforts throughout this day be completely wasted.
Nikolay had been rendered motionless, still looking at the now empty arena with an expression of plain disbelief. No matter how much he tried to think of it now, he could no longer hear Ochakos' words of determination anymore. It had all been reduced to that infuriatingly empty silence.
"Kolya-kun…come on. We have to go check on her." Minas' voice finally managed to break through after the first few tries, as she anxiously grabbed the Russian boys' face, turning him so he could see her eyes and focus again. "Midori-kun already left, we should too. Urara-chan might need us to cheer her up, too, right?"
However, the smile on Minas' face betrayed the emotional trembling in her voice. Clearly, she couldn't take staying up here and doing nothing after what they had just seen. How could anyone that knew Ochako nearly as well as they did? Nikolay certainly liked the idea of doing something, anything to alleviate the sadness they were both feeling. And surely Ochako herself would appreciate their coming to try and lift her spirits. 'Right?'
Across the arena in the stands, Tunguska was likewise shaking in barely restrained emotion from this outcome. However, as much of a prevalent place as it took in his mind, he also knew he could not afford to dwell on it much longer. The tournament wasn't simply going to wait for everyone to recollect themselves. "Toshinori-san, please excuse me for a minute. I need to go talk to my son before the second round begins. I should have told him this long before."
With that, the large man shot up from his seat and hurriedly made his way down the nearest stairs while Toshinori simply watched his comrade with a worrisome look in his sunken eyes. The giant Russian had told him in the time since the Obstacle Race about Recovery Girls' discovery of Nikolays' recent extension of his Quirk, and Toshinori had even insisted upon him the importance of telling the boy before it was too late. However, circumstances kept getting in the way simply due to poor timing. Right now, he could only hope the man would finally find the boy in time to tell him before he would get too far in over his head in the second round.
The walk through the tunnels for the nurses' office had been quiet and more than a little uncomfortable for Nikolay and Mina alike. It wasn't like they could simply just pretend that they could go back to being bright-eyed and excited, not after the so-called fight they had just seen. They didn't want to dwell on it, but neither did they want to simply act as though it didn't happen, or worse yet, didn't mean anything.
"What exactly do we even say when we see her? I ended up spilling everything about her to you and everyone else…and I'm almost certain she wouldn't have wanted me to do that. So it's not enough that she lost, but I just proved she can't even trust me to keep a secret under pressure." Nikolay finally worked up the courage to ask, while Mina looked to be visibly struggling to find an answer to that herself.
"Kolya-kun, we were all scared for her, I don't think any of us would have done any better if we were the only ones who knew what you knew. I can just try to explain to her why when we get there, at least. And…as for what we can even say? Well…it's not like we can just come up with some fancy speech to make her feel better. I think we should just go in there, and if she's awake, we just tell her that we're there for her and that we're gonna keep cheering her on. There's no way she wouldn't appreciate that…surely."
It was clearly a foolhardy hope at best, and even she knew it, but it was still better than nothing, and that was a hope worth holding onto.
As the two friends began to approach another corner, the silence was suddenly broken by the echoing roar of their least-liked classmate at that very moment, Katsuki Bakugo himself: "HEY! Just what in the hell did you think you were doing?! Why don't you just piss off and die already, you piece of shit nerd?!"
Once the momentary instinctive fear that he had been yelling at them specifically had subsided, Nikolay and Mina quickly realized he was talking to someone else, and it could have only been one person if he was referring to them as 'nerd.' Risking a peek around the corner, the two were less than surprised to find Bakugo in the middle of another stare-down with Izuku.
"Huh? No, I…my match is next, so…I was just gonna get ready in the waiting room…and…congrats on the first round…well, bye…!" Izukus' normally calculating and introspective demeanor had once again been replaced with that stuttering awkward look he always had when confronted by Bakugo, all encapsulated by his hurriedly trying to walk away from the boy in front of him, before he'd risk getting an explosion to the face of his own. Not like the two teens inadvertently watching could blame him, no matter how much they intensely disliked Bakugo at that moment.
"Admit it, Deku; you're the one that put that shitty plan in her head, aren't you?! That plan that had her fling herself at me so dangerously! Don't screw around and give me a hard time, goddammit!" This accusation actually brought Izuku to a stop, and for a moment, neither Nikolay nor Mina had any idea just what was going to happen.
But then, the green-haired boy slowly turned around to face Bakugo, no fear on his face to be seen, but instead a solemn look of…belief. "No…that's not it. The plan…all of it was what Uraraka herself came up with to beat you. So if anyone was giving you a hard time…then it was Uraraka who was tossing you around."
The silence in that hall after those words had been spoken carried all the seriousness of a veritable death sentence. All three teens were pretty much expecting Bakugo to finally go off at a moments' notice…but instead, he just sneered with a very thinly-veiled frustration, and turned on his heels and stormed back down the stairs from whence he came, leaving all three to heave a sigh of immense relief.
Once they both felt sure Bakugo had long since left, Nikolay and Mina finally found the courage to step out from the corner, immediately catching Izukus' surprised attention. "Oh, Kolya-san, Ashido-san, what are you guys doing here? I thought you'd want to wait and see what Kirishima-sans' match result would be before round 2 starts." Despite the green-haired boys' attempt at maintaining his casual demeanor, it was coming across notably more forced than usual, which especially told Nikolay more than words could. "You knew we were listening the whole time…didn't you, Midoriya-san?"
Realizing the act wasn't fooling anyone; Izuku dropped the awkward smile and just let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah…yeah, I did. Ashido-sans' pink hair kinda stands out, even from a distance. So…I feel like I might know why you guys are here." Figuring there was no reason for further pretending, Mina stepped forward with considerable determination on her still saddened face. "Yeah, after that…that 'match', we wanted to check and make sure Urara-chan is okay. You're probably going for the same reason…aren't you, Midori-kun?" Izuku immediately nodded in agreement, seeing the deep worry reflected in her eyes for Ochakos' condition. "Yeah…I just need to swing through the waiting room really quick before we head over there, though."
As the three began to depart for the waiting room, Nikolay once more found himself too intrigued by what he had just witnessed to keep it to himself: "Why would Bakugo think you gave Uraraka-san a strategy on how to fight him, Midoriya-san?" Izuku looked clearly put on the spot, but just as quickly regained that very same look of firm belief he had just given his old friend as he thought back. "Honestly, he had every reason to. When he and I fought during the Battle Trial, I had even told him that I observed and took notes about how he always fought before, how he always attacks first with his right hand, and so on. Considering how often Uraraka-san and I have spent time together, I guess he just took what I had said and naturally applied it to her."
"So were you actually lying to Bakugo when you said Urara-chan came up with that plan on her own? Why would you do that if you know it's just gonna tick him off even more and make him wanna hurt you both even worse?" Mina instinctively asked, before being surprised that the boys' expression didn't falter like it would if he knew he'd been caught. "Because I honestly wasn't lying. To tell you both the truth, before the fight, when Iida-san and I went to check on her…I-I actually offered to give her some tips on how to fight Kacchan…but she refused. She said she wanted to go into it entirely on her own and give it her all, just like the rest of us have been. Knowing everything she's been fighting for, I couldn't possibly force her to take my advice if she didn't want it. I'm just sad we won't be able to meet up in the finals like we had wanted to."
Before the conversation could continue any further, the three rounded the last corner to find the door to the athlete waiting room.
Upon stepping inside, they were immediately greeted with the sight of Ochako Uraraka herself, sitting at the table and looking nearly back to normal, save for a single bandage on her left cheek. She was momentarily surprised by the three teens' sudden arrival, but that was just as quickly replaced by an embarrassed, casual grin on her face, looking like someone who had simply been on the receiving end of an embarrassing prank, rather than a merciless beatdown. "Damn…I guess I lost, huh?"
Needless to say, Izuku, Nikolay and Mina alike were momentarily stunned to see her acting so lightheartedly after what had just happened, with Izuku barely managing to even speak by comparison to his fellows. "Uraraka-san…"
Despite this, Ochako was still maintaining her shockingly casual air, even stretching herself out like it was just another daily exercise and nothing was amiss. "I thought I'd be able to make it to the finish and got carried away. Dammit."
"You're not…are you hurt?" Izuku finally managed to ask, catching her momentarily off guard. "Oh, no, it's okay. I got Recovery-ed. But so as not to shave off too much of my stamina, she went easy on the Recovery power and left a few nicks and bruises here and there."
"URARA-CHAN!" Mina suddenly exclaimed on the verge of tears once the initial surprise had worn off. Before Nikolay or Izuku could react, she had broken into a mad dash before nearly coming to a screeching halt and taking a likewise surprised Ochakos' hands in her own.
"I understand now! I was wondering why you were always so intense today, and now I finally know! I think it's just so beautiful; you wanting to be a Hero just to give back to your parents! It's so sweet, so pure, so…so like you! I'm so sorry you had to get hurt like that for nothing, Urara-chan! It's just so unfair! Why is it you have to lose while that bully Bakugo gets to go on?! If you want to just let it all out, we're all here for you, I promise!"
Mina swiftly pulled Ochako into an overly intense hug of emotional support, completely oblivious to the still-dumbfounded look on Ochakos' face. Of course, once the fact that Mina had even mentioned the situation with her parents had set in, she immediately brought her brown eyes to Izuku and Nikolay both, silently communicating the only questions that mattered: how and why.
Steeling himself for what was to come now that the dreaded moment was here, Nikolay let out a defeated sigh and came forward with no hesitation. "I'm sorry, Uraraka-san. I…I told her partway through your fight. It was just so awful watching Bakugo keep attacking you like that, and we were all so worried about you; Mina especially. I just…I felt like she deserved to know; know exactly why you were fighting so hard through all that punishment. I know I should've just kept it to myself; it being so personal for you. I'm sorry, and I don't blame you if you can't forgive me for betraying your trust like that."
Izuku looked upon his Russian friend with visible surprise at him coming forward so readily, and so open to the possible repercussions it would bring him. However, the most interesting reaction was from Ochako herself. At first, there was a look of genuine betrayal in her eyes, but when she turned back to look at Mina, she could see the raw emotion on the pink girls' face, as she had since been unable to stop herself from shedding her tears over Ochakos' loss.
In the time they had gotten to know each other, Ochako had come to know that Mina Ashido wasn't the kind of girl who would fake her feelings, especially not with a situation like this and to such an extent. Her compassion and sympathy for the gravity girls' situation and dream was as genuine as could be. She could honestly only imagine how worried Mina had to have been, watching her keep rushing into those explosions like that. Had the roles been reversed, she couldn't imagine she wouldn't have very much been feeling the same, and above all else, wanting to know just what would have driven someone to take such punishment so doggedly.
Finally, with a sigh of resignation, Ochakos' expression thankfully seemed to light back up as she finally looked Nikolay in the eyes again. "I understand, Kolya-san. It's okay; I'm not mad. And all of you, I really appreciate you all coming to check on me, but I promise I'm fine; really. Yeah, it sucks that I lost, but it's just further reason for me to step up and give it my all, too! I mean, all you guys…you all keep looking ahead, especially you, Deku-kun...and because I lost…I can't stand to lose again."
The smile on Ochakos' face as she reaffirmed her standing was lacking none of the warmth and positivity it always had, which for all intents and purposes, should have left her three friends thoroughly convinced that she truly was okay as she said she was. However, they were also quick to notice that, even for just a fraction of a moment, she wasn't able to meet any of their gazes straight-on, one of the most common signs of someone trying to hide something.
Of course, as Nikolay, Mina and Izuku exchanged silent yet knowing glances that communicated their mutual skepticism, they were also all clearly of the same understanding that this was neither the time nor place to try and get Ochako to completely come out with the full weight of what was on her mind. No, she would come and tell them all of that when she herself was good and ready to.
"OOOWWWW! NOW WE KNOW WHO BETWEEN KIRISHIMA AND TETSUTETSU WILL ADVANCE! THE TIE HAS SINCE BEEN DECIDED! AND THE WINNER IS KIRISHIMA EIJIROU! AND WITH THIS, WE HAVE ALL OF OUR CONTENDERS FOR THE SECOND ROUND! SPEAKING OF WHICH, SHALL WE BEGIN SHORTLY?!"
The distant echo of Present Mics' announcement spurred all four students to attention, realizing now that time was truly no longer on their side. They all looked utterly reluctant to leave Ochako by herself after what had just been said, but neither did they want to run the risk of being late for their matches, either. However, the always upbeat and supportive smile on Ochakos' face seemed to magically lift their spirits. "I'm sorry, Deku-kun; you guys! Because of me, none of you were able to prepare at all! But don't worry, I'll watch, and I'll be cheering you on; all of you! So do your best!"
Izuku and Nikolay both gave her their own affirming nods, giving their silent promise to do exactly that, while Mina eagerly stepped in, pulled both boys over to Ochako, and proceeded to have all four of them link their pinky fingers together in a circular chain, completely ignoring the slightly embarrassed looks on her classmates' faces. "That's a pinky swear for all of us: we're all going to do our best, for ourselves and for each other!"
As soon as everyone had been able to get their embarrassed yet amused laughter out in response, their urgency quickly came back, and they were all three out the door, once more leaving Ochako in the waiting room to herself…slowly turning her gaze back to the single cell phone sitting at her spot on the table.
Since he had only been to Recovery Girls' office in the time since they'd first come to this stadium, Tunguska had gotten himself more than a bit turned around, but after a short while he had been able to rediscover the way to get to the waiting room, where he could only silently hope that Nikolay would be there, resting up in preparation for his second round fight.
He never realized just how closely he had missed his son, as Nikolay had left with Mina and Izuku just less than half a minute before the older Russian Hero had come barreling around the corner of the opposite end of the hall. Once he found the sign for the waiting room, he was about ready to just throw the door open and finally tell his son everything he needed to know about the new extension of his Quirk, and simply hope he would be able to handle it enough to where he could still manage his way through his fight, and they could take the rest of this new challenge from there.
However, once he reached the door and was about to step in, his ears caught the sound of a very familiar, soft female voice on the other end, but nothing else. He was quick to recognize it was Ochako, clearly all patched up if she was up and talking again and out of the nurses' office, but he couldn't hear anyone else inside. It sounded like she was talking to someone, however. He quickly realized she surely had to be talking on the phone, and from there he was just about ready to continue on his way and leave her to her privacy.
However, the twisting sensation of sympathy in his gut for seeing what she had put herself through only to still lose, prevented him from doing that. He wanted to try and extend to her his own well wishes for her in order to try and lift her no doubt shaken spirit. His conscience was continuously reminding him that in his years, he should have known better than to do this, but not wanting to leave anything weighing on his chest unsaid, but not wanting to interrupt at the same time, Tunguska ultimately waited at the door, out of sight of the window, and inevitably began to listen in, his sensitive hearing now even managing to make out the voice on the other end.
"No…it wasn't close and it wasn't incredible. At the end, I panicked way too much…and I ended up having no strategy for a breakthrough…and I got slaughtered."
"Well, I can't say I really get any of that difficult-sounding stuff, but just cause you lost doesn't mean your path's closed off, does it? You've got next year, don't you?"
"But Dad, I wasn't able to advance. I couldn't show off how I'd handle all the different types of…people, stuff…and there's no way scouters will get what I'm all about from just one fight."
"What are you in such a hurry for?"
"Dad, don't you understand…?! I've gotta do good by you two…as soon as I…"
"I'm telling you, Ochako…it's fine, there's no rush. I know that my sweet, kind Ochako will without a doubt become a great Hero one day."
What Tunguska heard next sent a deeply emotional chill up and down his spine, as Ochako didn't say anything else after that, and instead proceeded to break down into barely stifled sobs, just teetering on the verge of turning into unrestrained bawling.
This was essentially the sort of reaction he had been dreading, yet expecting more than any other. Nobody could put themselves through so much punishment to put a plan together, have it all be for nothing, and not even feel the need to weep. It was a natural sort of reaction, but that didn't make hearing one of his own students, and such a promising and kindhearted one at that, be brought to such a state any less heartbreaking.
Sucking in a breath through his teeth, Tunguska prepared himself for just what it was he was potentially going to be walking into, ignoring his common sense in favor of his own sense of sentimentality. And so, he finally opened the door and stepped in with no hesitation.
The solitary small girl before him instinctively flinched, hurriedly stuffed her cellphone into her pocket and wiped the tears from her face, all before quickly turning back around to face the door with a cheerful smile plastered back on her face, only to quickly be surprised to find it was her Quirk History teacher coming in this time. "Oh, T-Tunguska-sensei, w-what are you doing here?"
The Russian Hero knew he couldn't just open with saying he had overheard her conversation, and thus went with what could best ease the tension and hopefully allow him to work his way towards the real matter: "I was coming down here trying to find Kolya. I just wanted to have a word with him and perhaps help him get himself ready for his fight."
Ochako instinctively let out a sigh of relief, reaching up to wipe the remnant of a tear from the corner of her eye, confident Tunguska hadn't noticed as he had currently been scanning the waiting room at that moment. Unbeknownst to her, he saw it well and clear. "I'm sorry, Sensei, Kolya-san actually just left with Deku-kun and Mina-chan. But maybe if you hurry you might still catch him."
Instead of the hurried thanks and departure of her teacher, though, Ochako was momentarily caught off guard to find he was looking at her with full attention, not moving a step back to the door. "Malenkaya Uraraka…I know I shouldn't be asking this after what just happened, but…what's wrong?"
Ochako momentarily looked like she was about to panic, no doubt trying to find a way to convince him she was perfectly okay, but before she could even get the chance, the large man knelt down so that they could meet each others' eyes on the same level. "You've been crying recently; I can tell. I know I may not seem like the most approachable person in the world, but I am still your teacher, and you are still one of my students, and it's my duty to try and help my students with whatever problems they may be having. So please know that you can trust me with whatever is on your mind. So, please tell me, malenkaya Uraraka, what's wrong?"
Before his eyes, that smile on Ochakos' face slipped, and quickly turned into one of utter anguish, the tears immediately freefalling down her normally blushing face, and her lips trembling as she tried to conjure up the words, momentarily breaking out into choking sobs and hiccups, before finally breaking down into inconsolable bawling as she buried her face in her hands before him.
"I've been trying so…*sob* so hard for so long to try and get here, Sensei! For years, all I wanted was to be a Hero, but I didn't think I'd ever make it, because school is expensive, and my parents, they…*sniffle* they've been struggling with money for so, so long! I wanted to help them, I knew my Quirk could help, but they kept telling me they just wanted me to pursue my own dream and not worry about them, but how could I? They've only ever done the best they could for me, and yet I keep seeing them struggle so much with barely any work! So I…I decided to become a Hero in order to get money so that I could send it to them and give them an easier life! It's what they deserve after having taken care of me for so long!
"I thought today…today would be my—my one best shot at getting the attention of a Pro Hero and make my way further so I could finally start getting the money I need, and I tried so hard through everything, and I did the very, very best I could in my fight…and it…*sniffle* it still wasn't enough! What kind of Pro would take me in if that's all they got to see of me? How can I possibly hack it as a Pro Hero if I can't even make my way to the top like everybody else?!
"I just…now I can't help but wonder if I…*sniffle* if maybe I was just fooling myself into thinking I was good enough at all! Maybe this is some kind of hint that I…I really don't belong here after all! Everybody else is so much braver and smarter and stronger, and I…I feel like I'm less than them! Even if they keep cheering me on and supporting me, I can't ever catch up with where they are, let alone keep up! And school itself…trying to work up the money to get in here, between the uniforms and the books and everything else…every time I have to ask my parents for more money, I can just hear…*sniffle* I can just hear them trying to figure out how to afford it!
"All I want *sniffle* is to just help them out even a little bit, and yet everything I'm doing to try and make that happen is just putting more and more strain on them than they already have! I don't want to do that to them, but I don't want to leave this school, either! I don't want to never see any of my friends I've made here ever again, and I don't- *sob* I don't want to go back home and not be able to do anything for them! But if I can't push myself as far as everyone else…I-I'll never become the- *sob* I'll never become the Hero my own parents think I can be! What kind of Hero can't even- *sob* can't even help their own parents?!"
The poor girl couldn't say another word, instead finally devolving into inconsolable bawling tears and devastated whimpers that frankly tore Tunguskas' heart out. Yes, there was a fragment of his old-school machismo that felt undeniably awkward standing here watching a young girl pour her heart out and cry to him specifically, and for a moment he was at a loss of just what he could possibly say to such a truth as hers. However, that was quickly replaced by a fire in his heart as he looked upon the earnest girl and silently sat himself on a nearby bench. Helping his students was his duty as a teacher, and helping people was his duty as a Hero. But above all else, helping a child that was meant to look to him for an answer or help was his duty as a father. "Sit with me for a minute, malenkaya Uraraka. Pazhaluysta (Please)."
Ochako could barely manage to even see straight as she tried to wipe away the tears that just wouldn't stop. However, she wasn't about to turn down anything resembling support or comfort, so she did as Tunguska asked and sat down next to him, still unable to take her eyes any higher than the floor as her tears rained down. The large Russian beside her took another deep, heavy breath, mentally psyching himself up for what he was going to have to admit in order to help his student.
"Please don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way, malenkaya Uraraka, but you are far from the first Hero who has ever doubted they were good enough in comparison to their peers and those that came before, and I have no doubt you'll be far from the last. There have been countless Heroes throughout history that have been exactly where you are right now, at a complete impasse as to what the right choice is, and questioning just how good a Hero they can be if they still manage to fail even when doing what they, at that time, believe to be their very best.
"I could name you all kinds of Heroes that have gone through what you're feeling right now…myself included." As he had hoped, this admission on his part got Ochakos' attention, as even with her eyes welling with tears, she couldn't hide her own curiosity. "When I was your age, I was feeling exactly the same way you are right now, believe it or not. I had the expectations of my whole family line, and an entire nation heaped upon my shoulders, as well as my own expectations of myself. Every one of my predecessors in my family had earned the title of Number One Hero, and to know that I was expected to reach that level as well, and wanted to…well, even long after I graduated, there were numerous times over the years where I either wasn't sure if I would ever be good enough to earn the title of Number One Hero…or if I even deserved it after I had gotten it.
"And yet, despite all of that, do you know why I still persevered, even when I was at my lowest?" Ochako obviously didn't have an answer, but he could tell by the wondrous look in her eyes that she wanted to know more than anything, and that was good enough for him. "It was for the very same thing that you have right now, malenkaya Uraraka: your friends. When I was at my lowest point, I had my comrades to always remind and inspire me to keep doing my very best, even when I felt I had lost and wouldn't be able to pick myself back up. A real Hero isn't capable of making themselves into the very best version of themselves without friends and allies to trust and rely on. Take that to heart. You can put all the faith and expectations in the world on your own shoulders and push yourself past your breaking point, but it's only when you have friends to support you and for you to support in return, that you can finally obtain that point of Pro Heroism you wish to obtain so much. That sentiment goes all around, for your friends can't reach their very best either if they don't have you to help them along the way as well."
Ochako thankfully looked to be taking his words to heart, as at least her tears seemed to have finally come to a stop, somewhat. Her gaze was distant, her hands clasped together deep in contemplation. "But Sensei…everyone else wants to be a Hero because they want to help people altogether. I want to be a Hero for the same reason, but the fact is that I still want to get into it because of the money for my parents. No matter how you spin it, there's still a degree of selfishness in that, isn't there? I'm prioritizing certain people over others, and that's not how a Hero is supposed to act. If I can't separate the two…then I'll never really deserve to call myself a real Hero."
At this point, Tunguska got down from the bench and onto a knee, giving Ochako no choice but to meet his exceptionally soft blue eyes. "Malenkaya Uraraka…Ochako, listen and listen closely: even if your initial desire to become a Hero is because of money, your intentions of what to do with that money are what ultimately matter, and the fact that you want to push yourself so hard just to be able to give back to your parents for all they've done for you…why, that's one of the noblest reasons for becoming a Hero one could possibly have, and don't you ever let anyone try to convince you otherwise.
"In fact, speaking from my point of view, I think that specific goal of yours puts you a cut above quite a good number of the other Heroes I've met in my time. Don't forget, you're talking to someone who used to be regarded as the Hero of the Working Class. Me and Kolya, we come from a people who have endured centuries of financial struggle under countless different leaders throughout history. If anyone can empathize with your desire to try and better your position for the sake of those that have been left behind, it's me."
Tunguska felt his heart wrench once more as Ochako began to sniffle and cry again, bowing her head down in the face of all the sympathy and encouragement he was giving her. Steeling himself further, the older Russian finally placed the palm of one of his large hands on top of her head, giving Ochako the gentlest of pats, finally urging her to look him in the eye again, to which he gave her one of the softest smiles his rugged face could make. "Ochako, you think that you don't have what it takes to measure up to your friends and classmates and become a real Hero? I have to say I respectfully disagree. You don't have to be equal to anyone in order to become a truly great Hero. From what I've seen from you, from the start of this year to today; I think you already have more than what it takes to reach that level. The point I'm trying to make is that I think you truly do belong here at Yuuei with everyone else…not because of your intelligence or your physical strength or even the effectiveness of your Quirk.
"You belong in Yuuei, Ochako, because you have the heart of a true Hero inside you, and that, along with the support and friendship you have with so many of your peers already, can give you all the potential you could ever need to become the truly great Hero you're meant to be, if not even one of the greatest."
A smile. At long last, Ochakos' mouth began to form the beginnings of an ever-growing smile of genuine gratitude as she began wiping the tears from her eyes and face. If someone as experienced as Tunguska could look her in the eye and say with all the honesty in his heart that he felt she had what it took to become a great Hero, how could she possibly think to further argue with that? If nothing else, it only fired her up that much more inside, drove her to want to work harder towards meeting that belief, both for herself, for him, and her parents and her friends. They were all working towards becoming Heroes for everyone, how could she possibly turn her back on everything she believed in, and betray the hope and trust of all the people she cared about?
She wouldn't, she refused to. It didn't matter if she had lost today, she was still going to keep working hard and doing her very best, and she wouldn't stop until she could proudly call herself a real Hero, maybe even on the same level as Deku and all her other classmates and friends.
Seeing the reinvigorated spark in her brown eyes warmed Tunguskas' heart immensely. It was to the point that, in his head, he couldn't help but pat himself on the back for finally being able to be the pillar of support for someone he was always supposed to be. He felt both proud of himself for being able to do what he once thought he couldn't, and he was especially proud of Ochako for being able to bounce back so wholeheartedly.
Of course, his feeling of fatherly pride was swiftly disrupted when, just as he had begun to get back to his feet, Ochako had suddenly gotten up off the bench and actually hugged the larger Slavic man around his broad shoulders, at least as much as she could reach, being so much smaller than him. She had effectively left the hardened veteran Hero speechless as he could hear her sniffling away the last of her tears, still not letting go. However, these were no longer tears of sadness. They were of gratitude.
"Thank you, Sensei. Thank you so much for just letting me get all that baggage out there, and listening. I promise I'm not going to quit. I'm gonna keep training and working as hard as I possibly can." Tunguska, at a loss of what else to do or say, simply patted the back of her head as gently as he could, not wanting to come across as rude by trying to make her let go. "I know you will, malenkaya Uraraka. I know you will."
The walk back from the waiting room had been considerably uncomfortable as Nikolay, Mina and Izuku couldn't stop thinking about their doubts in Ochakos' real emotional state. However, none of them could bring themselves to bring it up, lest it cast the kind of emotional overhang that would plague them the rest of the day and risk their chances in the rest of the tournament.
"Well…if the second round is gonna be starting soon, I guess it would probably be best we give you a little time to yourself to prepare, huh, Midoriya-san?" Nikolay finally asked rhetorically, while he and the green-haired boy in question once more looked to their pinky fingers, thinking back on the surprise promise Mina had gotten them all to make.
For Izuku, it simply brought back what he had realized back in the Cavalry Battle. Even if these fights were one on one, he wasn't truly fighting just for himself. He was carrying the hopes and dreams of all those that looked up to him, just like every real Hero did. And now, all three of them were essentially shouldering the same burden, fighting not only for themselves, but for their friends who weren't able to progress any further this day, like Ochako and Tenya.
Once he had bid goodbye to his two friends, Izuku was once more left to himself, thinking about everything that had transpired, once more especially focusing on Ochako. 'Even if she said she was okay…there's no way she couldn't still be hurting deep down inside after that. Even if I told her "I'll do whatever I can to help", I still wouldn't be able to do anything for her. If anything…no, once again, she's the one having my back. I'm gonna go out there, and I'm gonna win…for both of us.'
Just as he began to make his way for the arena, however, he soon found his path being blocked by the arrival of a very large and imposing fiery figure that left him frozen dead in his tracks. "Oho, so you are here." The behemoth of a man Izuku now found himself being stared down upon by was someone he easily recognized, but today of all days, now felt genuinely intimidated by as well, simply from the sheer pressure he exuded with his presence alone: "Endeavor…what are you doing in a place like…?"
The Flame Hero Endeavor swiftly raised an accusing finger to the small boy, effectively rendering him silent. "You made a huge showing for me. It really is a wonderful Quirk you possess. To create such tremendous wind pressure with but a flick of your finger…yes, in terms of pure power, it's a Quirk able to rival even that of All Might himself."
Izukus' heart nearly caught in his throat as he hurriedly tried to sidestep past Endeavor, trying as hard as he could to keep him from seeing the utter panic on his freckled face. "I…I-I don't know what you're talking about! I need to get going now!" Running the risk of having Endeavor learn the truth about him and All Might was bad enough, but he also couldn't help but think back to what he now knew about the Flame Hero, thanks to Shoto, and it made the idea of being in his presence far from appealing.
"My Shoto has a duty to surpass All Might." Endeavors' declaration once again brought Izuku to a shaken halt mid-stride. "His match against you…will no doubt prove an excellent test bed for him. So you'd do your best…not to give him a disgraceful match."
Like a sudden flip of a switch, all Izuku could think about was what Shoto had said earlier in that tunnel, the sheer dedication to his disavowal of the Hero that he now stood in the presence of. It was said with the kind of determination that only the most devout Heroes, like All Might, could confidently speak with. Just thinking back on it ignited something indescribable in his heart in that moment.
"Anyway…that's all I wanted to say. Now excuse me. I know it's time." The sound of Endeavors' imposing footsteps departing suddenly brought words racing up Izukus' throat as he opened his mouth to speak out of sheer impulse:
"I…am not All Might."
He could tell those words had actually caused Endeavor to come to a halt, but he still kept his back turned, even as the Flame Hero barely gave him a parting glance over his shoulder. "That's obviou-!"
"It is obvious, right?" From there, that inexplicable spark of courage and understanding brought Izuku to defiantly look Endeavor right in the eye: "And Todoroki-san…isn't you." Miraculously, Izuku never felt his courage wane, even when he saw the visibly surprised look in Endeavors' eyes through his flames, even when they began to narrow in barely restrained seething anger.
In stark contrast to the last match they had personally witnessed, it honestly felt like a breath of fresh air for Nikolay and Mina to hear the crowds cheering enthusiastically again; and for good reason, too, as they could see the forms of Shoto Todoroki and Izuku making their way to the arena.
As the two boys ascended, Nikolay couldn't help but think back to their confrontation with Shoto more than an hour ago. And with that, he once again began thinking to how he had felt, watching Shoto in his previous fight, and the twang of empathy he felt for the boys' desire to achieve his goal his own way.
Nevertheless, though, he could not simply forget the promise he and Izuku had both made, not just to themselves and each other, but now their new promise to continue fighting with all their might for their friends who had fallen off.
With his hands clasped together, watching his friend and their mutual opponent intently, Nikolay found himself at a momentary impasse: as much as he still wanted to prove himself by reaching the top, he still found himself (alongside Mina and several more of their classmates as well) cheering eagerly for Izuku to prove himself as well, and emerge victorious in this fight. The fact that meant they would eventually have to fight each other if he did win, in that moment, didn't matter to the young Russian. He simply couldn't stand to watch another of his friends lose after working so hard to make it this far.
"AND NOW FOR THIS GO-ROUND OF THE SPORTS FESTIVAL, BOTH COMPETITORS ARE AT THE TOP OF THEIR CLASS! AND THE WORLD AIN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF THEM! MIDORIYA VERSUS TODOROKI! STAAART!"
And there is the second half of the First Round chapter! This was a huge Endeavor *badum-tss* to undertake, and I personally feel quite proud of it. If you all liked what you saw here, please be so kind as to leave an honest, constructive review and let me know your thoughts. From here, it's back to the one-chapter-per-week schedule, unless I notify you all otherwise in one of these announcements.
So, with that being said, I hope you all stay safe, stay healthy, have a Happy Easter tomorrow, and I will see you all with the next chapter on 04/10!