Justice Across Time and Space

Chapter 17

This chapter will include a bit more of me mocking the sports festival as well as where I'm going to go with the tournament and the fighters for the one-on-one battles. I've gotten some new ideas for other stories, thanks to plugging in my old PS2 and playing the classics like the Sly series, the true SW Battlefront 2 and a personal favorite, War of the Monsters. The last has been especially inspiring for a new hero form for Izuku. But that is enough rambling. On with the show.

(Jotaro POV)

This whole thing is completely ridiculous. They are literally doing this whole competition to represent the hero system they made. Where the top spot is constantly fought for. In other words, it's for the animals to fight, preen and claw for so they can say they are the best dumb animal or monster. But I know Sahirah and I can pass this one by with no problem. I don't to play by their rules. I'll do the human thing and think around the problem.

As I observe around the area and listen outside, I'm realizing more and more of my thoughts are correct on why they are all idiots when it comes down to these matters. It really is like I told Toshinori while we were training Izuku.

(Flashback)

At one point during the martial arts training of Izuku, Toshi and Jotaro had stopped and were watching from the sidelines. "You know, I think this may be one of the few instances where I've seen someone focus on fighting technique more than their quirk. For all the years I've been a hero, everyone just focused more and more on their quirks and support gear with it."

Jotaro to the side huhs at that statement before asking a question that has been stewing in his mind. "Okay Toshinori I gotta know: How long you been doing all of this? Doing this hero as you see it thing? How long have you been active?" Jotaro says with a look of skepticism at how it could have changed that much. Toshi coughs before saying, "I've been active for almost…. I think a little over thirty-five years."

With saying that Jotaro hums again before speaking his mind more. "I'm guessing you've had the power of OFA just a little longer than that. Right?" At Toshi's nod, Jotaro goes on to explain what he was thinking.

The first point being, "If you've been active that long, then that makes sense on why people have lost touch with what it means to be a hero. For starters, thanks to everyone having powers they think they can do whatever they want. At least at first. Then you show up on the scene and give an idealized version of a hero and screws them up even more. If anything, that Bakugo brat is more representative of the world than we realized."

Toshi isn't sure what Jotaro is getting at, so he explains by saying that most everyone stuck with the extreme selfish nature of humans and the quirks dehumanized them even more.

"Because they all have power in some way, they can't relate to true human selflessness anymore. Let alone those who try to make a combination of quirks better for the next generation. Its why Izuku confuses most. He still has his humanity. And it scares them."

While Toshi doesn't like how he put it, he can't fully deny that people have lost their way. He thought about Endeavor and his obsession with surpassing him. And the rumors about him going through a quirk marriage to make a stronger group of kids down the line.

He had focused on making a peaceful world but couldn't see the problems to that behind the scenes. But if what Jotaro had told him about his own abilities was true, then he may be able to. Once OFA fully transferred to Izuku.

(Flashback end)

'You're thinking something rude again, aren't you?' I hear in my mind as we're getting ready for the second event. 'Maybe. Don't worry I won't say anything right away. But you and I both know were going to school all of these idiots.' Even without seeing her face, I know she's rolling her eyes. As Midnight is announcing the planned time for the next event, I can feel all the eyes going toward me. They don't see Sahirah but that is entirely planned. This will really throw them all for a loop.

(no POV)

With a crack of her whip, Midnight announces the start of the calvary battle. The first thing that happens is Bakugo and Todoroki's teams rushing toward where they saw Jotaro. 'He's probably acting as the horse and Saphentite is probably invisible.'

'I'll knock that big guy down a peg with this attack.' But one they get there; they all see that he is nowhere to be found. While they are looking around Izuku's team have instead chosen to focus on others. The first one they take down, is Mineta, Asui and Shoji's team. While Shoji did a good covering the two, Izuku managed to find a perfect moment to use something that had slightly awakened for him.

He couldn't fully control it, but he managed to snag all three of their headbands. "Midoriya what was that?" Tokoyami asked as they were running. Izuku coughs a bit before saying it was a new way his power operated. "I'm not entirely sure, but it's like I can make the energy I've built up manifest in a few ways. Its not that strange for those like me and Jotaro. And you already know he has a few abilities."

While Tokoyami knew Izuku was dodging his question, he pushed it aside for the time being. Meanwhile everyone was questioning where Jotaro is. Even Midnight can't see them on the field. It is then that Aizawa speaks up with, "Look up."

At that they all see a rug flying in the air. The camera's focus in and show Jotaro sitting down on it without a care in the world. "That's cheating! He can't do that! Where's the girl?" At a move up with a drone, Power Loader asks a few of the questions they all had. "You just said the teams need to have a horse and a rider. You didn't say how we had to handle this. So why would I do the same as the idiots down there?"

"What are you talking about you're alone up here?" Jotaro raises his eyebrow and looks down at the carpet he is on. Power Loader points the camera at the rug, and it winks at him. This makes everyone's jaws drop. Saphentite was taking the role of the horse in this situation.

"Instead of fighting like stupid animals, we went with the human approach to avoiding the unnecessary fights altogether. There's no rule against it. So. Back. Off." More of audience is disturbed by the audacity this student had, and the students are also mad too.

'Now its almost impossible to fight him.' Bakugo thinks and Todoroki is mulling over the same thoughts. They shake it off and instead decide to focus on the others in the competition. (Much follows like the cannon, but first place never changes.)

Once the round finishes; Izuku's team is in second place, Todoroki's team is in third, Bakugo's team places fourth, and Shinso's team in fifth. While most are upset by how the battle played out, Midnight makes an announcement.

"Due to the odd number of competitors, we are allowing the fifth-place team to compete in the final round of the tournament. As well as one from the sixth ranked team." She is still miffed at Jotaro and Saphentite taking a way that none of them could compete, but she did admire their creativity in the situation.

But what surprises a few of them is that two other students decide to back out, both claiming that they didn't feel like they earned the right. "We may not like how Jotaro and Saphentite got to that point, but they both earned it by fighting a smart way. But I don't even remember how I got to that point." Ojiro says with Nirengeki agreeing with him.

Midnight smiles and nods before exclaiming that she is proud of them. She accepts their withdrawals and allows Tetsutetsu and Kendo to move up in the finals as well as Reiko. Jotaro nods at this and has a feeling on what is going on. With Midnights approval given, the groups for the fights were listed as such:

Jotaro Svoboda vs Hitoshi Shinso

Todoroki Shoto vs Tenya Ida

Kaminari Denki vs Shiozaki Ibara

Aoyama Yuga vs Ashido Mina

Tokoyami Fumikage vs Yaoyorozu Momo

Tetstetsu Tetsutetsu vs Kirishima Eijiro

Uraraka Ochaco vs Kendo Itsuka

Saphentite Anwar vs Yanagi Reiko

Midoriya Izuku vs Katsuki Bakugo

With the matches announced, a few were panicking or excited for their upcoming matches. Izuku wasn't sure what to think about facing his bully, but he knew he didn't have a choice. "And the sooner I deal with this, the faster we get it over with." Izuku said to himself. Bakugo on the other hand was greatly looking forward to supposedly beating down and taking the place of the person who he felt never belonged there.

For some though they could see this as a way to move ahead. Jotaro felt Shinso walk over to him as it was announced that they will be opponents for the first match of the one-on-one battles. He is about to try talking to him when Ojiro interrupts and says, "Hey Jotaro can we talk?"

With a nod, Jotaro follows Ojiro to a distance away from the rest. As Ojiro is thinking over what to say, Jotaro comes out and says, "you're gonna tell me how his power works right?" Ojiro is shocked but he guesses he shouldn't be given how talented Jotaro had shown to be.

"Yeah. It happened right after I responded to him. I think he needs that to take over minds." Jotaro hums a bit before saying, "I wondered why you didn't respond much after that. Guess that answers that question."

Even without looking Jotaro can guess what Ojiro is thinking. "I listened in on all the conversations he had. Including how he got to fifth place in the first place. I was figuring he had to be taking control of people to fight them. He was being a bit smarter about it, but he was still relying on his power."

"Wait how did you hear all the conversations?" Ojiro asks confused at how he could have noticed those minute details. Jotaro looks over at Ojiro with an eyebrow raised before saying, "Did I not mention to everyone that I have enhanced senses?"

Ojiro facepalms and remembers the USJ incident when he talked about it. He then goes on to ask what Jotaro will do. "Don't worry too much. You might actually be surprised on how weak his power is anyway."

This confuses the tailed boy again, but he lets it go for now. While this is happening, Shoto has taken Izuku aside to talk to him about his past. As well as telling him that he will win, no matter what Jotaro and Izuku try to do. Jotaro in the meantime has heard the entire conversation and sighs at acknowledgement that what he assumed about the Todoroki's, was actually true.

That Endeavor had tried to make a new stronger quirk, following a bit of natural selection and specific breeding. 'And they still want to claim this is the next step in evolution. What a joke.' He thinks while he gets ready for his match with Shinso. 'He's obviously going to try and use his quirk. But I already know it won't work. Quirks are weak and useless as is. I'm just going to show that more.'

"All right folks! Its time for the main event! The individual battles!" Present Mic exclaims and the crowd cheers. Once they have calmed down a bit, he goes on to introduce the first competitors. "First up. One of the highest-ranking students on the practical exam and a powerhouse from across the seas: Jotaro Svoboda!"

At the mention of the first competitor, a few people cheered but not as much as the earlier announcement. Most still remember the boy as the one claimed to not have a quirk and was making all of them with quirks look weak. Then he went against what most had come to watch and avoided a big battle altogether by flying above the others.

"And on the opposite side; The dark horse of the tournament. The sleepy-eyed student from the General Ed course: Hitoshi Shinso!" With that there were a few more cheers for him compared to Jotaro. Who in turn just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"All right! Are both competitors ready?!" At a nod from the two Midnight called out, "Then let the first match BEGIN!" With that done most expected Jotaro to go in and push Shinso out of bounds, but instead he just walked toward his opponent slowly. His hands in his pockets.

"So, you think this will be so easy that you don't have to work at it?" Shinso questions. Jotaro just smirks a bit before saying, "Considering what you can do? Yeah." Shinso smiles and then says, "Now walk out of the arena."

"And why would I do that?"

Shinso stops smiling and looks up at Jotaro and sees that he still has that easy smirk on his face. "What the- how!? I know I used my quirk on you!" Jotaro just moves his head around a bit before saying, "is that what that little buzzing is? I can feel you trying to poke in, but you definitely won't be taking control."

At that, more and more people are astonished by what he is saying. It is in this moment that a few realize what Shinso quirk can do: Brainwashing. "But how can this guy who says he's quirkless fight back against it?" A few heroes and some in the stands ask. To which Jotaro smiles a bit before saying, "I'm guessing you've never tried to use this on an actual human have you?"

"Yes I have. Everyone in middle-" Jotaro stops him by saying, "Ap! People with quirks don't count." This statement shocks and insults more people, but Shinso on the other hand goes over it in his mind, realizing that no one he has controlled was quirkless. "Seems like you're realizing part of it. Most of you probably don't realize this but when your quirks go active, you basically get a bit of brain damage."

At that more people are shocked and dumbfounded at what he said. Recovery Girl is especially gobsmacked but then she thinks about the fact that most hadn't looked deeper than the surface with most quirks.

"If you're wondering how I know this; it's because I sense energy. And the brain shows activity through electrical impulses. I noticed something when I was walking by elementary schools and the like. When kids would have their powers go active, their brains would dim a bit. And it didn't recover at all." At this, more and more people are shocked, and a few doctors decide to test some of what he has said.

Shinso on the other hand is confused on Jotaro's capabilities. "Then how are you able to do all of the things you can do? I've seen your strength and speed. Let alone how tough you are. Are there other things?" Jotaro just nods before saying he also absorbs energy from all around him and can channel that energy in a variety of ways. "My power isn't something that was just handed to me like most of you idiots. I only awakened because I was in trouble, and it activated violently. To be honest, I wish I didn't have it most days."

Shinso takes offense at this. He goes off on Jotaro saying he has the greatest potential to be a hero, and that he was blessed with his power. This angers Jotaro, so he decides to show him what he means by that. He takes a deep breath, before letting it out and causing a windstorm again.

Shinso is blown away and out of bounds but Midnight can't call it because she is bracing herself as well. The spectators are also panicking as they don't know where this is coming from. Then they start to feel the ground shake.

The think it is just another earthquake, but Shinso notices it first. When he got close to the arena again, he saw that the shaking was in time with each of Jotaro's steps. After a few seconds, Jotaro reigns himself in again and the storms and shaking stop.

Midnight is getting ready to call the match when Shinso comes up and says, "You caused all of that? How were you doing that?" Everyone in the stands and watching is shocked at what Shinso said.

And Jotaro just sighs before saying, "I did all of that, by letting go of the control I have over my strength. That was me letting loose a little bit." This terrifies even more people while Shinso realizes what he meant. As Midnight is calling this Jotaro's win, Shinso says, "You have to constantly reign in your power. Everyday is an exercise in control for you. You hold yourself back constantly to keep all of us safe."

Jotaro nods before saying, "I don't do it just because it is what a hero should do. I try to remind myself I'm still human. That there is more to me than just my insane power. But the rest of you are all fools or monsters, who are so wrapped up in your powers, they are basically all you can think about. Most of you have forsaken your humanity to gain more. Rather than think about wanting less to help others."

Shinso is shocked and a bit ashamed of himself for thinking that Jotaro was some big powerhouse who didn't feel like he had to put out. Instead, he was protecting people every day, and holding back an amount of power that would corrupt most everyone else with a quirk. That was when he did something that surprised even Jotaro. He held out his hand to shake it. Jotaro did with a smile, and they walked off to let the next match commence.

For everyone in the stands however, they were feeling scared and confused. If what that teenager had said was true, then that would mean their quirks were hurting them more than some of the side effects they knew of.

For Endeavor however, he felt this boy was going to be a big problem for Shoto. 'It's like looking at another version of All Might. And that boy says he doesn't have a quirk. Maybe there's more potential there than we realize.' While he is going over those thoughts, Izuku is realizing that this could have greater effects down the line. But for now the next match is about to begin.

For those wondering, I had Kendo join Tetsu's team and Reiko was still with Setsuna and Kinoko. Just a three-man team there, and they had stolen Juzo's head band. I wanted to get past most of the calvary battle since I know it isn't the part everyone looks forward to in this arc. Its all about the battles. Also my point about quirks sacrificing neurons in the brain, is more of something I thought for a while. And the recent chapters have made me think that is more and more of the case. You sacrifice some of your humanity and the more human parts of your mind to gain a little trick. If you think about what AFO said about people's consciousness clinging on after he took them, it could be that their quirks took part of their brains (personality) and bound it to the power. Also, they only talk about the glowing baby at the start. They never said that adults at the beginning didn't start showing strange abilities. Like a disease that warped the biology. Like that hasn't been a theme for a lot of games too? Which is why Chizome was healed of his quirk in my story, and why Izuku and Toshinori have much more potential compared to everyone else. Also, before you go on about the pinky toe being useless, I've studied anthropology and archaeology thoroughly and I've that we needed all five toes for the big start to our evolution. To remove it or have a change like that would be a step back, not forward.