The stage was set. A network of stone trails had been crafted, forming a large scale maze. A pole situated at every fourth pillar, where the victorious students will raise their flags. And a single strip of fabric velcroid to a chest harness, was what would make or break these teams of two.

Each team stood on opposite ends of their poles, their targets across from them blocking their path. The combat zone for each team a mere five meters.

Bakugou was crouched, one knee forwards the other bent behind him, his hands idling while he waited for the horn. The teen was eager but also a little concerned about how his quirk would perform after being neutralized last night. Monoma stood beside him, a bit further back knowing full well as soon as it started there'd be a blizzard as soon as he took off.

Aizawa raised his arm airhorn in hand, "alright kiddios I want this to be as clean as possible," and with a slight squeeze to the trigger the game commenced.

Bakugou launched forward propelling himself with his right hand, aiming for Todoroki. The takeoff was explosive, and Todoroki was in arms reach within a second. A millisecond before contact the blonde fired off an explosion from his left hand, twirling his torso midflight, altering his trajectory. The blonde slid behind his target firing a shot at his right achilleas tendon.

Todoroki had anticipated the attack but was thrown off by the abrupt change in direction. It took him a second to stabilize and this gave Bakugou a chance to reach for his left shoulder. Of course the teen had been through countless battle simulations at home, so he was quick to react, seizing the outstretched hand. And with a swift tug, he tossed the blonde up over his shoulders.

Bakugou smiled mid summersault, using the momentum to reach for the badge with his other arm. "I'll be taking this," he snicked but before he could snatch it a blaze of shots sliced at his arm.

The teen winced and shot off a small explosion to beak free and create some distance. The blast was potent, and he barely landed on his feet. The force allowed him to slide backwards, and he utilized his quirk to reorientated himself, so he was facing his opponent.

"Fuck," he hissed. The left arm was leaking, while his right one was freezing in real time. It stung, fuck it stung bad, although he popped the bone back in its socket earlier he was now feeling the full extent of a torn ligament. Fucking Dabi. The lingering ache had him distracted, and it was too late when he realized Todoroki had closed the gap between them.

The two haired tone teen was rocketing towards him, skating along the ice slide he had created, in pursuit. Bakugou tried to move back but was ambushed with a series of slashes to the heels. Rin who had been stationed at one of the mounds was shooting off rounds of projectiles. The two had him cornered and he knew a collision was imminent but before Todoroki could make contact an explosion went off.

-BOOM-

The sound rippled through the entire zone a terrifying quake following. The area fouled with dust and debris.

"Amateur," Monoma said rolling his eyes from Bakugou onto Rin. A fling of his wrist and he was tossing another borrowed grenade, this time aimed at Rin. Bakugou grinned flexing his muscle breaking the ice cast that was working its way up his arm.

Although Monoma thought his fighting style was ferocious and impulsive he realized his partner was calculative and capable. The first attack spectacular and would have succeeded if Rin had not interfered. It made him cringe realizing he should have better dealt with his classmate while Bakugou was off attacking his.

After the air cleared the battle was back on. Bakugou had taken the advantage Monoma gave him creating distance between him and his opponent. The blonde found an ideal position above the rock formations. At that vantage point he could at least use his beams, the teen was well aware it'd be hard to take Todoroki head on without some distance between them.

Monoma chased after Rin who was ignoring him, following Todoroki's lead in pursuit of Bakugou. Although it had been Monoma original intention to remain in the background he felt somewhat insulted.

Todoroki wasted no time, right on his classmate's tail as he started to ascend the rocks. A forceful stomp and the ground began to freeze over, the ice crept along the pillar, and he hoped to freeze him to the spot. "Stay still," he commanded.

The combat boots were stuck, limiting movement. Todoroki took the chance and propelled himself upwards, reaching for the badge at his opponent's chest. There was that menacingly look on the blonde's face and Todoroki knew he had been tricked.

Bakugou smiled, "In a rush to get your ass handed to you?" he curled his knuckles into a fist and used a small burst to power his right hook.

Todoroki created a thin sheet of armored ice on his forearm to block the attack, but the impact still launched him backwards.

Bakugou had broken free and was whizzing towards him "That was a little taste of what's to come."

This made Todoroki wrinkle his nose, he wondered how anyone could deal with such an arrogant prick? What was it that made people with powerful quirks so narcissistic? Instinctively he used the momentum and formed a small ice panel to kick off and intercept Bakugou midflight.

The collision of ice and an explosive force created a shockwave that turned the arena into a storm of snow and dust. The haze couldn't deter either from advancing, the two going blow for blow.

Bakugou was a little sour about earlier so he thought a little provocation would lighten the mood. "No more of those elaborate ice walls," he smirked "hmph, we'll see how you'll fair," because what was a fight without shit talk?

The smugness irritated Todoroki, who realized Bakugou wasn't someone he could get along with. It was hard enough being cordial with him, but this guy was way beyond arrogant.

The teen shot a burst of sleet to break some distance between them. "I don't like the idea of battling against one of my own classmates."

"Yeah, well I have no reservations about that," the blonde snorted charging forward "so let's get this show on the road," another blast and the two were at it again.

It was close combat, hand to hand exchange. The two were on equal footing, neither one having the upper hand.

Monoma had Rin distracted with the bombardment of bombs, and while the battle between Bakugou and Todoroki staled he went for an opening.

Todoroki swung but this time Bakugou didn't dodge, pivoting forwards with a high kick. The ice shield was formed in the nick of time, the metal kneepad biting into the forearm that was crossed over his head.

There it was, the moment Monoma needed to move things in their favor. Aimed for the velcro buckle he barreled towards his target, going in for the snatch. It would be a two for one special. A new skill added to his arsenal, and the flag a secondary bonus.

Bakugou detected the inbound attack, punting his opponent back with a roundhouse kick. Monoma was still in motion reaching out, as his target flew by him. Bakugou detonated a small blast sending his teammate flying. The blonde was seething "he's mine," he glared warning him to stay out of it.

Monoma struggled to regain balance, shaking off the stupor that momentarily disorientated him. "Asshole," he hissed. Of course he was now reconsidering the praise he'd given him earlier. The animal a wacko through and through.

The blast had left his strap dangling from its harness, so Monoma utilized Awaze's quirk to fuse it to his skin for the time being. It was a good idea, even if one of his opponents got their hands on him they wouldn't be able to detach it from his body at least.

Todoroki acknowledged Rin who had caught up and focused his attention back on the blonde "You're being extra aggressive today."

Bakugou swiped his nose "having to work with these twats would put anyone on edge," he muttered looking over to the other two. There was some concern over his earlier outburst, but he saw that Monoma was smart enough to fuse his patch to his chest.

Seeing Bakugou distracted amid a battle had Todoroki curious, so he took the opening to address what was on his mind. "You know he blames himself?"

Todoroki had never butted his nose in business that was not his and neither was he interest in other peoples' messes, but there was something different when it came to those two. The constant bickering between him and Midoriya irked him, and he couldn't quite understand why, and this bugged him.

Bakugou responded without thought, only realizing after the sentence had left his lips. "As he should, if it weren't for his incompetence I wouldn't be here." Shit. The urge to run and hide was written all over his crimson face.That was embarrassing. But what bugged him more was that even a dead brained bastard like him could read him so easily?

"Then why'd you help him?" Todoroki wondered referring to yesterday's match.

The conversation progressed without a mention of a name, the two on the same wavelength which agitated Bakugou more. Why was he also so damn perseptive? The usual Todoroki was quiet and knew how to mind his business.

"Midoriya is just worried," he continued, but this set the blonde off and had him lunging at him.

The small talk was over and the fight back on. The two were back to square one, exchanging blow for blow with no time in between to think about useless shit.

"You should quit worrying about others and start worrying about your own damn self," the blonde hissed. It pissed him off.

Midoriya

Midoriya

Midoriya

Midoriya this Midoriya that, everyone seems to be enamored with the freak. It was sickening, whenever someone would mention him, there was this twisting in his gut. All these hiccups seem to whittle down to him. The freak at the center of everything. At the epicenter of his world, so bright there was no corner for him hide. Almight, their friends, even his own parents at times would fuss about how well behaved and great he was…it always became about him. When would he not have to live in his shadow? It was a shadow casted so enormous and unimaginable. When would he outrun it? This nameless emotion kept gnawing at him and festering, and he was about to rage.

The attacks came faster but much sloppier and were easier to evade. Todoroki soon realized he had struck a nerve. Bakugou like a rabid dog, there was no strategy just pure rage as he swung wildly. It was out of character, and this break in temperament had him curious. It was the same for him. There was this emotion he couldn't quite peg. Where a string of words or the actions of another could elicit this overreaction. It fueled this competitive nature that had been plaguing Todoroki since he started at UA.

As the weeks progress his disposition became even more skewed. These new emotions started fester and made him anxious. And there it was again, this prickly sensation beginning in his stomach. It worked its ways through his veins, sweltering, spreading through his entire being converging at the tips of his fingers, eager to ignite. The teen needed this dance to end, before the fire consumed him.

Todoroki realized that the true threat was not those halfhearted punches, but lied in the blast that came afterwards. It was a pattern. Bakugou swings with one hand, but that's the distraction. It's the other hand that Todoroki has to worry about, because right after he swings, the other hand comes sneaking sidewards and once it connects he denotates.

The blasts are not powerful, but it stings and distracts all the same. It was a pattern he was familiar with. Small swift attacks to wear down an opponent, leaving their energy spent before they even realize it, and that's when things get dicey.

It was now or never. This was the chance to seize a frenzied Bakugou. Todoroki kept stride, in waits for the next combo. There it was a left hook inbound, Todoroki sidestepped twisting at the waist, seizing the other arm. The kid made quick work of his opponent, chilling the arm down to the bone. One wrong move and the whole arm could with it.

The ice seeped into the blonde's flesh and chilled his bones. There was this immense ache that shot through his forearm, and he could scream if he wasn't distracted by the incoming blaze. Those reds went wide, and he was frozen to the spot. That lurching in his stomach began and his heart thumped desperately against his chest, making it impossible to breathe. All his attention diverted onto that blazing blue iris. Panic ensued as the red fire burned hot towards him, but there was nothing he could do in the moment, his whole being frozen in fear.

Todoroki had ignited his fist aimed for the velcro, but unlike he anticipated the blonde did not evade, his entire body locked up, eyes deadest on the incoming fire. It was too late to pull back and with massive blow he struck him down.

It was a direct hit, met with no resistance. The blonde was sent flying across the arena barreling into a one of the stone columns. The structure collapsed on impact. The disorientated teen bombarded with a cascade of ruble.

Todoroki watched on in horror, terrified to move. Holy shit, he didn't mean to do that. No, no, no, no, no—oh no, he couldn't breathe but he had to move, had to see for himself. The rocks were slicing at his hands, but he continued to remove the debris in search of his classmate.

Please no, not again. There were tears welling in his eyes. It was an emotional state he hadn't experienced in a while.

That look in those red eyes, he couldn't get it out of his head. It dictated his movements, forced this defensive instinctual feeling to the surface. Confirmation, he needed confirmation, needed to see those reds in its usual scowl. Then everything would be fine. Of course he didn't mean to go overboard. It was an accident, there hasn't been one in a while, and this rattled him to the core.

A few tosses and he had found him. The blonde was slumped over, blood trailing from his mouth and nose. There was no movement, but the faint rise and falling from his chest signaled to Todoroki that he was just unconscious.

There was a buzzing in Bakugou's ear, and a pulsing in his temples. Shit, it hurt, he could tell he was a mess. The kid would have sprung forwards but couldn't move an inch. Gravity was being a son of a bitch and had him pressed to the spot. In the distance he could hear muddled off voices, but with his lids shut tight he couldn't decipher the chaos.

It was pitch black, his mind wanning in and out of consciousness. At the center of the blackness there was a dim illumination. It was a radiating blue sphere and he tried to focus on it. The light began to take form splitting in two, a pair of blues staring back at him. That aura initiated that uneasy sensation in the pit of his stomach and it had him springing forwards.

The abruptness in reanimation had him slamming into his classmate, the two knocking heads. In a panicked state he clutched at his chest, the tempo of his heartbeat erratic. The pain was immense but it became secondary to the terror that followed. It was a soul crushing heaviness but he couldn't tear his eyes from that blazing blue iris.

That usual scowled expression was skewed in a terrorized manner and had Todoroki reaching out to smooth out those wrinkles between the bridge of the blonde's nose. Bakugou flinched on instinct, his brows furrowed, mouth agape, and lips trembling.

Was he alright? Todoroki waited for an answer to a question he had never asked. The teen leaned in closer to force a response when Aizawa rounded the corner calling from over their shoulders.

"Bakugou are you alright to continue?" the man asked before he caught sight of the disheveled blonde. The man could see the kid was shaken. "Get those taken care of," he dismissed.