Chapter 15

Ichika watched the big screen in anticipation. Right from the start, Shoto had taken the lead, much to Endeavor's liking. He hadn't said a thing yet, but she could tell from the slight tugging of his lips, that the man was proud of his son. Not that she could blame him. What father wouldn't be proud of his child, especially when they were in the lead of such an important competition as the UA festival.

While the boy had indeed been in the lead from the start, he had a difficult time keeping his spot now. He had easily maneuvered through the first two obstacles - the gate and the zero-pointer robots - and the great fall was easy enough for him as well. He just used his ice to cross the canyon. But now that he had reached the final obstacle, he began to have some competition.

Ichika cheered as Bakugo flew past Shoto, ignoring the glare she received from Endeavor. While she had preferred for Izuku to be somewhere in the top 3, she was glad that Shoto had at least some competition. And as Shoto and Bakugo fought for first place, the other contestants had arrived at the mine field as well.

'Oh no.'

Her voice had been just a soft whisper upon realising who had taken last place. He must have had a difficult time getting past all the obstacles without the use of his quirk. She had noticed he had only relied on his quick thinking, but not once had he used his quirk. Probably because he didn't want to risk getting injured by the drawback and she could understand why. He would need his strenght if he were to make it to the one on one battles.

'Something's bothering you, kid?' Endeavor casted a sideway glance at his student, a smug look on his face as he did so. 'Afraid my Shoto's gonna win?'

'It's not that, sir,' she confessed as she watched Izuku standing still at the start of the minefield, while Shoto and Bakugo were almost at the finish line. 'It's my brother, he's not doing anything at all. He's currently too caught up in his own thoughts to move.'

'Hm?' Endeavor turned his gaze back to the screen that showed Izuku looking around frantically, before turning his eyes back to Ichika. 'That greenhaired kid's your brother?' She nodded. 'Guess it shouldn't surprise me, you have a knack of thinking things over too much as w-'

Endeavor was cut off by a loud explosion.

'A giant explosion in the back,' came Present Mic's booming voice enthusiastically. 'What caused such a blast? Was it an accident? Was it intentional?'

'Izu?'

Ichika needed a moment to register that her brother was actually flying in the air, atop a part of a robot and using the explosion as a way for propel himself forwards and over the others. In fact, he was flying closer and closer towards the two leading competitors!

'And class 1-A's Midoriya is riding the waves in hot pursuit! No, wait! He's passed them!'

And indeed, Izuku had flew over Shoto and Bakugo, accidentally hitting Bakugo on the head as he came crashing down. While Ichika held her breath all this time, watching her baby brother, while Bakugo used his explosions to follow after him and Shoto freezing over the whole minefield. Though as Izuku came closer and closer to the ground, it was apparent that he would not take first place once either Shoto or Bakugo passed him by again. Both of them would use their quirks to help them exhilarate. But them Izuku did something that surprised the crowd once again.

He slammed the board he had used before against the ground, right where a mine laid. And once again he was propelled into the air.

'And Midoriya blows of the competition with no time to lose! Your class is something else, Eraserhead! What're you teaching those kids?'

Ichika held her breath as she watched Izuku crash to the ground again. The impact propelling him forwards, before he scrambled to his feet again. All while he was still in the lead! As he entered the stadium, she sprung to her feet, cheering his name and applauding as Present Mic declared him the winner. Soon followed by Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugo.

Damn, Izuku, she thought proudly as she watched her brother catch his breath. When did you become this cool?

Though next to her, Endeavor was less than impressed that his son had been defeated. And by someone who hadn't even used his quirk. Not that she'd let the intimidating hero damper her spirit as he glared at her. Izuku deserved to win. Everyone had the advantage of having a quirk they grew up with, while he was still trying to learn and control his. And to win the obstacle race without the use of one was even more impressive!

While at the same time she was worried about the next event. While they were randomly picked each year, they were designed to thin out the contestants. And as Midnight explained the next event - cavalry battle - Ichika worried even more for her brother. By placing first, he had gained 10,000,000 points, while the runner-up had 205 points and third place had gotten 200 points. So with such a large gap between first place and the others, it was clear what was about to happen...

Izuku would become the number one target!

The moment the cavalry race began, the other teams indeed came after Izuku's team. Though there had been a couple of close shots where they almost lost their headband, they were still going strong. It was only in the last five minutes, when Izuku's luck seemed to have run dry. Facing off against Shoto's team, they were cornered by ice. Yet Izuku and his team manage to keep their 10,000,000 point headband, no matter what Shoto's team tried.

'Heh, it seems you and your brother are quite alike.'

'Oh?'

'He's pretty sharp, just like you, having figured out how to keep Shoto from attacking.'

'Well, if Shoto hadn't declared he wouldn't be using his fire during combat, then it would have been much different.'

Endeavor hummed in agreement. Calling his son a fool. But then Iida, who was on Shoto's team, dashed forwards, taking his other teammembers along with him. In a blink of an eye, Izuku had lost his headband, leaving the greenhaired teen furious. Encouraging his team to go after team Todoroki, Izuku finally activated his quirk.

Only twenty seconds left. Izuku raised his right arm, as Shoto raised his left, flames emitting from it as he did so. But Izuku slapped his arm out of the way with ease, extinguishing the flames while doing so. Then Izuku reached for the headbands around Shoto's neck.

'Seventeen seconds remain! And we have another fierce recovery.' Present Mic was referring to Bakugo, who had lost his headband as well, but had taken it back mercilessly.

But the scoreboard showed no victory for team Midoriya. They had snatched the wrong headband and now had 70 points instead. Not enough to carry on to the next round and Present Mic was already starting his countdown!

A loud explosion and Bakugo forced himself into the little arena Shoto had created, ready to go after Izuku. But then he changed his mind and headed over to Shoto instead, all while remaining in mid-air! And team Midoriya was heading towards team Todoroki as well, with Izuku's hand reaching out to grab another headband and...

'Time's up!' Bakugo fell face first to the ground upon hearing the loud voice. 'Let's see who the top four teams are right now!'

It came as no surprise that team Todoroki had come in first. Having the 10,000,000 point headband 9n their possession and all.

The second team was team Bakugo. Also not very surprising.

'In third, team Tetsu... Huh? Whoa! Team Shinso?'

But the most surprising one was team four. Not only for the spectators, but for the leader of the team as well. For team Midoriya had come in fourth! A sigh of relief left Ichika as she fell back in her chair. Damn, that was too close! But at least he got to the one part of the festival that mattered most; the one on one combat.

Though first, there would be a lunch break.

'I can't believe he actually managed to get this far without using his quirk.' Ichika smiled proudly as she thought about Izuku's progress. 'It's amazing how quick he is adjusting to new situations. I've even seen him copying moves of others he has observed, like using explosions like Kacchan, to finish first.'

After the intense first two events, Ichika had messaged Mirio how he was doing and seeing as the third year stadium was nearby, the two had decided to meet up in-between the two stadiums to spend the lunchbreak together.

'Copying?' Mirio looked surprised. 'I thought he had a strengthening quirk, not a quirk that copies others?'

Ichika took a sip from her soda, before answering.

'He's not literally copying other quirks,' she explained, while leaning back against his chest. 'He just makes smart usage of his surroundings. There were mines hidden in the field and Izuku used those to make a giant explosion. Or using hand to hand combat moves he has seen pros use.'

'Oh, I get it now! Huh, I guess I shouldn't be that surprised though, he is your brother afterall. Being smart runs in your family it seems.'

'Perhaps. But I am book smart. I read something and it's permanently saved somewhere in my brain.' She chuckled as she looked up to look at Mirio, who pulled her closer by wrapping his arms around her. 'While Izuku isn't as academically skilled, he has a knack of always observing his surroundings and using that knowledge to his advantage.'

She sat up straight again, to turn around to face her boyfriend, a hand on his chest as she leaned in closer. A sly smirk on her lips as she leaned in to peck him on his lips.

'I'm telling you, Mirio, you're going to have some serious competition when he's had some proper training.'

'Hm, I feel that I need to be jealous of this Izuku Midoriya. I don't like it that you think so highly of another guy.'

A giggle left her lips as Mirio joked. Though she couldn't help but play along.

'Oh yes. He's amazing. And did I mention strong?' She felt his chest rumble as Mirio chuckled. 'A little on the short side though, but I guess you can't have everything.'

'Oh really?'

Without a warning Mirio moved his arms away, only to place them at her sides. His fingers tickling her mercilessly, sending Ichika into a laughing fit.

'S-s-stop! Mi-Mirio!'

That was all Ichika managed to say in between her laughter, while Mirio laughed along. Though he did stop, eventually. Still laughing, he pulled her onto his lap with ease, wrapping a strong arm around her again, while he brushed her hair with his other hand.

'It's a shame though, that Endeavor has hogged you this week,' he stated while leaning his head on hers. 'Now you won't have a chance to compete.'

'Endeavor deemed it unnecessary for me to compete, stating there was no need to show off my skills, while I am already working for him.' She chuckled as a thought crossed her mind. 'Though I think he doesn't want to take a chance of me failing. Think of the embarrassment it would bring his agency.'

'Well, the good part of him having switched your days around, is that our weekends off are now the same.' Ichika hummed in agreement. 'And starting tonight, I'm gonna hogg you all to myself. No getting rid of me for two whole days. Oh yeah, just you and me!'

'As long as you cook me a nice meal, I think I'll be okay with that.'

She leaned in to kiss his cheek, before pressing her lips against his. But before either of them could deepen the kiss, her phone rang. With a sigh, she picked up and a familiar voice spoke before she could even answer.

'Where are you, Phoenix? Break's almost over, so get back here!'

'Yes sit, I'll be there in a minute.' She hung up and looked at Mirio with a frown. 'I guess the half hour break is already over.'

'Yeah, what a bummer. Well, I guess I'll be on my way as well. I'm up in the second match, against Sugihara.'

She kissed him one more time before standing up, telling Mirio to kick his ass. Then she turned around to make her way back to the first years stadium. Though ot before letting out a shriek as a hand smacked her own ass, followed by a chuckling Mirio.

'Just a warming up for the ass-kicking,' he stated innocently, his hands up in the air in defense. Then Mirio walked the opposite way towards the third years stadium.

A/N

And that's it for this chapter. Don't forget to leave a comment if you liked it thus far. Or add the story to your list.