UA HIGH
After the whole thing with Endeavor fighting that Nomu, everyone wanted to take some time to visit home. Most of my classmates were doing it that weekend, and I managed to arrange it with my parents and the teachers. Mr. Aizawa took me and I ended up riding in the same car as Yaomomo. Midoriya and Bakugou were the other kids from Shizuoka in the class, and they rode with All Might.
"Kyoka, whoa! What a crazy fight, didn't you see? That guy, he's nuts!"
"Now, now dear. Don't overwhelm her."
I sat and listened to them talk over the Endeavor fight. We even checked out what they were saying about it on TV.
"It's been two days since the battle, but public opinion on the number one hero continues to waver."
"Waver? After such a cool fight?" My old man interrupted. Mom hushed him.
A woman was being interviewed first, one in a scarf and wavy hair. "He only barely won, right? Are we sure he can do this? The man was covered in blood by the end."
Two men were up next. "He let that one League villain escape again though,"
"And hang on, didn't they already catch a bunch Nomu? How's this guy struggling against one of those chumps?"
Nomu aren't exactly chumps. I guess most people find it easy to say stuff like that about us heroes…if you've never faced one, you just don't know.
"Some remain dissatisfied…but on the flip side," the broadcaster continued, and the screen changed to replay a picture of a young boy with spiky hair - the footage of the boy who had called out to us during the broadcast.
"So don't give up just cause the other guy's gone! There's still a dude out there risking it all for us! Cant'cha see?!"
"Well," said another interviewee, "I was an Edgeshot fan, but now how could anyone not be a fan of Endeavor?"
"I'm a fire type too," said another, "So honestly…yeah, I'm pumped about him."
A woman and her friend were interviewed as well. "That 'cantata see' kid was great!"
"Risking it all, cantata see?" "He kinda turned things around."
"The 'Cant'cha see kid has become something of a meme in his own right. His passionate cries have actually garnered support for Endeavor!"
"Now hang on! Endeavor did give us a good battle, but the Can'tcha see Kid's and Hawks' contributions were monumental! They united everyone to cheer on the big man. No one can deny that he's facing a powerful headwind, but now they're aware that we're in the age of Endeavor. Support for him will undoubtedly spread."
"Woo hoo!" Dad yelled.
"Dad, c'mon," I mumbled. It was weird watching my parents cheering and yelling about hero stuff now, like it was some kinda game or fight on TV or concert. They both looked a bit confused that I was taking it so seriously.
"It's nice to see heroes getting support, isn't it?" Said Mom hastily, trying to keep the peace.
"Yeah…" I wasn't sure what to add. But it did occur to me that yeah, that part is important.
"How was your visit with your parents, Jirou?" Yaomomo asked me as we drove back together. I felt a little shy talking about it; Yaomomo took me back to her house along with the problem students back during our final exams and I met her extra-fancy mom, their rich butler, all that rich stuff Yaomomo's probably been so used to her whole life that she doesn't even see it now…I'd wanted really badly to impress her mom, and even though it seemed like I had I still couldn't help feeling a bit insecure compared to her family.
"Fine. You?"
"It was…curious," she said, which I took to mean she didn't want to talk about it.
"Got the Joint Training soon," I said to make conversation.
"Yes indeed. Have you made any changes to your costume for winter, Jirou?"
"No…" I realized I hadn't bothered to prep for winter at all. Everyone else in class was probably already way ahead of me, getting their new upgraded costumes and winter gear together and I'd barely even thought about it.
"I've added details to my costume! It will be hard to fight in winter with the outfit as it normally is," she said, blushing a little. I'd never seen her seem embarrassed about her costume before.
"Great," I told her, and felt even more inadequate. Of course Yaomomo has already made her new costume for winter, probably drafted it when she was four.
It felt good to get back into Heights Alliance, kick back in my room, and try not to think too hard about it all. If only I could find the time to go out, maybe see a rock show and blow off steam…
—
Everyone had changed into their new winter gear. I felt a little better seeing that Uraraka and Hagakure hadn't changed theirs either. But Ashido had added a warm jacket, Asui had put on neck warmers, and Yaomomo had upgraded to a fantastic red cape with a large cape like neck.
"So warm!" Uraraka and Ashido gushed as they felt up the edge of the cloak in the locker room "Can we go under it, Yaomomo?" She asked.
"Of course. If you like," Yaomomo blushed back.
They ducked under it and I heard them both giggling. "Warm!" "So warm!"
"Let's go," I snapped, feeling more and more irritated with how much less I'd done, and a bit jealous of them getting to snuggle under Yaomomo's coat.
As we headed out towards Gym Gamma, we passed All Might and Midnight Sensei, who were having some sort of conversation.
"Interesting take on your winter version!" Miss Midnight called to Yaoyorozu, waving. "Accommodating quirks like ours in winter is tricky. Well done in finding a way to keep your basic style."
"Thank you, Sensei," she smiled. I turned away. Dammit. We made our way out and were hit by a blast of cold winter air. Next to me Hagakure was skipping along, calling out "So totally pumped for this!"
"Aren't you cold, Hagakure?" I asked her.
"Totally freezing!"
"Toughing it out, huh?"
"My winter style's cool as heck, don'tcha think?" Smiled Ashido, spreading out her arms to show off the cape.
"All of our costumes have undergone considerable transformations since the school year began," said Iida, whose costume looked identical to the first he'd worn. That was a little reassuring; at least our Class Rep was never gonna change.
"It's crazy how you made it through the summer in that getup, Iida," said Sato as he pulled on his mask.
Nearby, Midoriya had caught sight of Bakugou's new winter look and had immediately seemed impressed.
"You've got a new look too, Kacchan!"
"Huh? Got a problem with it? Then say it - to my face, you stupid nerd!" Bakugou yelled. Midoriya by now seemed to be totally used to his loudmouth ways. He'd swapped out his tank top for a sweater with a turtleneck, and Midoriya seemed rather unduly impressed by those minor adjustments.
"Your costume must guard against the cold and generate heat, yeah? Since your sweat glands serve as weapons, it only stands to reason. What great modification!"
"I don't want your praise either!" Bakugou snarled back. At least you've GOT someone gushing over you, you surly porcupine, I thought.
"You've got the most drastic upgrades though, Midoriya," said Ojiro. "Those gloves are recent, right?"
"I need to keep up my new abilities, and yeah the gloves are pretty awesome. This is already my second pair, actually. Hatsume modified them to take more of a beating!"
Uraraka was wearing a funny look and suddenly punched herself in the face.
"Oh, are we slacking off?" Came that smarmy, arrogant voice we all knew way too well. "Is that your way of underestimating us?"
"Oh, they're here," said Kirishima. "Nope, we're not underestimating anyone. Just excited!"
"Hey, is that so? Too and for you. The tides are rolling our way now! Hear me Class A! Today is the day we settle this rivalry!" Monoma screamed as Class 1B shot him weird looks.
Monoma pulled a sheet of paper dramatically out of his pocket.
"Check out this survey I took at the culture festival! Which did people prefer - Class A's dinky concert or Class B's ultra-high-quality Theatrical production? Well take a look! Yes, our margin of victory was two entire votes!"
Shit, really? That concert we'd all worked so hard for, and it wasn't even as popular as Class B's play? Me and Kirishima both took up the paper. Yeah. Two votes.
"For real? Well, can't argue since we didn't see their show."
"You've been hogging the spotlight like pigs in slop ever since school started, but those days are coming to an end! Because today it's A vs. B! Our first joint battle training! And we're gonna - argh!"
Kendo had been heading towards him to karate chop him silent, but Mr. Aizawa got there first.
"Quiet, you."
He and Vlad King Sensei were facing both our classes now.
"We've got a special guest today," said Vlad sensei.
"So try not to make fools of yourselves," said Mr. Aizawa.
"A guest?" I asked, surprised and a little worried.
"Fresh meat!" Bakugou yapped.
"A girl, I hope!?" Said Kaminari, smiling broadly as if hoping to see someone beautiful. I felt the usual urge to zap him with my earphone jack.
"We'll show em the ropes!" Said Tetsutetsu.
"He's hoping to transfer to the hero course," said Mr. Aziawa, and Midoriya and Ojiro both gasped.
It was the guy from the Sports Festival!
"Hitoshi Shinso, from Class C of General Studies!"
"Shinsou!" Gasped Ojiro.
"So that explains the look you gave me earlier in the hall!" Said Midoriya.
Everyone had started buzzing about our new guest. He was dressed in regulation gym uniform, but with a neck cloth like Mr. Aizawa's and a strange device around his neck shaped a bit like Midoriya's own metal grille. He kinda looked like Mr. Aizawa-Junior.
"Isn't that Aizawa-sensei's binding cloth?"
"The mask looks unique, though."
"Good to have ya, man!"
"He can brainwash those who respond to him, right?" Aoyama asked Ojiro.
"I didn't stand a chance."
"Midoriya got whammied too, but broke the spell somehow," Mineta commented.
"That was just a fluke, really," sweated Midoriya.
"Go on, introduce yourself," Sensei told Shinsou."
He looked around at all of his, sporting a serious frown.
"I had encounters with several of you at the Sports Festival, but don't think that we're friends just because we fought. I'm not the type for displays of good sportsmanship like that. I'm already so far behind you all. I'm doing everything I can to catch up. I'll be a great hero some day, and strive to use my quirk to help people. So to me, all of you here are just obstacles to overcome. I'm not here to make friends."
Well, can't argue with that.
"Wow, delightful," sighed URaraka.
"How stiff," said Tokoyami, clapping politely.
"Reminds me of Early-roki," Sero snarked at Todoroki, who glanced at him rather good-naturedly. "Oh yeah?"
"Uh huh."
Monoma alone - no, not alone, Midoriya had the same look - was grinning. "I like this guy."
"Let's get right to it, then…" said Sensei.
"Battle training time. It's a series of matches pitting class A against Class b. The Battlefield is one section of Athletic field Gamma. Both classes will split into teams of four and square off against another team!"
"Four person teams!" Said a girl in a lizard-suit. "Should be fun!"
"Yep, fun!" Said a girl next to her, who was dressed like a large mushroom.
"With Shinso added in," said a boy who looked rather like a large beast, "we've got 41 altogether. How do we account for him?"
"Shinso will be participating in two matches, joining Class A for one and Class B for the other. Meaning two of the five matches will be five vs. four."
"That's not fair for the four person teams!" Cried Hagakure near Yaomomo and me, making us both start.
Vlad King sensei shook his head. "The four students who have to incorporate the inexperienced Shinso are actually at a disadvantage. Having five members will give you the edge numbers-wise, but it's also a handicap. The scenario this time around is 'Heroes trying to capture steam of villains." So think of the opposing team as villains! Capture four of your opponents to win."
"Villains do the team-up thing too, huh?" Said the Mushroom girl to Tetsutetsu, the boy who Kirishima had fought at the Sports Festival. He punched his hand and fist together. "Nice n simple! Love it!"
Iida seemed to be having some kind of stress-inducing crisis. "So we're heroes, but the opponent views us as villains!? Which role to we play up then!?"
"Let's go with heroes," suggested Yaomomo.
"Each team's home base has a cutesy-cutesy lock-em-up prison. The instant someone's thrown in the cage, they count as captured."
"What high stakes!" Cried Iida.
"The efficient strategy would be to disable the enemy near our own base," said the beast boy. "Easier said than done, probably."
"Capture four opponents to win? Is that what you meant by handicap?" Asked Bakugou.
"Yes," said Sensei. "Not only is Shinso inexperienced, by the five-person team he's on still loses if four members are caught."
"So that team's gotta fight while carrying deadweight? Crap," said Bakugou.
"That's a nasty way to phrase it!" Cried Kaminari.
"He's not wrong," said Shinsou.
"This guy's light-years ahead in the maturity department!" Said Kaminari, looking ready to rib Bakugou again.
Sensei and Vlad King both held up boxes labeled "Lots A" and "Lots B."
"Now, time to draw lots."
We drew. I was in the fourth group with Bakugou, Sato and Sero. Great, stuck with Class A's resident loudmouth. Kaminari was in the first group with Kirishima, Koda and Tsu. Yaomomo was in Group 2 with Aoyama, Tokoyami, and Hagakure. Todoroki was on the third with Iida, Shoji and Ojiro and Midoriya, Uraraka, Mineta and Ashido in fifth.
"Now you, Shinso," said Vlad King. "You'll join one team from each class."
He was with 1A for the first round, and 1B for the fifth.
"I know you said all that stuff," said Kirishima. "But heck, I still wanna be friends! Good to have ya!"
"Tell us how your quirk works," said Tsu.
"Wit those looks, you must be popular with the ladies. I can tell," said Kaminari, smiling at Kaminari almost like he was flirting with him or something? Damn Kaminari, why's he got to hit on everyone?
"Thanks for having me," said Shinsou.
"I like you already! You seem ready to crush that rotten Class A into the dirt!"
"Please ignore everything he says," said one other 1B boys on his team.
"Thanks for having me," said Shinsou.
"Teams start at their home bases. The time limit is 20 minutes per match. If time runes out, the team with more remaining members wins."
We gathered then in the Entertainment Zone, where we could watch the Field on the monitors. Ashido had turned around and cried, "All Might and Midnight are here! Together! Is love in the air?"
"Cut that out," Midnight replied. "I don't mess with older men." They joined us and continued speaking in the back.
"Now," said Vlad King Sensei. "Match 1, START!"