A/N: Oh. My. Goodness.
Out of all of the chapters I have written for Bittersweet Harmony, this one has to be my longest. I'm honestly kinda proud of it.
So, you guys are in for a treat with this chapter! But who am I to judge? Read on and find out for yourself!
Chapter 16: Be a Leader!
These girls were stupid. Beyond stupid. Stupid to the 100th stupidest degree.
"Stupid stupid stupid!"
Mojo Jojo gritted his teeth as he sat in his creaky and uncomfortable bar seat. At the moment, he was surrounded with what had to be the 2 least likable people he has ever met. And all of their focus was fixed on the tiny low-quality TV screen playing a recording of what had to be the stupidest event Mojo has ever heard of in this reality.
It was a festival, they said. What a stupid way to call it. This was not a festival in the slightest, and Mojo was well aware of the fact. This was, in the simplest terms, a circus.
There wasn't anything that said it could be something else. Nothing could explain the over-the-top displays of uncontrolled power that was being shoved into Mojo's face at this very moment. For the better half of the day, he had been watching high-school students parade themselves around and showing off their overrated stupid abilities, like a bunch of circus acts. And in the forefront of the circus were the ringleaders themselves: the Powerpuff Girls.
They won the race. They won the Cavalry Battle. And most recently, one of them won the preliminary round of the tournament. In other words, they were practically begging people to look at them. It was like they were TRYING to not be inconspicuous. And that pissed Mojo off.
"STUPID!" he shouted as he banged the bartop suddenly.
Beside him, a harsh voice hissed, "Shut up, you overgrown ape!"
Mojo turned his wild gaze onto Tomura. Despite the many injuries he had both to his body and his pride, Tomura's mouth was still as loud as ever. He looked like a sleep-deprived druggie, hunched over and watching the matches with wide unblinking eyes hidden behind that infernal mask.
If Mojo wasn't so sidetracked by his anger with the girls and if he wasn't in such a compromising position, he would have taken extra care to snap the bastard's neck—
"You better be focusing, you two." Kurogiri's familiar voice echoed throughout the din of the bar.
Mojo straightened, his ears slightly perked. And for a quick moment, he felt very irritated before pushing it down instantly.
"I can't believe this, Kurogiri… Why did you have to invite him?! He didn't have to see this." Tomura growled, sounding like an annoying kid throwing a tantrum.
Mojo side-eyed him before rolling his eyes. "I could ask the same of you, as you have asked of me."
Tomura turned on him, eyes wild. "Stop talking nonsense! And remember your PLACE! You may be valuable to Master, but you are STILL under my management!"
Mojo gritted his teeth. "It's quite funny that you think I take orders from anyone. Very funny. So funny I could laugh. HA!"
"YOU–!"
"Enough."
Instantly, the introduction of All for One's voice chilled the heated argument between Mojo and Tomura, as the two quieted.
"Spending your time bickering at one another isn't the qualities I look for in villains. Continue this nonsense and I may be forced to reconsider who fits my expectations."
Although All for One's scolding didn't seem to affect Mojo, the words hit the mark for Tomura, who stiffened to a degree not even cardboard could imitate.
"I– I'm sorry, Master! You're right, absolutely right! Please forgive me."
Mojo scoffed and looked to the side. "Stupid," he muttered under his breath.
"My dear Shigaraki… it appears you have much to learn. There is no reason as to why you can't learn from Mojo as he had learned from you. To ensure a bright future for your rule, you must align yourself with your fellow villains."
Mojo couldn't help but let a chuckle slip at the most ridiculous advice he had ever heard. And even though Tomura sent a death glare his way, he said nothing. And at that time, a voice came from the TV.
"What a spicy battle, y'all! It's clear to see that the Wonder Girls haven't failed to bring the HEAT to this festival!"
Immediately, Mojo tensed, as he suddenly remembered why he was feeling so aggravated. The girls.
"The wonder girls…" Tomura muttered, looking at the screen. Suddenly, his hand flew up to his neck and he started to scratch vigorously. "You never said they were this powerful, Mojo! Why didn't you tell us this?!"
Mojo gritted his teeth. Of course, thanks to the stupid Powerpuff Girls, he now had to deal with Shigaraki's insipid questions.
"There is nothing unique about those girls' powers." Mojo growled. "Maybe to the average dim-witted observer, but I'd hardly consider them powerful. I had hoped you learned that from our time at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint."
Tomura gripped the counters. "Are you JOKING?! One of those girls took on my Decay with no damage! They destroyed Nomu! And here, they are sparring with abilities far beyond an average person's!"
Mojo leaned forward, remaining cool and composed. "What exactly are you entailing, Tomura? That you are scared of 3 little girls? Because that's what they are: three little girls. Not even high-school age. You're afraid of what 3 little girls can do?"
Tomura snarled. "I'm not going to let your useless tactics of twisting my words with your repetitive mumbling slander my image. I am not scared of them. I can handle LITTLE KIDS. You and I both know that."
"Ah. Do we now?" Mojo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Tomura's red eyes flashed, almost glowing with rage.
"There is some flaw in your claim that needs to be addressed, Mojo." All for One interjected, making Mojo falter in his smugness. "While they are little kids, they are exceptional students. Their existence as UA students is nothing short of a miracle. I strongly advise you to observe them and their skill before making any conclusions."
Mojo's eyes widened. More than ever, he wanted to shout "NO!". He wanted to drag the villains' attention away from the girls. Maybe get them to focus on that rabid red and white haired boy who froze the arena. But, he knew that this was no longer possible at the moment.
Not because of any error in his calculations (since he had none), but because the Powerpuff Girls were begging to make themselves known. Maybe if their opponents ever won over them, the villains would take their eyes off of them. But now, as they stole the show every single time, the attention was all on them. And it was under that attention that Mojo had very little freedom in using them to advance his own goals without any interference from pesky wannabe Villains.
Mojo sighed heavily and plopped his face into his hands. The Powerpuff Girls were stupid. Very stupid indeed.
Buttercup couldn't lie to herself: she was a little annoyed.
The first three battles of the bracket seemingly zapped the audience's attention away from everything else. Everywhere you went, people couldn't stop talking about the fiery events. And out of every battle, they seemed to talk about the "Wonder Girl" battle the most.
It was like people were incapable of not bringing up Blossom and Bubbles, unable to keep their fake names out of their mouths.
Even as the next two battles passed, it seemed like everyone's minds were stuck on those three battles. But, that wasn't to say the battles were boring. First, there was a support department girl named Hatsume who took on one of Buttercup's classmates, Iida. But that ended up being a ten minute demonstration of Hatsume showing off her equipment and toying with the poor dude, before stepping out of the ring when she was finished.
And then there was another battle between her two other classmates, Tokoyami and Yaoyorouzu. Tokoyami was cool, so there was no doubt Buttercup placed a bet on him to win. And to really make things better, he ended up sweeping the girl easily, to the point where she looked almost depressed as she made her way offstage.
But eventually, it all led to her: the main act. And once she did her magic, maybe everyone would stop talking about those dumb battles.
Buttercup cracked her neck with ease as she entered the stadium arena. Moving her body around, she felt her longing anticipation finally burst into overpowering excitement, causing her to fly towards the stage.
With everything that's been happening, Buttercup was more than happy for her battle to finally arrive. Even though at the moment, she's been dealing with very unhappy things. Hell, her sister just got booted off the bracket, even though they wanted to all move up to the top spots. Not to mention, Blossom was acting like some sort of stubborn jerk, way too similar to a cocky bastard Buttercup didn't like to be reminded of.
So as her feelings of aggravation and rage churned around in her mind, Buttercup channeled it into her strength as always. And as she landed onstage, she was fully prepared to kick her opponent's ass.
Even more so as she saw who it was.
"In one corner…" Present Mic was announcing. "We have another person from Class 1-A! Sparking with an electric spirit, he's bound to charge up this battle. Give it up for Denki Kaminari!"
As people cheered for him, the blonde-haired boy smiled smugly, an expression that instantly got on Buttercup's nerves.
"What a pussy…" she muttered, glaring.
"And in the other corner, we have a Wonder Girl from Class 1-A! With her ruthlessness and complete bloodlust, we can only hope she doesn't kill her opponents! It's KAORU UTONIUM!"
When he was done announcing, Buttercup felt slightly offended at Present Mic's choice of words.
"Ruthlessness? Bloodlust?!" she gawked.
Or, who was she kidding, she felt VERY offended.
Suddenly, she blasted upwards, flying up a few feet before directing herself towards the box where Present Mic and Aizawa were located.
"YO! WHO SAID I WAS GONNA KILL ANYBODY? I'M A HERO NOT SOME THUG! I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW?!"
After she shouted this, Present Mic yelped before clearing his throat and responding after some hesitation.
"Erm… sorry, miss! Just wanted a catchy one-liner!"
With a huff, Buttercup landed on her feet. "Well, think of a better one next time."
Across from her, Denki tilted his head. "But… you DID spend 10 minutes during the race beating the shit out of Arena Traps, remember?"
"Shut up! Who asked you?!" Buttercup snapped, turning on him. "I didn't remember wanting your opinion!"
Despite the anger-provoking words, Denki simply laughed.
"Oh man… Same chick as ever. Listen, I like you, Kaoru. You got spirit AND you got that cute face."
Buttercup's jaw dropped. "CUTE—?!"
"But, despite me being a good friend of yours," Denki continued, getting into a fighting position. "I'm afraid I can't let you beat me. So, why don't you help me make this a quick battle… Princess?"
Buttercup froze at the last word, which played in slow motion in her mind.
"Princess…?" she whispered darkly, her eyes narrowed into slits.
Up in the stands, as everyone watched the exchange, her sisters blinked in disbelief at the stage.
"He called her Princess…" Blossom said before groaning and sinking back into her chair. "Oh, boy."
"Why did he say that?! I thought he would have learned NOT to do that already!" Bubbles squeaked.
"Wait… what's wrong with calling Kaoru 'princess'?" Ochaco asked, confused.
Blossom glanced at her. "You'll see."
After she said that, Midnight finally called out, "BEGIN!" And just like that, it happened in the blink of an eye.
"DON'T. CALL ME. PRINCESS!"
Buttercup had launched herself at Denki before hitting him with a full on uppercut. The single punch nearly blasted him into the air, before Buttercup grabbed him by the uniform and threw him into the ground.
Now, she was on top of him, her knee pressing into his back and her hands wrapped around his arm, pinning it back. All the while, Denki was screaming hysterically.
"TAKE IT BACK!" she screamed.
"B-B-BUT IT WAS JUST A JOKE!" Denki cried.
"Take it back!" Buttercup growled while twisting his arm more.
"OWWW! Okay okay! I'll take it back!"
"And what else?" Buttercup hissed as she raised her other hand, green fire swirling around it.
Denki yelped like a kicked dog before shaking his head, tears in his eyes. "AGH! AND— AND I'M SORRY!"
Buttercup glared before bringing the fire closer to his face. "What. Else."
Denki finally bursted into scared sobs, shaking. "I SURRENDER?!"
As he said the words, Buttercup's fire diminished as she got off of him, her face shadowy with an unspoken threat.
"That's right." She then looked at a shocked Midnight. "You heard the man."
Midnight blinked a few times, shocked, before finally raising a hand. "Kaminari has surrendered. KAORU WINS!"
At this, everyone seemed to clap louder for Buttercup, some laughs even joining the applause as well.
"Absolutely WILD, folks! With the amount of time THAT took, that might be the fastest battle we've ever had!" Present Mic raved.
"That is why Kaoru shouldn't be one to mess with. With her Quirk, she can easily humble anyone when needed." Aizawa observed.
"Couldn't have said it better myself, man!"
As Denki sat up, his face flared red from embarrassment. Meanwhile Buttercup side-eyed him with a growl.
"Take this as a lesson. Call me Princess again, and see what happens, Sparky." she snapped.
Denki froze with a scared nod. Finally, as Buttercup turned her back, he ran off the stage but not before tripping again.
"Stop it!" he squeaked, as Midnight came his way to help. "I'm FINE!"
Finally, he got up and retreated into the dark hall of the stadium, nursing a bruise on the jaw and an even more bruised ego.
After he did, Buttercup still stayed onstage, beckoning on the cheers and soaking in the applause with a huge grin. Eventually, Midnight had to shoo her offstage, telling her to "take her charms elsewhere". And it was as Buttercup grudgingly stepped offstage that she caught a glimpse of something in the hallway opening.
Or rather, someone.
Great. The sparkplug's gawking at me. I oughta slap the crap outta–
Buttercup froze, her thoughts stopping as well.
It wasn't Kaminari standing by the entrance, but a lady. A tall lady with brown hair, purple eyes, and a silk robe. Her fan opened up in front of her face, she seemed to be chuckling, her bright eyes twinkling with laughter.
Suddenly, Buttercup felt… strange. Like she had seen her before. Maybe in a school hallway or on the street. But as she rushed to the dark entrance, the lady had slipped away. And as Buttercup caught up, the lady seemed to have disappeared, no trace of her anywhere. All the while, Buttercup had one thing on her mind now.
What… was a hippie doing there?
"Jeez!" Kirishima balked from his seat in the stands. "Kaoru does NOT hold back!"
Bubbles nodded, smiling with pride. "That's our sister! You don't mess with her!"
Blossom nodded slightly, about to agree. That is, until something jarring caught her eye, taking her focus away from the match. Izuku was sitting a few seats down, scribbling in a tiny notebook. Eventually, Bubbles noticed it too, and looked at him, a little off-put by his muttering and writing.
"Er… whatcha doing, Izuku?" she asked.
Izuku nearly jumped at her question, as if he just realized she was there. Slowly, he sat up and turned to her.
"Oh… um, nothing much." Izuku finally replied before holding up the book. "I've just been writing down a few notes about everyone's Quirks! Your sister's Quirk is really fun to write about by the way."
Instantly, it felt like any semblance of carefreeness Blossom might've felt in that moment seemed to evaporate. Blossom sat up a little more, eyes darting to the notebook in Izuku's hands. And as she looked elsewhere, she saw Bubbles give her a quick look (although it was so fast that she almost missed it).
"Have… you been writing in the book for all of the matches?" Bubbles asked, saying the question Blossom wanted to hear so badly.
Izuku nodded without hesitation, flipping through the pages. "Yeah. It's a habit of mine, see? I always want to know more about people's powers and skills! These battles are a great way to observe every aspect of the… intriguing Quirks I come across."
At his last sentence, Izuku got a little quiet, glancing around as if he just let a big secret slip. "Or… something like that."
Although Blossom was sure that her face clearly showed the shock and dread she was feeling at that moment, no one seemed to notice.
"That IS a very useful notebook to have then!" Tenya mused. "Figuring out your fellow competitors' weaknesses and strengths so you know how to adapt to them in combat."
Now that he had acknowledged it out loud, Blossom's worst fears were confirmed.
That notebook wasn't a hobby. It was all part of a dangerous plan that was bound to be a danger to the girls. Not even considering what Izuku could do with the sensitive information surrounding the girls' "Quirks" outside of the festival, his habit of obsessively writing every detail about them could very well aid him in his battles. If he were to encounter Blossom in the next fight, he would know about her powers, and somehow find a way to take advantage of it and secure the win.
It was very calculated indeed.
So in that moment, Blossom felt like she was being scrutinized under a microscope, knowing that everything about her and her sisters' powers (at least everything they displayed in front of Izuku so far) was at Izuku's disposal. And knowing that fact made her pre-battle nerves come back once more.
She needed to stop goofing off and worrying over Buttercup's "princess" meltdowns. For once, Blossom needed to focus on Izuku: not as her classmate, not as her friend, but as her rival. Enemy, even.
"AH! Well— I mean, not exactly." Izuku squeaked, pulling Blossom back into the conversation. "That's not really what my notebook is intended for–"
"Still, it does provide a great source!" Tenya insisted, stiffly nodding in approval. "After all, it is a great precaution to know your enemy before you fight them. Isn't that right, Uraraka?"
But as Tenya turned to the brown-haired girl, he got no response. Bubbles seemed to be the first one to notice that, as she had scooted closer to Ochaco.
"Um… are you okay, Ochaco?"
Once Bubbles asked the question, everyone looked at Ochaco and noticed something. She seemed almost horrified. She couldn't stop shivering, and she was mercilessly gnawing at her nails, her teeth inches away from the tiny skin pad on her thumb.
If she wasn't scared, she was downright anxious.
"Helloooo? Ochaco?!" Bubbles asked again, waving her hand in front of her face.
Finally, Ochaco jump started back to life with a tiny yelp."Huh?!" she gasped.
Eyes wild, Ochaco looked around before focusing on the arena. Once she did, she started to relax. Only a little bit, as Bubbles quickly noticed.
"Oh… The battle's done, already?" she asked, almost talking to herself.
Tsuyu tilted her head. "I think it's been finished for 5 minutes, ribbit."
"Yeah, that's right. Isn't your fight up next?" Bubbles asked curiously.
Ochaco shook her head. "It's after Kirishima's battle." Despite that fact, she still seemed nervous, rubbing her arms.
Blossom frowned a little. This whole time, she hadn't even given a thought to Ochaco's battle. Wasn't the person she was set to fight…
"You're fighting Kacchan."
The voice directed everyone's attention to Izuku, who had said the words. He looked different from his jittery self when he said that, carrying an almost grim demeanor.
"That's right. Bakugou." Tenya added.
Bakugou… The ticking time bomb. Blossom still recalled the words he delivered at the beginning of the tournament, although they seemed like a lifetime away.
"I'm going to win over all of you losers."
That was the last time Blossom had truly acknowledged him in this festival. But ever since, it seemed like the guy had slipped her mind. Despite the seriousness he held when he said his "speech" at the opening ceremony, Bakugou hadn't really been a threat to worry about. He seemed much like a "all bark no bite" person; otherwise there'd be no way he wouldn't have posed more of a threat than Izuku or Todoroki.
Instead of being the threat he promised to be, Bakugou seemed to be shoved to the background in the grand scheme of things. Even though Blossom was sure he'd been acting the way he usually was (probably over on the other side of the row yelling and throwing kiddy insults at his fellow classmates), no thought of him had crossed her mind. At least, not consciously.
But despite the fact that Bakugou was no longer a threat in Blossom's eyes, Ochaco seemed to think the opposite. So did Izuku as he looked concerned for his friend. Especially as Ochaco suddenly stood up.
"If… you guys don't mind, I'm gonna prepare in the waiting room." she told everyone. "Enjoy this battle without me."
Before anyone could stop her, Ochaco left the rows and disappeared into the hallways. After a few seconds of unsure silence, Tenya stood up with a glare of determination.
"To put everyone's doubts at ease, I will check on Miss Uraraka. She may need someone to talk to about this matter. Please excuse me."
As Tenya left, that was the same moment Buttercup came back.
"What's up, people? What'd I miss?" she asked.
Meanwhile, everyone was fixated on Tenya leaving, making Buttercup glance at him too in confusion.
"Um… where are those two going?" she muttered.
But before anyone could respond, Bubbles was on her feet, making her way down the row.
"Ochaco's preparing for her battle against Katsuki." she told Buttercup. "And I'm going to help her."
As Bubbles began to leave, her face determined, Buttercup gawked.
"B-but! There's a battle starting soon!"
Bubbles turned around, putting her fists up. "That doesn't matter to me. Right now, my friend needs help. Just tell me what happens!"
And before anyone could say anything, she ran out into the hallway. Buttercup had her mouth open slightly before groaning and sitting down. "Figures these chumps wouldn't stay for the show. What a bunch of wusses."
But before Buttercup could soak in her disappointment of being ignored once again, some classmates suddenly swarmed her.
"KAORU! OHMYGOD, THAT BATTLE WAS SICK!" Mina squealed.
"Yeah, you really got Kaminari's ass!" Mineta gushed.
"Yo, you gotta teach me how to do that. I need some pointers!" Sero added.
As her classmates congratulated her, Buttercup's grin was back like it never left.
"This ain't too bad…" she chuckled.
Blossom meanwhile was set off to the side, once again isolating herself from the class in order to concentrate on what's ahead. Much like Bubbles, Blossom really wasn't interested in the battle coming up. All she actually wanted was to help Ochaco.
After all, she was a dear friend. One of the first ever friends the girls made in this reality. Their paths often crossed, and every time they never failed to help or support the other. Shouldn't this be the same?
Despite that, she never moved from her seat.
"Ochaco needs my help."
Blossom tensed at the whisper, trying hard not to turn her head. Now that Bubbles, Ochaco, and Tenya left their seats, there was now a three seat wide gap between her and Izuku. And out of the corner of her eye, she watched Izuku frantically flip open his notebook and scribble on numerous pages.
If she didn't know better, she would have ignored it. But it was clear what the green-haired boy was doing. Especially as he whispered something else.
"With everything I know about Kacchan, this will help her for sure!" Izuku muttered to himself.
As he said that, Blossom swallowed slowly before letting out a sigh.
"She's got it, you know."
Izuku stopped at Blossom's words, so surprised he nearly dropped his pen. Although he was engrossed in his writing before, he turned his curious eyes to her.
"What was that, Momoko?"
As Blossom turned to him, she realized that Izuku was shocked that she decided to talk to him. Yet, she was shocked as well. Since she's been doing her very best to ignore him since he came back from his fight.
But despite that, she pressed forward with her previous sentence.
"Ochaco can handle herself." Blossom asserted, more confidence in her tone. "I may not know her well, and I am not sure what Bakugou is capable of. But, I think Uraraka knows what she's doing."
Izuku seemed to be hit hard by the words, as his eyes filled with what could only be doubt. But, the emotion confused Blossom. Why was he so doubtful? Did he not trust her enough? There wasn't much reasoning otherwise. Unless…
"Are you… scared for her?"
Izuku hesitated at the question, flickering his eyes to the side. "A little."
"How come?"
Izuku finally met eyes with her, determined. "Because I know what Kacchan is capable of. Regardless of how she fights… he won't hold back. Ever."
The resounding statement made Blossom's head spin the tiniest bit. But for Izuku, it seemed like he had nothing more to say as he looked back at the arena below. However, it was then that Blossom saw something that made her freeze.
Bakugou, a couple of seats down in the row right behind them, had been staring at them while the conversation took place. And now, he was sending looks their way. Nothing like his usual death stares. Just a stare with narrowed eyes and a death wish laced in his toxic gaze.
Immediately, Blossom zeroed in on his expression, trying hard not to make it obvious. His teeth were clenched. His eyes had uncontained irritation, more so than usual. Not only that, he squirmed in his seat, like he was going to lash out and attack like a rabid dog. Yet, aside from anger, he was practically unreadable. No motivation was clear in his expressions or his actions up until this point. All he had was anger. A deep rooted unimaginable type of fury that seemed to be more than just a personality trait. Like it was a part of him.
And only Izuku seemed to know where that anger came from.
Bubbles knew that if there was any time her motivational pep talks needed to be used, it had to be now.
After her and Iida left to comfort their friend, they had to search for her for a while until they found Ochaco alone in the waiting room. They settled in there for moral support and advice, yet Ochaco looked more and more anxious as time went on.
The final battle of the first round was on the horizon, and her friend needed all the help she could get. And if Bubbles wasn't going to be in the festival anymore, there was no way she would let others suffer the same fate.
"Feel the spirit, Uraraka! Show me you're PUMPED for this!" Mimicking her sister Buttercup's effortless determination and strength, Bubbles put her fists up, her eyes glittering. "Don't give up! You know how to fight! So you gotta make this right!"
Beside her, Tenya stared at Bubbles, an awkward smile on his face.
"Are you… rhyming?" he asked.
"This is a motivational chant!" Bubbles said before striking a pose. "To give my support all the way until I can't!"
Tenya glanced at Ochaco, who happened to be staring at Bubbles with an unreadable expression.
"I'm not sure if that is what Ochaco needs at the moment–"
But suddenly, Ochaco broke out of her emotionless state and grinned.
"Thank you for the help, Miyako!" she declared before striking a pose as well. "I guess you want me to steal the show!"
At this, Bubbles gasped before clapping proudly. "That's it! FEEL THE SPIRIT!"
Tenya meanwhile looked surprised before shaking his head. "I stand corrected."
Just then, the door opened slowly, drawing the three's attention. After a few seconds, Izuku walked in, eyes wide.
"Uraraka! There you are!"
Sitting in her chair, Ochaco stopped posing and smiled warmly. "Hey, Deku. How's the battle out there?"
As Izuku stood next to Tenya, he smiled awkwardly. "Well… it's been going on for a while. Tetsutetsu and Kirishima are trading hits with each other and none of them are giving up."
Tenya thought about it. "Hm. That does seem in character for them. After all, they have virtually the same Quirk."
"Yeah! Kinda sounds boring though. How have they been fighting nonstop for 10 minutes?" Ochaco asked.
Izuku shrugged. "I don't know. I found it boring so I came here. But others find it fun. Especially your sister, Miyako. She's been placing bets and everything."
Bubbles giggled at the thought of Buttercup harassing other students to see who would win. "Well, that's my sister. Always battle-hungry."
After she said that, Izuku blinked, as if he suddenly realized why he was here.
"But Uraraka!" he gasped before rummaging around in his uniform pockets. "There's something I need to give to you!"
Ochaco looked at him, a little confused. "What are you—"
Finally, Izuku whipped out his notebook proudly. "In here I crafted a plan for you! I listed all of Kacchan's weaknesses and strengths, and I also came up with a course of action on how you can knock him out. With this, you're BOUND to win the battle and move on!"
Tenya brightened at the idea. "Ah, I see! This would be a great strategy to prepare for battle!"
Bubbles gasped, her eyes bright. "Oh my goodness! This is PERFECT! Izuku, you did it!"
Izuku's smile became wide as he looked at his friends. "Really? You think so!"
Ochaco nodded, smiling. "Yeah! You really outdid yourself! Thank you. But…"
Instantly, the last word of Ochaco's sentence caught the three's attention.
"But…?" Bubbles questioned, confused.
As they stared at her quizzically, Ochaco sighed before sitting up with a determined stare. "I won't be needing the notebook, Deku. Or the strategy inside."
This statement shocked the three.
"What?" Bubbles gasped.
"Perhaps, you shouldn't be too hasty, Uraraka. This could become a helpful crutch to fall back on!" Tenya insisted.
Ochaco nodded. "I agree. Which is why I'm refusing it."
The three quieted at her words, a new look of bewilderment crossing their features.
"You don't want the strategy because it's helpful?" Bubbles asked.
Ochaco fidgeted with her uniform. "Not exactly. It's not that I don't want it. I just don't need it."
"How come?" Tenya asked.
Ochaco pressed her lips together. "I… I don't want to rely on people, you know! I realize that all this time, I've been relying on people too much. Even in the Cavalry Battle, Izuku, you were the one who took charge and got things done. I only followed orders."
Izuku's eyes softened. "Uraraka—"
"It's okay. There's nothing wrong with teamwork. But, now?" Ochaco stood up and curled her fists. "I can't do that. Only I can get me through this battle. Once I'm on that battlefield, it'll be me vs Bakugou. My Quirk vs his. I need to keep it that way."
As she did, Bubbles looked up at her, a little daunted. The battle-ready passion was clear as day on her face, as she declared her intentions for her friends to hear. She seemed adamant on taking things into her own hands, for her to be the one calling the shots.
Ochaco didn't want anyone to help her. Just like Blossom.
It was as she came to this realization that Bubbles knew what she was witnessing. That was why she was the first of the three to step forward.
"You're right. Screw the strategy! With YOUR strength, you're bound to knock the socks off that bully!" she affirmed.
Ochaco looked at Bubbles, a sudden wave of relief washing over her face.
"Right! I'm so happy you understand!" she chirped.
With that, the two gave each other a double high-five, before holding hands and giggling. Meanwhile, Tenya and Izuku watched with supportive smiles, although the latter looked a little more hesitant.
"If you insist. Whatever helps you in the long run, I support it." Tenya said with a bow of his head.
Ochaco looked up as she let go of Bubbles. "Thanks, Iida."
"Me too." Izuku added. "I'm supportive of whatever you decide. I just want you to know…" his worried expression came back as his lips trembled a little. "Kacchan isn't going to hold back. I'm not saying you can't handle him. But, just be careful."
Ochaco smirked before suddenly going over to Izuku. "I'll keep that in mind! After all, it's just like you said. I'm bound to win with a strategy, right? Well, I'm not going to ignore that. Whatever happens, I'll do my best to defeat Bakugou!"
Izuku thought about it before putting his notebook away with a grin. "Alright. I trust you!"
After he said that, Tenya looked at the time posted in the locker room. "I think it's about time we head back to the stadium. The battle just might be finishing up."
Bubbles turned to Ochaco, a little concerned. "I don't know… do you want us to stay a little longer?"
Ochaco shook her head. "No, no, it's okay! I'll be fine. I need to be alone for a few seconds anyways."
Even though her friends felt the need to protest, they all felt discouraged by her confident demeanor. Finally, they all headed towards the door.
"Well, okay then. Good luck on your battle!" Tenya exclaimed.
"You got this!" Izuku added.
"Break a leg!" Bubbles called.
Ochaco flashed them a thumbs up and waved them goodbye as they disappeared into the hallway one by one. As Bubbles left though, she lingered by the door. Just then, she felt the same way she did when she was waiting for her battle with Blossom. That insistent dread on if things will go in her favor.
Bubbles sure hoped it would. She really preferred Ochaco to win rather than the boom-boom baby.
"YO! YOU GUYS MISSED OUT ON A GOOD FIGHT!"
Bubbles's eyes widened at Buttercup's shout as her, Tenya, and Izuku entered the stands once more. Buttercup meanwhile was buzzing, ready to blast out of her seat.
"Huh? How?" she asked.
Buttercup got up, grinning. "Check it! Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were going at it. And the whole time, I was getting bets from everyone. And people were really saying that Tetsutetsu was going to win. HA! So stupid!"
At that moment, a person suddenly marched over to them. He didn't look like he was from Class 1-A. And as Bubbles saw him, she recognized him as a Class 1-B student. Specifically, a guy in the Cavalry Battle who was messing with Bakugou and, judging from past encounters at school prior to the festival, who's been VERY vocal about his dislike for Class 1-A.
"You know, it's really commendable how stupid you sound." he said, almost sneering. "Acting like your dumb-as-rocks classmate even won, when he only managed to get a stupid tie. I have to congratulate you, Kaoru, for having the guts to say something so idiotically ridiculous!"
Buttercup instantly turned on the guy, her eyes fiery. "OH BITE ME, DUMBASS. So much for Class 1-B winning the tournament like you've been yapping about. Your friend couldn't even win a single battle. Class 1-B… more like Class 1-BEAT."
The guy's eye twitched before laughing. "Oh, you're a funny one, aren't you?! Better watch yourself! I'm not going to allow you to talk down on people who could beat you in 5 SECONDS!"
"Blah, blah! Yeah right! Just say you're mad that MY bet won over yours and now you owe me $10!"
"SHUT UP! Before I teach you how to!"
Buttercup lifted her hands up and flicked her hands back in a beckoning gesture, wearing a threatening grin. "Try it then. See how far you can GET—"
"STOP IT!"
Before the two could start a fight in the stands, two voices spoke up in unison. Suddenly, Blossom was by Buttercup's side, pulling her back. And weirdly, a similar looking red-haired girl appeared behind the guy and pulled him back as well.
"Oh my god, Monoma. Could you stop terrorizing people for once?" the red-haired girl growled.
"Please stop causing scenes. Save your fighting for your actual battles." Blossom scolded her sister.
Both Monoma and Buttercup seemed to lose their fighting urges, and equally deflated under the girls' stares. The red-haired girl looked at Blossom, a smile gracing her lips.
"Sorry about him. He's been causing all types of trouble lately."
Blossom smiled in return. "Same with her. My sister gets riled up easily. Don't take it personally."
"HEY!" Buttercup snapped, proving Blossom's point.
The girl giggled. "Well, anyways, we wish you guys the best in the festival. We're rooting for you!"
Monoma's lips curled in disgust. "Huh?! We? Kendo, who the hell is WE?"
Suddenly, a hand came slamming down on Monoma's neck, causing him to almost fall over with a pained yelp. Wearing a scowl, the girl (who appeared to be named Kendo) pulled his head back up again.
"WE is YOU and ME." she snarled. "And WE'RE going to show this class some decency and sportsmanship, isn't that right?!"
Monoma sulked while rubbing the back of his head, seemingly losing his nerve to protest. "Yes, ma'am."
With that, Kendo turned to the Class 1-A group switching back to her smiling expression, who all stared at her in surprise.
"But seriously. Good luck, you guys! You've been doing great!" she chirped.
Although the group was stunned, Bubbles was the first to respond. "Thanks! You guys have been doing great too!" she complimented.
With a nod and a wave, Kendo finally turned to go back to the Class 1-B section, dragging Monoma behind her like a strict mother would to her child. Once they were gone, Buttercup tilted her head a little.
"Huh. I guess some Class 1-B people aren't assholes." she muttered.
Blossom then turned on her, glaring. "Can you sit down now?"
Buttercup huffed as she plopped back into her seat. "I was GONNA. But Mr. Prick had to go and kill the mood."
Just as she said that however, the intercom suddenly came on, along with Present Mic's booming voice.
"This is your FINAL warning, people! The final battle of the first tournament bracket is about to commence! So find your seats, get comfy, and let's get ready to ROCK!"
At this, everyone tensed in anticipation and excitement, as Bubbles gasped loudly.
"You heard him, people! GO GO GO!" Bubbles exclaimed to her classmates.
Instantly, people scrambled for their seats, making sure not to forget anything as they did. Once everyone was prepared, they kept their gaze locked on the battle arena. All the while, Izuku and Tenya continued a conversation left unspoken during their time with Ochaco.
"So, Midoriya. What WAS the plan you made for Ochaco?" Tenya whispered.
Izuku pressed his lips together, thinking. "Well… it wasn't anything drastic. The only best option would be to knock him out of bounds as soon as the battle starts."
This got Bubbles's attention, as she looked at Izuku with bewilderment. "Huh? Knock him out?"
Izuku nodded. "Yeah. Her Quirk can easily handle sending people out of bounds. It's best suited to her skillset."
"Wait, so… No punching? No kicking?" Bubbles asked, still not getting it. "I thought you wanted her to give Katsuki a good beating!"
Tenya balked at the idea, almost shivering. "Of course not! Well… I suppose she could give him a hard time. But, I doubt things will get so brutal." he relaxed a bit before his brows knitted into a frown. "After all, who's to say Bakugou won't go easy on her? Considering Ochaco's a girl, he might as well."
Bubbles immediately frowned at Tenya's reply, especially the last sentence. What does being a girl have to do with it?
But before she could say anything, cheers suddenly shook the stadium as Present Mic spoke again.
"And now… let's bring out our FINAL PAIR!"
After he said that, two people walked out into the open, making their way to the center stage. And as Ochaco's confident expression flashed on the screens above, the girls cheered loudly (arguably the most they've cheered for anybody since the final round started).
"LET'S GO, OCHACO!" Bubbles screamed.
As Ochaco straightened, frowning in determination, Present Mic began with his routine.
"In one corner, we have a student from Class 1-A! With a Quirk that will catch you slipping and tripping, she's bound to blast off into the top four! It's OCHACO URARAKA!"
As people clapped some more, Buttercup slowly stopped as she fixated on the screens with a disgusted look.
"Ugh! Look at that!"
Others looked at the screen, curious to see what Buttercup was talking about. And it was then that they were met with the unpleasant scowling face of Bakugou.
"Eek! He looks so… crazy!" Bubbles squeaked, trying to look away.
Next to her, Izuku sighed softly. "That's Kacchan for you."
His voice is immediately drowned out however, by Present Mic.
"And in the other corner, we have a strapping 'gentleman' also from Class 1-A! Fiery stares and spiky hair, this guy is ready to bring the heat to this match! It's Katsuki Bakugou!"
As the crowd cheered, Bakugou didn't even bother to look happy, nor did he bother to look at the crowd. Instead, his glare was adamantly fixated on Ochaco; the latter of which was already preparing herself.
Before Midnight could step in and say her usual phrase, Bakugou put a hand out suddenly, making her stop in her tracks.
"If you're looking for a fair fight… back out now." he growled.
Ochaco's eyes widened. "Huh?"
"You heard me, Big Eyes. If you're smart, you might as well drop out of the match now. Because I won't be holding back on you."
Ochaco was quiet, taking in the words. Until, her glare grew in intensity.
"Don't worry. I'm counting on it."
Bakugou gritted his teeth, just as Midnight decided to swing down her baton.
"BEGIN!"
Instantly, the ground shook as fire bloomed from Bakugou's hands. Like a rocket, he hurtled towards Ochaco at dangerous speeds. And even though she tried to dodge, Bakugou managed to land a menacing right hook to her face. As the hit landed, the crowd let out some "oohs" in reaction and Bubbles froze with terror. But before the punch was deemed to be an incapacitating blow, Ochaco stood up once more.
"THAT ALL YOU GOT?!" she shouted.
Bakugou snarled before aiming a succession of explosions at her in close range. A smoke cloud grew to cover the arena, shrouding some things from view. Some people in the crowd leaned forward, trying to see better.
"Man, what's going on?! I can't see anything!" Buttercup whined.
But just as she said that, Blossom tensed and pointed. "Over there!"
Sure enough, the smoke cleared where Blossom was pointing. And all it revealed was Ochaco's gym shirt floating to the ground.
"What…?" Bakugou muttered, frowning at the shirt.
"HAHHH!"
Before anyone could notice, Ochaco rushed him from behind, shoving him hard. She pulled back, gearing to punch him until her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
"DIE!"
Without hesitation, Bakugou aimed a large explosion at her, blasting her away. As she skidded to a stop, she launched herself back at him, keeping low to the ground. Once again, Bakugou blasted her away, kicking up debris and dust. Yet, Ochaco got back up again, still trying to rush at him.
Each time she was sent back with an explosion, Ochaco popped back up again. All the while, the crowd watched with bated breath and judging eyes. The latter seemed much more apparent as people began to murmur among themselves.
"Jeez. This dude is demolishing her!"
"She looks like she's getting desperate. Her attacks are sloppy."
"What a disgrace. He should be ashamed, laying hands on a GIRL!"
The last sentiment was starting to be echoed by a majority of the audience, taking the girls for a loop.
"What the hell are these people saying?!" Buttercup exclaimed, getting riled up.
"We're SAYING that this guy should stop hurting a girl!" someone a couple of rows up shouted.
Blossom instantly turned on them. "Oh that's ridiculous! Why should Ochaco being a girl have ANYTHING to do with the match?!"
"Can't you see?! He's clearly exploiting his advantage over her! It's biology!" another person yelled.
Buttercup was on her feet, her face dark. "I'll show you biology, you piece of SHIT–"
"ALL OF YOU, SHUT UP!"
Immediately, the crowd quieted at the sonic scream. Bubbles was up now, standing with a stormy look in her eyes.
"SHUT UP! The only person you should be ashamed of is yourselves!" she screamed. "You have no right to tell people to hold back! Uraraka is MORE than capable of handling it, and you need to ACCEPT that!"
As Bubbles stopped, panting, the intercom went on.
"Miyako is right." Aizawa said, his voice a little more stricter this time. "There should be no reason to be outraged by this display of combat. Katsuki's fierceness is an example of a notable attribute in Heroes, which is not underestimating his opponent. This is no exception no matter who decides to walk on the UA stage."
At his words, the people who were protesting seemed to lose steam. But before anything else could be said, the stage shook again. Ochaco had just gotten blasted back, and it took her a little longer to stand up. Meanwhile, Bakugou paced the stage, clearly agitated.
"You… how are you not dead yet?!" he murmured.
As she stood up, Ochaco was suddenly smirking as she wiped her face, some soot coming off with it.
"I—" she said before swallowing. "I can't answer that… but I can tell you one thing."
Bakugou's eye twitched with confused rage. "What?!"
Ochaco's smirk grew. "Thanks for not looking up."
Silence overtook the arena. Then slowly, Bakugou looked up and so did the crowd. And they were greeted with the sight of floating rocks in the sky.
"No way…" Buttercup whispered.
"She–!" Blossom yelped, looking back down.
That was when Ochaco suddenly brought her hands together, touching her fingertips. After that, it was like a switch flipped as all of the rocks lost their zero-gravity and fell down. And Bakugou was right in their impact radius, looking up at them falling.
Almost all of the crowd was standing now, as they watched the rocks fall.
"Since when were there rocks floating?! And how did she–" Buttercup started to shout.
"Her Quirk."
Surprisingly, the answer didn't come from Blossom, who was about to say the same thing. Instead, it came from Bubbles as she watched them fall.
"She was planning to use her Quirk at the beginning! She wasn't throwing herself at Katsuki for no reason." she explained. "She was trying to get him to create rocks from his explosions."
Buttercup frowned. "That's why she was running so low to the ground…"
Blossom nodded, her face in slight awe. "And all she had to do was use her Quirk to float them up and catch Bakugou in the crossfire when it was complete."
Buttercup slowly smiled as she looked at the stage. "Holy crap… GET HIM, URARAKA!"
"GO OCHACO!" Bubbles shouted.
Down below, Ochaco grinned as she rushed at Bakugou again, aiming to touch him with her Quirk. But as she got close, she noticed something on Bakugou's face.
He looked excited. Abnormally so.
"Oh no."
Bubbles turned to Izuku's terror-stricken voice. But before she could ask what's wrong, the minute she turned away from the stage, an explosion had taken place.
Suddenly, large blasts of fire rocketed into the air like fireworks, taking down the rocks in one fell swoop. The blast's shockwave was instantly pushed out, knocking back Ochaco and rattling the crowd. It was quiet, as tendrils of smoke surrounded the hazy arena.
And as the smoke cleared, Bakugou was in the center of the destruction untouched.
"URARAKA'S DOWN!" Present Mic yelled amid the quiet stadium.
Off to the side, Ochaco looked shaken, desperation finally taking over her features. She wobbled slightly, and she tried to steady herself. It was clear that the attack had taken everything out of her, and now, it was all in vain.
"No…" Buttercup whispered. "No, she can't be done yet!"
Bubbles glared. "Of course not! I believe in Ochaco! She can take it!"
Despite the smallest feeling of doubt hidden behind the words, Ochaco started to compose herself and get up again, to the audience's joy. She started to make her way towards Bakugou, who seemed a little less angrier than before but still tensed in preparation.
Until, Ochaco stumbled and fell a short distance away.
"No!" Blossom gasped in despair.
Bubbles's fists tightened. "Come on, come ON!"
But as Ochaco started to get up, she fell back down again. And after a few attempts, she laid still. A few moments of inactivity passed before Midnight rushed onto the scene, checking on her for a second. Finally she got up and raised her hand, saying the words that the girls have been dreading to hear.
"Uraraka has been knocked out. BAKUGOU WINS!"
As the announcement was made, the crowd began its usual cheering. And yet, for the first time, the girls didn't feel the need to join them. Especially Bubbles, as she collapsed in her chair.
"No… this can't be happening!" she gasped, shivering a little. "I wanted her to win…"
Buttercup seemed to deflate. "Me too."
Blossom merely watched the stage as Midnight crouched down again, soon carrying Ochaco off the stage. Her fingers twitched, as Blossom felt the sudden need to comfort her friend.
She must be heartbroken…
"Well, folks. That was a heated match to remember!" Present Mic said over the intercom, his usually cheery voice a little sullen. "Definitely a highlight in the sports tournament reels!"
"Both students fought to the best of their abilities." Aizawa brought up. "This is the kind of energy I would like to see in the preceding battles."
"Well said, Shota." Present Mic complimented. "Let's keep that in mind as we look at the newest round of battles!"
Just then, the screen flashed to the leaderboard, showing the fights that would come in the semifinals:
Momoko U vs Midoriya
Todoroki vs Iida
Tokoyami vs Kaoru U
Bakugou vs TBD
"For context, the empty slot is to be filled with either Tetsutetsu or Kirishima!" Present Mic explained. "As you all know, their fated battle resulted in a tie. And as soon as we get our arena up and ready, we will commence our tiebreaker battle in order to see who will proceed!"
While the audience relished the tidbit, the girls tuned it out completely (even Buttercup). With the final first round battle still fresh in their minds, they were being thrown into another round without breaks. The semi finals were approaching fast, and for once, the girls seemed to lose their nerve the tiniest bit.
Especially Blossom as she saw her name as the first one on the list.
So the time has come. Despite all of her anticipation towards the battle, Blossom felt a little thrown off by the fact that it was coming so soon. And as much as she felt for Ochaco and her fierce battle, those feelings sank deep into the depths of Blossom's mind.
Thankfully, the battle was going to be held off because of arena repairs and the tiebreaker battle. Yet, it's practically on the horizon. She needed to prepare herself any way she could, and she knew Izuku would do the same.
Or at least, she thought that until she looked over.
The whole time the semifinals were announced, Bubbles was weirdly quiet. It was like she was curling into herself, as she stared with bleary eyes at what seemed to be nothing. Ochaco's loss seemed to get her badly, and the sexist comments from the crowd also appeared to add an additional weight. Blossom always knew that her sister was sensitive to those types of comments, so it was no surprise she felt more than ticked off at the crowd for saying such things.
But what was surprising was a hand reaching out to rest on the arm of Bubbles's chair.
"Hey, Miyako…" Izuku said hesitantly, as if he was trying not to say anything offensive. "Do you want to check on Uraraka?"
Bubbles looked up at him, surprised at the offer. And she wasn't the only one, as Blossom and Buttercup stared with wide eyes. Meanwhile, Bubbles blinked slowly before sitting up, unwinding herself from her slouched position.
"... Yeah." she replied softly.
At this, Izuku flashed a relieved smile before getting up and exiting the row, leaving the girls behind. And after he did, Bubbles closed her eyes and opened them with a bold glare of determination. As quickly as she dumped herself into the chair, she got up on her feet.
"Yeah!" she said again, her voice rising a little.
Meanwhile, Blossom glanced at Izuku waiting just a few feet away before looking back at her sister.
"Uh, Bubbles. Are you okay?" she asked in a hushed voice.
Bubbles turned to her, a bit confused. "Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"
Buttercup rubbed the back of her head. "Well, you seemed pretty bummed when Uraraka lost."
Bubbles looked away before shaking her head. "I am. A little. But that doesn't matter now. Ochaco needs friends by her side, more than ever! That's why you should come too!"
After she said that, Buttercup brightened. But before she could open her mouth to agree, Blossom grabbed her hand suddenly.
"Give us a few minutes first." Blossom answered.
Bubbles and Buttercup both gave her perplexed looks.
"Why?" Bubbles asked.
"Yeah, why?" Buttercup asked, even more bewildered.
"It's nothing serious. I just have to go over something with Buttercup." Blossom answered, glancing at Buttercup. "Something… private."
Buttercup's face cleared, getting what Blossom was saying. She turned to Bubbles with a slight shrug. "I guess we do. We'll meet you as soon as we can though, count on it."
With the reassurance, Bubbles felt a little better as she nodded. "Okay. Later!"
Finally, Bubbles turned around and ran up to Izuku before the two disappeared down the hall. Blossom waited for a long second before she pulled Buttercup towards her.
"Let's go." she said, her voice a little shaky.
Buttercup sighed, knowing already that she was going to be yet again a battle therapist for Blossom like she was for Bubbles earlier. But despite that, she nodded and squeezed her sister's hand.
"Whatever you say, Bloss."
The two sisters walked down the empty corridors to the waiting room. On the way down, Blossom hadn't said a word, deep in thought. Meanwhile, Buttercup was about to collapse out of boredom. But the fact that her sister needed her kept her on her toes.
"So…" Buttercup broke the silence first. "You're in the first match. Lucky."
Blossom looked at her before groaning. "Lucky is nowhere near it."
Buttercup frowned. "How come? Weren't you literally itching to battle Midoriya this entire time?"
"I am!" Blossom exclaimed in exasperation, suddenly stopping. "That's why I don't know why I feel like this!"
The two were standing in the hallway now, alone together. With inquisitive eyes, Buttercup waved Blossom over while she leaned against the wall. Complying, Blossom went to settle next to Buttercup, leaning on the wall.
"Alright, Ms. Overthinker. Talk to me." Buttercup said, a slight tease in her voice
Blossom was quiet before putting her head into her hands.
"I just don't get it." Blossom sighed. "Usually, battles are the only place where I'm not out of my element. You know that better than anyone. For our whole lives, battles are where we shine." she looked up, her hands curling into fists. "But this place… this twisted reality, we've been completely knocked off-kilter! All these battles, all these events where we're pitted against obstacles we can normally handle, we end up slipping. Even if we do win in the end, we never get there by doing what we usually do. Because we can't."
Buttercup nodded. "I get it. I guess being thrown across different worlds does that to you."
Blossom paused, letting her words sink in. "Yeah…. I guess it does. Maybe it's because of the way this world works or because I don't know what any of the people here are capable of, but I feel like I've been… Been…"
"Holding back?" Buttercup suggested.
"I— I don't know! Maybe?" Blossom exclaimed, pushing herself off the wall. "I feel like I haven't been, though! That's what's tripping me up! I've been pushing myself this whole time. But if that's true, then how are these people able to get the best of me? How am I just barely scraping by? It makes no sense and it's driving me CRAZY!"
Buttercup was quiet for a bit, her eyes scanning Blossom's frazzled demeanor.
"Listen." she finally sighed, getting up as well. "I'm not the smart Powerpuff in our team. But if you ask me… you have been holding back. Just not in the way you think."
Blossom frowned. "How then? If it's not because I'm cautious, then why am I holding back?"
"Because you're thinking too much."
Blossom froze, stunned by the suggestion. "What?"
"Think about it, Blossom." Buttercup instantly replied, eyes serious. "Every time you've gotten into a face-off in this festival, your power comes and it goes. I caught it in the Cavalry Battle, and at first I thought I was imagining things. But don't you notice that every time you're caught in a tough spot, your powers magically save the day?"
Blossom thought about it, flashing back to the race, when she pulled off the Bullet Formation, and the Cavalry Battle, when she grabbed the headbands. When Blossom didn't object, Buttercup nodded.
"That should tell you. Those moments are the only times where you don't come up with your leader plans or you don't spend eternity stuck in your head! When you stop thinking, you stop holding back." Buttercup crossed her arms. "Admit it, the only obstacle that's making you trip up is yourself."
Blossom looked conflicted as she stared at Buttercup. Her advice buzzed like angry hornets in her mind, poking at her ego. The only enemy she had was herself? That's ridiculous. Yes, she has been thinking more than she should in these types of situations. But that wasn't for no reason; how could you not when you're surrounded with vultures in human form watching your every move and ready to swoop in as soon as you mess up?
And the fact that Buttercup was telling her not to think hurt her the most. That's what a leader does! They think and they plan so that they know how to do things right! That's the way things have always been from the start of her fighting career.
Why… did that have to change? Like everything else in her world, a world that was no longer hers anymore?
"Blossom." Buttercup said after no response.
Blossom put her hands on her hips, looking down with a glare. "Whatever. I'm going to go and get ready. I'll see you after my battle."
Before Buttercup could stop her, Blossom walked away alone, disappearing down another hall
"What– Blossom!"
But as Buttercup rushed to stop her and turned down the hallway Blossom had gone to, all traces of Blossom had disappeared. Buttercup stopped before cursing and running her hands through her dark locks.
"There's no getting through to her." Buttercup whispered before clenching her teeth. "Damn it! Why is she being so weird? I don't want this at all!"
Sighing, Buttercup straightened, eyes on the ceiling. Like many other times, she felt the urge to punch something, her old habit of fighting to release her anger rising up again. But this time, she swallowed it.
Punching her feelings out wasn't going to snap Blossom to her senses. As helpless as Buttercup felt for her sister, she knew that Blossom alone had the power to get over her inner turmoil.
She could only hope it doesn't get Blossom kicked out of the tournament.
"She's not here?" Bubbles asked, her pigtails drooping.
In the nurse's office, Recovery Girl shook her head with a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid not. You just missed her a few minutes ago."
Next to Bubbles, Izuku's eyes widened. "But, is Uraraka okay?"
Recovery Girl smiled. "Of course she is! I healed her and now she's back up and running."
Izuku sighed with relief. "That's good."
Bubbles nodded before turning to Recovery Girl. "Do you maybe know where she went?"
Recovery Girl thought for a moment. "Last I checked, she was heading in the direction of the waiting room. I don't know if she's still there though."
Bubbles and Izuku looked at each other, while the former shrugged.
"It's worth a shot." she told him.
Izuku nodded. "Right."
With that, the two left the room with a polite "thank you" to Recovery Girl. As the two made their way down the winding hallways to find Ochaco, they traveled in silence all the while. That is, until Izuku broke it.
"Um, Miyako?"
Bubbles didn't show any reactions until she slowed her pace a little, realizing that Miyako was her "name" at the time being.
"Yeah? What's up?"
Izuku rubbed his arms, and for a moment, a flash of guilt appeared on his face. "It's a bit late to say this now instead of back at the last match. But I— I wanted to say you were right."
Bubbles frowned in confusion. "Eh? Right about what?"
"About not underestimating Ochaco." Izuku sighed. "The whole time before her match, I'd been worried for her because I didn't know if she could handle Kacchan. But when you yelled at those hecklers, you snapped me out of it. It was wrong of me to think Ochaco couldn't match Kacchan on his level because of her gender—"
"Of course it is!"
Izuku trailed off, stunned by Bubbles's sudden outburst. "Huh?"
Bubbles turned to him, her eyes fiery. "That has to be the stupidest thing I've heard in this world! Ochaco not being able to beat Katsuki because she was a girl?! Those people have no idea what they were talking about. It doesn't matter who or what Ochaco is, that doesn't stop her from being strong! And to think that those people are supposed to be your Heroes!"
Izuku flinched a little before holding up his hands. "I know! You're right. It sucks that people have that line of thinking." He lowered his hands, his eyes flickering downward. "That's not how a Hero should think."
Bubbles took a deep breath, calming down. "At least you can understand that. I… it just bothered me. No one ever thought that way back in Town— where I live. I don't want anyone thinking like that."
Izuku looked surprised at Bubbles's sensitivity and low spirits. Slowly, he moved closer to her as they walked side by side.
"Well, if it helps… Ochaco killed it out there." Izuku said. "Even if she lost. I've never seen someone give Kacchan a hard time until now."
Bubbles blinked. "Really?"
"Really. And I think more people should give Uraraka credit. I'm… I'm really proud of her."
Bubbles looked up at Izuku's smiling face, before slowly smiling as well. "Yeah. Me too."
As the two shared smiles, the sweet moment was suddenly interrupted by heavy footsteps, a sudden wave of heat, and a loud yell.
"DEKU!"
The two froze, just as a certain angry blonde entered their hallway and approached them swiftly. As Izuku yelped, Bubbles quickly side-stepped in front of him.
"Kacchan?!" Izuku exclaimed. "What are you–?"
"YOU DAMN NERD!" Bakugou screeched, furious.
As he got closer, Bubbles quickly raised a hand. "Hey! Don't get any closer!"
Bakugou glanced down, glaring bullets at her. "I'm not talking to you, Bug Eyes!" He then turned his laser focus on Izuku. "You did this, didn't you?!"
Izuku blanched. "What–?!"
"Your dumbass put Uraraka up to it, huh? You made her do one of your damn plans! Don't lie to me, Deku!" Bakugou hollered.
Izuku slowly relaxed, as the confusion cleared from his face. Slowly he shook his head.
"No. I didn't."
But as the words left his mouth, Bakugou suddenly lunged forward.
"I SAID DON'T LIE TO ME!" he yelled, a fist raised.
But before he could throw a punch, a strong hand caught it, twisting it hard. Bakugou's eyes widened before instinctively pulling it back.
"And I said, don't get CLOSER!" Bubbles yelled, glaring. "Now leave Izuku alone! Jeez, it's like you don't even care about anyone but yourself!"
Bakugou held his wrist before his face scrunched into a scowl. "You damn extra—!"
"Kacchan, just stop." Izuku sighed, catching the two's attention. "You already proved that you're strong in your battle, so I don't know what you're here for."
Bakugou breathed heavily, and for a minute, he seemed to hesitate. But the moment was short-lived.
"Uraraka's strategy was yours… wasn't it?!" he snapped.
Once again, Izuku shook his head. "It wasn't. I tried to give her one before but she refused it. If you had a hard time during your match… that was all her."
That seemed to stop Bakugou in his fit of rage, as he stood there stunned. "What?"
"She didn't use his plan!" Bubbles spoke up. "What, is it hard for you to see that Ochaco can beat you by herself?"
Surprisingly, Bakugou didn't have a biting retort for her words. Instead, he looked rather conflicted.
"She didn't beat me." he finally growled. "And I'll be damned if either of you think anybody else can."
With that, Bakugou stalked away as quickly as he came, leaving the two alone once more, albeit in lower moods.
"Has Katsuki always been this arrogant?" Bubbles sighed.
Izuku looked to the side. "As long as I have known him."
Bubbles clenched her hands into fists. "Well, I hope he gets knocked off his high horse. I can't stand him."
Izuku looked conflicted at her words, but overall said nothing.
"Let's… just go to the waiting room." he finally said, stepping around Bubbles.
Bubbles watched him walk before shaking her head a few times and following. "Right."
Thankfully, no distractions or angry blondes came jumping out at them as the two finally reached the waiting room. And as they slowly opened the door, the person they'd been hoping to see had turned around at their presence and jumped up with a smile.
"Oh! Hi guys!" Ochaco said, waving.
"OCHACO!" Bubbles squealed.
Before anybody could move, Bubbles had run and tackled Ochaco into a hug.
"OhmygoshareyouokayareyouhurtweheardRecoveryGirlhealedyouihopeyoudon'tfeeltoosad!"
Ochaco and Izuku both looked at each other, unable to decipher Bubbles's slew of words. Finally, Ochaco laughed as Bubbles let go.
"I'm okay! It was just a few scrapes. Recovery Girl took care of them, no problem!" she replied.
Bubbles bounced a little, nodding. "Good, good!"
Izuku meanwhile was a little more cautious in approaching. "So, Uraraka, how are you feeling?"
Ochaco looked at him, her smile getting smaller. "I'm fine. A little bummed that I lost, but hey. No big deal."
Bubbles's joy started to fizzle as well, as she looked sympathetic. "I'm… really sorry. I know how it feels to lose."
"It's okay! Really! At least I have Deku's battle to look forward to!" Ochaco answered, slowly getting energetic again. "And it's against Momoko too! Ahh, two of my friends! That'll be exciting!"
Bubbles deflated even more, as she thought about Blossom. Despite Buttercup's promise, she hadn't seen her or Blossom catch up with them to see Ochaco. And now, Blossom was getting ready for her match, and for once, Bubbles didn't know what she was feeling right now.
Meanwhile, Izuku looked a little ruffled at the thought of his battle. But for some reason, he didn't mention it.
"Hey, Ochaco. I just wanted to say I'm proud of you. Even though you didn't win, you did a really great job."
Ochaco's eyes brightened and for the first time, she looked a bit timid at his praise.
"... Thank you. That means a lot."
Just as the words left her mouth and just as the conversation was about to continue, Present Mic's voice came over the intercom.
"Alright, folks! After a heated exchange, our tiebreaker battle has come to an end! Now, get pumped 'cause the FIRST BATTLE of the semifinals is about to COMMENCE! MAKE SOME NOISE!"
As the walls rumbled with muffled cheers, Ochaco turned to Izuku.
"Well, that's your cue isn't it?"
Izuku looked up before swallowing. "Yeah… I guess it is."
Ochaco tilted her head a little, her eyes soft. "Don't worry, Deku. I'm sure you'll be great! It may be a difficult choice to make between two friends, but trust me, I'll be rooting for you!"
Izuku brightened at her words. "Thanks!"
Ochaco flashed a thumbs up. "No problem! Thanks for checking on me, you guys! Good luck!"
Bubbles smiled softly. "Of course! We'll see you later, Ochaco!"
With that, the two left the waiting room. And as the door closed behind them, Bubbles's smile instantly left her face. Meanwhile, Izuku sighed.
"Well, I guess it's time. You should join the stands–"
"Hey, Izuku?" Bubbles suddenly interrupted, her voice soft.
Izuku turned to Bubbles. "Yeah?"
Bubbles looked up at him, eyes narrowed. "I… I don't want you to hold back in your match. Whatever you do, make sure you give it your all. I think my sister really wants that. I don't want you to give half the effort because my sister's a girl."
Izuku's eyes widened a little. But slowly, he frowned.
"Yeah. Of course. I don't want to disappoint anyone. Even Momoko." he finally answered.
A weight seemed to lift off of Bubbles, and she smiled. She patted Izuku's back before walking the other way.
"Good luck, Deku." she said.
Izuku watched her go, blinking hard and muttering to himself.
"That's right… I won't let Momoko win." he whispered, straightening. "I'll give it my all!"
"OKAY, PEOPLE! Now for the show that you all have been waiting for, it's the fated Midoriya vs Momoko battle! SHOW SOME LOVE!"
As Present Mic's voice echoed in the stadium, Blossom stood by the opening of the hallway leading to the stage.
"I can do this.." she whispered, retying her bow around her ponytail holder. "I can DO this!"
But before she could make a move, Blossom was stopped by a loud voice.
"WAIT! Young Momoko!"
Blossom stiffened before whirling around. And in front of her, All Might was approaching.
"Ah, thank goodness. I thought I'd never get the chance to talk to you!" All Might exclaimed, stopping in front of her.
Blossom raised an eyebrow, the shock passing and leaving borderline annoyance. "Well, it's a bit too late. I'm about to head out to my battle."
All Might looked past her at the stage. "Indeed you are! Well, I won't keep you long. I know this is a battle that many looked forward to. You and Midoriya are bright young fighters, and I wish you both the best of luck."
Blossom hesitated, her mind going to a rather anger-provoking thought. Were All Might's words empty? She knew that All Might considered her a great student. But, with how close he and Izuku were, there's no way he wouldn't be rooting for Izuku more than her. And she couldn't forget those words he said to her before the festival even kicked off.
"I understand if you're too scared."
It was obvious that All Might was underestimating her. Like virtually everyone else was. Which was why Blossom didn't return his sentiment.
"Thanks for your support. But I really have to go."
All Might blinked, and Blossom knew he wasn't expecting her neutral response.
"Oh, yes. Of course." All Might sighed. "I won't keep you waiting."
After he said that, he started to turn away. But as he did, Blossom felt compelled to say one more thing.
"Oh, and All Might?"
All Might paused at her words. "Yes, Momoko?"
Blossom glared. "I'm not scared of anything this festival throws at me. I'll show you and everyone else what I can do."
All Might paused before nodding. "Good. I'm counting on it."
With the vague words, All Might left Blossom alone. And after a few seconds, Blossom scoffed and turned back around.
"I'll show them." she sighed as she stepped into the light.
For the second time in the tournament, thousands of cheers greeted her as Blossom walked towards the stage. And of course, there was Present Mic's loud voice.
"IN ONE CORNER, we have the brave-hearted and wasabi spicy student from Class 1-A! Ready to catch anything thrown at him, it's Izuku Midoriya!"
Blossom looked up to see Izuku on the stage, staring at her. And instead of his nervous and usually jittery demeanor, he looked confident. Frightfully so. And again, all of Izuku's secrets and possible advantages came to mind.
Only this time, there was a small voice laced in them: "When you stop thinking, you stop holding back."
She shook it away.
"And in the OTHER CORNER, we have the amazing Wonder Girl from Class 1-A! Once again gracing our stage with a sparkly pink dazzle, it's Momoko Utonium!" Present Mic announced.
Finally, the two were eye to eyes, feet away from each other.
"Momoko." Izuku spoke over the roar of the crowds. "There's something I wanna—"
"I don't want to talk anymore, Izuku." Blossom replied, completely shutting him down.
Izuku frowned, slowly pulling back. "Then… just know that I'm not hiding anything anymore."
Blossom looked grim. She then stepped forward, steeling her gaze. "Me either."
Izuku's stare intensified as he got closer as well, leaving a small gap between them. But, Midnight forced herself in between with her baton and a stern glare.
"Let's keep it a fair fight, okay?" she asked.
Izuku barely acknowledged her as he focused on Blossom.
"But, Momoko. I don't want to be your enemy. Don't think of me as one."
Blossom clenched her teeth, wondering why Izuku was ignoring her wish to not converse with him. But soon, she said something that she knew was a lie.
"Honestly… I don't really think about you."
Izuku's eyes finally widened at her answer. But before he could say anything, Midnight finally waved down her baton.
"BEGIN!"
A/N: And that's all for Chapter 16! ... or is it?
Okay, let me just spill the beans right here and right now. This chapter was gonna be WAY longer than this. And I mean the chunky length of THREE chapters. All into ONE. Which to me is not ideal. I mean, this chapter alone was lengthy with 500 conversations and events all happening at once. It's enough to make me scream.
So, as a final ditch effort, I had made Chapter 16 a two parter. I'll admit, before the sports festival arc even started, I thought it was gonna be 2 chapters max. Oh how wrong I was lol. But to be fair, the fanfic writing spirit can get you carried away when you're REALLY in the zone.
But I digress. I really wanna go into why this chapter was so long and some new elements I've thrown into the mix.
First, the relationships. Surprisingly, as I wrote this fic, I never really put focus on how the Powerpuff Girls interacted with their classmates. Maybe it's because I wanted to go over the important parts, but I feel like I really skipped out on how the girls interacted and thrived off Class 1-A. Sooo there's more of that! By all means, tell me what you think!
And second, Bubbles and Buttercup. I'll be honest, so far this arc has been Blossom's show. SHE'S the one with the interesting battles, SHE'S the one with the most POVs. Because of that I decided to have her take the tiniest step back and bring her sisters forward into the spotlight! So, if you're wondering why there's not much Blossom in this chapter, now you know why.
That's really it. But one more piece of information. Next chapter isn't chapter 17. It's more chapter 16-B. I say that because this whole time, I wanted the Izuku and Blossom fight to be in this chapter. But as I said, I wrote a little too much. So very soon after this is released, I will release the next chapter! Good news, it's less talking and more fighting (if not ALL fighting), so don't feel bummed that you're missing out on action! It'll be the good stuff you've been looking for.
But yeah, that's that! Until next time!