Chapter 30:
(All right, I managed to post the chapters 28 & 29 on Archive. Okay, so Shinso vs. Izuku! I only remember seeing clips of this fight on YouTube, but I really thought it always a good way to start the final matches. So, this'll be fun, I guess. Also, quick question: How would Shinso's name be said in English, cuz I know they refer to last names before they do firsts. Oh yeah, I may as well say that I'm not gonna be writing the Hero Killer Arc, save for maybe Izuku learning how to use OFA without breaking his limbs. I have a reason for this, but I'll explain at the end. Enjoy the chapter)
"That's it. I win." Shinso had said. Izuku stood in place, stopping his pursuit of rage. Mashirao groaned, "I warned him not to say anything!" He shouted. Lucas looked on, scared about what was happening. Toshinori looked on, really worried.
"Izuku, you weren't supposed to let him get in your head!" Lucas thought to himself. Hizashi was shocked by this turn of events.
"Come on, Deku!" Ochaco said, she and Tenya getting up from their seats. "Why in the world isn't he moving?" Tenya asked.
"It's Hitoshi-san's Quirk." Lucas pointed out. The students looked at their classmate, everyone except Mashirao was shocked.
"It should start out with a bang! The fight is just begun and Izuku Midoriya is…completely frozen?!" Hizashi asked over the speakers. Izuku couldn't move a muscle, and everyone was shocked by what was happening. Izuku had a frozen deadpanned look on his face. "Could this be a Quirk at work?" Hizashi said, "Hitoshi Shinso seems to have Izuku Midoriya completely stunned!" Hizashi was absolutely stunned, before immediately saying, "That's the Festival for ya!" He then laughed. "This is a perfect example of why the entrance exam isn't rational." Aizawa said, while Hizashi was confused with what he meant. While Aizawa researched the finalists, he realized Shinso couldn't have passed the entrance due to his Quirk, since it required fighting faux villains;robots.
"Despite his abilities, Shinso never stood a chance at passing." Aizawa concluded his version of the explanation.
(Hey, how 'bout that fight, mate?)
"So here we are. You're lucky to have been so blessed, Izuku Midoriya." He said, where Izuku had no ability or current consciousness to speak. "Now turn around and walk out of bounds like a good little hero." He then commanded.
Izuku said nothing, and it shows he had no volition to resist, and started walking, obeying Shinso.
"Uh—What?! Ah! Midoriya's obeying him!" Hizashi said.
The students all looked worried, "Izuku, come on!" Lucas said to himself, "You've come so far…" Lucas thought of the training he and Izuku did together. Katsuki looked on, remaining in his composure.
Toshinori clung to the entrance where he was.
"What is this power?!" He asked, with Hizashi immediately answering.
"Hitoshi Shinso. Quirk: Brainwashing! When an opponent answers his question, it flips a switch in their minds, forcing them to do whatever he says. Not every question does it, though." Present Mic explained, "He only brainwashed when he wants to."
"What are you doing, kid?! Get in there and show him what you're made of!" Toshinori said.
It was like a fog surrounded Izuku being controlled by Shinso. "What's happening?" Izuku asked himself, realizing his body was moving on its own. "I feel like my brain is full of fog. I can't concentrate." Izuku was at war with his own body. He doesn't want to lose! Not like this. "Gotta stop!" He realized his mistake, "I fell for it even after Ojiro warned me. I'm an idiot…this is all my fault!" He remembered how Mashirao explained what Shinso's Quirk was. His classmate only managed to break free due to bumping into Ibara when they took Tetsutetsu's headband.
They concluded that they didn't know enough of Shinso's Quirk;what level of power the shock needed to break free from the trance, and then lack of outside interference.
"I know this sounds selfish, but I'll say it anyway." He remembered Mashirao say, "Beat this guy for you and me, okay?" He remembered he asked him.
"I'll do my best!" He then said to Mashirao.
Izuku realized he couldn't do anything. "I can't stop it." He said to himself, "I'm going to lose. It's all over. Even though…" Mashirao looked worried, alongside Ochaco, Tenya, Lucas and Toshinori.
"So many people are counting on me…Everyone is watching…Everyone!"
It was then that Izuku saw a glimmer—well…glimmers of light. Towards the entrance he saw at least…8 flickers of light, and saw them morph into some form of shadows.
All of a sudden, Izuku got hit by a huge array of light, tons of colors started moving past him, "What…is…that?" Izuku asked, then felt One For All being activated somehow.
"Even with this Quirk, I have my own dreams of becoming a great hero." Shinso looked at Izuku with a bit of a menacing glare. Lucas looked on, as Izuku was one more step away from losing. "So, lose for me." Shinso said. "Izuku, you gotta break free…Come on…" Lucas thought to himself, but when he saw the light of his Quirk on his arm. There was a released gust of wind when his Quirk was used.
Izuku suddenly awoke from the trance, and caught his breath. He was ONE STEP from losing.
"What's this?! Midoriya stopped just in time!" Hizashi said. The crowd cheered, with Tenya throwing his arms up in the air! "That's the way to do it!" He said, "Whoa, I was about to freak out."
Lucas was happy his friend broke free from Shinso's trance, "For real…" he said, letting off of the anxiety he was feeling. "Whew, that just about killed me." Mashirao said in a bit of anticipation.
Aizawa quickly noted that two of Izuku's fingers were broken. "He broke them in order to stop Shinso." He said.
Izuku turned back at his competition and immediately shot a glare at him. "No. Impossible." Shinso said, he got angry. How did he break free. "You're not supposed to be able to fight back. What did you do?!" He asked, trying to use his Quirk to keep him in the trance. Izuku immediately covered his mouth, so he wouldn't answer him. "I'm the one who used One For All. But I'm not the one who moved my fingers just now." Izuku then flashed his memory to the people he saw while he was stuck under Shinso's trance.
"It was like people I didn't know came into my mind." Izuku then figured it out, "And for a second, it was clear…Could it be?"
He remembered when Toshinori explained that One For All was like a torch passed on from person to person. Izuku theorized they the past users of One For All were the ones who cultivated the power, "Did they save me? Is that even possible?" He concluded his thoughts. "How'd you do that?!" Shinso tried to ask, but Izuku uncovered his mouth, and didn't answer. "I don't have time to figure things out right now. I have to focus."
Shinso was worried as to why he wouldn't answer, "Did he figure it out? No. He's known. That monkey must have told him." Shinso needed Izuku to talk again, otherwise, he'd lose. "Come on. Say something." Shinso said, Izuku just glared and tried to keep his mouth shut. "I didn't know you had so much power in your fingers, I'm kind of jealous of you." Shinso continued, as Izuku ran toward him.
"I know what that jealousy feels like. I've been there." Izuku said, actually understanding that jealousy all too well.
"Thanks to the way my Quirk works, I've always been at a big disadvantage. But someone as blessed as you wouldn't understand that." He tried to anger Izuku, but Izuku still only understood where Shinso was saying. "I get it. Even though he's right, I have been blessed." Izuku thought to himself, understanding that One For All was another blessing.
"You're lucky enough to have a heroic Quirk! It'll be so easy for you to reach your goal!" Shinso said, was his yelling coming from fear that he was still at a disadvantage, or the persecution of his own Quirk? Perhaps even both, "I've been blessed by others! That's why I'm here!" Izuku recalled why he was here and then went to push Shinso. "Say something!" Shinso tried to get him to say something by punching him. Izuku just stared back at him, injured slightly. "I can't lose this. I'll do it for them!" Izuku thought to himself, Shinso looked at him in shock and then looked back at how close he was to out of bounds. He then sucker punched Izuku, "You've gotta be kidding me!" He moved out of Izuku's way, with his opponent knocked off balance.
"Get out of this ring, you lucky brat!" Shinso tried to grab him. Izuku cried in pain, but took it, then immediately grabbed Shinso. "No! I refuse to let this be the end!" Izuku thought to himself and threw Shinso over him and knocked him down in the out of bounds! The crowd and Izuku's classmates looked at the match in shock.
Shinso felt that, and grunted in pain. Nemuri then rose her hand. "Shinso is out of bounds! Midoriya advances to the next round!" She said.
Izuku caught his breath, as the crowd cheered.
Shinso opened his eyes, remembering all the times in Middle School for him. He was sick of people looking at him like he was the bad guy, because he wasn't. He was out of bounds, so what's he gonna do now? He was trying to be a hero, and right now the Sports Festival was his best way into the Hero Course. But he lost…Midoriya somehow broke out of his trance and beat him. What's he going to do now?
(So, let's check on 1-A and Aizawa to ignore the cliffhanger! :D)
"Ugh, that was so nerve-wracking!" Ochaco said, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, Izuku!" Lucas shouted, happy his friends won the match. "Turning the tables around at the last minute—A classic Midoriya-maneuver!" Tenya said, "He's pulled that shoulder-throw on you before, huh?" Denki asked Katsuki.
"Shut your face, Sparky." Katsuki said, "That jerkwad. He's definitely aiming for the top. And that purple-haired guy fell for his trap!"
"He focused his power like he did in the fitness test, and used the throw from combat training. It's not just that he's learning from his experience: he's using every trick he's picked to improve his odds." Aizawa analyzed, "Oh yeah! That was kind of a boring first match, kids. But both of you have fought bravely!" Hizashi said, as he encouraged the audience to show them some love.
(How's Shinso, btw?)
Shinso's words rang in Izuku's head, "Why do you wanna be a hero?" Izuku asked, Shinso walked away as he said, "You can't help the things your heart longs for."
Izuku gasped, "I felt the same way. Before I inherited One For All, I was just like him. But, nothing I say is going to make him feel better." He thought to himself.
Shinso looked down, upset.
"You were awesome out there, Shinso!" A student said, Shinso looked up and saw that the other UA students were happy and proud of him! "We're proud of you!" Another student said, "Yeah, you're the star of our program!" Another said. Shinso was shocked, he was so sure that because he lost, he wasn't going to receive…well, much praise for anything. One student told him to listen close. A few Pro Heroes, "With a Quirk like that, it would be very simple to capture to dangerous villains. Wish I had it." Another one with green hair and a gas mask spoke up, "I can't believe they stuck him in General Studies. Those idiots." She said. They kept going on about Shinso's potential for being a pro hero.
The students were wondering if he was happy. Shinso looked on in shock. While Izuku stood there, remembering that this was Shinso's chance to get into the Hero Course, "Even if it didn't work out this time. I'm not giving up. I'm getting into the hero track, get certified, and then…I'll become a better pro than any of you!" Izuku took a deep breath, but then suddenly felt a bit of shock. "He got me again!" Shinso used his Quirk on Izuku, despite the match being over. Shinso chuckled, "You know, usually people tense up whenever they talk to me." He said, smirking back. "If you're not on guard, someone's going to defeat you." Izuku came out of it, "You better not lose and make me look bad." Shinso said. "Shinso…" Izuku thought to himself. Though he didn't think the next thing he'd say, did he?
"I won't!" He said, as Shinso caught him in his trance once again.
(Later)
Izuku was taken to the medical wing of the stadium. Recovery Girl kissed Izuku's wrapped injury, while Lucas placed his hands on Izuku's fingers to heal the injuries, him grunting mildly in pain. "Mmmmwah! That should do it." Recovery Girl said, finishing the recovery. "That match with Shinso—I couldn't smile through it like you would." Izuku said, Toshinori put his hand behind his back, "I heard some of the things he said to you. Must've been painful knowing how much you can relate to him." He said, "I'm just glad you two didn't injure yourselves too much." Lucas said. "Yeah, but I still couldn't go easy on him. I have to keep my eyes on the prize, aiming for the top. Just like you said." Chiyo then sighed, "Oh, you poor little darling. You haven't been putting too much pressure on him again?!" She then sucker punched Toshinori, "It was necessary, and that hurt!" Toshinori explained. "W-Was that necessary, Chiyo-san?" Lucas asked, worriedly. "Don't you worry about him, sweetie. You go ahead and leave for your match."
Izuku nodded, "Yeah, good luck, Lucas." Lucas nodded as he walked out. "O-Okay, I'll be off then."
"Oh yeah. All Might. I had…some kind of vision in the match." Izuku counted that at least eight or nine people were in his vision. "When I was under Shinso's control, it felt like my brain was full of fog or something. But when the vision appeared, it completely drove the fog away. That's when I was finally able to move for a second. Just my fingertips. One of the figures I saw had eyes looked just like yours, All Might." Izuku explained, "Do you think…all the people who've used One For All in the past were there, pushing me on? Like spirits?" He asked, "Spooky. I'm a ghost." He said, getting in the creepy vibe. "What?! I thought you had answers!" Izuku shot up, slightly startled. "Actually, I saw something like that, too. In my younger days."
Izuku gasped at that response. "It's a clear sign that you're getting closer to making One For All your own power." Toshinori said, "What was it?" Toshinori tried to think back, "I think it's a trace of the user's spirit that's left behind in One For All when it's passed on." Toshinori then explained that Izuku didn't need to worry about this impeding him or his progress in the future, he was sure of it. "In other words, that vision wasn't what got rid of the brainwashing effects."
It was in fact Izuku's passion that allowed him to overcome Shinso's power, even if it was only long enough just for a small twitch or wiggling fingertips, it gave enough to time to expel some energy.
Izuku then turned to his side, "Man, that explanation was so-not satisfying." He whined, "Forget about it! More importantly, shouldn't you be worrying about who you're fighting next?" Toshinori asked.
Izuku then realized he should focus on the task ahead, especially this fight. It's ambiguous to him of whether he'll be fighting Todoroki…or Lucas.
"Thank you!" Izuku said, running out!
(Outside)
Shoto walked out of his waiting room, already knowing the outcome. "Of course Midoriya won." He said to himself, realizing that if he doesn't beat Lucas, he won't be able to advance. Shoto then walked to his entrance and stopped as soon as he saw someone. "What do you want?" He asked, as it was his father. Enji stared at his son, showing no sense of sensitivity. "You're acting disgracefully, Shoto." Shoto said nothing and continued to walk ahead.
"If you simply used the power in your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in both of the first rounds." Shoto kept walking as Endeavor kept talking, though he was getting more annoyed with each step. "It's time to stop this childish rebellion of yours. You have a duty to surpass that imbecile, All Might. Do you understand what I'm saying?" He asked, telling him he was different than his siblings. "You're my greatest masterpiece." He finished his words.
"Is that all you have to say to me? I'll win this match and advance using only Mom's Quirk. I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me use yours." Endeavor looked away. "Even if that works for you in this tournament, you'll soon find the limits of that power."
(Okay, two more things)
Lucas prepped himself by taking a deep breath. "Okay. Win or lose, I'm gonna go all out." Lucas said to himself. He then got a text from his teacher.
(text)
Aizawa: Hey, kid. Just thought I'd text you before the match
Lucas: Oh, hey, Sensei. What'd you need?
Aizawa: I'm wondering what you'll do. Use your powers or fight normally?
Lucas: I should be fine. I'll be compromising
Aizawa: You got a strategy in mind? All right then, good luck, Lucas
Lucas: No worries, Sensei. I'll go all out!
Aizawa: Heh, you're sounding more confident
(End of text)
Lucas then walked out, ready for the match. He realized that he was more confident, "Yeah…I guess my motivator's really working." Lucas then thought of his father, teacher and friends. "Be ready, Shoto. This fight's one for our friendship." Lucas said, starting to understand that Shoto and Lucas are now friends. He then remembered he saw Endeavor and thought of Shoto'd childhood.
"I could only imagine growing up with that kinda parent." Lucas said, shivering slightly. "Papa…" he then thought of his father's memories of past trauma.
"I'll make you proud, Papa." Lucas then said, determined. "That way, you don't have to worry about me!" Lucas then went out, ready for the match between him and Shoto.
(Time for a one-shot!)
Nezu walked up each step. He managed to get off of work early after being in one of the meetings about the villain attack. He pulled out his phone, wondering how everything was going down.
"Hello?" Toshinori answered the phone. "Hello, Toshi! I'm on my way to watch the final matches! How are things going?" Nezu asked. "Oh, it's been one thing after the other, sir! Lucas is about to start his match!" Nezu smiled at that, "My dear boy made it to the final match?! I'm so happy for him!" Nezu tried staying optimistic, he WAS worried Lucas could get gravely injured, however. "Who is he fighting?" He asked, "He's going up against Todoroki." Nezu stiffened at that. "I see! Well, I'll be heading to the hallway near the waiting rooms, then." Nezu said, deciding to go to the faculty entrance. "By the way, Toshinori. Have you picked up any of those books that I recommended you?" He asked, "O-Oh. Those…Those ones about teaching, right?" He asked, slightly nervous. "I'm going to assume from the nervousness in your tone that you didn't?" Nezu said, still cheerful. "Perhaps we can discuss this over a meeting, then?" He asked, as a way to push Toshinori to get those books. "A-After this, I'll be sure to look, sir!" Toshinori said. "Of course, of course!" Nezu said, cheerfully. "That should be all, then! Enjoy watching the matches, old friend!" Nezu said.
(Okay, that's all for now! I'll be writing the next chapter specifically for Shoto and Lucas' fight. I hope you guys'll like how that goes. I was originally going to call the next chapter another ATLA reference, but I'm still not sure, since neither character will be using fire. Anyways, stay strong and awesome! Remember that Jesus died for your sins(doesn't make it okay to sin), and I hope God is more involved with your lives)
