Izuku and Todoroki throw down in a simple sparring match! Izuku sees some similarities in Todoroki's attitude with someone from his life and starts to get angry. Todoroki is stubborn. And Izuku is a very weird person.
As the two waited for Toshinori to call the start of the match, standing across from one another, Izuku couldn't help but wonder why Todoroki challenged them. Awkwardly, they offered a nervous grin. "Um…so…uh, why'd you wanna fight me?"
Todoroki, expression still uncannily placid, tilted his head to the side. After a brief moment of silence, he spoke. "My father informed me that I should challenge the strongest in the class, and defeat them, to establish the 'pecking order'. I was not entirely sure whether you, Uraraka, or Himiko were the most powerful, but you scored highest on the Entrance Exam, so I have chosen you first. I shall defeat the other two later to be certain."
Izuku…was a bit, okay, no, a lot confused by the statement. Pecking order? Defeating the strongest? They were classmates just starting out for school. And unless Izuku was misremembering, Todoroki's father was the number two hero Endeavor, wasn't he? Why would he tell Todoroki to do that? Okay, no, one question at a time. "Uh…Ochako scored the highest, not me," Izuku began, but Todoroki's slow head shake in negation cut them off.
"She had the highest net total. You had the highest gross score. Neither was a perfect metric for deciding the strongest, but I had to pick a metric to work from. I chose this one. It is immaterial. I shall defeat each of you in turns and then I shall be the strongest. That is all that is required of me."
"...you're assuming you're going to win," Izuku replied slowly. There were a dozen red flags going off in their mind at Todoroki's attitude…they knew a mask when they saw one, and Todoroki's placid demeanor was slipping the more they spoke. Izuku knew what someone who was angry and hiding it looked like (that was how they felt for half their life).
"It is not an assumption. I have to win. So I will," Todoroki replied, their tone even and unwavering…and still somehow completely wrong.
Izuku wasn't a fan of this day now. First it gets messed up by Himiko's nightmare, and now they have to deal with whatever the hell was going on with Todoroki's messed up ideas. And of course, now was a great time for their new instincts to decide to rear their ugly head, a strange sense of fear fused with an intense…something, that Izuku couldn't readily identify. Izuku clenched their fists a couple times, rolling their shoulders as they stared back at Todoroki. Everything about this was making them feel uncomfortable…but they weren't going to make any of this easy on the other teenager.
The speakers crackled on. "Midoriya, Todoroki, are you two ready?" Both teens nodded silently, knowing the cameras would show the movement just fine. "Very well…begin!"
Izuku wasn't entirely certain of what Todoroki's power was, other than something to do with ice, but a sudden pain in the back of their head let them activate Full Cowling, and just in time, as now they were treated to a massive glacier of ice coming screaming at them at speeds they couldn't even comprehend at first. With a startled sound, they leapt up as high as they could, the concrete shattering beneath their feet at the accidental force, barely dodging the height of the ice. They fell back down onto it, nearly slipping and falling beneath it, but thankfully the whole cat tail thing helped balance them and they barely managed to catch themselves in a three-point landing, legs spread, one arm down and gripped into the ice, the other held to the side for more balance.
Izuku looked down with narrowed, slitted eyes, meeting Todoroki's only visible one that was widened in shock. Izuku smirked, feeling an unusual sense of pride filling their chest. "What, thought it'd be that easy?" they snarked, feeling strangely cocky. Which now that they thought about it, might be the confidence they could feel Ochako and Himiko sending them over the bond…interesting, they could affect how Izuku was acting from a distance, that was something to ponder-
Their thoughts were cut off by a loud snarl from Todoroki, the teen slamming his hand down onto the ice, the ice changing, spikes beginning to form…before they suddenly shot from the ground, firing towards Izuku. This time they felt themselves let out a panicked hiss, releasing their grip on the ice and rolling forward, sliding down the glacier swiftly, deciding now was the time to close the gap. With a burst of power to their legs, they launched themselves towards Todoroki, the other teen quickly leaping backwards and putting up a wall in Izuku's way.
"Not so fast!" Izuku snarled, planting their hands on the ice and flipping forward, crashing through the ice wall leg first, sending shards of ice towards Todoroki. Todoroki quickly formed ice beneath himself, sliding across it and away from Izuku, launching more spikes of ice at the other teenager. Izuku set their stance and grit their teeth, snapping their fingers with force and sending a bullet of wind pressure towards the other teenager, breaking the ice spikes but making their fingers hurt in the process.
Todoroki quickly launched more and more spikes towards Izuku, forcing Izuku to keep dodging, occasionally shattering one or two that got too close. They wanted to try and figure out the full details of how this Quirk worked before going for a win, so they didn't get blindsided, but it was hard to figure when all Todoroki had done was create the ice from their side and sometimes was able to launch it? It was surprising to Izuku…they could think of a lot of better ways to use what it appeared to be, like forming ice weapons and striking with those rather than trying to hide so far away…then again, Todoroki had liked figured out Izuku was a close combat specialist and was trying to keep them away.
The next barrage came towards Izuku but was…slower? Izuku sidestepped without much issue, eyes narrowed. Was Todoroki trying to be more judicious in his use? Quirks all had limits after all…their eyes locked onto Todoroki's form, noting the spreading patches of ice across his body, the slight shivers he was doing, the gasps of air escaping his mouth, and it clicked.
"Overuse of your Quirk causes you to freeze, huh?" Izuku mused. Todoroki's sudden glare confirmed it for them. "No way to mitigate that?" Izuku pondered aloud, which was apparently the wrong thing to say from Todoroki's sudden growl.
"Shut up! I can beat anyone with just my ice!" he snarled at Izuku, more mist rising off his side.
Izuku blinked, confused. "Just your ice? So…do you have more than ice? Can you make liquid water or water vapor too or something?"
"No, I make ice!" Todoroki hissed. "And that's all I need to be the best here!"
Izuku shrugged. "It's an admirable goal, to be the best, sure. I think everyone wants to do their best though. So I can't just give up and let you win just because you want to. It's pretty clear your Quirk is hurting you, and I'm still fine."
"Are you mocking me now?" Todoroki clenched his fist, glaring at Izuku through one eye, the other still covered by that strange ice covering.
"No? Why would you think that? I'm just saying, if this is an endurance contest I'm going to win at this rate. And it's hurting you. Maybe you should surrender before you get frostbite or something?"
"Shut up! I said I will win and I will win!" Todoroki didn't wait for a reply, another massive surge of ice came rocketing towards Izuku, the green-haired teen having little time to react. Something about Todoroki was really rubbing Izuku the wrong way, though they couldn't quite tell what…but they were getting really annoyed at how stubborn the other teen was being. It reminded Izuku of someone else…this stupid, annoying attitude about being the top.
'Screw this,' Izuku thought internally. So far they'd only been using Full Cowling, but if Todoroki was going to be stubborn, they were going to end this with their full abilities…and that started with one of their teachers. One hand grabbing the vial and flipping it up to their mouth, draining the blood and quickly activating a transformation into one of the many heroes they had met and been taught by so far…specifically, Present Mic.
The transformation took only a second, enough time for them to take a massive breath and then scream, Mic's sonic Quirk shattering the glacier headed towards Izuku and sending the broken pieces back towards Todoroki. Izuku didn't give him a chance to respond, draining another vial and stomping forward in the form of Aizawa, eyes open and Quirk flared to stop Todoroki from responding. The other teen had no time to react, getting pummeled by the surge of ice slamming back into them, sending them sliding back and away.
Izuku dropped Aizawa's form quickly, not having a lot of blood to work from, but continued their steady march forward. They didn't know why, but Todoroki's attitude was starting to really tick them off. It was so condescending, so aggressive, and for what? It was their second day, who needs a stupid pecking order? Who needs to be the best of the best, enough to push other people down?! Who needs that?!
With a growl, they shifted into Ochako, her Quirk coming to Izuku's hands like magic, forcibly increasing the gravity over where Todoroki was laying down, forcing the teen further down to the ground. The ice beneath him cracked, the concrete below starting to show its own weaknesses as Izuku stomped forward, the pressure getting higher and higher.
"Gotta be the best, the top of the class, that right?" Izuku said, a mocking tone in their voice. "Gonna beat me, you said? And then 'Chako and Himi? Just to be the 'best'? Well, sure not doing a good job at that, are you?"
"S-shut up!" Todoroki snarled, struggling to stand but not able to get any lift against the press of gravity. "You don't know anything! I have to win!"
Izuku scoffed, standing over Todoroki's prone form now, glaring down with the slitted brown eyes of one of his best friends. "Have to win, huh? You know, I know a guy like that. Maybe you remember him, he tried to fucking attack me for daring to exist yesterday!"
Todoroki glared up at Izuku impotently, but the two were interrupted by the speakers crackling. "Todoroki, are you surrendering? It doesn't look like you can continue."
"I am not," Todoroki hissed, ice cracking by their feet as they tried to call on it.
"Young man, I feel like you should-"
"Nah. Let him continue, All Might. He wants to talk a big game, he can fight for it," Izuku interrupted, feeling the rage growing in their chest. All they could see right now was just another Bakugo, another jerk who thought their power let them do whatever they wanted, and Izuku was gonna show them that there is always a stronger person now! Izuku wouldn't be anyones stepping stone ever again!
"Young Midoriya, I don't think that is necessary. You've clearly won, and-"
"They have not won, I have not given up!" Todoroki shouted.
Izuku knew their blood supply for Ochako was running low, since it had been a while since they'd drank from her, so she took a step back. "It's fine, All Might, I gotta drop 'Chako anyways. Okay Todoroki…you want to continue? Fine." With that, Izuku let the transformation drop, the increased gravity going with it, letting the other teen struggle to his feet. Izuku hadn't pushed it hard enough to hurt the other teenager, but the ice patches were still growing over Todoroki and he looked like he was now shivering violently. Izuku shook their head. "Still freezing over though. Not sure how you expect to win in that condition."
"Because I must," Todoroki insisted, the icy part of their costume now cracked. With an annoyed grunt, he shoved it off, leaving himself in just the blue jumpsuit he'd had on before, glaring at Izuku with two narrowed eyes.
"Oh yeah? Why's that, huh? We're all trying to be heroes, why do you need to be the best of a first year class of heroes? What's that going to prove?"
"You wouldn't get it," Todoroki hissed back.
Izuku laughed, a bitter, broken sound. "Sure, Todoroki. Whatever reason you got I can't possibly understand, sure. Not like I didn't spend most of my life being beaten and bruised for an accident of birth, but I'm sure whatever your problem is I can't get. Whatever. I don't care. You can't win at this point, and we both know it. Just give it up."
"Shut…up!" Todoroki screamed, a cracking noise coming from his body as ice began to rocket towards Izuku, his entire leg becoming frosted over as he forced the ice to appear. Izuku just glared, forcing Full Cowling up and up and up, well over his cap, and spun about, kicking the wave of ice so hard they felt their own leg erupt into pain, but they didn't care. This was just another Bakugo and they were going to put him down! The ice was destroyed, leaving Todoroki gasping, eyes half-lidded, staring in desperation at the still standing Izuku, the green-haired teen gritting their teeth against the pain in their leg.
Izuku didn't bother waiting any longer, and bolted forward, ready to finally put Todoroki down as they cocked their fist back…and the fear in Todoroki's eyes grew exponentially, Izuku feeling a slight twinge of regret at how frightened the other boy looked, losing their footing for a brief second at the sudden terror…and then blinking in confusion as red flames flickered about Todoroki's left side, some of the ice covering him steaming away. Izuku skid to a stop, staring at the other teen in sheer confusion.
"...you…you can make fire? Wouldn't…but wouldn't that fix the freezing? Why? Why aren't you using it?" Izuku gaped, completely aghast…and feeling the rage in their chest building further from the sheer arrogance. "Am I not good enough for your best? Is that it? You thought I wasn't worthy of it? The hells wrong with you?! Why are you-"
"It's not that!" Todoroki snarled, frantically wiping at their left as if they could just shoo the sparks away even as they faded into nothingness. "I told you, I'm going to win with just my ice! I won't use his powers! Not everything is about you, Midoriya!"
For the first time since Izuku started to get frustrated, a thought trickled into the back of their mind that maybe, just maybe, Todoroki had some issues in his past that was coloring his behavior. Unbidden, their eyes trailed over Todoroki's face, the revealed left side with its large scar over the teenager's eye, a scar Izuku knew (from personal experience) came from a burn…and wondered, the anger burning in their chest beginning to fade into something…something else.
"...maybe I'm wrong, and maybe it's not my business, but it doesn't change if you want to be the best, you have to use everything at your disposal. I didn't ask to have Himi's Transform or Chako's Zero Gravity, but I got them. And yeah, it's different for me, because while it's clear you have some problem with your fire side, I like having their powers with me, like having them with me…but I also don't like using them because it's not right that I took something from them," Izuku began softly. "I don't like the fact they got stuck connected to me, and all my stupid hangups and problems I put them through. I hate it. But, that said…I still use them, because any problems I have aren't as important as what I'm here to do, and that is to be a hero. To save people."
"Not all heroes help everyone," Todoroki muttered, his shoulders slumping as he looked away for a moment, all the fight seeming to drain from him.
Izuku nodded, more pieces falling into place as the other teenager spoke, not enough to know the full story, but enough to understand a little. "Yeah…I know. Some heroes are jerks and there are plenty out there who may as well be villains. But I'm not going to be one of those, and I'm not going to just sit by if I see one like that. But what are you here for? Are you here to be a hero for yourself…or for someone else?"
Todoroki's head snapped around to glare at Izuku, but little heat was in the gaze. After a few moments, he opened his mouth to speak, but snapped his jaw shut and looked away, as if unsure what he could say right then. Izuku let out a rueful laugh and modulated their tone to a soft, beseeching one. "Todoroki…you're freezing. If you won't use your fire to warm up at least, then we can't continue. It's just a spar, Todoroki. You don't have to win right now. You can challenge me later too, you know. If it's that important to you, I'll have a rematch with you when you want."
"...why? You already proved you're better," Todoroki muttered.
"I proved I can win one fight, in a spar, when you're not at your best. That's all. And power isn't all that determines how good a hero you are, is it? Aren't there other things that matter?"
"Like what?" Todoroki scoffed.
Izuku shrugged, a smile crossing their lips. "Like compassion for the victims? When someone needs a hero, it's probably one of the worst days of their lives. I want to save people with a smile. I want to be like our teachers, like All Might, and Sensei, and all the other UA staff who go out of their way, risk themselves, to make others feel better. Those seem like important qualities too, don't you think?"
Todoroki paused for a moment, before letting out a sigh. He cleared his throat. "...All Might? I surrender."
The speakers crackled once more. "Very well. You seem a little bit worse for wear, young Todoroki, why don't you go to Recovery Girl? Young Midoriya, do you mind helping him?"
"Not at all!" Izuku smiled brightly at Todoroki, their grin fading slightly at the annoyed huff from Todoroki. Still, the other teen didn't stop Izuku from gently ushering them towards the nurses office, the sound of the rest of the class in the distance getting closing remarks from All Might as they walked.
"...why are you helping me?" Todoroki asked, his voice broken by the chill. Izuku did notice that the red sparks on Todoroki's left side appeared once more for a brief moment, heat radiating from him as the ice began to slowly melt off his skin.
"Because I think it's pretty important to help people, right? We are in the hero course after all, and we're classmates. We'll be so for the next four years. May as well get to know each other a bit, right?"
"...you're weird, Midoriya."
"You're not the first to tell me that."
Honestly, this chapter was weird because it wasn't intended on going down the path of Izuku seeing parallels between Katsuki and Shoto, but the more I wrote it the more I realized without the backstory, Todoroki's 'I will beat everyone' attitude really does seem a lot like Katsuki's on the surface...and Izuku, considering the past few weeks of their life, would get pissed. But luckily for everyone involved, he's not stupid and can see there is more to it!