"This would go smoother if you didn't have the helmet on." Eraserhead remarked, his voice dry and slightly exasperated, as he helped Mayhem (AKA, plucky UA support student Mei Hatsume!) up from the ground for the fourth time that evening. "It's obstructing your vision."
Mei shook her head stubbornly, "Trust me 'raser, there's nothing wrong with my vision," she retorted, earning a sigh from Eraserhead. Mei adjusted her stance, rolling her shoulders. "Alright, let's go again. This time, I've got you for sure!"
With his hands nonchalantly tucked inside his hoodie pockets, Eraserhead nudged her foot to correct her positioning. Mei nodded, mustering all her focus, and threw another punch. Despite his seemingly relaxed posture, Eraserhead effortlessly sidestepped her attack, then swiftly delivered a well-placed kick to the back of her knee, sending her tumbling to the floor once more.
"Alright, I've seen enough. You're relying too much on your elbows and wrists when you punch. That's a surefire way to break them. You need to engage your whole body, not just a part of it," Eraserhead advised, this time choosing not to lend her a helping hand. Mei scrambled to her feet on her own, showing little difficulty. "What did I tell you about your stance?"
"Feet shoulder-width apart, dominant foot slightly back, knees slightly bent, weight on the balls of my feet," Mei recited, bouncing on her heels a bit to lock herself into position.
Eraserhead circled around Mei, inspecting her posture and positioning. His experienced eyes scrutinised her every move. "We're starting with the basics of a jab," he continued, providing detailed guidance. "Keep your elbows close to your body, your dominant hand at eye level, and the other hand near your cheekbone."
Mei adjusted her hand as Eraserhead suggested, trying to find the precise alignment he wanted.
He firmly lifted her hand a fraction. "Your cheekbones are higher than you think. Try to minimise unnecessary hand movements for now. We can delve into feints another time. Just focus on maintaining the proper form."
"Got it," Mei replied, steadying herself.
"Relax your arm and shoulder. Remember, the power behind your punch should come from your entire body, not just your arm. Rotate your hips as you extend," Eraserhead instructed, his voice slightly drowsy from the long training session. "Start slowly. Extend your dominant hand straight out in front of you, palm facing down, with a slightly bent elbow."
Mei absorbed his words and visualised the perfect execution of the punch. With newfound precision, she began the movement, gradually extending her arm.
"Now we're getting somewhere." It was a subtle change, but Mei was certain she just saw the faintest hint of a smile.
An hour had passed, and Mei had made significant progress. She could now deliver rapid right-handed jabs with relative ease, though Eraserhead still had some observations to share.
Sitting on the edge of the rooftop wall, Eraserhead had his capture scarf draped around his shoulders as he provided his assessment. "You're making progress, albeit modest. But it seems like you've always heavily relied on your support gear, haven't you?" he remarked.
"Hey, my babe-" She caught herself before calling them her 'babies'. "My gadgets are an essential part of my arsenal!" she defended.
Eraserhead raised an eyebrow. "What if they break, or they're stolen, or there's an electromagnetic surge? Any number of possibilities."
"Uh, they'd never break, thank you very much, but I guess that's why you're making me focus on close combat," Mei acknowledged with a nod of understanding.
Eraserhead continued, "I've been trying to figure it out. Your quirk relies on sight, much like mine, doesn't it?"
A smile spread beneath Mei's helmet as she reached into her utility belt, retrieving one of her tranquilliser darts. "Do you have a pen?" she asked.
Understanding where she was going with this, Eraserhead retrieved a pen from his pocket and held it up, slightly away from his face. With a satisfying shunk, the dart embedded itself into the tip. Eraserhead nodded approvingly. "Precision aiming, just as I thought."
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Mei stood proudly with her hands on her hips. "It works best when the target isn't moving too quickly, which is why I've been practising on low-level goons! The moment I see someone with a speed quirk, I'm outta there!"
Eraserhead didn't acknowledge her comment. Instead, he delved further into his line of questioning. "Does your quirk only work from a distance?"
Dropping her confident stance, Mei responded with a question of her own. "What do you mean?"
Eraserhead's smile grew subtly. "What do you know about pressure points?"
Izuku's fingers clenched inside his strike gauntlets, anticipation coursing through his veins as he and the rest of Class 1-H waited in the bustling tunnels of the stadium. The long-awaited day of the UA Sports Festival had finally arrived, offering the perfect stage for the support class to showcase their ingenious gear and gadgets. Nervous energy hung in the air, every student hoping to catch the attention of the esteemed support companies observing from the grand arena.
Surprisingly calm amidst the buzzing atmosphere was Yamashita, who had chosen not to bring any equipment with her. It was obvious from the look in her eyes that she had just taken a nap, likely to use her summoning quirk later. Hana, on the other hand, carried a device resembling a sunflower, securely strapped to her back. It looked a lot like the backpack she often wore to class, but this one was crafted from sturdy metal and had tubes connecting to triggers in her hands. Kazutani had gone all out with his costume, a unique design featuring pulsating strips of light running down his arms and legs. It seemed his goal for the day was to impress costume designers rather than stand on the podium. As for Kuri Kuri, he sported coils of metal winding down his limbs, occasionally opening and closing his chestnut shell as if flexing a muscle.
Noticing Mei lost in her thoughts, Izuku gently nudged her arm and whispered, "Hey, is everything okay?" He expected her to be more excited, considering how eagerly she had been looking forward to the festival.
The nudge brought Mei back to the present. "Oh! Yeah, everything's good!" She gave him a thumbs up and whispered from the side of her mouth, "Our training session ran a little late, but I'm ready to go."
"How late is 'a little late'?" Izuku asked, concern evident in his voice.
"We finished three hours ago. I couldn't let him know I'm a student here, so I just had to go along with it. But don't worry, it's all fine."
"Mei, I'm over here." Izuku waved her over, and Mei realised the crowd had moved and she was talking to a green mailbox.
As the group emerged from the tunnel, they were momentarily blinded by the dazzling light outside, a stark contrast to the darkness they had just left behind. The thunderous roar of the stadium engulfed them, a symphony of cheering spectators, waving banners and flags. One bold individual even dared to blow a vuvuzela, only to have Snipe expertly shoot it out of their mouth. And, of course, Present Mic was in his element as the event's boisterous MC, broadcasting from his announcer's booth high up in the stands.
"Brothers! Sisters! Non-conforming gender resisters!" Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers. "Are you ready for the UA First Year's Sports Festival!?"
The crowd exploded into a frenzy of cheers, even louder than before.
"Give a warm welcome to classes 1-A and 1-B, our HERO STUDENTS!" Present Mic's energetic voice echoed through the stadium, setting the crowd abuzz.
On cue, the 38 members of classes 1-A and 1-B emerged onto the open pitch, waving to the cheering spectators. Mei kept a close eye on them, hoping against hope that at least one of them would rebel and wear the equipment her support class had made. She pouted when she realised none of them had, even though she knew it would be against the rules anyway.
"Put your hands together for Classes 1-C, 1-D and 1-E, our GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS!"
Present Mic continued, and this time, the response from the audience was slightly more subdued. However, a burst of enthusiasm erupted from the Class 1-D homeroom teacher, exclaiming a spirited "WASHAWASHA!" The general education students seemed more resigned than excited about participating in the event.
"Though not competing in the events themselves, let's give it up for Classes 1-F and 1-G watching from the stands! Our BUSINESS STUDENTS!"
Present Mic's voice rang out, and a group of students equipped with calculators and notebooks immediately got to work, scribbling furiously or setting up high-speed photography cameras. The response from the crowd was not as exuberant, with only a handful of people cheering for them.
"Last, but not least, our resident little geniuses! Class 1-H, the SUPPORT DEPARTMENT!"
This was their moment! The spotlight finally shone on Izuku and his classmates. The six students walked to their designated position on the field, waving to the crowd. There was polite applause mixed with some confusion, as the audience wondered why the support class was so small. However, a louder cheer erupted from the section reserved for pro heroes, many of whom were specifically there to see Izuku. Cool, no pressure then. Izuku also spotted a woman with a distinctive acorn-shaped head mutation cheering enthusiastically. He heard Kuri standing beside him shout, "Hi, Mom!" up to her.
"OUR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS!
OH YEEEEAAAAH!"
Present Mic exclaimed, his powerful quirk inadvertently triggering a chorus of howls from dogs within a five-mile radius. After the ringing in everyone's ears subsided, Midnight approached a small stage set up in the centre of the arena, holding a microphone.
"To kick off our event, please welcome to the stage the representative for the Hero course, Koji Koda of class 1-B!" Midnight's sultry voice filled the air, as all eyes turned towards Koda, who stood ready to make his mark.
Mei nudged Izuku and whispered, "I didn't think this guy could talk."
"I think he's just shy," Izuku replied.
Nervously rubbing his wrists, Koda stepped up to the microphone and leaned forward. The entire audience leaned in as well, eager to hear what he had to say.
"...T-t-t…"
Every person in the arena clenched their fists in solidarity. Come on, Koda, you can do it!
"T-t-t-today... we g-gather to..." He paused, taking a deep breath to gather his courage. "Today… we gather to celebrate the incredible talents of each and every one of us, and to recognize the significance of heroism in our society. As we, the future heroes, leaders and visionaries step onto this field, we're not competing only for glory, but for opportunity. An opportunity to showcase our abilities to the world."
Koda took the microphone off its stand and began walking around the stage, his voice growing stronger with each passing moment. "Our quirks may define and categorise us, but we are more than that. We are defined by our commitment, our courage, our ideals, and our passions! Let this day be a testament to the true Plus Ultra spirit that we embody. Let it be a day of camaraderie and sportsmanship! As we give it our all, remember that every challenge and triumph will shape our determination and the legacy we carry long after this festival ends. The UA Sports Festival is a celebration of the indomitable spirit of heroism that resides within each and every one of us!"
A moment of stunned silence hung in the air until a man in the stands shouted, "HELL YEAH, THAT PINK KID IS RIGHT!" The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.
"Oh myyyyy!" Midnight exclaimed, twirling around Koda, who had returned to nervously rubbing his wrists. "Koda, my dear, you must give the closing ceremony speech!" Koda shook his head frantically, fear evident in his eyes, and quickly retreated to the safety of his classmates.
"Well, damn." Mei exclaimed, turning to the other support students. "Guess he can talk after all."
"So, you guys have noticed the same thing as me, right?" Izuku questioned his friends.
"Mm," Kazutani nodded. "They've positioned the three departments on different opposite sides of the arena."
Kuri scratched his head. "Do you think it has something to do with the first event?"
"I think you might be onto something," Yamashita chimed in, before yawning a yawn that seemed to last an eternity. "Maybe they're pitting classes against each other instead of individual students."
Hana looked outraged at the thought. "But there are only six of us! That would be so unfair!"
"Let's not jump to conclusions, guys," Izuku said, attempting to ease their growing concerns.
Meanwhile, on the stage, Midnight was preparing to unveil the details of the first event. "Get ready for one of my all-time favourite games - the Team Up Labyrinth Challenge!"
"The who what what now challenge?!" The same guy in the audience who had shouted to Koda earlier blurted out, earning a stern glare from Eraserhead.
"Now, now, hold your horses, folks!" Midnight called out. "Before we dive in, I need each and every one of you to do me a favour. Check your pockets!"
In unison, all the first-year students reached into their pockets and pulled out a ball, each one the size of a snooker ball, with a number printed on it. "How did I not notice this before?" Izuku wondered aloud.
"I'm more concerned about how it ended up in there in the first place!" Hana replied, her eyes wide.
On stage, Midnight continued to unravel the mysteries of the event. "We have a total of 104 lovely students standing before us today, but the numbers only go up to 52! Can you guess where this is leading?" she teased, relishing in the anticipation. "That's right! It's all about speed and communication! You need to find the person holding the matching number and together, navigate through the labyrinth!"
Intrigued, Izuku checked his own number. "I've got 16. Anyone else?" His companions shook their heads, indicating they possessed different numbers. "Guess they wouldn't make it that easy for us. The remaining numbers must be spread across various classes."
"But it's not that easy, kiddies!" Midnight continued, mischievously. "The other numbers are all in different classes!"
"See, told ya."
Perplexed, Mei scratched her head. "What labyrinth?! Izuku! Am I so sleep deprived I can't see labyrinths now?!"
"But where is the labyrinth, I hear you cry?!" Midnight declared, her voice booming through the microphone. Without wasting a second, she brought her fist down forcefully on a massive red button. Suddenly, the ground trembled, and massive walls rose from the floor, transforming the arena into a colossal maze in a matter of seconds.
"Oh okay, I see it now." Mei said, nodding.
As the students absorbed the rules of the challenge, to find your partner and make it through the maze, Midnight's grin hinted at more surprises to come. "The first 16 pairs through will make it to the next round! But don't get too comfortable with the layout!" Vwoosh! Suddenly the maze shot back underground to create a blank field once more. In that short amount of time, Mei zoomed in on the crowds of students to see if she could spot her number - 22.
"Argh, so many of them aren't holding them with the numbers facing out! What's wrong with these numbskulls! Alright, I see 11, 17, 32, 6, 15 and 4. Does anyone have those?"
Kuri Kuri flashed a smile and replied, "I've got 11!"
"Awesome! So, you're on the lookout for the guy from 1A with the cool hair, you know, the one that does that swoopy thing," Mei explained, her grin widening with delight at the thought of being so immensely helpful.
"Oh…ok, cool. Thank you."
And just like that, the labyrinth re-emerged in an entirely new layout. It was a disorienting sight, especially for Izuku and Mei, who shared a mutual utter lack of direction. That was the entire reason Mei had built the GPS network into her goggles. Which she wasn't allowed to bring with her!
As the countdown began, tension filled the air! "Three….Two… One…BRZZZZT!" The signal blared, and the UA Sports Festival was finally here!
