Ch13: Asking For A Friend...
Note: What's up everybody! Welcome back!! Hopefully you guys are enjoying the Sports Festival so far... sorry its dragging on for so long... like I said, I'm trying to do it justice since its one of my favorite arcs... Fight scenes can be tricky sometimes... Hopefully you guys like this one..
@SulliMike23: Its interesting that you mention the rouge gallery... I've actually been thinking about the possibility of adding some of them into the story... I'm not sure if I'll actually have them appear in a confrontation or if I'll just give nods to them through Peter's dialogue. But I intentionally left that door open by making Peter enter the Sports Festival without his mask. I'll definitely be thinking about what to do with them while I continue writing! Thanks for the review!! :)
@CRUDEN: I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I was worried people would be disappointed that the fight wasn't more brutal after the way I built up to it. It's great to hear from you again! Thanks for the encouragement! :)
@BearGlitch: Hi!! Thanks for following the story! I saw your Chapter 1 review, about Mineta's expulsion while Midnight faces no consequence... I know it seems like a double standard, but there's actually going to be an explanation for that during Momo's extra lessons with Midnight... I've got a bad habit of planning out callbacks that take a little too long to come to fruition. Hopefully you stick around long enough to see this! Thanks for the review!! :)
As always, I really appreciate all you guys continuing to read along!! I look forward to hearing more from you guys!
I do not own any of the characters depicted in this story...
"And... There... You... Go! All done! You're fingers should be as good as new now... Though I get a sneaking suspicion that I'll just be fixing them up again after your next match..." Recovery Girl sighed as she put the roll of medical tape she was using back in one of the drawers of a large table.
Izuku looked down at his hand as he moved each individual finger with ease. "Thank you... I'll try not to keep you too busy." He smiled as the old lady just waved a hand at his apology.
"Ahh it's quite alright... I suppose it is what I'm here for after all... I just don't want to see the day that you break yourself so terribly that I can't put you back together." She responded with a hint of concern in her old voice as she handed the boy some candy.
After looking back down at his newly bandaged hand again, he raised his head in the direction of his mentor. "So those shadows I saw earlier were really the previous weilders of One for All... That would explain why the blurriest one looked like you... Did you ever see them?"
"Only once in my younger years... Shortly after my predecessor was killed. It seemed like it was her way of saying a final goodbye." The skeletal symbol of peace said lowly.
"Did they activate your power?"
"No... As far as I know you're the first person they've ever physically interacted with... They must have a strong connection with you..."
Izuku closed his hand as an ominous sense of purpose flowed through his mind... But what that purpose was exactly was not yet clear to him.
"Don't focus on this too much right now kid, you've still got a match ahead of you, and a tough one at that. You should go and get back to your class. We'll talk more about this after the festival."
Midoriya nodded as he got up to leave. After closing the door behind him, he moved at a brisk pace towards his section. Upon his arrival he realized just how long he had been gone. One of the television screens in the hallway just outside the entrance to the seats designated for his class showed the current tournament bracket. The round of sixteen was in the middle of its seventh match. 'I MISSED FIVE WHOLE MATCHES?!?!?!'
As that very thought crossed his mind, he became aware of the sound of Hatsume's voice over what sounded like a speaker system. He rushed out to see what was going on and found Iida in the middle of what looked like a live commercial for the pink haired girl's support items.
Nobody looked thrilled to be sitting through the seemingly endless showcase of gadgets that Mei was marketing towards the boxes for support company executives.
"What's going on?" The green haired boy questioned as everyone turned to him.
"Hatsume is busy using our class rep like a puppet to show off all her stuff she brought..." Kirishima said in a tired voice.
"~Iida just wants to be a real boy!~" Peter joked in a high pitched Pinocchio impression, earning a hard laugh from nearly everyone around him.
Shoto just stared as Jiro nearly fell out of her seat laughing. "I don't get it..."
Peter leaned back in his seat and looked at his friend. "Next time you're at the apartment, we're binge watching some movies my guy."
"Only if you make food."
"Deal."
"Wait... You cook?" Jiro raised an eyebrow.
"I know how to throw a few things together." He said as he shifted his body so that Midoriya could get to his seat down the aisle.
"He's trying to be humble." Shoto sold him out. "He makes better food than Lunch Rush."
"What?!" Jiro and Mina said in unison as Peter scratched the back of his head. Momo began to figuratively sweat as she realized that she never told the two about the stir fry he had made for her. Not telling them about him coming to dinner was one thing... But when it came to food, her best friends didn't mess around.
"Will you two excuse us for a moment." Jiro put on a forced smile as her and Ashido pulled Momo into a huddle and began to whisper.
Peter and Shoto looked at each other with cocked eyebrows as they turned back and watched the three continue to converse in secret. The rest of the class seemed too preoccupied with their own conversations to notice the antics of the trio...
Izuku took his seat beside Ochako.
"Oh! Deku! You're finally back! I was starting to get worried about you..." The brunette smiled to hide the massive amount of anxiety that poisoned her mind. With each passing moment, her match with Bakugo grew closer and closer. She was happy to have her crush back to take her mind off of her dreaded encounter.
"Yeah... Recovery Girl was pretty busy with Monoma after Parker got finished with him... Then I got lectured for breaking my fingers again..." He said, leaving out the details that contained his conversation with All Might. "I still can't believe I was gone for so long... How'd the matches go?"
Uraraka turned her body to face him as she began to give him a quick summary of everything he missed...
As Izuku was brought up to speed, the three girls that had huddled together began to discuss matters of the highest importance... Food.
"Did you know anything about this?!" Jiro looked at Momo accusingly.
"Well..."
"YaoMomo..." Mina whispered in an attempt to get her to fess up.
"Yes! Fine! I knew about it! I'm sorry I didn't tell you!"
"Dude! Come on! You know we both love food, and here you are withholding the fact that you knew where we could get gourmet caliber grub for free?!"
"He's not a restaurant Mina!" Momo said in a hushed tone that was threatening to become louder than a whisper.
"Wait a second... How did you find out about this anyway?..." Jiro raised an eyebrow.
"..." Momo was silent.
"YaoMomo!" The purple haired girl scolded quietly.
"He maybe, might have, definitely cooked me the most delicious meal I've ever tasted in my entire life... But I only didn't tell you because I was too busy daydreaming about the whole thing! -I still do by the way, it was the best night of my entire life- Then the whole training thing happened and now we're here!"
"That is actually the cutest thing I've ever heard..." Mina conceded as she looked over at Jiro.
She sighed, "Alright, you're off the hook... If you get him to let us try some of his cooking..."
"Just ask him yourself! I'm sure he won't mind! He's the most easy going person I've ever met!" Momo tried to reason with them.
"That doesn't seem like the kind of thing you ask your best friend's crush to do for you!" Jiro hissed.
"We should just crash their movie marathon..." Mina suggested half jokingly.
The purple haired girl looked at her, "...You know what?..." She trailed off with a smirk on her face.
Momo's eyes bulged. "Kyoka..."
Her best friend's smirk grew wider.
"Kyoka, no..." Momo tried to protest.
"Kyoka, yes!!!" Mina encouraged deviously.
Peter and Shoto watched in curiosity as the three of them finally separated. Jiro was the first to speak as Momo shot Peter a apologetic look. "Alright it's been decided. We're coming too. What do we bring?"
Peter knew better than to deny Jiro something she wanted, not that he had any problem with them coming over anyway... He glanced up towards his best friend behind him. "You cool with them joining in?"
Shoto looked down at Peter, "It's your apartment... Why are you asking me?" He said plainly.
"Because you basically live there too." He chuckled.
"Oh... No I'm totally fine with it." He said as Mina bounced in her seat happily.
"Sounds like a plan then! If you guys wanna bring some soda or some drinks that would help out." Peter said as he smiled at Momo.
All three seemed to be pretty excited about the arrangement... Meanwhile, Uraraka wrapped up her recap...
"...and as soon as the match started, Dark Shadow grabbed Ashido and carried her out of the ring... Now we're just kinda sitting here while we wait Hatsume's sales pitch to end..." Her tone changed to reveal her actual feelings. "...Then it's my turn I guess..."
Izuku noticed her mood shift towards despair. He looked up to find that her opponent had already left for the waiting room. If anyone could understand what the girl was feeling in this particular moment, it was him. He knew he had to comfort her.
"Uraraka... I know the task in front of you seems impossible... But if I've learned anything from my time spent at UA, it's that we're being trained every day to be able to overcome anything. You're strong enough to win. Just believe in yourself. Give it your best shot... At the end of the day whether you win or lose, the scouts will be watching your performance just as much as the outcome of the fight."
She took her eyes off the ground as his words gave her a new sense of encouragement. With a furrowed brow she nodded to him. "Thanks Deku... I needed that."
He smiled softly. "If you want, I can crack open my notebook and we can form a strategy together." He offered, but to his surprise, she declined politely.
"Thanks... But I think I need to do this on my own... If I'm going to become a pro, I can't keep relying on others to help me out when things get difficult. I have to be able to get stronger on my own." She said as she stood up.
"I understand... Good luck..."
She turned to him with a thumbs up, "I'll see you in the finals Deku..." And with that, she made her way towards her waiting room.
After a few more minutes, the match that had been taking place finally came to an end as Hatsume walked out of bounds after she finished showing off her last gadget.
Midnight suddenly snapped to attention and made her announcement. "Uh... Hatsume walked out of bounds... Tenya Iida will advance!"
"YOU... TRICKED ME!!! YOU USED ME LIKE A MANNEQUIN TO COMMERCIALIZE YOUR SUPPORT ITEMS!!! YOU MADE ME LOOK LIKE A FOOL IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE!!!" Tenya shouted frantically.
Mei turned to him and smiled. "Yeah... Thanks for all your help there legs! You sure are a hero to me!" She laughed maniacally. "But if it's any consolation, I really am a big fan of your brother! Good luck in your next match!" She waved causing the boys frustration to die down. After all, it wasn't as if she manipulated him and won the match on top of it. She was just doing everything she could to chase her own dreams. It was hard to stay mad at her for that... Iida trotted up to her.
"Hey!"
Mei turned around. She wasn't expecting to be followed. "Hm?"
"Next time I bring my costume in for repairs I'll ask for you specifically. The same person who designed my brother's suit did mine as well. That should put you in contact with them directly. Besides..." His mouth curled into a small smile. "Some of those support items you designed would compliment my quirk quite nicely... Just promise you'll run any modifications by me first..."
The cross hairs in her eyes expanded slightly as a wide smile appeared on her face, "YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A DEAL!"
"WELL EVERYONE I THINK I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT WEVE SEEN IT ALL THIS YEAR!!! AS FUN AS THE SEVENTH MATCH WAS... HOW ABOUT WE MOVE ON TO THE EIGHTH!!!"
"Thank God that's over." Denki complained as he leaned forward with his head in his hands.
"Poor Iida, he's a little too trusting for his own good sometimes... *Ribbit"
"Well... Can't feel too bad for him... At least Hatsume had the decency to throw the match instead of just using her gear to make him run out of the ring." Kirishima pointed out.
"Yeah if we're going to feel sorry for someone, it should be Ochako..." Toru said with worry in her voice.
The class silently looked up at the tournament bracket.
8th MATCH: KATSUKI BAKUGO VS. OCHAKO URARAKA
The girl in the tunnel tried to steady her breathing as her moment under the spotlight inched ever closer. Even as her palms began to sweat and her heart continued to pound relentlessly, she was determined to do everything in her power to climb the immeasurably high mountain that stood before her. Her dreams of giving her parents an easy life depended on her ability to become a pro hero... And this was just the first of many steps on her path towards fulfilling those dreams.
Deku was right... If she lost this match, it didn't mean the death of that dream. All it meant was that she would know exactly what she needed to improve upon... As long as she showed all the pros watching that she had potential, then she would be victorious.
Even though she knew all these things to be true... There was a voice in her head that refused to settle for anything less than winning this fight.
'Come on Ochako! You can do this!!! You can go out there and win... Just like he did!'
As the image of Izuku Midoriya entered her mind she began to feel strong, and not a moment too soon either... Present Mic began the introductions.
"FOR THE EIGHTH AND FINAL MATCH OF THE ROUND OF SIXTEEN, WE HAVE QUITE AN INTERESTING FACE OFF!!! OUR FIRST FIGHTER HAS BEEN HOVERING AROUND THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE FESTIVAL!!!! HE TOPPED THE CHARTS ALONG WITH ONE OTHER STUDENT DURING THE HERO COURSE ENTRANCE EXAM AND HAS ALREADY PROCLAIMED HIS VICTORY DURING HIS HALF OF THE STUDENT PLEDGE!!! GOTTA LOVE THAT KIND OF CONFIDENCE!!!! THIS KID IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE ONTO THE SCENE!!! FROM THE HERO COURSE!!! CLASS 1A'S KATSUKI BAKUGOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Peter glanced over at Midoriya who seemed to be watching this match more closely than anyone else in the entire stadium as Iida took his seat beside the boy.
"How is she?" The class rep asked the green haired boy as neither of them dared to look away from the ring.
"She's nervous... She didn't say it... But I could tell. Who wouldn't be? Kacchan is insanely powerful... And he doesn't hold back against anyone." Izuku uttered quietly.
"Yes... It's quite an unlucky draw for her... Do you think there's a chance she could win?"
"...There is... But to say it will be difficult, would be a massive understatement..." Midoriya revealed as Iida turned to him questioningly.
"AND OUR LAST CONTESTANT OF THE FINAL SIXTEEN IS A VERY IMPRESSIVE YOUNG LADY WHO DEFIES THE VERY LAWS OF PHYSICS!!! SHE'S ALWAYS UP FOR A CHALLENGE, AND IS SURE TO LEAVE HER IMPRESSION ON ALL OF YOU FESTIVAL FANS!!! SHE'S A GRITTY YOUNG LADY WITH A CAN-DO ATTITUDE LIKE NONE OTHER... FROM HERO COURSE CLASS 1A... OCHAKO URARAKAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"
As the girl walked out of the tunnel she noticed her opponent was already waiting in the ring... She furrowed her brow and pushed herself forward, determined to make her parents proud.
Momo noticed the look of worry on the faces of her friends.
"This is going to be difficult for her..." Peter said as he watched the brunette climb the steps and enter the ring.
"...All she has to do is touch him one time..." Momo said knowing that would be much easier said than done.
Katsuki looked at Uraraka from across the ring. "You're the one who screws around with gravity... Right pink cheeks?"
Ochako gulped but stood her ground, keeping her focused expression on her face.
"If you're going to forfeit the match, then do it now... Because I'm not holding anything back... I know you're no charity case." He spat as he remembered their very first hero training session at UA... Where she and Deku bested him...
Though Katsuki's warning was intimidating on surface level, the acknowledgement of her strength motivated her. 'If he's taking me seriously... then I should too!'
Peter continued to look towards the ring as he added to Momo's thought. "Bakugo knows that he can't let his guard down..."
Midnight dropped her hand.
"BEGIN!!!"
"...Which is why he won't take any chances dodging her. He's going to focus on countering to keep her at bay..."
Uraraka charged forward bravely as she kept low to the ground. "I won't lose!!! And I'll never give up!!! I'm going to give this everything I've got!!!" She shouted at her opponent, who remained standing in place.
Katsuki's eyes narrowed, "...Then don't blame me for what happens next..." He drew back his right arm as small bursts of light and smoke danced around his palm.
Midoriya gritted his teeth in anticipation. 'Kacchan... You always start a fight with a big right hook...'
'There it is...' Uraraka thought to herself as she closed in on him. 'I know what's coming! Now I just have to avoid it!'
With an incredible display of his strength, and a crippling amount of power, Bakugo ripped his arm through the air and sent a blast directly into his opponent's face. Ochako was just barely able to throw her forearms in front of her for protection as she was sent flying backwards... A cloud of dust and smoke gathered around the two fighters.
"KATSUKI BAKUGO KICKS OFF THIS FIGHT WITH A DEVASTATING RIGHT HOOK!!!"
Peter and the others winced at the mercilessly brutal attack.
"Looks like he's not playing around..." Shoto said as he watched with a stern look on his face.
"No he's not... He knows he needs to take her seriously." Peter said with an intensity in his voice.
Momo watched the blonde with a stoic expression. She was studying him. Every movement... Every decision... Every reaction... All of it was observed carefully by the aspiring heroine. She wanted to memorize everything he did. Always one to think two steps ahead, she knew that a showdown with the hot head was more than just a possibility for her. She needed to take every opportunity she was given to try to get inside the mind of Katsuki Bakugo.
Ochako picked herself up off the ground quickly and hid herself in the shroud of smoke. 'Damn it! I saw it coming and I still couldn't get out of the way fast enough!!!' The smoke from the explosion was still thick. The brunette thought of a back up plan quickly as she removed the top of her gym uniform.
Katsuki's eyes darted around quickly as he surveyed each angle for any sign of movement. "You should have dropped out of this fight!"
In a flash he swung his right arm out as an object passed through the smoke on his left side. His reactions were as sharp as ever as he pinned whatever was coming through to the ground with another burst from his hand.
"YOU DONT HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL AT BEATING ME!!!"
The boys eyes widened to find his opponent's jacket under his palm. He responded immediately as Uraraka jumped through the smoke from the opposite side, swinging his hand across his body while creating a sweeping blast that sent her flying away once again... Pieces of the ring were scattered about.
"KATSUKI BAKUGO'S REACTION TIME IS INSANE!! HE'S FIGHTING ON A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL!!!"
Over and over again, Ochako continued to rush the blonde, only to get knocked back hard by vicious counter attacks. Her body was tossed like a rag doll by the violent explosions and with each one, her body came closer and closer to giving out on her as pieces of the ring continued to pepper the ground around them.
"AND AGAIN OCHAKO URARAKA IS SENT BACK ACROSS THE RING BY THE EXPLOSIVE POWER BAKUGO!!! ONE HAS GOT TO WONDER JUST HOW LONG SHE CAN KEEP THIS UP!"
"I can't watch this!" Mina whimpered as she covered her face as one of Bakugo's hands swept across the ground and another huge explosion found the face of Ochako.
As a rock began to float upwards unnoticed by the blonde, the class became aware of her plan...
A few pros in the stands began to grit their teeth as one of them voiced their concerns towards Midnight and Cementoss.
"Hey don't you think it's about time you stepped in and put a stop to this?!"
"This is too much!! Stop the fight!"
Peter and the others began to take notice as the spectators began to rile up. Shoto was quick to point out that they were unable to see the forest through the trees. "They call themselves pros and yet they can't see what's going on in front of them... They need to get their eyes checked."
As Ochako was blasted back to the ground once more, the crowd began to turn against Katsuki.
"Hey kid! If you want to be a hero, then start acting like one! If you're so good just send her out of bounds!"
"You're shameful!!!"
"Stop toying with her and end this!!!"
A wave of boos came from the crowd. Peter and Momo looked at each other in disbelief. "Are they serious right now?" He asked in disbelief.
The other members of class 1A and even those of class 1B couldn't believe that so many people weren't aware of the massive cluster of concrete shards floating in the sky.
Aizawa was quick to grab his microphone and speak. Only his students were not surprised that he was able to pick out the exact member of the crowd who started the wave of discontent. "Hey! You in the white costume!"
"Oh boy..." Peter muttered.
"You're the one who started this uproar aren't you?! If so, then you should go home right now and hang up that cape! You should look into finding a different career!" He barked over the speakers for all the spectators in the stadium to hear. He broadened his target audience to everyone in the stands, "Katsuki Bakugo's fierceness comes from an appreciation for his opponent's strength! Ochako Uraraka isn't some helpless little girl who stumbled into the position she's in right now. As her teacher, I can confidently say that she's earned her right to be here!"
Bakugo watched carefully as Ochako picked herself back up off the ground and wiped the ash and sweat from her brow with her wrist. Her breathing was becoming heavier and her body was begging her for rest, but still she stood ready to attack again.
'This isn't over... She's not done yet... She's still standing...'
"I think... It's finally time." Uraraka said as she opened her hands and started to bring them closer together. "Thank you Bakugo... For keeping your eyes focused on me!!"
"What?!" His eyes widened as she pressed her finger tips together.
"RELEASE!!!!"
"You know... I don't blame Bakugo for not noticing... But it's pretty embarrassing for a pro to not be able to realize what's going on from the stands." Shoto uttered in annoyance.
Bakugo along with the other unsuspecting spectators looked up as the gigantic amount of debris began to fall at full speed towards the ring below.
"OCHAKO URARAKA HAS CREATED A METEOR SHOWER USING THE BROKEN PIECES OF THE RING!!!! SHE'S SENDING DOWN RIGHT ON TOP OF BAKUGO!!!!"
"Whoa she had a plan all along!!! With this many falling rocks, she'll definitely have an opening!!!" Izuku said as impressed.
As cheers came from her class in the stands she put the very last bit of strength from her battered body into one final charge forward. As pieces of the destroyed ring fell like raindrops around her, she focused in on her opponent. 'THIS IS IT!!! MY SHOT!!! I'LL WIN AND BE JUST LIKE DEKU!!!'
As she neared her opponent, she watched as he lifted a hand up in the air and opened his hand towards the sky above. With a roar, Katsuki let off an enormous blast so strong that it dislocated his wrist. Every single piece of rubble falling towards him was turned into harmless pebbles. The force of the eruption sent her rolling across the ring.
Peter's eyes widened. He had been on the business end of that very blast before and it left him in bad shape... But the fact that Bakugo was able to pull that kind of attack off without his gauntlets was unnerving... Even if he did injure himself in the process.
She managed to roll over. 'no... That was... Everything I had... It only took him one shot?... Wait... Is he... Shaking?'
As she looked forward she saw him fall onto one knee as he clutched his hand close to his stomach.
'I just have to stand... This isn't over yet!!! Don't you dare give up Ochako Uraraka... get your ass up... AND FIGHT!!!'
She managed to stagger to her feet, fighting off the incredible wave of exhaustion that was trying to take over her body.
Pain continuously shot up and down Bakugo's right arm as he clenched his teeth, letting out a small growl. He rose to his feet and placed the collar of his uniform in his mouth. He bit down as hard as his jaw would allow him to as he violently yanked his hand back into place.
"Ho-ly shit he's insane!" Jiro uttered as all the other members of class 1A looked on in horrified astonishment.
"I knew you would have some stupid plan to beat me... You are friends with that damn nerd... WELL COME ON THEN URARAKA!!! LET'S FINISH THIS!!!!" Katsuki shouted through the pain.
She gritted her teeth, but as her body tried to move forward... Her legs failed her. Her arms were unable to catch her as she smacked the ground hard. Bakugo's eyes widened as he got out of his combat stance. As he watched his classmate begin to crawl towards him, and for the first time in his life, he felt a sense of pity for someone else.
The brunette continued to try drag herself forward as the promise she made to her parents as a little girl replayed in her mind. 'no... keep... going... Get up... GET UP!...'
Finally, after attempting to latch onto her opponent's ankle, she slipped into unconsciousness...
Bakugo backed away from her as Midnight knelt down beside the girl.
After a short pause she spoke, "Uraraka is KO'd... Katsuki Bakugo advances to the second round..."
Nobody cheered... Not one sound was heard.
As Bakugo turned to walk out of the ring he noticed his opponent's jacket out of the corner of his eye and picked it up off the shattered concrete. Without a word... He placed it beside his fallen opponent and made his exit quietly.
As two maintenance robots loaded Ochako onto a stretcher, Cementoss began to repair and expand the ring for the second round.
Everyone had felt a pit in their heart as they watched the robots carry her off into the tunnel.
"Man... What a bummer." Jiro said as she rested her chin in her hands.
"Yeah...I really thought she had it there for a minute. *Ribbit"
Well there is a bright side to all of this, faint as it may be..." Peter said as he ran a hand through his brown hair with a forlorn expression on his face.
"What's that?" Mina questioned as the rest of the class looked at him and awaited his response.
"She's gonna have one hell of a long list of internship offers on Monday."
One by one the students began to perk up a bit.
"You're right... Everything an agency is watching for, she displayed extremely well. Toughness, tenacity, creative quirk use, spirit... She really covered all the bases!" Iida said with a smile.
Todoroki suddenly stood up as Peter glanced at him with a knowing look. "Guess it's about that time huh?"
"Yeah... You coming?" Shoto asked.
"Right behind you big guy." He nodded as he turned to the three ladies beside him. "I'll be right back, you guys decide what you'd like to eat for the film festival. No stir fry though... That's just for her." He gestured to Momo and winked as her eyes sparkled. He would never know how special such a small comment such as that one made her feel... As he walked up the stairs she couldn't shake the clumsy grin and blush from her face.
"I'm starting to agree with Toru... You might be the luckiest girl alive." Mina chuckled as she watched her friend try to regain her composure.
"So tell us about this forbidden stir fry... Should we be jealous that we'll never get to try it?" Jiro said with a grin.
Momo chuckled, "I've been to some of the most expensive and famous restaurants with my parents across the world... That boy's cooking makes it look like convenient store food."
"You're lying!" They both said in disbelief, suddenly crushed by the fact that the specific delicacy would always remain just out of their reach.
"I would eat it every day for the rest of my life if I could." Momo said in a mocking fashion as her friends groaned.
The two shuffled towards the waiting rooms with their hands in their pockets as usual. They weren't in any particular hurry. After the number the previous two fighters had done on the ring, they both knew they had time to spare. They both passed the time by talking about their newly made plans with the three girls from their class.
"You've never had that many people over at a time before... Think you can handle cooking for all of us?" Shoto asked his friend who chuckled.
"Oh yeah... Shouldn't be a problem. I might have to go get more dishes though." He reasoned as they rounded a corner. "I was a little surprised that you were so willing to go along with the whole thing bud... I've only seen you hang around a larger group outside of school when we went to the restaurant on my first day here."
The boy shrugged his shoulders, "Honestly, those particular two don't seem all that bad... Jiro's pretty funny and Ashido is good at making people feel comfortable in conversation... Besides, they're Yaoyorozu's two best friends... I figured that I should get used to them if you two plan on getting closer... How's that going by the way?"
Peter had noticed over the course of the day that Momo seemed like she was getting more bold with him... Especially after their last few interactions. She seemed rather... Playful. Even though it made him slightly nervous, it was a welcome kind of nervous. He liked it... A lot.
"Actually it's going pretty well... She asked me if we could spend more time together outside of school and I almost lost it." He admitted. "And she's kinda been acting different around me... I-in a good way."
Shoto raised an eyebrow, "How's that?"
Peter's face started to get hot at the thought of her recent antics. "I don't know... I think she's flirting with me." He said with a small grin on his face.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, I have noticed that she's basically only been sitting on the right side of her chair since you guys got back after her match." He said with a chuckle.
"You noticed that?"
"Uh? Yeah Parker... I've been sitting right behind you guys the whole time..."
"Oh yeah... That's fair... So I'm not just crazy then." He said as they passed by some empty waiting rooms.
"No I don't think so... So are you gonna flirt back?"
"Well it does seem like she's making it a little more obvious... Maybe I should." He reasoned.
"You tend to tiptoe around things a little too much, you know that?" Shoto shook his head.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's obvious that she likes you... You keep worrying about what her response is going to be even though it's definitely going to benefit you to step outside of your comfort zone a little. I just don't understand what exactly you're waiting for... If I'm able to pick up on it, then she's not really trying to hide it anymore, if she ever was to begin with... Just play along and see for yourself." Shoto said as they stopped outside of his waiting room.
Peter once again couldn't find any downside in his best friend's logic, "Why and how are you so good at this kind of stuff?" He asked as he looked at his friend like he was an alien.
"Trust me... From the outside looking in, it's really not as complicated as you are making it out to be." He rolled his eyes with a smirk as he leaned back against the door and folded his arms across his chest.
"Well... I guess I'll give it a shot and see for myself then... Anyway enough about that... It seems like you've got a pretty important match coming up." Peter said as his eyebrows furrowed.
"Seems that way..." Shoto said in a more serious tone, almost as if a switch was flipped in his brain.
"Don't worry... I'm not gonna lecture you again... I just hope that no matter how you approach this fight, the result gives you the satisfaction you're after. It may not be today... But someday I hope you'll see your power as a reflection of you and not of him..."
"Maybe... But I wouldn't count on that day being today... I just feel like I have to do this." Shoto said as he stared at his friend with an indifferent expression... Though his eyes told a painful story... Almost as if he was reaching out for help nobody could give him.
The look in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by Peter. He felt a tightness in his chest but he knew there was nothing that he could say that he hadn't said already. He placed his hand on Shoto's shoulder. "I understand... Go win this so we can have a little public sparring match with some stakes to them." He said as they smirked at each other.
"You're dreaming if you think you can win..." The boy said to him with a grin.
"I'm gonna make you eat those words like soba my guy."
And with a slight chuckle Shoto entered his waiting room and the door closed behind him.
As Peter turned to walk away, down the stairs came a familiar face muttering to himself. With the look in his best friend's eyes burned into his brain he started to walk towards Midoriya at a speedy pace. The green haired boy looked up to see him coming his way.
"O-oh, hey Parker! What's u-AAAHHH!" He wasn't able to finish his greeting as Peter grabbed his arm and pulled him into the nearest waiting room and shut the door behind him.
"I-is everything... Okay?" He asked, confused about why his classmate had pulled him into a more private setting.
He and Parker hadn't exactly gotten to be very close since his arrival, but they did speak to each other daily and he was always very friendly when they did interact...
Normally when he was put in this situation, Midoriya was extremely nervous and felt threatened by the other person... But this time, he could tell that the person who pulled him to the side needed help.
"No. It's not." Peter stated rather bluntly with a serious look.
"Did... I do something to upset you?" Midoriya asked as the expression of his classmate began to unsettle him.
"No... You just happen to be the only person who can help me." He said as Izuku's eyes widened at the revelation.
"What's going on?" He asked suddenly adjusting to the mood of the situation.
Peter's intense gaze met the concerned one of the secret successor to the world's greatest hero. "I know about your conversation with Todoroki..."
Izuku began to stammer as his eyes darted around the room. "I-I have n-no idea what y-you're talking about... Wh-what conversation??"
Peter shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Look, I really appreciate that you're not one to spout off about things that were told to you in confidence... But we don't exactly have all day here. I know all about Todoroki's background and he told me from his own mouth that he told you about it after the cavalry battle... So let's cut the act."
Izuku's eyes fell to the ground as he furrowed his brow. "I guess that makes sense... You two seem to be pretty close... But what does any of that have to do with bringing me in here?"
"I just got finished talking to Sho... Now that he's told you everything, I'm sure you're aware why this match is so important to him..."
"...Yeah... He said he wants to beat me with only his right side... To prove to his father that he doesn't need him or his power..."
"Right... Let me ask you something..." Peter paused as he gathered his thoughts in order to convey them clearly, "Have you ever looked into somebody's eyes and saw them crying out for help even though they tell you everything is fine?"
Izuku knew that look all too well. A vision of Katsuki being attacked by the sludge villain appeared in his mind. "Yes..."
"That was the look he gave me before he went into his waiting room... You know his story... He's fallen into a prison of his own lineage... I think he's only doing this to try to free himself from all the pain he's carried for so long... When the only way for him to truly heal, is to leave that hurt behind him and move forward towards his future... He needs to use his fire... But nothing I say seems to get through to him... That's why I need you Midoriya."
"I think I understand what you're getting at..." The green haired boy said as he clenched his fist. He wanted to help as many people as he could... Like a real hero... "But what makes you think I'll be any help if he won't even listen to you?"
"Because... Sometimes the words we need to hear are more powerful when they come from someone outside our circles... I think you're the only one who can help him." Peter said with sincerity. "I know it's a raw deal for you, considering that it will most likely make your match exponentially harder if you're successful... But if you're able to help him, I promise I'll find a way to make it up to you."
Midoriya didn't hesitate. To him, moments like this were what truly made someone a hero. "I'll try my best." He said with a determined expression.
Peter smiled as he patted Izuku's shoulder. "You really might just be the best of all of us Midoriya... Go give him a good fight..." He said with a smile. He opened the door but stopped and turned around. "He needs us right now... He'll never admit it... But I know he does." And with that, Peter exited the room, leaving Izuku there alone with all the thoughts in his mind about Shoto Todoroki's invisible battle he was fighting alone.
Katsuki made his way towards the stands wearing his regular stern expression. His wrist was wrapped up in a white bandage and his eyes remained fixed on the ground as he continued forward. He shifted his gaze towards his bandaged hand as the event of the match replayed over and over in his mind.
He scowled out of both frustration and annoyance. It wasn't supposed to be that hard... He acknowledged his opponent capabilities, sure... But he was also well aware of his own. The fact that he was backed up against the wall like that was completely unacceptable to him. He had actually been forced to exert himself to the point of self injury in order to win... it was a huge blow to his ego...
He shook off the thoughts in his head but harnessed the frustration... He had another fight to focus on.
Upon his arrival, he ignored everyone as usual until Kaminari decided to tease him.
"How's that hand doing Bakugo?"
He barked back at the boy, "Shut your damn mouth you over glorified power strip!!! At least I actually won my fight!"
He continued towards his seat without stopping.
"Yeah... You probably shouldn't talk smack after getting turned into an icicle like you did..." Jiro smirked as Katsuki sat down far away from the rest of his class.
Kaminari grumbled as he sunk down in his seat.
"Why can't you ever just give me a break Jiro?" He whined.
"I didn't make you open your mouth." She retorted.
Bakugo looked at the bracket tree displayed on the giant screen in the stands. First he studied the opposite side of the tournament layout. 'Icy Hot and Parker should advance... Quirkless or not, Deku doesn't have a prayer at winning this time... And Parker's raw strength should be more than enough to deal with that shiny B-list wannabe... One of those two will be who comes out of that side...' he mentally reasoned.
His eyes drifted to his side of the tree. His next fight would be against his class rep, and he already had what he considered to be a solid plan for dealing with him. He continued to study his path to the championship. 'Everyone has been going on and on about how strong bird brain is... But he's not the biggest threat... No... Not by a long shot...' his eyes zeroed in on the name of who he considered to be his biggest obstacle left standing in his way of the final round... 'That would be her...'
As Momo watched the exchange take place she noticed that Katsuki's eyes were focused on her as he leaned back in his seat. She turned her attention to him as the two silently stared one another down. He was sizing her up... Which meant he expected her to win her matchup with Tokoyami... In the past she would have pretended not to notice, but now she was confident enough to quietly let him know that she wouldn't be so easily intimidated by someone she had every intention of beating. Finally, the blonde scoffed and looked away. 'She's going to be a problem...'
On the ground below, Cementoss had finally finished the brand new ring for the second round as Peter hopped into his seat beside Momo. "Alright! Looks like I timed that pretty well!" He said as the trio looked his way. "So, did you guys decide what you want me to make?"
Momo and the others smiled, "Well we were actually hoping you could help us decide..." The black haired girl said. "Mina wants fish, Jiro wants something she's never had before, and I'd like to try something you liked to make when you lived in America... Got any ideas?"
Peter thought for a moment as he tried to come up with something that would satisfy everyone. After a short time, he turned to them with a grin. "You guys ever had a taco?"
They all three turned to each other and shrugged before turning back to him.
"I know about them, but I've never actually tried one..." Jiro said with interest.
"Yeah me neither." Mina admitted.
"I have... But only once on a family vacation... I remember them being really good!" Momo said excitedly.
The inflection of her voice raised the curiosity of the other two as they began to look at one another enthusiastically... Which didn't go unnoticed by Peter.
"Ohhhh man... I'm gonna blow your minds. Salmon BLT tacos... West coast style!" He said in a rather confident tone.
As the three ladies began to get even more excited Present Mic's voice once again filled the air.
"IT'S FINALLY TIME FOLKS!!!! THE RING IS BUILT!!! THE MATCHES ARE SET!!!! AND THE FIGHTERS ARE IN THE TUNNELS!!!!! WHADDYA SAY WE GET THESE QUARTER FINALS STARTED HUH?!?!?!"
Everyone snapped to attention as the jumbotron flashed and showed a picture of both Midoriya and Todoroki. Momo glanced beside her to see Peter's expression change. He now seemed more intense. Like he was waiting for something... Something extremely important. His eyes burned with anticipation...
'Come on Midoriya... Be a hero...'