Chapter Twelve
"You what?!
"I can't heal him, Eri," Recovery Girl said, firmly but not unkindly.
"B-But-!" Eri sputtered at her mentor's refusal, her mind reeling. She'd never seen Recovery Girl refuse treatment for anyone, unless-! The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water and she looked at Katsuma laying on his hospital bed in the infirmary, the circles under his eyes like deep bruises. "He's too tired," she said quietly.
"His Quirk really is remarkable for bouncing back from harm," Recovery Girl said. "It may not be as fast as my Healing Kiss or a true Regeneration Quirk, but it does the job well and, even more remarkably, it does so thoroughly. But his only major condition at the moment is that he's exhausted from overexerting his Quirk, and my power would only make that problem worse instead of better." She sighed through her teeth. "I swear, if he were conscious I'd bop him a new one." She cracked her cane against the side of her wheelchair in emphasis, causing Eri to flinch a bit at memories of her doing just that to innumerable UA students that had frustrated her with their recklessness. "As it stands, he needs rest and food."
"But we only have an hour for lunch before the recreational games," Eri fretted, fiddling with her waist-length hair in a nervous habit as Katsuma sighed in his fitful sleep. He shifted and relaxed just a little bit.
"I won't have him loading up on caffeine, Eri," Recovery Girl said firmly. "It'll be far worse for him in the long run." She placed her chin on her palm, tapping a finger against her jaw in thought. "If only there was a way for a lovely young girl to energize a teenage boy." The corners of her mouth were trembling with the effort not to grin. "If only."
Eri looked quizzically at Recovery Girl before an idea crossed her mind, pink blooming across the bridge of her nose to paint her cheeks. She knew what her mentor was suggesting. She looked down at Katsuma, thinking back to how hard he had worked from the time he set foot onto UA campus, and how terrified he'd been of disappointing everyone if he did poorly. She herself knew he wouldn't lose her or the others as friends, but he'd been so scared of such a thing.
She couldn't let him face that again.
"Katsuma?" she prodded, shaking his shoulder. He groaned and shifted a bit, but didn't wake. "Katsu," she crooned, shaking him again.
"Hmm …?" he groaned, eyes fluttering tiredly open. "What-? Eri? What's going on …?"
"You need some food to get your energy back," Eri said. "Something high in carbs and natural sugars," she mused, thinking back to her many lessons with Recovery Girl.
"M'so tired," he yawned.
"I know," she said consolingly, and brushed her fingers through his hair before she realized what she was doing. "But you need to wake up." Her stomach tumbled as she leaned in next to his face … and planted a firm kiss on his cheek with a sharp, "Mwa!"
Katsuma's eyes widened in shock, his face turning redder than hers, and he sat up with a gasp. "Did you just-?!"
"Feeling better?" she asked with a nervous smile.
"Let's get some lunch!" he shouted, voice cracking. He all but leapt from the bed and thanked Recovery Girl with a bow before racing out of the room.
"Go on, dearie," Recovery Girl chuckled. "He's waiting on you."
Eri smiled and followed Katsuma out the door.
"Ah, reminds me of that year with Sorahiko," the elderly nurse sighed fondly.
"Well, look who decided to show up," Kota said blandly as Eri and Katsuma jogged into the cafeteria. Two extra plates of food sat on the table for them for their friends, at Satsuki's insistence.
"Sorry. Just needed some, erm, help from Recovery Girl," Katsuma said breathlessly.
"But it's all fine now," Eri said brightly, a strange lilt in her voice.
Satsuki kept her eyes on those two as she continued to eat her white rice, something about them seeming … off. Their red faces could have been from the jog over, but that didn't seem quite right. As they dug into their food, Katsuma's hands were trembling and Eri was playing with her hair like she did when she was nervous.
That could easily be explained by nerves from the upcoming tournament, but … that still didn't seem right. Satsuki had always prided herself on her intuition, and it was practically screaming at her that something about this situation was not quite what it seemed.
Apparently she wasn't the only one who thought so, because Kota was assiduously watching them from the corner of his eye. Satsuki could practically see the gears turning in his brain as he too observed their friends, old and new. After a while he stood jerkily from the table and mumbled something about water, taking his glass and heading for the drink dispensers.
It was at that moment that both Eri and Katsuma reached for a bottle of soy sauce at the same time and their fingers brushed against each others'. They glanced at each other and both flushed before looking hurriedly away. Eri cleared her throat and Katsuma began tapping his nails on the tabletop, both of them looking away from one another.
… No way.
"S-Sorry," Katsuma said shakily, his head twitching as if wanting to look at her but afraid to. "You take it."
"I-It's okay," Eri said back, taking the soy sauce and slowly pouring it onto Katsuma's plate, looking from the corner of her eye so as not to look directly at him. "Just say when."
"When," he replied and she stopped, finally looking at him to offer him a shy smile … One that he returned just the same way, both of their faces still red, though fading to pink. As if some unspoken tension had been broken, they delicately resumed their meals.
… Way.
Satsuki looked across the cafeteria at Kota, who was refilling his glass with water and rather aggressively chugging it down before doing it again, as his Quirk caused rapid dehydration with intensive use. She wondered if he had looked over to see that little exchange.
'Oh, this ought to be good,' Satsuki thought wryly.
When the lunch hour was over, the students had all collected in the arena to hear from their referee.
"Now that you have had a chance to rest and relax," Lady Nagant declared, "it is time for our finalists to determine their opponents." She picked up a box of lots and held it. "Step forward each of you and draw for your placement on the roster."
The top sixteen lined up and each drew their lots, which Lady Nagant entered into a digital keypad. When the line was finished, the holographic display screen reappeared and went through its randomizing animation before it showed the finalized roster: Mori vs Tategami — Wani vs Hito — Izumi vs Toreka — Sumisu vs Shimano — Saru vs Tamashirio — Yayoi vs Togata — Joren vs Silver — Asui vs Namerakana. Whispers began as the finalists found their match-ups, wondering about their opponents and their chances.
"Before the final round, we have planned recreational games for those who did not make the cut to show their stuff. The finalists may participate if they wish, or opt out to conserve their strength."
As the students were given instructions on what the first of the recreational games would be, Katsuma looked around at the small quartet of Class B students, wondering which of them was his opponent. Kota looked at Toreka with a vicious grin, the androgynous boy eyeing him uncomfortably. Satsuki was doing much the same as Katsuma, though she was fairly certain that the sole Class B girl in the finals was her opponent. And Eri … she sighed through her nose as Yayoi caught her eye and smiled haughtily, eyes glinting with something almost cruel.
She only smiled back at him with poisonous sweetness, just as Ms. Pinky — Mina Kirishima, nee Ashido — had taught her years ago. At least she could savor when the large boy quailed and looked away.
Naturally, most of the finalists chose to forego the recreational events, preferring to plan or to relax. A few decided to watch the events, such as Joren, Toreka, or Satsuki, the last of whom spectated with as much energy as any in the crowd.
Katsuma found some earplugs and a pair of sunglasses, taking the time to rest in his seat next to Satsuki, who had promised to wake him when it was time to begin. Kota was in one of the waiting rooms going over ideas to take down Toreka in their match. And Eri … well, Eri was taking advantage of the lull to find someone.
A quick call to arrange it and Eri was standing at the edge of a doorway labeled "No Spectators," fiddling with her fingers as she waited.
"Heya, Sis," came a much less exuberant greeting than usual and Eri looked up to find her big brother and adopted father smiling at her with just as much enthusiasm as ever. Right, Mirio was here as a civilian and not a hero. He had to keep his cover, which his usual boisterousness would blow wide open.
"Hey, Mirio," Eri said quietly, then looked past him. "Hi, Papa."
"Hey there, Sweetie," Suzu said happily, holding his arms out for a hug. Eri met him halfway and hugged her papa, Mirio chuckling and hugging her from behind for a family-wide group hug. "And look who else came to watch," Suzu whispered as the men stepped back.
Eri looked past her papa to see, in the distance, an elderly man with shaggy, but neatly-brushed grey-white hair framing his strong, square face, dressed in a nicely-cut charcoal suit and his hands clasped on an ornate cane. The elderly man looked up and over and offered her a soft smile. He gave a slow, firm nod before looking away again.
"Grandfather," Eri whispered.
Fuku Tanaka, the leader of the Shie Hassaikai, had remained a small part of Eri's life after he had been woken from the coma Overhaul had put him into. Given his age and lingering health difficulties, as well as his tenuous financial situation given his organization had largely been arrested after the famous raid in which Eri had been rescued, he had not tried to force the issue of resuming his role as her caretaker. Even with being her last blood relative giving him a firm foundation for such a move, he had chosen to plead with the courts to keep her safe and to please allow him to remain in her life to some degree.
Given a former yakuza boss was quite literally pleading with the courts, they had allowed this. As such, "Boss" Tanaka had been allowed to discuss visitation with the Togata family who had since adopted her. Suzu and Mirio had — after he himself had insisted on apologizing to Eri for his own unintended but significant role in her ordeal — granted him the privilege of visiting their home to see her twice a month, with outings with the family coming later. As such, though they were not particularly close, Eri knew her grandfather and that he cared for her.
"You're doing great out there, Eri," Mirio said happily. "Way better than I did during my first sports fest." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Or my second, for that matter."
"How are you feeling about it all?" Suzu asked.
"I'm happy I've gotten this far," Eri giggled. "And I know I couldn't have done it without my friends."
"That Shimano boy seems like a good kid," Suzu said.
"Good fighter, too," Mirio commented. "He'd make a great partner someday."
"H-Huh?" Eri squeaked, pink rising high on her cheeks.
"Just thought he'd be a great hero with you," Mirio said, his lips pursed in surprise before spreading into a grin. "Why? What'd you think I meant?"
"Nothing," Eri said, affecting calm. Then Mirio and Suzu traded a sly look that she did not like one bit.
"So who's this Yayoi character you are up against?" Mirio asked, changing the subject. "You know him?"
Eri snorted. "Do you remember that story I told you about the bronze guy I beat up on the first day?"
As the recreational games wound down, Satsuki glanced at Katsuma's snoozing form and gave a tiny smile. He still looked pretty beat, but not near as bad as before. She'd have to wake him soon.
She started as her phone buzzed in her pocket and retrieved it to check the caller ID: Big Sister. She gasped and answered, making her way up the steps and to a quieter inner hallway. "Tsuyu?" she asked.
"Hey Suki," Tsu croaked. "The whole family's been watching the sports fest." There was the sound of a number of voices that showed that Tsuyu had her on speaker, her parents and brother complimenting her performance. "Fumi's here, too," Tsuyu added.
"Your journey has been quite a triumph so far," Fumikage said, his deep, mellow voice full of pride. "Keep up the good work." Satsuki felt the tiniest stirrings of butterflies in her stomach at his words and silently scolded herself. As it turned out, Fumikage had been her first crush as a child — made hilariously ironic by the fact that he'd been Tsuyu's boyfriend, now her fiance, for as long as she'd known him — and even after getting over that she still found him objectively handsome and valued his approval nearly as much as she did Tsuyu's.
"Thank you all," she said, a chirpy ribbit in her voice. She looked back at the doorway to the stands. "Listen, the tournament will start soon."
"We got it," Tsuyu said. "Good luck, little sister. And no matter what happens, know that we're proud of you." She hung up and Satsuki replaced her phone before taking a deep breath and returning to her seat to wake Katsuma. She perked up at the sight of Kota drawing closer from down the hallway, his stride sure and his grin confident.
"Figured out a plan?" she asked.
"Let's do this thing," Kota said, grinning widely.
When the finalists gathered before the stage, Cementoss putting the finishing touches upon the traditional one-on-one arena, Lady Nagant addressed them and the crowd. "With the fun and games out of the way," she said with a sly smile, "we come to the main event. For this year's final stage, we have a classic sparring tournament."
"You hear that, fans?" Present Mic announced. "A simple match-up that never goes out of style! The first one like this in nine years, yeeaaah! Our kiddos duking it out hand-to-hand and Quirk-to-Quirk!"
"Aw yeah!" Chargebolt declared. "They mix it up every year, but I guess you just have to revisit the immortal classics. Once again, UA's kickin' it nostalgic! Brings even more memories to mind!"
"Bringin' back memories of Shiozaki whippin' you in one move," Mic laughed.
"Ah, why'd you have to remind me of that?" Kaminari whined, much to the amusement of the crowd and the contenders.
"I'm sure many of you think you know the rules," Lady Nagant announced. "But for those who don't, or have forgotten, and especially for those who think you know, a review could never hurt." She gestured wide with one arm at the raised platform, the spouts at the corners igniting with brief pillars of flame that settled into something like torch lights.
"Contenders will begin on equal sides of the field. They will only move from their starting positions or use their Quirks upon the sound of the starter gun." She formed her arm into her Rifle and fired, the unmistakable sound carrying through the air. "Victory comes by forcing your opponent out of the ring, forcing them to concede defeat, immobilization, or when one or both competitors are deemed unfit to continue fighting."
Lady Nagant's eyes then went from distantly warm … to utter icy cold. "Though you are free to use your Quirks in any way that you see fit, the use of deadly force is prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification for unheroic conduct." Her rifle made an ominous crick-crack noise, like a shotgun's pump action. "Should I believe that a contender is going for a fatal or permanently debilitating move, they will be fired upon with a non-lethal round and disqualified." She gestured with her free arm at Cementoss, who waved at them. "Cementoss will also take measures according to his own initiative."
All sixteen students quailed at the look in Lady Nagant's eyes. Her marksmanship skills were beyond legendary — the stuff of epics — and no one in their right mind wanted to get on her bad side, non-lethal rounds or otherwise.
"Any questions?" she asked. When none were forthcoming, she nodded. "Our first contestants will enter from the far entrances," she nodded at each opening. "The next pair will wait in the designated waiting room. All others, return to the student seating to await your turn."
The crowd cheered as all of the students left the stands, the first round so close it could nearly be tasted.
"So, who do you think will win?" Katsuma asked.
The four friends had predictably taken seats together. Katsuma was leaning forward, having recovered as well as could be expected from his exhaustion and clearly eager to see what was coming. Eri was much the same, and Satsuki's eyes were glittering with anticipation. Kota was slumped in his seat, the brim of his cap shading his eyes as he affected an air of not caring that was patently faked.
"Who's even competing?" he drawled.
"It's right there on the screen," Satsuki said dryly, pointing at the posted names. Oki Mori vs Akane Tategami.
"We've all seen Tategami in action," Eri said with a smile. "She's one of the best of our class. Whoever this Mori fella is will have tough match no matter what his Quirk."
"Do we even know his Quirk?" Satsuki asked. "He's from Class B, but I don't think I ever saw him in action. At least, not knowing it was him."
"I think I know," Kota said, eyes now open and gaze sharp as the competitors emerged from their entrances. "But I'm not entirely sure."
"Here we have it, sports fans!" Present Mic declared. "The first match-up of the final stage! From Class 1-B, we have the small guy who packs a huge wallop. Oki Mori!"
From the left hand entrance relative to the student stands emerged a boy with wavy dark hair grown in a shaggy mop that framed eyes downturned at the outer corners, giving him a perpetually mournful look even with his faint, tranquil smile. He seemed shorter than average, with a round physique appearing nearly overweight, even in his UA gym uniform. His walk was halting and seemingly thoughtful as he passively waved to the crowd.
"And up against him," picked up Chargebolt, "we've got the class representative of 1-A. The mythic Akane Tategami!"
Tategami strode out of her entrance with all the regal grace of a lioness. Her tawny hair was done up in a bun, unlike in her hero uniform, and her golden-brown eyes were hard with determination, her almost severe expression only accentuated by the scar under her eye.
"Mythic," Eri mused. "That's a pretty good title for a hero."
"Remember the rules," Lady Nagant said firmly. "But even more than that, remember your resolve. Good luck to you both. Prepare yourselves!" Both students shifted into fighting stances, Tategami spreading her feet and flexing her outstretched hands like claws, while Mori drew himself in like a sumo wrestler, elbows in and hands loose.
"Good luck, Ms. Tategami," Mori said, his voice a low rumble that somehow seemed bigger than his small, rotund frame.
"Give it your all," Tategami replied, calling back to her athlete's oath.
Lady Nagant lifted her Rifle and glanced at both students. "Ready," she said, and fired upward with a sharp crack of the gunshot.
The first match had begun.
Sorry about the skipped week, but you guys had been warned. Rest assured, though, that I will keep plugging away at this story that is close to my heart. It's a bit of a transitional chapter today, but next time will jump right into the action! (And theories on Mori's Quirk? Or anything else, really? Leave it in feedback - I love hearing y'all's thoughts!)
*Eri's grandfather is never named in canon. His surname that I have given him is the fourth most common in Japan, chosen because four is an unlucky number in Japanese culture that sounds like death. His given name is part of the name for Fukuoka, the northernmost part of the island of Kyushu that is reputed to have more syndicates than any other place in Japan.
*The idea that Satsuki used to have a crush on Tokoyami, her beloved big sis's boyfriend, occurred to me a very long time ago and would never go away. I just think it's hilarious.
*The idea that the sports festival is "revisiting a classic" comes mostly from my own preference for the format. I figure UA would have to repeat some one-on-one events at some point, so why not now? Especially with Nezu being the clever, crafty rodent(?) that he is and keeping an eye on this particular Class 1.
*I know sniper rifles don't pump like shotguns, but I just couldn't resist the effect. I'm assuming Lady Nagant has a bit of leeway in the, erm, "construction" of her own Quirk's Rifle.
*Mori's given name, Oki, simply means "big" in Japanese, another reference to his Quirk. And the name was not meant as a reference to the Oki Mariner ship from the anime, it just ended up happening. His appearance is somewhat based on Nirengeki Shoda/Mines from canon's Class B.
As always, I hope it was a fun read! Leave a review if you like! And may your own inspiration flow freely!