Watching the sports festival together was a yearly tradition that a few people probably had, and Inko and Mitsuchan weren't exempt from this.
Starting this tradition long before when they'd first started living together and bringing their respective families into it.
And with Izuku working at U.A. now this would be no different, but Inko had to say it had gotten a bit cramped this year as she'd invited the families of Izuku's friends to join them this year.
Inko was rather glad Mitsuchan had talked her into letting her friend rent out some place to watch it together since she was sure there wouldn't be enough room for everyone at either of their apartments.
By all accounts this year would have a much larger turnout.
Izuku and Katsuki both had expanded their social circles, Izuku had an especially massive one now from his work.
They'd chosen to extend an offer to join them to watch that year's festival with their little mom group, to which most surprisingly agreed to come.
Magne-San was the only one who chose to opt out since she planned to go watch with her aunt's family since they'd reconnected.
Still though, there'd be about eleven or twelve people depending on if she'd count Scamp since Jin never went anywhere without his beloved companion.
Inko gladly helped set up a table off to the side for the potluck like event, everyone had decided to bring something as a thank you.
When people started arriving half an hour before the start of the festival most people knew each other in some shape or form.
Shoji-San, Saori-San, and Aditi-San knew each other well after meeting up for girls' night once a month now.
She'd also met Saori-San's husband and Aditi-San's wife once or twice before, and she'd spoken to Awase-Kun's parents over the phone more than once.
A quick round of introductions was given between everyone, mainly for Twice and Awase-Kun's folks, and more than a few of them gave Scamp a lot of belly rubs.
After that there was enough time to get everyone settled before it was time to tune in to the first year's section of the festival, with hopes of hearing or seeing Izuku pop in once or twice.
It was just as much of a shock to her as it was to everyone when Izuku had been introduced as the umpire.
"Inky you bitch! Why didn't you tell us little Izu was going be running shit this year?" Mitsuchan questioned.
"He didn't tell me he'd be the umpire." Inko replied completely astonished that Izuku hadn't told her he was going to be taking on such a big role.
"Still, that's a big honor, and your boy looks adorable Midoriya-San." Awase-San's mother, Yumi said patting her on the shoulder.
"Hey, did the sound get cut out or something? Where's the cheering?" Jin asked, grabbing the remote and turning up the volume.
It was only then with everyone falling quiet that she noticed that the tv was also quiet, almost dead quiet and Inko clenched her hands a second later as she realized that the tv was working just fine.
Mitsuchan, Masachan, Aditi-San, and Shoji-San seemed to key in next and her best friend growled "Oh those fuckheads think they're so fucking-" Mitsuchan grumbled but was cut off as Izuku began speaking then introduced the student speaking that year.
Then Mitsuchan and Jin leapt to their feet and began loudly clapping and cheering for Haku-Chan.
"Hell yeah! You show those quirk obsessed jackasses, kid!" Mitsuchan shouted only for Masachan to gently put his hands on her shoulders and guided her back to her seat.
Then the festival continued as it usually did, with first two rounds and then the intermission games before the one-on-ones, little ad breaks in between when they all talked favorites, with Haku being a strong one in the betting for winning the one-on-ones.
Inko playing the bank for it since she didn't want to put any money/snacks down.
"Oh, look Catnap's on again, get ready to lose your chocolate chips Cocktail!" Mitsuchan declared and Inko slapped her friend's shoulder.
"Mitsuchan!" she exclaimed, really why she had to pick such a name Inko had no idea, and she was half certain that she was still calling Aditi-San that to bug her.
"Oh, get off your high ass Inky. She doesn't care anymore about me calling her that then you do when I say you're an Inky little bitch." Mitsuchan said with a dismissive wave and Aditi-San nodded.
"I really don't, honestly though who else would think about calling me that?" Aditi-San said with tittering chip of a laugh.
"My brat would, but he's trying to shake off his more asshole-ish traits still." Mitsuchan answered as before taking another sip from her ramune.
"Um, the fight's starting now." Saori-San pointed out and thankfully attention returned to the screen.
Indeed, both the purple cat girl and her opponent, the boy with the metal prongs coming out of his head and little spheres all over his arms, had started to fight.
Gromova, if she recalled right was using her naturally giving agility to run in circles around the boy with the boy holding his arms up to protect himself from the occasional blow when Gromova tried to strike him.
*I think we might have our first draw soon enough folks, cause if things continue like this then we'll have an endurance match on our hands.* Present Mic told them as Gromova tried once again to pounce on the Goldman boy.
The boy easily side stepping out of the way.
*If that's the case I'd say the match is in Goldman's favor then wouldn't it?* Hawks questioned while Gromova tried to whack him with her tail.
*Hm, you'd think that but both of the kids have had two fights under their belts now, and even with the breaks in between that's going to wear on the kids.* Present Mic explained and as if to illustrate the point both of the students had stopped meters away from each other in the ring after another failed strike attempt from Gromova.
Both kids' chests visibly rising and falling as they breathed deeply.
*And though it seems like Gromova is wasting energy by attacking so often and will tire out sooner by moving so much on the surface,* Present Mic said in a bit of a leading tone.
Gromova chose that moment to spring at Goldman, only for the boy to dodge and fall with a crash as he was tripped up by Gromova's foot wrapping around his ankle.
*Gromova's previous fights were over much faster, and she has used much less of her stamina, and while she isn't formally trained in non-quirk based close quarters combat, she does have a better understanding of her mutant biology which will greatly aid her.* Present Mic explained as Gromova prepared to pin him.
But before she could Goldman gave a swift kick to Gromova's head, something that bought him the time to return to his feet and kick out again when Gromova tried to grab him, ultimately forcing the girl to retreat.
*But Goldman on the other hand is rather stubborn, and though tired knows much more about combat, stronger than her and could just as easily knock Gromova out of the ring if she ever gave him an opening to do so.* Present Mic pointed out.
*And with how the two are slowly chipping away at each other, this match might well end in a draw unless one of the kids gets lucky and takes advantage of just the right moment.* Present Mic commented as the two students began to slowly circle each other as a few other students had before.
"C'mon Catnap, kick the tri-corn's ass!" Mitsuchan encouraged.
"Knock the girl out of the ring Goldman." Aditi-San said back.
"Draw! Draw! Draw!" Jin chanted likely to be contrary and causing both women to snigger and laugh, especially when Scamp joined in, jumping around in a circle and barking in time with Jin.
However, Gromova did leap at Goldman with much prejudice and the two fell to the ground together, tumbling around on the ground for a few moments until Goldman was pinning Gromova to the ground under him.
"No, get the fucker off of you Catnap! Show him that maw of yours!" Mitsuchan shouted.
And Gromova did indeed open her mouth sending a shiver up Inko's spine as an imaginary hiss followed in her mind.
Inko knew the girl was probably a very sweet one and a hard worker to make it into U.A. but she merely didn't have the same... well the nicest way to put it would be, the ability to appreciate the changes of biology created by quirks.
Now she wouldn't have anything against the girl, just that unlike her son it was much harder for her to shake her personal hang-ups on quirks that freak her out.
And each time the girl opened her mouth Inko couldn't stop her fear of being consumed alive from rearing its ugly head and briefly flash through her mind, it was a childhood fear from watching a scary movie at only five and absolutely shouldn't have seen but her parents hadn't been careful in putting her to bed that day.
But Inko did her best to push her unease aside and never would dream of mentioning it unless pressed.
Her personal discomfort with the uncanny valley quirks made was a personal problem, she would never let it affect how she treated people.
"Motherfucker!" Mitsuchan exclaimed and Inko tuned back in to screen in time to see that Gromova despite opening her mouth, even going so far as squirming around under the boy to bite him, was unable to get free so Izuku called the match, and Mitsuchan was cursing out her lost but handed over the promised bag of chips over to Aditi-San.
Inko gently pat Mitsuchan on the shoulder.
"Now, now. I'm sure both Gromova and Goldman had a lot of fun Mitsuchan, and that's all that matters right?" Inko asked.
Mitsuchan groaned throwing her head back over the couch.
"Of course, Inky, but I'm still out a bag of spice and I won't be able to buy another until next month." Mitsuchan said grumbling until Scamp jumped into her lap and began to lick her face.
"Hey! Haha, okay, okay! Calm your shit mutt." Mitsuchan exclaimed laughing as she playfully fought with the puppy, with Scamp utterly undeterred as he kept trying to lick her face.
"Honestly I'm surprised you like that stuff Mitsuki-San. I've tried some of Aditi's chips once and thought it was going to kill me." Tori-San, Aditi-San's wife, commented and grimaced when Aditi-San had already opened the bag and started to eat some of the chips.
Masachan chose to step in for his wife since she was a bit too busy with the dog to answer.
"It's a very acquired taste, very few people without quirked adaptations can safely eat it and even then, it's nowhere near back to the scale our ancestors could have had it." Masachan answered carefully avoiding Scamp's attempt to get him as well.
"It can't be that much hotter than today's? Right?" Awase-Kun's father asked Mitsuchan snort.
"Try around and over 2.2 million degrees in a single pepper." Mitsuchan replied and more than one person paled at that number and even Aditi-San to seemed unnerved by the number.
"Are you serious? I know that anything over 20 thousand is considered the lethal dose in most countries, why would anyone grow peppers hotter than that?" Awase-San's father questioned.
"Crazy masochists who're still in the closet and repressed idiots who don't got any other way to get off." Mitsuchan proclaimed jokingly, having jokingly called herself a masochist when she ate them.
"Perhaps, but they still grow peppers like that in countries where quirked people are minorities, but they do have a lot of laws for growing the hotter ones or importing them." Masachan pointed out.
"Why?" Yumi-San questioned seemingly unable to understand the idea of it.
Well, if someone told her there were people that made wine out of bleach, she'd probably react the same way Inko had to admit.
"For the flavor I think, Izuku says that capsaicin does add a certain flavor to things, and he does like to eat 'smoky' food from time to time." Inko answered, being the closest to an expert since her son was the only one who could eat such spicy food.
He'd tried to describe the taste of it before, but Izuku just didn't have the right words for it and ended up just calling it smoky for her benefit.
"Ooh Haku-Chan's on again!" Jin said, having not been listening to their conversation or completely unaffected by their conversation in the first place, and Inko thought it could have been either of those things.
But the fact the main favorite was back again they turned their attention back to the screen to watch as both Haku and her opponent Chen were ready to fight themselves.
Inko was happy to let the topic slide and merely continued watching the festival, it would soon be over, and she'd have to get home to prepare a big supper for Izuku to celebrate such a major day.
And she couldn't help smiling as Izuku came back on the screen and began explaining the rules once again.
He truly had been growing into such a fine young man.
Plants: *develops capsaicin to keep from being eaten*
Humans just existing
Plants: *sweatdrops*
Quirked humans losing their their tolorence.
Plants: *sighs relieved*
I head cannon Katsuki and Masaru both eat capsaicin for their quirks biological needs, Masa turns the capsaicin chemical into acid and Katsuki's body uses it to aid in relieving the body aches and nerve damage that could come from his quirk.
Mitsuki on the other hand just likes the burning sensation.