Chapter 15: Let the Battles Begin!
After Izuku won against Shinso, he was brought to Recovery Girl to fix his fingers.
Michi, Tenya and Ochaco still talked about how amazing Izuku had been, how he had managed to overcome the brainwashing and how happy they were for him moving up to the Quarter-Final Round.
That's when Ochaco saw Izuku coming to class 1A tribune.
"Oh, Deku! Good work!", she called and waved.
So fast no one could look as Michi jumped up from her seat and raced up to the boy.
"Izu-Chan!", she shouted happily and embraced him. "You were amazing!"
The green-haired boy blushed softly and hugged her tight back.
"Michi-Kun...thanks."
They stopped hugging, as Michi took his hand with the bandage fingers in hers, giving them a little kiss.
Izuku blushed harder but had a soft and loving look in his eyes.
"T-to kiss it better, mmh?", he stuttert.
Michi looked up, with the same eyes and nodded.
Both were clearly in lovey-dovey land.
All their classmates stared and sweatdropped at them.
Oh gods, kiss finally you idiots!, they all thought.
Sadly they didn't, a lot groaned silently, as Michi led Izuku to their seats beside Ochaco and Tenya.
Now the second battle took place.
Shoto Todoroki vs. Hanta Sero!
Hanta started the battle by using his tape to try to push Shoto out of bounds. However, Shoto responded by creating a huge pillar of ice, which completely immobilized Hanta and freed himself at the same time. Since Hanta couldn't move at all, he was declared the loser, and Shoto was declared the winner, advancing to the second round. Shoto then approached the almost frozen Hanta, apologized for his actions, and thawed him out with his firepower.
Michi and Izuku found each other eyes.
"Is it just me or-", began Michi.
"Does Todoroki look really sad?", enden Izuku.
Both their hearts got out to their classmate.
Since Shoto froze nearly the whole stage, it takes a while to melt it, but when it's ready it's time for Denki Kaminari vs. Ibara Shiozaki!
The third match of the first round ends quickly; Ibara defeats Denki by using her type advantage Quirk, Vine, to make his Electro Quirk backfire on him.
Kyoka facepalms hard at Denki's defeat as Monoma from 1B looks over to them and mocks them.
Then he gets knocked out by his classmate Itsuka Kendo, who apologises for him, being a brat.
Class 1A was just like what had happened?
That's when class 1A noted Izuku's analysis of the Quirks, writing it down in his notebook.
Just Michi didn't seem bothered and nodded along.
"They just finished, but Deku already thinking about countermeasures for them?", whisper-shoutes Ochaco to Michi.
Michi nods with a besotted look.
"Yeah isn't he amazing?"
All of class 1A deadpanned and thought the same: She is so gone for him!
"It's a hobby of his.", explains Michi, while Izuku theorizes about the Quirks to his heart contents. She would make sure, he wrote all down what goes through his head. "It's not every day he gets a chance to see amazing Quirks outside of those in our class."
"Really?", asked Ochaco.
"Yeah, he has even a whole notebook dedicated to my Quirk.", admitted Michi with red cheeks. You can clearly see how honoured she feels about this. "I bet he has something about your Quirk too. Izu-Chan?"
Only Michi's lovely voice could get Izuku out of his zone, so he turned bliking to her.
"Yeah, what is it Michi-Kun?"
"What do you have about Ochaco-Chan Quirk in your notebook?"
"Of course!", he showed the girls the page. "The Zero Gravity of Uraraka is amazing."
"That's true.", agreed Michi.
This made Ochaco blush.
"Aww, you two are so nice! I always thought you guys were amazing!"
Also an amazing and cute couple!, she added in her head, while Izuku and Michi thanked her and said she was amazing too.
Then it's time for the fourth match.
Their Tenya VS Mei Hatsume!
Both wore support items, but students of the hero course normally can only wear them when they have a petition like Aoyama.
However Tenya explain passionately how Mei said they should fight equally and that's why he agreed to wear them, this moves Midnight and she accepts it.
During their match, Mei takes the opportunity to advertise her support equipment and items.
After ten minutes of cat and mouse, Mei, feeling that she has effectively showcased her support gear to everyone, walks out of bounds.
Tenya wins as a result of this action, but he is not pleased with Mei using him for her own purposes.
"Tenya's earnest, so she probably said some things that sounded good to get him on board.", theorized Izuku shaking. "Hatsume's not just honest, she will also use any means to reach her goal. Amazing!"
Michi had an eyebrow raised and nodded along.
None of the two noted how Ochaco stood up and walked away.
Now comes the Fifth Match: Yuga Aoyama vs. Mina Ashido.
"I hope Mina wins, Aoyama goes on my nerves.", confessed Michi to Izuku.
"Don't tell me, it's because he is French and you Italian?"
"I plead the fifth!"
"Michi-Kun!"
The battle begins with Aoyama firing his navel laser at Mina, but she secretes acid from her feet and uses it to quickly slide across the stage.
Aoyama continues shooting beams at her, while Mina claims she already knows his weakness because they trained together during the Battle Trial.
Mina keeps dodging Aoyama's barrage of beams.
After he misses a rather large shot, his stomach begins to hurt, and Mina seizes the opportunity.
She throws acid onto his belt, breaking it and causing his pants to drop.
The girl takes advantage of the opening and finishes him with a strong uppercut.
She wins!
"God, it didn't need to see his underwear.", whines Michi and hides her face in Izuku's shoulder.
Amused he pats her head.
"There, there Michi-Kun, also you should get going, it's your turn now!"
"Oh right!"
With a quick cheek kiss to Izuku, who of course blushes, Michi raced down to the arena.
"Ares are you ready to face Momo?"
"Let's do it, whirlwind!"
"Now, we've got no time to lose! Let's move on to the sixth match!", announced Present Mich as Michi and Momo walked up the fighting stage. "Offense and defence in one body! The warrior princess is accompanied by the entity Ares! From the hero course, it's Massaro Michela alias Michi! Versus- All-purpose Creation! She was admitted through recommendations, so her abilities are certified! From the hero course, it's Momo Yaoyorozu!"
Both girls stared at each other, thinking how to best beat their opponent.
Momo knew Michi was physically stronger than her she needed something to help her push the other girl out of the ring and also there was this new technique she showed during the cavalry battle.
Had Michi more surprises up her sleeve?
Michi and Ares just stared Momo down with their red eyes.
They formally burned.
N-No, I can't get demotivated because the two are so calm. I need time to create and then-
Then the battle started!
Surprised Momo gasped as Michi seemed to vanish, but the salmon-haired girl just ran as fast as she could towards Momo.
I'm sorry Momo, but this will be over!
Something hard hit Momo in the chest.
A fist!
Michi's fist!
The black-haired girl coughed and felt how some of her bones cracked and fell down on the floor.
Knocked-out.
Midnight waited a few seconds before she declared: "Yaoyorozu can't fight anymore, the winner is Massaro!"
"This was probably the fastest fight we have seen today. Massaro Michi and Ares are a force of nature!", shouted Present Mic enthusiastically, as Michi waved at the people celebrating her.
Momo was brought to Recovery Girl, even if Michi knew, she only hit the other girl where it was sure she could get knocked out.
Still, she felt a bit bad as she walked back to the class 1A tribune.
"Damn, your girlfriend is merciless.", said Ojiro to Izuku. "She didn't even bat an eye as she punched Momo out."
"Michi and Ares are the strongest Quirk Users I know. Even Kacchan can't beat her and he tried it often enough. I know she would win, it was not even a question.", answered Izuku, just to turn red and shriek. "M-Michi i-isn't my girlfriend, s-she is just my best friend."
"SUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!", chorused the whole of class 1A together.
"I don't believe you!", added Mineta.
That's when Michi returned.
"I hope Momo will be okay...so did I miss something guys?"
Izuku stood up and waved his hands around.
"N-Nothing, you missed nothing Michi-Kun!"
She blinked confused as she noted how Tenya and Ochaco were missing.
So she asked Izuku where they were.
He didn't know either, so the two searched for their friends.
They found them in the Player Waiting Room 2.
"Ochaco-Chan, Tenya!", greeted Michi as Izuku and her entered the room. "There you are."
Tenay bowed.
"I'm sorry I didn't watch your match Michi, I was worried for Ochaco."
"I'm sorry too, I should have supported you.", admits Ochaco ashamed. "How did it go?"
Izuku put a proud hand on Michi's shoulder, while she smiled at them.
"She knocked out Momo with one punch. Michi has qualified for the next round."
Tenya gave her his congratulations and Ochaco stood up to hug her friend.
Michi hugged her tight back and then took her face in her hands.
"So what is bothering you Ochaco-Chan, is it your fight with Bakugo?"
The brunette nodded.
In comfort, Michi took her hands and squeezed them.
"Ochaco-Chan, Bakugo may seem dangerous but when you know how to handle him, you can beat him. I did it often enough!"
Izuku nodded in agreement and showed her his hero notebook.
"Michi and I came up with a rough strategy, how you can use your Quirk to beat Kacchan. Please let us help."
Touched Ochaco looked at her friends before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She let go of Michi's hands and walked over to the door.
"Michi-Chan, Deku I admired you both so much. I keep seeing more and more amazing sides of you guys. During the cavalry battle, I thought it'd be easier to team up with friends, but now that I think about it, I might've been trying to rely on you two. That's why, when Tenya said he'd challenge Deku, it actually made me feel a little embarrassed."
The other started to protest, but Ochaco continued: "That's why it's fine. Everyone's facing the future and trying their hardest. That means we're all rivals, right? That's why, let's meet in the finals!"
Ochaco gave them a shaking thumbs up.
"Wait, Ochaco-Chan before you go!", Michi walked swiftly up to her and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
The other girl blushed surprised, as the boys stared.
Izuku the most.
Michi didn't give cheek kisses to anyone.
So it had to mean something.
"This is not a good luck kiss, but a promise kiss!", explained Michi, her red eyes burning as she took Ochaco's hands and squeezed them. "I know you can beat Bakugo and you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because you are already an amazing hero. Your Quirk will demolish him."
Now tears gather in Ochaco's eyes and both girls hugged each other tightly.
"Break his fucking femur!"
"I will Michi-Chan!"
Both girls seemed to be burning like suns!
"Girls, breaking femurs is a bit too much!", told Tenya making his hand chop.
"Let them Tenya, that's a girl thing, I'm sure.", said Izuku. "Or at least a Michi and Ochaco thing."
After the boys wished Ochaco luck, the three who didn't fight got back to the tribune, while Ochaco had to face Bakugo now in the arena.
The match between Bakugo and Ochaco kicks off with Ochaco taking the initiative.
She lunges towards Bakugo, but he swiftly counters with an explosive attack.
As the dust settles, Bakugo attempts to seize Ochaco, only to discover that her jacket is all that's left.
Seizing the opportunity, Ochaco manoeuvres herself behind Bakugo to launch a surprise attack, but his lightning-fast reflexes allow him to fend her off with another explosive blast.
Despite the barrage of explosive attacks from Bakugo, Ochaco expresses her gratitude for his vigilance, as it enables her to put her plan into action - creating a distraction by manipulating the rubble using her Quirk.
She unleashes a meteor shower of debris, with the intention of launching a direct offensive using her Quirk.
However, Bakugo retaliates with a colossal explosion, annihilating Ochaco's meteor shower and sending her crashing to the ground.
Despite her valiant effort to rise, Ochaco's injuries overwhelm her, leading to her collapse.
Midnight attends to her and announces that Ochaco is unable to continue, declaring Bakugo as the victorious contender.
"GOOD FUCKING DAMN IT!", screams Michi. "SHE NEARLY HAD HIM! FUCK!"
The salmon-haired girl was standing up, waving angrily her fists around.
Izuku and Tenya can only silently agree.
And so the first round of the final was over and in the next round the Quarter-Final Round the matches were:
Izuku Midoriya vs. Shoto Todoroki
Tenya Ida vs. Ibara Shiozaki
Michela Massaro vs. Mina Ashido
Katsuki Bakugo vs. Eijiro Kirishima!