Ochaco clutched her skirt while standing in front of her friends. "I'm gonna become a pro. I'll sign with a good agency and make plenty of money. Then I'll be able to let my parents have an easy life!"
She turned to look back at the table. "You're wonderful, Deku, and Mido too. I keep seeing that over and over again. During the cavalry battle, I told you both it was good to team up with friends. But now that I think about it...I might've been trying to rely on you to get by. That's why...when Ida said that he was trying his best to beat you..." Ochaco slowly got onto her feet, giving a weak smile. "I actually felt embarrassed for myself."
Izuka's eyes saddened as Izuku could only stare, wondering just how long she had felt this way. It wasn't like he wanted to indirectly make her feel like this... "Uraraka..."
Ochaco stopped in front of the door, looking up. "Everyone's facing their future and giving this their best. That means we're all rivals. Even you and me, Deku, and if I win, myself and Mido. So..." She turned around to give a shaky thumbs up. "Guess I'll see you in the finals."
"Uraraka-Chan, wait," Izuka called out, causing the girl to fully turn around. She ran up to Ochaco and wrapped her arms around the girl for a hug. "Just because we're rivals...doesn't mean we're not still friends, right?"
"...Of course we're still friends, Mido," Ochaco hugged her back.
"The eighth and penultimate match of the first round of matches. He was kind of a hot shot in middle school. And just look at that determined face!" Katsuki had his teeth clenched looking at Ochaco. "From the hero course, Katsuki Bakugo! Versus, the one I'm personally rooting for, also from Class 1-A, Ochaco Uraraka!"
"You're the one who screws around with gravity," Katsuki stared down the brunette intensely. "Right, Pink Cheeks?"
"Pink Cheeks?" She raised an eyebrow in bewilderment from the nickname. Just like with almost everyone in his class, he didn't bother to remember her name.
"Well if you're gonna give up, do it now," Katsuki ignored her remark, hands in his pockets. "Cause I'm not gonna hold anything back."
She gritted her teeth at his demand and he glared at her. Izuka bit her lip nervously, though she wouldn't be able to answer for which person. On one hand, there was Ochaco, who was becoming a good friend. One that Izuka could say she was close with. On the other...there was Katsuki, a boy who she couldn't pin down what his intentions were with her half the time. Either one of them she didn't want to fight...
"Midoriya," Tenya spoke up, getting his attention. "I'm curious. What was that strategy you came up with that would give Uraraka an advantage against Bakugo?"
"Honestly, it wasn't really much of a plan," He looked towards his notebook. "Kacchan's so strong. When it comes to close combat, he almost never has any openings. And the more he moves, the more he sweats, which just makes his Quirk more powerful." He knew from experience during combat class that Katsuki never left himself open, he would just prevent one from occurring. "He's gotten really good at using his explosions to move around in the air. But if Uraraka is able to touch him, she can use her Quirk to make him float. She could send him out of bounds. That's why..." Izuku looked up in determination. "It's obvious what Uraraka needs to do to get the upper hand."
Ochaco let out a deep breath, closing her eyes. She then narrowed her eyes towards Katsuki. "What's your take, Mido?" Tenya glanced to the girl.
"...Uraraka-Chan in combat I admit I don't know too much about. She placed 10th during our Quirk Apprehension Test if my memory serves me correctly," She blinked towards both opponents. "And having known Bakugo-San for most of my life...I know that he'll take this match like everything else: a stepping stone to win. So he wouldn't think too highly of her skills, meaning the plan could work..." She closed her eyes in thought. "But it'll be a hard path to cross to be able to win against the one and only Katsuki Bakugo."
Izuku and Tenya frowned a bit from her assessment, looking back towards the arena again. Izuku then glanced back at his sister, since she didn't seem to be disdainful towards Katsuki when talking about him.
"Hmm...be honest," The brunette told her seriously, causing her to blink. "You kinda want to root for him too, don't you?"
"Huh?!" Izuka flinched in alarm, a slight blush on her face.
Deep down, I know she wants the best for Kacchan and for Uraraka. And I hope that whoever she ends up facing, that it won't affect her relationship with either of them Izuku turned back to the arena.
"Let the eighth match begin!" Present Mic announced and once he did, Ochaco came running in fast towards Katsuki.
Strike first!
"Giving up isn't an option for me!" Ochaco declared to her opponent.
Izuku grinned while pumping a fist. "Wow, look at her go! That's a good start, and all she has to do is touch him one time!"
Izuka kept her fingers crossed while looking between the both of them. "Come on..." She pleaded silently to herself.
"But it won't be easy," Tenya pointed out to the twins. "You know Bakugo's not gonna let her get too close to him."
"Which is why he won't dodge," Izuku had a focused look on his face looking back to the arena. "He'll focus his energy on counterattacking." Katsuki raised his right hand as his eyes narrowed towards the brunette.
"And now you die," He stated while she kept running.
Kacchan. You always use a big right hook to start a fight. And when Katsuki had started off with that in combat class, both Ochaco and Izuka had seen the whole thing. So they already knew of his tactic. Katsuki swung his right arm backwards, which Ochaco noticed.
There! He gritted his teeth while moving his arm. Here it comes! If I can dodge this move... He swung up his arm, firing off an explosion to attack the girl. She went flying backwards as a result.
"Uraraka!" Her three friends shouted in concern for her.
Kyoka winced while holding her head. "He blasted her," Minoru gritted his teeth.
"Ugh, looks like Bakugo's not planning on showing her any mercy," Tsuyu noted, a bit worried herself.
"Stupid," Ochaco scolded herself amongst the smoke, getting onto her feet. "Saw it coming and I still couldn't get out of the way."
Katsuki stepped to the side, keeping his eyes on his opponent as he raised his arm. "You shoulda dropped outta the match," He mocked her with a small snarl. He watched the smoke as he saw her approaching. "There's no way you can beat me!" He sent off another explosion, but he wasn't actually touching the girl...his hand was actually on her jacket. He gasped in shock once he realized this, Ochaco swooping in out of hiding from the smoke.
"Whoa!" Present Mic commented in shock. "She flew her jacket as a decoy! What incredibly quick thinking!"
She was heading right for Katsuki, reaching out his hand. This is my chance, I can make him float! He glanced over his shoulder just as she was about to do so. He swung his hand to fire off another explosion, sending her flying. She could barely brace herself from the attack either as she hit the ground and rolled. She landed safely, looking up ahead.
"Look at that reaction time!" Hanta commented in disbelief, Denki a bit unnerved by what just happened.
"Seriously, the dude's insane. You can't get the drop on him," As Denki was speaking, Ochaco was recollecting herself. "And since Uraraka can't use her Quirk unless she touches him, his lightning-fast reflexes put her at a huge disadvantage."
Katsuki cleared away the smoke with his arm and she charged in. "Too slow!" He shouted while sending an explosion towards her. She gasped sharply as she got hit with it dead-on.
Izuku and Tenya looked horrified while Izuka had tears in her eyes, her mouth covered by her hands. The fact that she might have to face him was getting more apparent...and he wouldn't show her any mercy either. But if he was gonna be this brutal like he was to her friend right now...her strategy might be dead in the water.
Ochaco jumped towards Katsuki once again. "I've got you!" She shouted and he gritted his teeth, turning towards her. He sent her yet another explosion.
"Is she okay?" Tsuyu dropped her finger while Kyoka covered her eyes.
"I can't watch this..." She murmured in fear for her classmate.
"...Like I always suspected," Minoru remarked in thought, an intense look on his face. "Bakugo's a total sadist."
He sent Ochaco flying once again, Izuku gasping in worry. Izuka whimpered a little towards the arena, shaking a little. Though not for the same reasons as everyone else. If either of them keep this up in front of the pro heroes...
"This isn't over yet!" Ochaco yelled, and rocks flew from yet another explosion. Katsuki turned around as she ran out of the smoke. He attacked another time and she groaned in pain, flying in the air with rocks flying everywhere.
"Looks like she's not resting between attacks despite being exploded," Present Mic looked sympathetic for the girl getting pummeled. "The poor girl."
Katsuki fired again and Izuku's eyes shook in concern. "Uraraka..." He murmured as Izuka clenched at the fabric of her pants.
The pro heroes felt like they couldn't watch this display either. "Her feint earlier didn't work, so now she's getting desperate..."
Neito hummed a little, closing his eyes. "You idiots. Look closer."
Katsuki rushed in and another explosion went off, and no one could see Ochaco anymore. "Hey, shouldn't one of the teachers step in?" One of the heroes called out from the stands.
"Yeah, this is too rough."
Ochaco was on the ground, panting as she could see her opponent in the smoke. His whole demeanor screamed dangerous, but she charged in regardless. Yet another explosion had gone off. "This is shameful. Listen kid, you really wanna be a hero?" One of the pros stood up. "Then stop acting like a bully. If you're so good, just send her out of bounds."
Izuka gasped as she glanced to the side, narrowing her eyes a little in thought. Katsuki attacked again, a strong wind coming in.
"Stop toying with the girl and end this match!"
"Yeah, you heard the guy!" A pro hero exclaimed next to him.
The crowd then started booing and Izuka glanced around in alarm. She then looked towards the arena with her eyes softening. Maybe it was because she had been bullied herself, especially recently with the rumors. And yet...she couldn't help but feel bad for him—although yes, he had bullied her too. But two wrongs didn't make a right, and she didn't deny that he was strong. Although...to not give Ochaco the fight she deserved?
"The crowd is now booing Bakugo!"
No... Izuka thought sadly as her hand twitched in anger. Something about their behavior was just really rubbing her the wrong way. And it wasn't like this kind of feeling wasn't something both her or Katsuki hadn't tackled before.
Izuka ran off from her class after what Neito had said to her. After Katsuki followed her, she had stepped out and the two sat down together.
"W-Why do you care if I'm crying or not...Bakugo-San?" She turned away from his hands gently. "And why do you look so mad...?"
"I just—I hated what he said, okay? That damn extra thinks he can get away with talking to you like that," Katsuki gritted his teeth. He then pulled a paper from his bag, along with a pen. "Here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna write a list of everyone who had and will make you act like this," He handed her the materials to her confusion.
"Why?"
"I need to know who to...have a nice little chat with," He seethed a little and she gasped.
"N-No! You can't do that. T-They'll think that you're defending me because we're in the same class..."
"I don't give a damn! They need some sense kicked into them, and if I have to do that, fine."
He was willing to do the same thing for someone he thought was lower than him...so I have to do the same for him now...even if it means doing something that I really don't want to do. It's what he would've done, right? He might hate me for this, though...
Izuka took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
"And honestly, I kinda agree with what they're sayin-" Present Mic then got a punch to the face by Mr. Aizawa. "Hey, whoa—what the crap?!" He shouted at his comrade.
"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Izuka shouted as she stood up, Katsuki flinching. Ochaco looked up at her slowly, her eyes wide. All of her classmates, Izuku, Class 1-B, even the teachers...everyone stopped to look at her as she spoke clearly and with a fierce tone. Katsuki let out a small breath to hear her project like this all of a sudden.
"Mido..." Ochaco murmured up at her.
"Whoever started this mocking of Bakugo-San...you shouldn't even be a hero! And whoever joined in should be ashamed of themselves! Bakugo-San's a worthy competitor of anyone, no matter who it is!" Izuka clenched the bars in front of her tightly. "Him treating Uraraka-Chan like this isn't because he holds back...it's because he throws in everything and more to accomplish his own goals! And depriving her of an unworthy fight is demeaning to her too just because of her gender! You have to understand...that he fights to win! Even if it's not a normal way to you, it's HIS way!"
Katsuki's eyes slowly widened from what she just said, staring at her in disbelief. He wasn't expecting this from her at all; no one was for that matter. And to have this be the first time she spoke up...was to defend him, and he didn't even need it. Yet she was still going through with this anyway, conveying that...even though she was still wary of him, she still understood him.
Izuka panted slowly and then looked into his eyes. And it finally hit her what she just did once she saw the look on his face. She then gasped as she kneeled on the ground, her hand in front of her mouth as her cheeks were flushed. D-Did I really just say that for everyone to hear...?! And all because of Bakugo-San? What is wrong with me? He's gonna destroy me later for defending him...!
Izuku let out a sound of shock before giving her a small smile, her classmates still staring at her. "Did she really just...speak up for Bakugo?" Eijiro gave a small grin, knowing that she did it because Katsuki had inspired her after he helped her from being bullied.
"Where is the man who started this uproar? Are you a pro?" Mr. Aizawa asked into the mic, Present Mic turning to him in confusion. "Because if you're being serious, you can go home and hang up your cape. I agree with what my student said. I'd suggest looking into another career."
"You know what he's talking about?" Izuku stared in confusion.
"Bakugo's fierceness is an acknowledgement of his opponent's strength. He knows she deserves to have made it this far, so he's making sure he does whatever it takes to keep her at bay and come out on top." Katsuki exhaled from what his teacher said, though he didn't comment as Ochaco was still standing, panting heavily.
We're not finished. She's still standing, He thought as she wiped off the sweat from her cheek with the back of her wrist. She's not dead yet!
She dropped her hand to look up at him. "I think...it's about time." He gasped and then readied himself. "Thank you, Bakugo..." She then raised her hands, narrowing her eyes. "For keeping your eyes focused on me!"
"What...?" Katsuki murmured in utter confusion.
"I don't blame Bakugo for noticing," Neito stated while the pros looked on in utter silence. "But it's embarrassing for a pro to boo and not realize what's going on from the stands," Neito closed his eyes, remembering Ochaco's strategy right from when she started. "She kept low to the ground as she moved, which meant Bakugo's blasts tore up the floor of the ring, creating weapons for her. And then, she kept him focused on her by attacking relentlessly, without rest," He then looked up to the sky. "Rendering him oblivious."
Above the arena was the debris from all of the attacks given by Katsuki, and Ochaco had used her Quirk on the rocks. She let out a yell as she pressed her fingers together, leaving the rocks to fall towards them.
"A meteor shower!" Present Mic exclaimed in shock.
"Now you notice," Mr. Aizawa deadpanned at him.
Izuku stood up in surprise while his sister looked on with wide eyes. "Hey, she had a plan all along!"
Katsuki looked up, unfazed by what was going on as he moved his arm. Ochaco ran as fast as she could towards him. With this much debris, whether he's evading or counterattacking, there will definitely be an opening! In that moment, I'll finally get close to him! Katsuki moved his arms upwards to the sky while she pressed her fingers together again. She then lunged forward. This is it! My shot. I'll win and be just like the Midoriya Twins! She reached out her hand towards him, ready to make him float...
But his hand sparked as he sent out a giant explosion into the sky. The wind was so strong from this that she was sent flying back far. Everyone yelped in alarm as their hair went flying from the strong attack he just gave. Ochaco slowly rolled to a stop, the rocks from the meteor shower flying. The smoke engulfed the entire arena as well. Ochaco grunted as she slowly moved up, looking at what just happened.
"I figured you'd have some sorta stupid plan to beat me," Katsuki spoke up after a few seconds. "You are friends with that damn nerd and his sister, after all."
Ochaco looked at him, horrified at how fast he was to stop her plan. And she was almost close to touching him too... "It took him one shot..." She murmured as Izuka's eyes shook at up ahead, clutching the bars.
Present Mic gasped as well. "Bakugo bangs out a huge demonstration of power! He blasted apart Uraraka's finishing move and remains untouched!"
Katsuki let out a breath no one knew he was holding. His hands were twitching as if he didn't react fast enough...she might've won. "That was close..." He murmured to himself.
Ochaco looked disappointed while staring at him. I put everything I could into that...but I wasn't good enough... Her body was shaking as she thought even for just a moment...she could've had an edge over him.
"Uraraka-Chan..." Izuka murmured sadly for the girl.
Oh man... Izuku stared and gasped as Ochaco willed herself to get up. She did wobble doing so, though...meaning she couldn't keep this up for much longer. Or at least, that was what her body was telling her.
I can still stand, though.
Katsuki gave her a small smirk for her determination. "All right, then. Time for us to get serious! Uraraka!" He ran for her, actually using her name this time since this fight of theirs wasn't something he could scoff at anymore.
Her hand slowly twitched. If Deku or Mido were in the ring, they wouldn't give up yet! She turned around while gritting her teeth. However, her foot slipped and Katsuki's eyes widened. Ochaco started to fall...and she landed roughly. He came to a stop once she did.
"Uraraka is down!"
Izuka's hands shook as she almost couldn't watch.
No... Ochaco's body twitched as she wanted to keep fighting...but her body wouldn't let her. She had endured too much at this point. Come on. Get up...I wanna keep going...
Izuka shed a few tears as she looked on. "It's too much," Tenya informed the twins.
"Yeah. She's way past her limit..." Izuku commented and Izuka dashed off to the side. "Huh?!" He and Tenya turned to her in alarm. "Where are you going?" He called out after her as she ran up the steps, ignoring him. Ochaco tried to crawl her way over.
"I can...do this. I can still fight," She told herself while Katsuki watched. He took a stance, as her hair was in front of her face. "I can..."
"When I grow up all big and strong, I'll help you and Mommy out any way that I can," A tearful young Ochaco said to her parents.
Her father placed a loving hand on her head. "I appreciate you wanting to help us, Ochaco. But as your father, I'd be happier if you achieved your own dreams. That'd make us perfectly happy!" He smiled while his wife stood nearby. "And, well, if you do make money, just take us on a vacation."
Her vision started to blur as she couldn't do it anymore... I'll become...a hero...!
Midnight held up a hand while kneeling. Katsuki dropped his hands as the teacher examined Ochaco. "Daddy..." She let out a small whimper, her eyes sunken.
"...Uraraka is KO'd. Bakugo advances to the 9th match!"
Izuka froze in place as she had just reached the top step. The crowd cheered as she gasped sharply, her eyes shaking. Tenya gave a nervous look towards the girl. "That means Mido's facing..."
Katsuki glanced up at Izuka with a proud grin on his face as she was next. She on the other hand, looked a bit terrified as she glanced over her shoulder, locking eyes with him. Ochaco's burned jacket was on the ground...
The crowd cheered as Katsuki was announced the winner, while Ochaco was being wheeled away by the robots. "Take her to Recovery Girl," Midnight ordered, staring after the brunette. Katsuki stared at his classmate as well, turning around and walking off.
"That's it for the 8th round," Present Mic then let out a sigh. "I was really pullin' for her. Oh yeah, I guess Bakugo's moving on."
"You're supposed to be unbiased, you know," Mr. Aizawa deadpanned at him.
"Let's try to forget that depressing outcome."
"Or not..." Mr. Aizawa murmured while the arena was getting prepared.
"With that, we're almost through with the first round of matches! We'll be taking a quick break and then we're back with the 9th and final round!" Present Mic announced as the crowd cheered.
Izuka gulped as she was heading towards Recovery Girl's office, sweat dripping down immensely. Izuku was heading over to see his sister first before her round, thinking of what Ochaco told him before she lost.
"Guess I'll see you in the finals..."
He gritted his teeth, as he knew how much she wanted to win... I'm so sorry.
Katsuki walked up the stairs to his own waiting room, flinching in rage. Izuku yelped to see him nearby. "Hey, Kacchan!"
"What the hell are you doing here?" Katsuki demanded him with a snarl.
"Oh, well, after Izuka, I'm up next so, you know. I was gonna wish her luck in the waiting room. Um...also congrats on winning your match against Uraraka," He then awkwardly walked off, not wanting to mention Izuka's upcoming match any further. "See you round..."
"It was your idea, wasn't it?" Katsuki got right to the chase. "That stupid, desperate plan of hers," Izuku froze and then came to a stop. "You would come up with something that annoying, no doubt that sister of yours has too. If we end up-"
"You're wrong," Izuku interrupted the blond, who clenched his teeth as his rival faced him. "That plan...Uraraka came up with it all on her own, I didn't know anything about it. If that battle was harder than you thought it would be...then it's because of her strategy, not mine. Izuka had nothing to do with it either. So whatever she pulls, I didn't help her either."
Katsuki let out a small growl, narrowing his eyes.
Izuka slowly opened the door to Recovery Girl's office, seeing Ochaco laying there. "Oh! Mido," She sat up as Izuka frowned a little.
"I'm sorry you lost. And that...I spoke up during your match," She rubbed her arm awkwardly. "I didn't mean to make you feel like you couldn't defend yourself out there."
"What? No, don't apologize for that!" Ochaco waved a hand with a small smile. "I actually really appreciated you sticking up for the both of us. Although Bakugo probably didn't like it himself, so he might take it out on you, huh?" She rubbed the back of her neck.
"Don't remind me, please..." Izuka squeezed her eyes shut, dreading the possibility. She declared that she would try her best with him, but that was before she stood up for him. And now that she had, her confidence of her match went out the window. "He uses any excuse to try and fight me or my brother at this rate..."
"I know you can do this," Ochaco pumped a fist with a small smile. "You already spoke up to a crowd, facing Bakugo shouldn't be any different. We'll be cheering you on, so just do your best, Mido!"
Izuka blinked and then gave a small smile, grateful for her encouragement. "Thank you, Uraraka-Chan."
She then walked out of the office and when she reached the end of the hall, she reached her brother. "Oh! Izuku," She blinked at him, giving a small sigh. "Came to wish me luck, huh? I can't imagine what it'll be like since we saw what happened with Uraraka-Chan."
"Yeah...I ran into him just now," He rubbed the back of his neck. "Even though you're going up against Kacchan...I hope you'll make it to the finals!" He gave her a small grin and she nodded at him. "Just remember what you trained for and I'm sure you'll win."
"Thanks," She smiled and when she walked off, her smile turned into a grimace. She would be optimistic if she didn't watch Katsuki's match with Ochaco just now...he was gonna be just as strong with her, and she didn't expect anything less...a bit unfortunately.
A few minutes later, Present Mic took a deep breath. "Alright, folks, this is the 9th and final of the first round of matches! After a brutal fight with Uraraka, he still has that determined face!" Katsuki glared as Izuka slowly stepped onto the field, looking around nervously. "From the hero course, Katsuki Bakugo!" She drowned out that part because the fact of who her opponent was made her want to turn around right away. Even if she could, she'd still have to face him regardless...She then gulped as she stepped onto the platform, looking like she was about to lose her footing seeing Katsuki. He had a big grin on his face, his arms crossed.
"This could either make or break Izuka in the Sports Festival. Both of them have powerful Quirks, and in a fight..." Izuku trailed off with a small frown as he had sat back down. Ochaco slowly stepped out from the entrance to watch. "They won't be pulling anything."
Inko clenched her fists hopefully as she watched.
Izuka stared at her opponent, gulping.
I've already seen his fight against Uraraka-Chan. He won't hold back whatsoever. It doesn't help that he already has a grudge against myself and my brother...
She remembered him walking her home, helping her when she was upset, and the times he saved her. Or maybe he doesn't have that grudge anymore...? He's definitely acted so...different around me, it's so strange that I can't even say that he does still feel that way. He hasn't even said anything about what I did earlier.
She finally came to a stop in front of him a few feet away. They stared each other down as Katsuki got into a fighting stance, his palms heating up. She gripped her uniform nervously, looking at the ground while shaking.
"Versus...geez, I don't blame her for looking like that, also from Class 1-A, an out-of-left-field frontrunner Izuka Midoriya!"
"Hey, mousy! I want you to take a good look at me when I blast you out of bounds!" He called out, but she didn't react. He then growled at the girl.
"...Midoriya, be honest," Tenya stated seriously, Izuku blinking at him. "Did you have a strategy for your sister against Bakugo as well?"
"Well, I did when we trained together," He opened up his notebook. "We've both seen his power at work a lot, so trying to gain an advantage is next to impossible with an untapped Quirk. No matter how much she's trained, she isn't at his level. Her shots with her shooting stars are fast, but not fast enough. But if she can distract him, she could throw him out of bounds since she's seen some of my moves. That's why she needs to gain the self-confidence she has deep down."
Izuka gave a small frown towards Katsuki, as she didn't know if she could really do this...
"Let the ninth and final match...begin!"
Katsuki then raced forward with his explosive hands. "DIE!"
She gasped as she looked up, seeing him about to hit her with a big grin on his face. His smile...almost reminds me of All Might's...is he expecting more of a fight from me...or is it because he really wants to win?
She then steadied her feet before a giant yellow star appeared underneath her feet and it shined briefly. It then propelled her into the air. This allowed her to soar high above Katsuki, to his shock.
"Ah, I see, she's practiced her jumping," Tenya smiled a little, his arms crossed.
"Yeah...but too bad that won't work on him," Izuku looked at the arena.
Katsuki quickly got over it and grunted. "What, you think you're too good to fight me now?!" He leaped after her with his own explosions, and she glanced down at him. He raised an eyebrow from her determined look before she created another star platform right underneath her feet so she could stop in place. She then made it disappear just as Katsuki reached her, his arm swinging right at the girl. Her hair fell above his head as he missed, falling back towards the ground.
"So her strategy is to avoid him at all cost? I don't think he's the type to wait things out," Eijiro commented and Izuku blinked in realization.
"No...that's not it. Izuka's already seen what he's capable more than enough times. I think what she wants to do is to keep him at a distance so that she can use something powerful against him. Her own powers are still unrefined compared to his thanks to years of non-use. So the only way out of this would be to use his own power against him thanks to her training!"
"God damn it!" Katsuki screamed while flying towards her using his explosions, mad that she hadn't tried to attack him directly yet. "Fight, you damn coward!" He reached out to her, flames right in front of the girl as she continued to fall towards the ground. This sparked something within her as she narrowed her eyes, deciding that this was the time for her new move she had been training for.
"Comet..." Izuka recoiled her arm back, flames surrounding it. They were as big as the fire. He let out a gasp as she then moved her arm towards him. "PUNCH!" He thrusted his arm forward to counteract it, causing a huge explosion and smoke.
"Wait, what was that?!" Denki looked at her wide-eyed.
"Whoa, that Midoriya girl can control fire?" A crowd member murmured as they watched.
"Someone told me she had no Quirk, but she's actually got a good power..."
"She used her own flames to match against his! But how? Her Quirk doesn't allow her to copy his," Tenya recoiled back in shock. Izuku stared at his sister knowingly.
Suddenly, fire came from Izuka's hand and formed into a flame. Her eyes slowly widened as Toshinori and Izuku gasped in surprise. She smiled happily at this new development. "There you go!" Izuku encouraged the girl as she let it continue growing, but not too much.
All Might gave a small smile towards her. "Good. Your training's paying off. I had a feeling about this since you proved that fire doesn't hurt you. So I figured you had the ability to create it to some extent within you to be able to withstand it like you did at the USJ."
"Whoa...so I can control fire...?" Izuka murmured in a bit of excitement. She didn't even think that was something about her until now. She then turned to them, pumping her fists with her eyes shining. "Let's use that knowledge for me to come up with a new move! We might as well put it to use, right?"
"Heh, you're getting all excited," All Might grinned at the girl. "Alright, let's work on controlling it first, then we'll figure it out how to use it to your preference."
"Okay!" She said eagerly and Izuku smiled at her being excited towards her Quirk. That was what he wanted to see more from his sister during her time at UA: to be able to learn and use the abilities of her Quirk to her best.
"Izuka's Quirk, Galaxy, allows her to use components of the night sky. Comets can heat up during travel in the atmosphere, so she trained hard to use it now against Kacchan," Izuku gave a small smile.
"An unexpected move from Midoriya! Flaming and fast on her feet!" Present Mic looked baffled as well.
"I've had my suspicion for a while she was capable of fire," Mr. Aizawa kept his eyes on the arena. "The explosion Bakugo gave out at the USJ had no effect on her. She realized this fact sometime before the Festival, therefore catching him off guard since no one else knew about it."
The smoke cleared and Izuka was kneeled over, coughing as she had her hands on her knees. She had landed safely as she tried to catch her breath. Katsuki was standing up, panting heavily and then grinning widely that she was capable of that kind of power. "Hell yeah. So that's what you've been holding out on everyone. And for what?"
She glanced back at him while gritting her teeth. He then fired an explosion and she yelped, holding up a giant star shield to block it. He growled and ran up to her, firing repeatedly, but she blocked every single shot. "Come out, mousy! Face me and give it your all!" He screamed as she felt every single impact from him.
Her heart was hammering, clutching at her chest trying to keep her shield up. Oh no...I'm stuck! What am I gonna do? She thought while trying to breathe. She couldn't see the right way out of this right now, and soon, he was gonna break her defenses.
"It looks like Izuka is at a major disadvantage now just like Uraraka. Her flames compared to Bakugo's aren't strong enough, and her shields can only last so long against them," Denki gave a small frown.
"And because it's Mido, he's just as fierce with her. But this feels kinda different than with Uraraka," Hanta commented while rubbing his chin.
"I hope she doesn't get hurt," Tsuyu put a finger on her chin.
"This is just as bad as before..." Kyoka covered her eyes again.
Izuka braced herself for impact while her shield was taking the hits, slightly shaking from the power he was giving off. He's not gonna stop until I'm free. But then maybe he'll give up if he sees that it's an easy win?
As she thought this, the star shield finally broke off because of wear, and she felt a slight burn on her wrist. She fell to the ground at Katsuki's feet from the blast, her chest heaving up and down. "Finally," He breathed out with a wide grin. His hand reached out to grab her by her hair, lifting her up to face him. "If you wanna fight, then you better look me in my eyes and take me on, you damn mouse!"
They stared into each other's eyes and she wanted to look away, but she couldn't. And she didn't want things to end like this either... "...Bakugo," She muttered out and he flinched in confusion, staring at her with fierce red eyes. As her whole body shook in front of him, it was like something in him was preventing him from giving off the final blow. Maybe it was because of the intense look in her eyes, or that he still saw her as an annoying mouse in his eyes...but he just couldn't move his arm.
"What's this? Bakugo has suddenly stopped! Is he showing sympathy for once?" Present Mic tilted his glasses in shock.
Katsuki sweated a little as he felt like he was stiff, and his heart was thumping. Damn it! What's wrong with me? Why can't I move? It's like she's holding me in place even though that's not part of her Quirk!
His arm shook and Izuku noticed it. "Kacchan..." He murmured, wondering if something deep down in Katsuki was telling him to stop. And if so, what was it? He never hesitated on anything, and yet for some reason, Izuka was the only person able to pull it off.
She closed her eyes as she reached out to his wrist. "You want a fight from me...then you'll get one." Once she grabbed it, she then threw him off of her towards the out of bounds area. He looked at her wide eyed and then grinned. Hell yeah. I can feel it, her strong urge to fight me. He used his explosions to land safely before he could get himself out of bounds.
"Not a horrible move, but still not enough," He declared, but didn't move immediately as he watched her adjust herself.
"This is a close match, folks!"
She let herself take a breath while staring at him. She didn't know what that was, but it at least gave her a good distraction. Once she could breathe, Katsuki ran towards her, but she used her star shields again around her. He jumped onto them, and she gasped in shock. She readied her arms as her crescent moon bow appeared. Everyone gasped as they were on the edge of their seats and he held up his wrists for a giant explosion.
I already know how her Quirk works, it's not meant for short-distance attacks. This'll be over in seconds once I wait for the right moment.
"She's gonna lose!" Momo frowned in concern for her.
"Her Quirk works best in long-range. Hand-to-hand isn't her strong suit," Tenya lowered his head a little. She had only pulled it off once.
"You guys don't know...that she didn't train just to learn a new power," Izuku gave a small smile.
"Not this time!" Katsuki prepared to fire an explosion as his hands sparked. Izuka used just a small fraction of the string instead of all the way backwards like she used to. She then released it to capture Katsuki's wrists with the shooting star bolt.
"What?!" He exclaimed as he gritted his teeth, as he didn't know she could do that. He then broke himself free to fire and she dropped her bow to make a star shield. Another strong explosion appeared, Izuku standing up in alarm. Once the smoke cleared once again, Izuka was flying backwards towards a wall. She created one more final star in front of the wall so that her back could smack against it. And finally, she landed on the grass...out of bounds and therefore losing the match. She panted in her spot as Katsuki stood up, staring at her with a small glare.
"Midoriya is out of bounds!" Midnight gestured to her. "Bakugo advances once more to the second round!"
"And the winner of the 9th and final round is Katsuki Bakugo, yippee," Present Mic sighed a little.
"Once again with the bias, huh?" Mr. Aizawa gave him a deadpanned look.
I did the best I could... Izuka closed her eyes while catching her breath. And I still lost...
"It was close. If she had time to think of another attack, she might've won," Denki murmured as they stared at their classmates.
"She's not like Bakugo. She must've been reaching her limit..." Tsuyu stared at the girl a bit sympathetically. She was still in her spot before the robots came over to take her to Recovery Girl, again.
"Izuka..." Izuku murmured at her sadly.
Katsuki stared at her, and then looked at his wrists. "Unlike the first round...she actually got me," He exhaled as he was cutting it close the second round. And all because Izuka was his opponent...he definitely had more adrenaline pumping now from fighting with her compared to Uraraka. This damn feeling in my chest...her attacks were more calculated, more...of what I wanted from the beginning. And that new move of hers...I wanted to roast her...but instead, I got an actual fight. She lasted longer than I thought against me.
Izuka's hair was around her face as she was whisked away and he continued to stare. That doesn't change anything, though. No matter what I said to her, it'll take more than this to go from a mouse to something else. He then turned away, walking off down the steps.
"We'll be taking another quick break, folks!" Present Mic said as Izuku stared after his sister.
Both of them felt like they were going through complicated tension during their fight...maybe this'll change things a little? She did stand up for him earlier too... He had no way of knowing, though. His sister herself couldn't believe what she did for Katsuki earlier. He could definitely sense that their relationship wasn't really a rivalry in a sense...
Ochaco was still at her spot, watching Izuka leaving. She had a wistful look on her face as she turned around and walked away.
"Hey, Bakugo!" Hanta greeted once Katsuki had returned to their section. "Playin' the villain, huh? Musta been tough."
"Even if it was just because of who you were up against, you did make a pretty convincing bad guy twice," Tsuyu commented while Kyoka frowned at him.
"Shut up, you idiots. Or else!" Katsuki snapped at them, hands in his pockets.
"For real, dude," Denki pointed at him. "I don't know how you were able to aim a powerful blast at frail girls like that. I couldn't help but hold back against Shiozaki," He closed his eyes, Hanta looking embarrassed for him.
"She completely overpowered you, Kaminari," Tsuyu corrected and he didn't look happy to hear it.
"Can't you just let me have this?" He complained at her.
Katsuki let out a small huff, since the efforts of both couldn't exactly be ignored. "I definitely wouldn't call either of them frail," He admitted and Denki blinked in alarm. He then gave a small grin, chuckling knowingly.
"Oh, I see~ You've got a soft spot for Mido, huh? I had a feeling you had a thing for her."
"What did you say?!" Katsuki shouted, looming over him. "I don't feel anything for that damn mouse!"
"You did hesitate out there during your match with her, but not with Uraraka," Hanta grinned a little too. "And weren't you the one who went after her when she got upset?"
"Yeah, because she was being pathetic and I had to make sure she wouldn't half-ass it in the festival!" Katsuki gritted his teeth towards him. "If you don't shut up about mousy, I'll explode you."
"Bakugo and Mido? Not sure if I could see it working," Kyoka murmured to herself.
"Well, they still have a long way to go..." Momo gave an awkward look.
Izuku opened up the door to a waiting room to find Ochaco patched up. She rubbed the back of her neck bashfully. "Man, I lost. Too bad."
He gave a shocked sound to see her so...positive given that she didn't win. "...Huh?" He murmured in confusion over her behavior.
She then turned away with a bright smile. There was a new jacket in front of her since the one she used during her match was pretty much beyond repair. "Guess I got a little carried away at the end thinking I had it in the bag. Dang it!"
"You seem fine," He approached her cautiously. "But weren't you injured?"
"Yeah!" Ochaco pointed to the bandage over her cheek. "Recovery Girl took care of me. She was really careful not to drain my stamina too much, though. So I've still got a few scrapes and scratches. What about Mido, though? I managed to catch her match against Bakugo, sending her to Recovery Girl twice might not be good for her."
"Yeah..." Izuku gave a sheepish smile since the first time, no one except him knew why she passed out...this time it was because of the actual fight, though he hoped that she wouldn't be sent a third time. "I saw her get taken away, I was gonna meet up with her in a bit."
"Geez," Ochaco had a frustrated look on her face. "I didn't realize how powerful that Bakugo was! He wiped the ring with me. Now I realize how much more training I have to do!" She then gave a small whine, and this tipped him off even more. She then looked up towards him, and he recoiled back in alarm.
"You sure you're good...?"
"Oh yeah, totally," She smiled in confirmation. "I'm better than I expected!" Her flip phone started to buzz, as her father was calling. However, she didn't answer as she clutched it close. "Even if you've lost, you always keep looking ahead to what's next, Deku. This just means that I have to work harder now."
"That's true..."
"Wa-hoo!" Present Mic's voice boomed from outside before he could say anything else. "We're finally about to learn who the true winner is from the seventh match!" Tetsutetsu and Eijiro were in an arm wrestling match. "Kirishima or Tetsutetsu!" Both of them had started to break the platform since they were evenly matched. "Whoever prevails in this arm wrestling match will advance to the second round! Let's go!"
Suddenly there was a snap from Tetsutetsu and he groaned. This gave Eijiro the chance to slam down his opponent's hand, rocks flying.
"Kirishima is the winner!" Midnight raised a hand. "Add him to the bracket."
"YEAH!" Eijiro held up a victorious fist.
"Kirishima earns a spot in the second round!"
"Aw, damn my metal deficiency!" Tetsutetsu glared towards his hand. "Shoulda eaten more iron this morning!"
Eijiro stood in front of him, holding out a hand. "Hey, man. You put up a good fight."
"Ha!" Tetutetsu glanced away with a small smirk before taking it.
"Oh!" Midnight gushed, her hands on her cheeks fawning over the moment. "So chivalrous!"
"Now we've got a full roster for the next round of the tournament. Let's get the party started now, ya dig?"
Izuku let out a small sigh. "Already?" He then gave a small smile to Ochaco. "Later, I'm gonna run over to see my sister really quick."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Deku!" Ochaco stood up in alarm. "You weren't able to prepare or see Mido since I was here!"
"Nah, this was perfect," He looked over his shoulder happily. She then gave a small smile, waving a hand.
"I'll be watching. Good luck out there. I'll even do you a favor and grab Mido for you if she's ready to watch!" She told him encouragingly.
His look softened from her expression, especially since she wasn't even focusing on herself right now. "...Thanks."
He closed the door and she dropped her hand. After a few seconds, she flipped open her phone and called her dad back. The phone rang once and then it picked up. "Sorry for not picking up earlier, Daddy."
"No, no, it's fine. Sorry for calling when you're busy. Your mom and I just watched you on TV. You almost won! You were amazing!"
"It wasn't that close. And I wasn't very good. I rushed it too much at the end. I didn't have a backup plan for what I'd do if that big move didn't work out," Her hand shook from the table as her ruined jacket was over the chair. "I didn't even make him hesitate like my friend did..." Her eyes saddened as she didn't have a new move like Izuka did. And she wasn't nearly as a quick thinker either... "I failed."
"You lost. But that doesn't mean you can't still be a pro hero. I know I don't have the best understanding of how all this works, but there's always next year, right?" Her father encouraged her softly. "This isn't the end."
"I know...but I wish I coulda gone further in the festival so I would have had more chances to show what I'm made of. The scouts barely saw me do anything this time around."
"What're you in such a hurry for, huh?" He couldn't help but wonder.
"It's just..." Her voice started to break a little. "I wanna help you guys out as soon as I can," She then sniffled as her hand holding the phone shook.
"Ochaco...there's no need for you to rush," He told her gently as some of her tears fell onto the table. "The very fact that you feel that way shows me that you'll make a kind, caring hero one day," More tears were in her eyes listening to his gentle voice. "I am so proud of you," After hearing this, she continued to cry, wiping at her eyes with her hand.
Izuku walked away dejectedly as he could tell a little that just because Ochaco said she was fine...didn't mean she still didn't feel the sting of her loss. Uraraka must be so upset. I thought I could help her in some way. But in the end, I didn't do anything for her. Instead, she's cheering me on. His lips quivered from how he knew she was hiding what she really felt to him. She's got my back, and Izuka's too.
"I'll be watching. Good luck out there. I'll even do you a favor and grab Mido for you if she's ready to watch!"
She's the one encouraging me. Again. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his wrist. He then sniffed as he had a single tear from the corner of his eye. Suddenly a foot with flames stepped out, and Izuku found himself in front of Endeavor of all people. He yelped in alarm, his eyes bulging out.
"Endeavor?!"
He glanced down at Izuku. "Ah. I was looking for you and your sister."
"Oh, yeah, hi," Izuku quickly greeted him anxiously. "So, uh, what are you doing back here?" At the back of his mind, he was wondering what the heck the second-rated hero of Japan wanted with him or Izuka for that matter. He backed away slightly as Endeavor stepped up.
"I watched your fight against the brainwashing guy. I heard about your sister fainting, listened to her words during your classmates' fight, and saw her own with...Bakugo, was it? Your powers are pretty impressive, the both of you. To create so much wind pressure by just flicking your fingers. And for her to be fast on her feet as well as a strategic thinker. It reminds me of another Quirk. You and your sister seem to have much in common with All Might. Her personality is starting to be like his too..."
Izuku's eyes widened at the deduction, glancing away in fear. Shoto was already bad enough, but now Endeavor was thinking the same thing as him... "Oh. Well, I...I guess we never thought about it that way. Sorry, but I should get going," He then walked away from Endeavor as fast as he could.
Is it possible that Endeavor knows about One for All? No, he probably would have mentioned it. It's just like when Kacchan asked Izuka about it, but she didn't tell him. Izuku nervously looked over his shoulder. He's one person we can't let find out about All Might's secret.
Endeavor didn't turn around at all. "It's my Shoto's duty to surpass All Might as the number one hero," Izuku slowly came to a stop, as the tension just got much higher. The hero then looked over his shoulder. "And his match with you will be a good testing ground for how much training he has left. So hit him hard. Don't disgrace yourself, your sister, or him by holding back. In fact, she and Shoto would make a powerful team one day."
Izuku suddenly felt way more pressure than he did beforehand. A feeling that he didn't even want to have because Endeavor was involving both twins into something that involved his own pride of beating All Might. And the way he was talking about Izuka in a similar manner to Shoto was making him wary as well...
"I refuse to rely on my old man's fire Quirk," Shoto then moved his hand away. "You see...I'm going to show him that I reject his power and take first place without using it."
That same feeling of Shoto not using his potential came crawling back. And he could understand why, but at the same time...it was holding Shoto back as a fighter to not use his left side. All because of Endeavor's own feelings of attempting to push his son towards his own personal goals...
"That's all I wanted to say. I apologize for bothering you," Endeavor spoke up before walking off.
"...Endeavor," Izuku flinched, trying to keep his composure. The hero stopped to look back. "I am not All Might and neither is my sister."
"What? What are you talking about-"
"And the same goes for Todoroki," Izuku looked back with a fierce look in his eyes. "He may be your son...but he isn't you. My sister is her own person that makes her own path, not one chosen for her. So you can't decide for someone you don't even know."
The two stared at each other before Izuku left the hallway.
"Smooch!" Recovery Girl kissed Izuka on her cheek. "There! All better. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you arrived here a second time in just the first round. The Midoriyas seem to be my most occurring students."
Izuka looked at her cast for her left arm and a bandage over her head. She also had gauze around her back where she had crashed. "T-Thank you. I guess I'm following my brother now, huh?"
"Your Quirk is amazing, but your body is still getting used to it because of not using your abilities for years," Recovery Girl hummed a little.
The girl then lightly touched her hair, as one of her tied rings had came undone. She then rubbed her head gently, thinking about her match with Katsuki again. There was one moment that was still on her mind as she looked up at the ceiling, closing her eyes.
"If you wanna fight, then you better look me in my eyes and take me on, you damn mouse!" Katsuki then froze while looking at her, unable to give her a final blow.
What was that all about?
"You're free to watch the rest of the festival, dear," Recovery Girl stepped back as the girl sat up slowly, feeling much better, though still confused on Katsuki.
"Thank you again...Recovery Girl. I'm...I'm sorry for the trouble I keep causing you today."
"Oh, no trouble at all! I will say it's a nice change-up other than your brother," Recovery Girl gave a small amused smile.
Izuka gave a sheepish chuckle and waved goodbye. She then stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Well, she could at least say she faced him as well as defended him in front of millions of people. She didn't know how she could do it, or why, but she did it...now she just had to hope it never happened again.
"Mido!"
She glanced up to see Ochaco, Tenya, and Momo running up to her. "Thank goodness, you're alright!" Momo gave her a small smile. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay. Recovery Girl...helped me out a lot. She said...I'm well enough to watch the rest of the sports festival."
"Well...you did your best. I don't think anyone could've won against him. But I wonder what happened earlier," Tenya crossed his arms in thought.
"Yeah, that was weird. It wasn't like that when he fought me," Ochaco commented and Izuka blinked. She then realized the brunette meant that weird hesitation with Katsuki earlier. In all of the time she had known him, that was a first for her too.
"I'm...not sure," She confessed to them, sighing in relief. "But at least that means I don't have to be front and center anymore..."
The others all gave a sheepish laugh from remembering crowds still weren't her thing... "I'd like to grab a drink before I head back...save me a seat?" She asked timidly and they all nodded in agreement. She waved to them as they walked off in opposite directions. The first round is over already. Meaning my brother will be in the second. He's got this, I know he does.
Before she could think further, a harsh hand caught hers. She gasped, getting her back slammed into a wall. She looked up, her heart sinking as Katsuki was huffing in front of her. His hand was against the wall near her head and he looked miffed.
"Why did you do that earlier during my match with Uraraka?! I didn't need your help," He demanded and she squeezed her eyes shut, looking away. She could ask him the same thing about when he helped her numerous times, but something told her she'd regret asking him that. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"
She flinched in fear, lowering her head. "I-I'm sorry...I couldn't just do nothing," She stammered to the blond and he punched the wall this time. This caused her to yelp as she jumped up a bit in alarm.
"Are you playing me or something? I didn't even mind that dumb new move you've got, but now you've actually got the balls to not stammer in front of a crowd. You can't even do it in front of me and yet you got all of them wrapped around your finger."
"I...it's not like that...!" She finally managed to say. Honestly, she was surprised that he wasn't asking her about her new power; nothing stopped him from asking about Izuku's Quirk.
"I've known you for years and never once have you done that in your life," He narrowed his eyes at her. "So what made you change your mind? Why then for something that I didn't give a damn about?" She didn't answer as she looked towards her shoes and he groaned a bit. "And why are you not looking at me in the damn eye?!"
"Because I just wanted to return the favor, okay?!" She blurted and he flinched backwards a little immediately. She covered her mouth in fear once she saw this. I just screamed at him! Apologize before you make him upset even though he can be mean! "I-I'm sorry, I mean...when it comes to confidence...I'm not much compared to you, Todoroki, or even my brother sometimes. So I couldn't just let it happen, not when it meant that I could've let your chances slip of not being scouted if I didn't say anything. You...you inspired me when you talked to me before the festival, and...and I wanna be stronger, but not the way I am now...both with who I am and my Quirk," He slowly dropped his fist as he stared at her and she turned away. "You've all worked and trained to get as far as you have. I just wanna be more like you guys...to shine like a moon would in the night sky," She then lowered her head and he didn't say anything for a few minutes, blinking slowly. He then scoffed, putting his hands in his pockets.
"You really still believe you're weak? Not after what I saw, idiot. You at least didn't completely blow it," She did a double take as he didn't look towards her at all. She couldn't see his eyes, so she had no idea what his face looked like right now. "Believe what you want. If no one sees you after today as someone with actual power, they're all idiots. And besides, you don't owe me anything. All you have to do is watch me be number one while you still have a long way to go before beating anyone, let alone me."
A light gasp escaped her as she watched him leave, blinking in disbelief. He's still prideful as ever, but...did he just comfort me? He didn't say I didn't give any effort, either. Is he really as bad as I kept thinking when we were kids?
He then stopped, looking over his shoulder. "And don't talk during my next matches or I'll explode you!" He snarled a little before storming off.
There he is She gave a deadpanned look, though she did notice that not once...did he ever call her mousy.
Izuku was heading towards the arena to face Shoto. "Midoriya, Mido, you've both got All Might in your corner, helping you out."
Todoroki...
Shoto himself was walking through the opposite hallway of the arena. "It's my Shoto's duty to surpass All Might as the number one hero."
The boy then narrowed his eyes. Midoriya...
Endeavor was still standing in the hall, staring to where Izuku had left. "Let me assure you of one thing, All Might. I will mold that child into a hero that surpasses you one day."
Toshinori narrowed his eyes from his spot in the teacher's section, thinking of what Endeavor said to him. And it still was a red flag that this match might push Endeavor further...either that, or fuel his untapped satisfaction of what he wanted for Shoto.
"So the match hasn't started yet?" Ochaco wondered, Tenya and Fumikage turning to her. Both of them were alarmed to see her eyes red because of her crying earlier. Izuka stood behind her with a sheepish look. "Oh, good."
"Something horrible's happened to your eyes! They didn't look like that before. You need to go see Recovery Girl!" Tenya suggested; since Ochaco was crying earlier, that was what affected her eyes. She had kept rubbing them periodically, which slowly led to how they looked now...
"I already did," Ochaco continued wiping at her eyes. "This is from...something else," She took a seat between an empty one and Fumikage. Izuka walked up next and sat to Ochaco's left.
"Don't worry about her eyes, Ida-San," Izuka rubbed Ochaco's back gently. "She'll be okay."
"Ah, of course!" He then paused a little, looking towards the arena. "If I were you, I'd be frustrated, too."
"It's no time to wallow," Fumikage stated calmly, looking up ahead. "Use this next fight as a source of encouragement, the both of you."
"Will do," Ochaco nodded while Tenya froze from the advice.
"You're so wise..."
"Thank you, Tokoyami-San," Izuka gave a grateful smile, sipping her drink. The three surrounding her all stared in disbelief. She didn't notice it at first until she felt it after her sip. She then looked up in alarm, touching her face. "What is it? Is there something on me?"
"No, it's just...you're speaking so clearly now. You must be more comfortable with the idea," Tenya pointed out and Izuka blinked. She then turned away with a small smile.
"I suppose so. Maybe it's because of earlier that…it's just becoming more natural of me now."
"See? So much progress!" Ochaco wrapped an arm around her while pumping a fist.
The first round of the second match was about to start. "I can feel the anticipation in the stadium! And that's because the second round's first match is gonna be epic!" Present Mic announced as Shoto was stepping up. "It's the guy who won his last fight by a landslide and literally left half the audience frozen. The hero course's Shoto Todoroki!" Izuku then stepped up next, determined to win. "And this kid almost walked out of his first matchup, but made a stunning comeback by showing off some impressive moves! Also from the hero course, Izuku Midoriya!"
They came to a stop a few feet away from each other. "So here we are..." Shoto trailed off as they stared straight towards one another.
"And only one of us can win," Izuku finished for him.
Both Katsuki and Izuka watched attentively to see how this would end. "Tokoyami," Tenya turned towards Fumikage. "How do you think this match will go?"
"It depends on whether or not Midoriya is able to get in close to him."
"Yeah," Ochaco turned back towards the arena. "That's the problem. How will Deku avoid the ice?"
"I'm sure he has some kind of strategy in mind if I know my brother well," Izuka closed her eyes in thought. "He doesn't go into this without thinking at all. Don't forget he's studied lots of heroes and students through his journey here."
She then looked back towards her brother. Something tells me...that deep down, he wants to help Todoroki-San despite everything. It can't exactly be ignored what his goal is here after all...
"Pay close attention to them, Tomura Shigaraki," His master told him as Shigaraki was currently watching the festival from a computer. "These two could prove to be formidable obstacles to you one day."
Shigaraki gave a small chuckle while scratching the side of his neck. "I'm not worried about a coupla kids. That plain-looking one's own sister didn't even advance..."
Inko sobbed while being surrounded by a bunch of used tissues. She blew into her nose, praying her son would make it. Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods watched as well, some citizens standing behind the heroes.
"Oh, right," Thirteen spoke up to Toshinori. "Those two students tried to save you at the USJ, didn't they? Along with Bakugo and Mido."
"Yeah," Toshinori nodded in confirmation. "They may have more in common than they realize. They both have such an intense vibe about them."
Endeavor was watching as well, his back against the wall. "Both of the heroes-in-training have been frontrunners in the Sports Festival! But which one of these rivals will advance to the next round?" Izuku took a stance, his fingers outstretched. "Prepare for...Midoriya versus Todoroki!" Shoto leaned his body down, and once their names were said, both of them flinched to prepare their first moves. "Begin!"
Angel: For those who might be upset Izuka didn't win against Bakugo…well first of all it's Bakugo. But I did have one person asking me to have Izuka win the Sports Festival entirely when there are 4 people who would have defeated her, including Bakugo. Can I respectfully just say that regardless of a win, she proved that she has enough right to be in U.A.? She went all the way to the third part of the Sports Festival, that's not a bad placement, and she herself did not care if she won.
Me writing her winning also would force me to make a lot of story changes that I don't have time to do. Because the results of who wins the Sports Festival overall do get brought up again several times and it does affect some plot lines later on that I've already written. I'm not saying Izuka's weak, but a change like that instead of who actually won would have me go back and do a bunch of rewrites, I cannot pull that off without it affecting my physical and mental health y'all XD because trust me, it will if I started making changes just because someone asked me to and that's not how writing works. If you do feel that Izuka should have won overall, tell me why because I am genuinely curious if there are other people who think she had to win when I don't feel that way.