Finally, a moment of revelry- relief from the intense competition, the time for the spotlight to shine on other students; what seemed like short matches had felt like hours. The audience was feeling worn down but hoped the merriment of noncompetitive games would lift their spirits in time for the final half. Sequentially, the faculty of U.A. Japan had been anticipating the exhibition of its advanced learning curve; this was why The International Rising Hero's Championship was initiated. They knew, of course, that ferocity would be challenging to watch for both heroes and bystanders alike, but this just wasn't for the students. It was for everyone. Once this is all over, everyone will have learned their newfound strengths and weaknesses and be able to come together to become the heroes the world needs them to be.
In light of the festivities, the line-up for the halftime show was packed with ingenious activities meant to highlight sportsmanship and healthy rivalry, all while holding a moderate level of entertainment value: during the athletic relay, the hundred-meter race turned heads as the fastest students assembled behind the starting line. Keali'i', one of the participants, burst ahead of the competition once Present Mic had made his call, halting himself just over the finish line; those behind him felt the impact of the intense blast of air- that tore the clothing off their bodies. Oops. Keali'i, anxiously pretending that he didn't see what had happened, turned away while shielding his eyes. At least everyone was wearing underwear today.
"-Up next, the sculpture contest!" Present Mic announced that students who were capable of chiseling stone columns had their creative skills put to the test- the more immaculate the execution, the better.
With the largest turnout so far, the arena was filled with imaginative minds of cultivating proportions. Mickey, one of the participants, was dressed for the event in their beret and spattered paint smock- and with a single, gentle tap of their hammer and chisel, the column had crumbled into (an uncanny, photorealistic) The Thinker. Arjan, who also joined the event, had outshined the others with his rendition of a Renaissance-era All Might statue in the essence of Atlas, the titan condemned to hold up the celestial heavens for eternity. With the crowd in awe and All Might himself dramatically in tears of admiration, Arjan was declared the winner; Kirishima, who was next to Arjan, was about to congratulate him when he noticed he was nowhere to be seen. Overwhelmed, Arjan hid behind his masterpiece, crouching down with his head in his lap while cradling his legs.
During the skating competition, students who were most vital in their performance and agility attributes exhibited the best of their capabilities for the audience to perceive. "I don't know how I got here or how I ended up in this, but I will win this," Todoroki mumbled under his breath, dazzling in his figure skating outfit of soft lycra and mesh, acrylic paint, glistening with rhinestones and swarovski crystals.
Similarly, everyone participating was at an amateur-moderate level but enjoyed their time out from the senselessness. However, there was one competitor skating literal circles around everyone; of course, to no one's surprise, the student who had retractable figure skates was enchanting everyone with her silky movements. None other than Estelle smoothly turned and spun around- leaping and jumping gracefully unlike any other: this was her element, her show, and she was proving it to everyone watching. In a moment of inspiration, there was an attempt made to follow her step sequences, but the results were unsuccessful; after going against a rough patch, Todoroki was rendered on his hands and knees, and Estelle took the opportunity to make a risky move. With adequate speed, her backward steps turned into a backflip with a generous arch, landing the move on one foot.
The arena erupted with cheers and shouts as Present Mic's overly enthusiastic spectating encouraged their roaring excitement. Estelle's showmanship didn't end there, not until she added a few flawless axels followed by a sit-upright combination spin. Completely out of breath, Estelle soaked up her much-deserved applause, her eyes sparkling brighter than her hero costume. In the kiss and cry area of the stadium, the students in the skating competition were joined by their class president and a person of their choice; each area had proper seating and was adorned with creative backdrops and ornaments that best represented their class and participant. Everyone is now patiently awaiting the results.
As most had already observed, the scores received throughout this event were less than desired; they were in school to help the world, not become athletes. Of course, ineffectuality, to a degree, wasn't unusual. From Class 1-A, Todoroki found the results exceptionally cruel, given that he was one of the few students attending U.A. Japan who had an ice quirk, and in light of the outcome, Midoriya cautiously consoled him as Iida reassured him of a victory the following year. Over at Class 1-B, Kendo sat proudly next to Estelle as Mickey, who once again was dressed for the occasion- in their loose, black knit beanie, salmon knit, button-up sweater, and white turtle neck, was rubbing Estelle's shoulders roughly. Her score, worthily, was the highest, and the crowd rewarded her with their praise while Kendo and Mickey hugged her tightly.
That wasn't the last of 1-B, however, "Has the day finally come? Have we, Class 1-B, gotten the upper hand on Class 1-A?" Monoma trembled, sneering towards the three boys from behind his class's backdrop, "You thought having an ice quirk would give you an advantage over an Olympic figure skater?! Don't make me laugh! How does-!" With assistance from Kendo, his rant hastily ended. "Sorry about that, guys." She apologized.
"Ya' know, you really outta start keepin' that thing on a leash." Mickey pointed out, Estelle annoyingly nodding in agreement