Chapter 5: Cavalry Battle Finale
While Team Izuku and Team Shoto were staring each other down, Team Shoji were trying to figure out a plan. Sero was freaking out trying to figure out how his headband was stolen. Tsuyu bluntly said, "Normally I wouldn't have teamed up with you, but this was a good plan! So, I'm not sure how you lost your headband."
"Where the heck did it go?!" Sero shouted. "This just means there's nothing left to lose! Shoji! Full on attack mode! We'll use all our powers to steal the points from those two teams!" Shoji charged right at Team Izuku and Team Shoto.
Tokoyami commented, "I didn't think this confrontation would happen until later in the contest. He seems to have it out for you, Midoriya."
Izuku said, "The game's only halfway over. We can't stop now!"
Danny mouthed to Izuku, "Sorry about this."
Shoto shouted, "Now, Iida. Forward!"
Iida propelled the team forward. Danny was floating while Momo had roller skates on that she made using her Quirk. Shoto shouted to Momo, "Yaoyorozu. Be ready to protect us. Fenton, get your blast ready."
"On it!" Danny and Momo shouted.
Izuku said, "Watch your surroundings. It's not just Todoroki. Everyone's after us!"
Danny looked to Momo, "I've got my blasts ready. Are you making something strong?"
Momo nodded, "Yes, I'm ready." She created a shield blanket along with a pole that stopped them from moving while Danny unleashed an ecto blast at all the surrounding competitors. The ones charging at the two teams flew back while Dark Shadow got blasted head on."
Shoto threw the blanket off and said, "Less than six minutes left. It's time to make a move." He grabbed the pole Momo made and froze it, creating ice as it was dragged, freezing the teams around them. "Sorry, but there's no other way."
Present Mic narrated, "Would you look at that! He's stopped all those teams cold in his tracks!"
Aizawa commented, "But only after Fenton had blasted them back, rendering them vulnerable for a few brief moments. In the obstacle course, he was surprised by how many people avoided his attack. He's adapting his strategy."
Present Mic narrated, "Nice commentary!"
Team Shoto ran past Team Kendo and took some of their headbands, "I might as well take these!"
Kendo, the class rep from Class 1-B, growled, "Come back!" Shoto created a big wall of ice to keep them from following.
Izuku tried to use the jetpack, but Danny actually broke it with his attack. Izuku realized, "The jet pack's malfunctioning!"
Hatsume replied, "Baby! Guess it needs some upgrades."
Ochaco was trying to get the team away with her remaining jet boot, however, "Oh, no, they're too fast! We can't get away."
"Take care of them," Tokoyami told Dark Shadow, who charged at Shoto, but Danny created a ghost shield that blocked the attack. Momo then created a pole and swatted Dark Shadow away.
Izuku said, "Danny's too good with his Quirk. So is Yaoyorozu. We have to be careful."
Tokoyami countered, "No, Fenton's the one we should fear. His attacks not only affect Dark Shadow, but I also can't get through his shield. Plus, I've noticed that whenever Dark Shadow is near him, Fenton's breath can be seen. It's like he can detect Dark Shadow specifically."
Izuku remembered when Danny's breath was seen during the USJ incident, when the villains arrived. He heard Danny mumble that his sense shouldn't have gone off. His ghost sense."
Izuku realized, "Danny can detect ghosts. And Dark Shadow is kinda like a ghost. And his powers can affect ghosts more than humans. I remember him saying that."
Tokoyami nodded, "As long as he keeps using his Quirk, it will be very difficult for me to attack. Plus, the sunlight is getting stronger, making Dark Shadow weaker and more timid to attack."
Dark Shadow whimpered, "Violence solves nothing."
They stopped right at the boundary line, as now they were blocked in. Present Mic narrated, "Team Midoriya has nowhere left to run!"
Shoto had completely encased their surroundings in ice. Izuku said, "Tokoyami, your attack power is low, but they have no idea that's the case, right?"
Tokoyami replied, "I don't think so. The only person I've mentioned my light weakness to is Koda back at the USJ. He's a man of very few words. But I have a feeling Fenton may have figured out he is strong against Dark Shadow."
Izuku said, "We may just have to keep fighting. Danny may know your weakness, but the others don't. We can use that. This'll work out. All we have to do is hang onto the ten million points, no matter what!"
Meanwhile, Monoma was still talking with Bakugo, when Monoma's teammate, Kaibara, said, "Monoma. Don't provoke him, man. That's the kinda thing he would do."
Monoma replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's not very heroic of me. Besides, you know how these things work. Heroes are always being hounded by moronic villains desperate for some kind of revenge."
Bakugo's anger was starting to boil off. Kirishima said, "Calm down, Bakugo. You've gotta keep a level head or we'll never get our points back."
Bakugo shouted, "Shut up! I've never been calmer. Can't you tell? Now get after them, Kirishima!"
Kirishima sighed, "Please don't make us regret this."
Team Bakugo went charging at Team Monoma. Bakugo shouted, "You think you're tough? Die!" Bakugo tried to attack, but Monoma dodged, then surprised Bakugo by using his own Quirk against him, as Monoma's Quirk is Copy.
Monoma chuckled, "Huh. Wow. I see why you like this Quirk!" He quickly touched Kirishima's hair, copying his Quirk as well.
Kirishima shouted, "Whoa, weird. That guy has your Quirk!"
Bakugo growled, "Damn it!" He tried attacking again, but Monoma used Kirishima's Quirk to block it.
Monoma chuckled, "You both have impressive powers. But I think you'll agree mine's better."
Kirishima was freaking out, "Huh? What? Mine, too?'
Bakugo said, "Bastard. His Quirk. He can copy other powers."
Monoma replied, "Very good. So even an idiot can figure it out."
Bakugo tried attacking again, but another team from Class 1-B blocked them with their Glue Quirk.
Monoma said, "Nice one. Thanks for the backup, Bondo."
Kaibara told Monoma, "If we keep those headbands, we're good. As long as no one gets near us, we'll make our class proud." Team Monoma started to run away.
"After them!' Bakugo shouted.
But his team couldn't move. Kirishima said, "It's too sticky. Crap! I can't move!"
Mina said, "No problem. I'll melt through this gunk with my Quirk!"
Kaminari added, "Well, hurry. We're sitting at zero points now."
Monoma looked back, "Oh, no hard feelings, right? After all, you provoked us. Back at your classroom."
Katsuki growled, "This isn't over. I'm still gonna come out on top. And I won't just make it to first place. I'll be the undeniable champion!"
"Only one minute left!" Present Mic narrated. "Todoroki has cornered the tem million point team and is poised to seize the ultimate prize! At least, that's what I would have predicted five minutes ago! Unbelievably, Team Midoriya's been able to keep away from the ice master for the last half of the game!"
"Stay back!" Izuku shouted at Shoto.
Up in the stands, All Might said, "You're doing good, kid."
Endeavour said, "He's exploiting your weaknesses. Don't be a fool."
Shoto stared at Izuku, "Midoirya is keeping his distance and staying on my left side. That's his strategy. From this position, if I try to freeze them, I'll hit Iida. If he keeps moving like this, there's no way I can get a clear shot at his team. There's not much time left. That bastard!"
Iida then said, "Everyone. We have less than 60 seconds. I'm gonna do something that'll make me useless to you."
"What are you gonna do?" Shoto asked.
Iida replied, "Make sure you get that headband. Fenton, I know you're fast. Fly alongside us and while Mirodiya is distracted, grab the headband."
"I'll do you one better," Danny replied as he secretly made a duplicate and that duplicate turned invisible.
Tenya said, "Brace yourselves! Hold on tight! Torque Over Reciproburst!"
Team Shoto went flying super fast at Team Izuku. While Izuku was distracted, Danny's duplicate flew in and stole the ten million point headband." Izuku didn't know what hit him. Tenya stopped them several feet away. Danny's duplicate turned visible and handed the headband to Shoto.
Present Mic narrated, "Whoa! What just happened? That was one big blur! Holy smokes, folks! Why didn't he show off that super speed in the preliminaries? And Fenton just made a copy of himself. What?"
Shoto asked, "Iida, what was that?"
Tenya answered, "Forced my torque and RPM into overdrive, which gave me explosive power! Unfortunately, the recoil stalls my engines for a while. It's a secret move I've been saving. No one in the class knows about it. Fenton, thank you for the assist."
"No problem," Danny replied.
"It was nothing," the duplicate said as he got reabsorbed into Danny.
Tenya looked over at Izuku, "I told you, Midoriya, that I'd do my best to beat you."
The crowd cheered as Present Mic narrated, "Insanity! This entire game was just turned completely on its head! Todoroki's team has the ten million points, and Midoriya's team is suddenly left with nothing at all."
"Don't let them get away!" Izuku shouted.
"Fenton's still a problem to us," Tokoyami reminded Izuku. It'll be smarter for us to try for other points now."
"We can't!" Izuku shouted. "We don't know who's got the other headbands. This is our only chance!"
"Then let's go!" Ochaco shouted. "We'll get the points back, Deku. I know it!"
Team Izuku charged in at Team Shoto, ready to fight.
Meanwhile, Present Mic narrated, "With time almost up, Team Todoroki is in first place with four headbands. Despite their best efforts, Team Midoriya has fallen to the bottom. Will these be the top four teams that move onto the next round." Those teams were Todoroki, Monoma, Tetsutetsu, and Kendo.
"Second place," Monoma noted. "We've done pretty well for ourselves. Now, we can let the clock run out."
Katsuki shouted, "Losers! Get back here!"
Monoma groaned, "Doesn't he ever give up? Knowing you've been bested is an important part of being a hero."
Bakugo used his Quirk to blast himself towards Team Monoma."
"Hey!" Kirishima shouted. "Just don't fly off by yourself!"
"Tsuburaba!" Monoma shouted. "Stop him."
Tsuburaba used his Quirk, Solid Air, to create an air block to stop Bakugo. He laughed, "You look pretty stupid fighting with air."
Bakugo broke through the air block and grabbed some of the headbands from Monoma. Kaminari used his electricity to grab Bakugo, bringing him back to the team.
Present Mic narrated, "Team Bakugo nabs two headbands and moves into third place. The final moments of the game have been full of shakeups! Oh, to be young again."
Team Monoma ran away, "We're still in fourth place. If we defend this one to the death, we'll move forward."
Kaminari growled, "I told you to warn us before you jumped!"
Kirishima added, "Whatever, this means we're advancing."
"We're not done!" Bakugo shouted. "We're gonna be the indisputable champions of the game!" So Team Bakugo ran after Team Monoma.
"Now look at this," Aizawa commented. "Class 1-B's strategy was a reasonable one, but there's one thing they forgot to consider.'
Bakugo said, "I couldn't brace myself when I jumped earlier. Get closer! We'll get our points back from this idiot, then go for the big one! Now, electric guy, blast away!"
"My name's Kaminari!" Kaminari shouted as he sent an electrical blast at Team Monoma, but he missed.
"Raccon eyes," Bakugo told Mina. "Lay down some acid in the direction we're going."
"It's Mina Ashido!" Mina shouted as she threw down her acid.
"Young Bakugo," All Might thought. "You understood something crucial, a truth that no one had to teach you. But there's a difference between those who aim for the top, and those who settle. And that difference matters."
Bakugo activated his Quirk and blasted his team towards Monoma.
Aizawa commented, "Class 1-B didn't take into account Bakugo's overwhelming tenacity."
Bakugo blasted through the air shield that was put up, and ripped the last headband away from Monoma.
Present Mic narrated, "Bakugo is a merciless force! What a point hog! That was a shield break heard 'round the arena, and I can't wait to watch the replay!"
"Now!" Bakugo said. "We go after Deku and Todoroki."
Back with Midoriya and Todoroki, Izuku activated One For All in his arm, but only swept it against Shoto, who activated his left side's fire to block it. Shoto was shocked, "My left side. What am I doing?"
"My hand's hurt," Izuku noted. "But it's not broken! He's turned the bands around to hide their point values. But he put the ten million one on last, right? So it must be on top!" He grabbed one of the headbands from around Shoto's neck, but it wasn't the ten million one. It was only worth 70 points."
"They tricked us!" Izuku shouted.
Momo smirked, "We mixed the headbands up. There's no way we'd leave the prize on top. You underestimate us."
Danny looked up at Shoto, "Dude, are you OK? You better watch yourself."
"The game is almost over!" Present Mic shouted. "Time for the 10 second countdown!"
A clock started ticking down from ten seconds.
"Tokoyami!" Izuku shouted. Tokoyami sent Dark Shadow towards Shoto.
"Fenton!" Shoto shouted and Danny activated a ghost shield in front of the team to block Dark Shadow.
Suddenly Bakugo jumped over the ice wall, "Deku!" His team was behind him. So now three teams were going after each other in these last ten seconds. Izuku charged at Shoto, while Bakugo noticed this and shouted, "Damn it, Icy-Hot!" and redirected himself towards Shoto, who grabbed a pole Momo created and coated it with ice ready to protect himself.
Suddenly the buzzer rang. "Time's up!" Present Mic shouted. All three teams stood down, Bakugo falling flat on his face. "And with that, the second round is officially over!"
Bakugo's team ran over to Katsuki. Kirishima asked, "Are you OK, man?" Bakugo just grunted in response.
Izuku groaned in disappointment while Shoto mumbled, "Damn it."
Present Mic narrated, "Now, let's take a look at who our top four teams are! In first place, Team Todoroki!"
Jazz smiled at her TV, "Way to go, little brother."
Momo commented, "We ended in first place, but it was too close for comfort."
Tenya sighed, "I'm sorry. I let everyone down, didn't I?"
"Dude, you're being too hard on yourself," Danny said. "We all did good for the team."
Present Mic narrated, "In second place, Team Bakugo!"
Mina sighed, "Ugh. We were so close to first place."
Kaminari shrugged, "Meh. Sure. But we're still moving on, so it's all good."
Kirishima added, "I don't think our leader would agree with you. Like, at all." Bakugo screamed with fury.
Present Mic narrated, "In third place is Team Tet….Wait, what? It's Team Shinso? When did they come back from the dead?"
Shinso said to his team of Aoyama, Oijiro, and Shoda from Class 1-B, "Thanks for your help."
Izuku turned to his team, "Guys, I'm sorry."
But Ochaco and Hatsume giggled and pointed at Tokoyami, who said, "I must apologize. When Todoroki was shaken by your first attack, I tried to grab the ten million headband, but things didn't go as planned thanks to Fenton. Still, I got one. It was around his head, where his guard was weakest and Fenton's shield didn't reach. Midoriya, you're the one who created the opening for me. And ensured our advancement." Dark Shadow showed a headband worth 615 points in its mouth and gave Izuku a thumbs up."
Present Mic narrated, "And in fourth place is Team Midoriya! These four valiant teams will advance on to the final round."
Izuku cried in relief.
Izuku's mom was crying from her couch, proud of her baby boy.
Shoto looked down at his left hand, "I said I'd never use this to attack. But as soon as I was overwhelmed, I broke my own promise. At this rate, he'll win and I'll end up exactly who he wants me to be."
Present Mic announced, "Now, let's take an hour lunch break before we start the afternoon festivities! See ya soon! Hey, Eraser Head. Let's grab some food."
"I'm taking a nap," Aizawa responded.
Team Tetsutetsu were confused as to how they lost all their points. Tetsutetsu shouted, "No fair! I want a do-over!"
Tsuyu said, "How disappointing. Mina. Congrats."
Mina sighed, "Thanks, but Bakugo only asked me to join because I could melt Todoroki's ice. It's not like I helped that much."
Ochaco berated Tenya, "Iida, you were holding out on us! I had no idea you could do that!"
Tenya replied, "Rest assured it wasn't my intention to deceive you, I was just being strategic. I merely wanted to show that I could compete with Midoriya and Fenton."
Danny walked over to Izuku, "Good job, Izuku. Looks like we both will be moving on."
Izuku smiled, "Thanks Danny."
Shoto walked over to the two of them and pulled them away from everyone. Izuku said, "OK. You want our attention. Why?"
Meanwhile, Endeavour was walking down the stairs when All Might, in his hero form, stopped him, "Yo. Long time no see! Let's catch up, Endeavour."
Chapter 6: The Boy Born With Everything
Shoto was still staring down Izuku and Danny. The ghost boy broke the silence, "Dude, if you want to say something, just say it. Your stare is kinda creepy."
"We should probably eat soon," Izuku added. "The cafeteria's gonna be busy. Don't you think?"
Shoto finally spoke, "I was overwhelmed. And it made me break my promise I made to myself a long time ago. No one felt it. I was the only one who could sense your true power. Although I have a feeling you can sense it as well, Fenton. It reminded me of something, experiencing All Might's Quirk. I'm saying that the power coming from you, Midoriya, felt the same as All Might's. Midoriya, tell me. Are you really All Might's secret love child or something?"
Izuku stood there in shock while Danny burst out laughing. Shoto looked at Danny, "Why do you find this funny?"
Danny took some deep breaths to calm himself, "Sorry, it's just that your suggestion sounds very ridiculous."
Izuku added, "Yeah, no way, it's not that at all. I promise, you've got the wrong idea. Why would you even think that about me?"
Shoto replied, "That is interesting wording. It suggests that there is something between you two that you're not supposed to talk about. And I think you, Fenton, are in on it."
Izuku's eyes went to the ground and Danny stared at Shoto.
Shoto continued, "My father is the hero Endeavour. You must've heard of him. Which means you're aware that he's the number two hero. So if you're connected to the number one hero, All Might, in some way, that would mean, Midoriya, that I have even more reason to beat you. And Fenton, you were able to stand alongside All Might and fight that monster at the USJ. That also means I have reason to beat you as well. Even though we were just teammates, now we are opponents."
Danny's eyes glowed green, "Bring it, then."
Back with All Might and Endeavour, All Might said, "I haven't talked to you since that press conference ten years ago. Been a while. I saw you and figured I'd say hi."
"Did you now?" Endeavour replied. "Well then, if that's all you wanted to do, we're done. Chatting like old friends. What a joke."
He tried to walk away, but All Might jumped over him and blocked him from walking any further, "Come on, why the cold shoulder? You should be thrilled. After all, your son's doing very well out there, just using half his power. You must be a great teacher."
"Are you implying something?" Endeavour asked.
All Might shook his head, "No. I want to know your secrets. How do we train the next generation of heroes?"
Endeavour scoffed, "Do you really think I'd tell you anything I've taught the boy? You're all flash and no brains as usual. Outta my way." He shoved past All Might, "Let me assure of one thing, All Might. Whatever it takes, that kid of mine will beat you someday. I'll make sure of it. That's why I made him."
All Might was shocked, "You did what?"
Endeavour continued, "He's in a rebellious phase right now. But he will take your place. I'll make sure of it." He then walked away, leaving All Might puzzled.
Shoto said, "My old man is ambitious. He aims for the top. He used his power to make a name for himself as a hero. But he was never able to best All Might, so the Symbol of Peace is the living proof of his failure. He's still at it, though, trying to take down All Might. One way or another."
Izuku responded, "I'm not really sure what you're getting at."
"I agree," Danny added. "What is it that you're trying to tell us?"
Shoto responded, "Have you ever heard of Quirk marriages? They became a problem in the first few generations after superpowers became widespread. There were those who sought out potential mates solely with the intention of creating powerful children. Many people were forced into relationships. They were simply viewed as old fashioned arranged marriages. But clearly, it was unethical. My father has not only a rich history of accomplishments, but plenty of money to throw at his problems. He bought my mother's relatives to get his hands on her Quirk. And now he's raising me up to usurp All Might. It's so annoying. I refuse to be a tool for that scumbag. In every memory of my mother, I only see her crying. I remember she called my left side unbearable, before she poured boiling water on my face. The reason I picked a fight with you, Midoriya and Fenton, was to show my old man what I was capable of doing. Without having to rely on his damned fire Quirk. You see, I'm going to show him that I reject his power, and I can take first place without using it."
What the trio didn't know was that Bakugo was listening in. He looked down, deep in thought.
"Wow," Danny replied. "And I thought my backstory was messed up."
Shoto looked at Danny, "And what's that supposed to mean? You think you had it worse than me?"
Danny glared at Shoto, "At least you still have your parents."
Shoto didn't reply to Danny, he turned and walked away, "Midoriya, you're obviously connected to All Might. Even if you or Fenton won't tell me about it. But no matter how fiercely you come at me in the future, I will defeat you using only my right side. I can assure you of that. Same goes for you, Fenton."
He walked away, but Izuku stopped him, "Hey, wait! I'm only here because others have supported me. I've been really lucky. In fact, I've had even more help since I've come to UA. All Might is constantly saving people with a fearless smile. He's the greatest hero. And I wanna be just like him. In order to do that, I have to be strong enough to be number one. I know my motivation might seem stupid compared to yours. But still, I can't lose this, either. I owe it to everyone who's supported me to try my best. You declared war on me earlier. Well, right back at you. I am going to beat you."
Danny added, "Hey, Todoroki. You declared war on me, too. It's true that now we're opponents. And yeah, your backstory sucks. But like I said, you're not the only one who's trying to move on from their past or sticking it to the man. So if we see each other on the battlefield, I declare a bet. If you win, then you will be superior to me and your backstory is worse than mine. If I win, then….you know."
Shoto didn't say anything, he just turned and walked away.
Bakugo was still nearby and he walked away as well.
Lunch break ended and everyone made their way back to the arena. Present Mic announced, "Get those foam fingers in the air! It's almost time for the last round! But before that: good news for everyone who didn't make the finals. Since this is a sports festival, we've prepared some super fun side games everyone can participate in. We even brought in cheerleaders from America to get your blood pumping! Have fun competing in these little side games, everyone. After they're over, the 16 students from the top four teams will be duking it out one-on-one in a tournament style fighting competition. I promise you're not gonna wanna miss these epic match ups!"
Down on the field, Kirishima said, "Oh, yeah! Finally getting a chance to show what we're made of. I watch these finals every year, and now I'm actually in them!"
Mina asked, "So, wait, is it always a tournament?"
Sero answered, "The final's always a one-on-one competition, but they switch it up every time. Last year it was a foam sword fighting match. Man, I wish I was competing in it this year."
Midnight announced while holding up a box, "Come closer and draw lots to see who you're up against. Then enjoy the pleasure of the recreational games before we start. The 16 finalists have the option of participating in those activities or sitting out to prepare for battle. I'm sure you all want to conserve your stamina."
"Or just take a break from being in the spotlight," Danny muttered.
Midnight continued, "I'll start with the first place team."
Oijiro raised his hand, "Um, excuse me. Sorry. But I'm withdrawing."
Everyone gasped. Izuku said, "Oijiro. No way!"
Tenya added, "But this is a rare chance for you to get scouted."
Oijiro replied. "It just wouldn't be right. I barely remember anything from the cavalry battle until the very end of it. I think it was that guy's Quirk." He pointed at Shinso. "I know this is a great opportunity. I wish I could take advantage of it, but my conscience won't let me. Everyone gave their all in round two, but I was just someone's puppet. No way. I don't wanna advance if I don't even know how I got here. It wouldn't be fair.'
Toru argued, "You're making way too much of this! Just kill it in the finals and prove you should be here."
"Yeah, what she said," Mina added. "I didn't do much in the battle, either."
"That's not it," Oijiro argued. "I'm talking about my pride here. I refuse to give that up."
Danny put his arm around Oijiro, "Hey, it's OK. You are being really mature in this decision. I respect that."
Shoda stepped forward, "Nirengeki Shoda from Class 1-B. I think I should withdraw for the exact same reason. Regardless of how strong I am, this isn't how I wanted to get here. It would go against the values of the festival to advance without earning my spot."
Kirishima started to tear up, "Listen to these guys! They're so manly!"
"Well, now," Present Mic narrated. "Here's another turn of events."
Aizawa added, "We'll have to see what Midnight has to say about all this. She's the one in charge."
Midnight announced, "This sort of talk is incredibly naive, my boys. That turns me on! Shoda! Oijiro! You're withdrawn!"
Danny facepalmed at Midnight's statement of being turned on. The rest of the students were disturbed as well.
Aoyama put his hand on Oijiro's shoulder, "Don't worry. I'll win it for you."
Midnight annouced, "Now, let's see. We'll have to move up two students from the fifth place cavalry team so we have enough contestants."
That being Kendo's team. But Kendo raised her hand, "We were frozen most of the time. Honestly, we barely did anything in the cavalry battle. Isn't that right, girls?" Her teammates agreed.
Although Reiko muttered, "I do wish to compete with that ghostly class rep from 1-A. But I concede."
Kendo continued, "You should choose from the group that kept fighting the whole time. Team Tetsutetsu. I'm not doing this as a favor. It's just fair."
Tetsutetsu replied, "Seriously, you guys! Thank you!" His team discussed it amongst themselves and Tetsutetsu and Ibara were going to be the two to compete for their team.
Midnight announced, "And so, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki have advanced to the final! Take a look at the bracket, my dears! These are your opponents!"
Tetsutetsu vs. Kirishima, with both saying, "Seriously? How does this keep happening?!"
Tokoyami, "I'll give it my all." Vs. Momo, "Good. That's all I ask of you."
Aoyama, "Ma cherie. I'm afraid it's the end of the road for you." Vs. Mina, "I can't wait to melt your butt!"
Izuku saw that he was in the first match of the tournament, and he saw that Shoto was the match after him, meaning he may have to fight him. He saw that his first fight was against Shinso, who walked over to Izuku, "That is you, right? Izuku Midoriya? A pleasure. Are you excited?"
Izuku was about to reply, but Oijiro covered Izuku's mouth with his tail, "Not so fast."
Shinso smirked and walked away. Izuku turned to Oijiro, "What's the deal?"
"You can't say a word to him," Oijiro revealed.
Danny saw this exchange and looked over at Shinso walking away. He definitely got some creepy vibes from that guy. And for some reason, Freakshow came to his head. "Why do I have a bad feeling that his Quirk has something to do with brainwashing?"
Shoto was looking at the bracket, "Midoriya could be my second match, after I beat Kaminari, of course. You must advance, Midoriya. So I can beat you with one hand."
Bakugo was also looking at the bracket, "Uraraka? Who the hell's that?" Ochaco gasped behind him.
Hatsume walked up to Tenya, "Hey, legs. You're Iida, right?"
Tenya turned to her, "Correct. I'm Tenya Iida."
Hatsume smiled, "Oh. That's perfect. I have something nice for you."
Danny saw that he was up against Ibara from Class 1-B. He looked over and saw her and her vine hair. "So basically I'm fighting Undergrowth," Danny muttered. "Looks like I could use my ice for this fight."
Reiko was standing next to Ibara and was staring at Danny, a blush forming on her cheeks. She then saw Momo walking over to Danny, and jealousy hit her.
Momo said to Danny, "Shame we aren't fighting each other right away. I did want to show off what I can do against you."
Danny smiled, "Maybe we'll battle each other later. Good luck against your fight with Tokoyami."
Momo blushed as she smiled, "Thanks." That made Reiko even more jealous.
Danny said, "I'm gonna sit out of the side games. What are you gonna do?"
"I'll sit out with you," Momo said and they both walked out of the arena.
Present Mic announced, "OK. Let's press pause for a momentary interlude! Before the battles begin, it's time for some pulse pounding side games! First, how about a scavenger hunt?"
Everyone had to pick cards that had something on it that they had to find, examples being cat, bag, textbook, etc. Monoma was sitting on the side, "What a joke. They're actually taking these dumb side games seriously? As usual, these Class 1-A idiots really need to get their priorities in check."
"Monoma!" Kendo ran over to him. "If you're not playing, then come with me." She showed that her card said "Perverse person" and she used her Quirk, Big Fist, to grab Monoma.
"I think you have the wrong impression of me, Kendo," Monoma said as Kendo carried him away.
Kendo replied, "Trust me. This fits."
As the rest of the side games continued, the participants in the tournament were trying to get ready for their matches.
Finally, it was time for the matches to begin. Present Mic announced, "Hey, sports fans. Are ya ready?" The crowd cheered. "After all the action you've already witnessed, it's time for the real battles to begin. Can ya feel the excitement? Our competitors are on their own now! Sometimes, heroes have themselves to rely on. Heart. Skill. Strength. Wisdom. Courage. They'll have to use all these things to rise to the top!"
Izuku was in one of the tunnels trying to mentally prepare. Danny was standing beside him, "Just relax. You got this."
All Might walked up behind them, "Sorry I haven't said hi. You two have been great. Young Midoriya, you harnessed One For All!"
Izuku shook his head, "No, not really. I'm still worried about using it. I imagined the egg in the microwave or how it felt to hit that villain. But I'm still not in control. It feels so unpredictable, like I might be ripped apart if I'm not completely focused. Besides, I'm not fully ready to wield it, I can tell. Even after so much training, my body is weak. It just can't handle your power at 100%."
All Might nodded, "Yeah. If we're talking about how much of One For All you'd be able to use at this point, I'd say my closest guess would be around 5 percent."
Izuku was shocked, "What, only 5 percent? Wow, OK. I guess I really have only been getting by because of luck and my friends helping me out."
Danny retorted, "That's not true. Heck, it took me a while to fully control my powers. And at the beginning, I wasn't as strong as I am now. Baby steps, remember?"
All Might whacked Izuku on the head, "All I wanna hear you say is that you'll do your best, damn it! There's no such thing as luck. You're never gonna become the hero you want if you believe in something like that. Listen, whenever you're scared or nervous about a fight, just try to deal with it by smiling. You made it this far, kid. Even if you're worried, you must stand tall! Don't forget that I'm counting on you, like Young Fenton here. And we're both cheering you on!"
"What he said," Danny agreed.
Izuku nodded and turned toward the light at the end of the tunnel.
Present Mic announced, "All right, audience! Let's cut to the good stuff and not delay these finals any longer. Welcome our first fighters! Whoa, he looks kinda scary in his picture, doesn't he? It's Izuku Midoriya from the hero course versus Hitoshi Shinso from general studies, who really hasn't done anything to stand out yet. The rules are simple. Immobilize your opponent or force them out of the ring. Or you can win by getting the other person to cry uncle! Bring on the injuries, 'cause we've got our very own Recovery Girl on standby! So put your morals aside and don't be afraid to play dirty! But of course, no life-threatening crap, folks. It's not allowed. Real heroes use their power to throw villains into jail, not kill them."
Cementross was sitting at the sidelines, "I'll stop anyone who tries to be too rough."
Danny made his way into the stands where the rest of Class 1-A was sitting. He sat next to Momo and waited in anticipation.
Izuku and Shinso had made their way to the fighting arena. Izuku took some deep breaths and Shinso said, "So you can just give up, huh? In a way, this is a test of how strong your spirit is. If you know what you want your future to hold for you, you can't worry about what other people think. That monkey was going on about his pride earlier. But I just think he's an idiot for throwing away a chance like that."
"Begin!" Present Mic shouted.
Izuku growled at Shinso's words, "Don't you talk about him that way!"
He charged at Shinso, then suddenly stopped. Shinso grinned, "That's it. I win."
In the stands, Oijiro shouted, "I warned him not to say anything!"
Present Mic narrated, "What's this? This is the first match! It should start out with a bang! The fight has just begun and Izuku Midoriya is completely frozen?"
Danny growled as his eyes glowed green, "I knew it. His Quirk is Brainwash, just like that Freakshow."
Chapter 7: Victory or Defeat
Present Mic narrated, "He didn't stand out in the first rounds at all, but it's possible Shinso's crazy powerful! Who could've imagined this turn of events? That's the Festival for ya!"
Aizawa commented, "This is a perfect example of why the entrance exam isn't rational."
"Why's that?" Present Mic asked.
Aizawa answered, "Since we're on to the individual matches, I had some information compiled about our final competitors. Shinso failed the practical exam to get into the hero course. Since he also applied for general studies, he probably figured that would happen. His Quirk is incredibly strong, but that entrance exam consists of fighting faux villains. Robots. It gave a huge advantage to those who had physical superpowers they could show off. Despite his abilities, Shinso never stood a chance at passing."
Shinso looked at Izuku, "So here we are. You're lucky to have been so blessed, Izuku Midoriya. Now turn around and walk out of bounds like a good little hero."
Izuku turned around and started to walk towards the boundary line.
"What?" Present Mic narrated. "Midoriya's obeying him!"
Ochaco cried, "Oh, no, Deku, what are you doing?"
"He can't walk out of the ring," Tenya added. "He'll lose the match if he does!"
Danny growled, "Because Shinso brainwashed him. Shinso's just like that Freakshow…"
Momo looked over at Danny, "What are you talking about?"
Danny muttered, "Bad memory, that's all."
Momo thought that someone with a similar Quirk to Shinso must have brainwashed Danny and Danny holds resentment for that. "He must have a painful past."
Aizawa noted, "In the fitness test on the first day of school, Midoriya scored pretty low for a student who'd been accepted into the hero course. Still, even in tests where he didn't use his Quirk, he outperformed Shinso. If they fought without powers, Midoriya would almost certainly win. But he'd have to overcome Shinso's brainwashing to do that. Either way, this match would be over pretty quickly."
"Come on, Izuku," Danny muttered. "Fight it. You're stronger than him."
All Might said, "What are you doing, kid? Get back in there and show him what you're made of!"
While Izuku was walking over to the boundary line, he thought, "What's happening? My body's moving on its own. I feel like my brain is full of fog. I can't concentrate. No! Not like this! Gotta stop! Dammit! I fell for it, even though Oijiro warned me about his power. I'm an idiot. This is all my fault. I can't stop it. I'm gonna lose. It's all over. Even though so many people are counting on me. Everyone is watching. Everyone!"
Suddenly Izuku saw something in the tunnel ahead of him, several spirits were staring back at him. "What is this?" One For All activated in two of his fingers.
Danny's ghost sense went off, and Danny looked around, trying to see where the ghost was. He then saw the same spirits that Izuku saw, but they were surrounding Izuku. "Ghosts? But they don't feel the same as the ghosts from the Zone. What are they?"
Shinso said, "Even with a Quirk like this, I have my own dreams of becoming a great hero. So, lose for me."
Suddenly Izuku used One For All with his fingers and created a giant wind storm, stopping himself in his tracks and he broke through Shinso's brainwashing. He took some deep breaths and Danny cheered from the stands, "You did it!"
Present Mic narrated, "What's this? Midoriya stopped just in time!"
The crowd cheered along with Danny.
"That's the way to do it!" Tenya shouted.
"Whoa," Ochaco added. "I was about to freak out."
Momo smiled, "What a surprise."
Aizawa commented, "His fingers. He broke them in order to stop Shinso."
Oijiro sighed in relief, "Whew. That just about killed me."
Shinso was shocked, "No. Impossible. You're not supposed to be able to fight back! What did you do?'
Izuku covered his mouth so he wouldn't reply. "I'm the one who used One For All. But I'm not the one who moved my fingers just now. It was like people I didn't know came into my mind. And for a second, it was clear. Those people. Were they the ones who cultivated this power? Did they save me? Is that even possible?"
"How'd you do that?" Shinso asked.
"Later," Izuku thought. "I don't have time to figure things out right now. I have to focus."
"He won't answer," Shinso thought. "Did he figure it out? No. He's known. That monkey must have told him. I have to get him to talk again."
He then said, "Come on. Say something. I didn't know you had so much power in your fingers. I'm kinda jealous of you. Thanks to the way my Quirk works, I've always been at a big disadvantage. But someone as blessed as you wouldn't understand that. You're lucky enough to have a heroic Quirk! It'll be so easy for you to reach your goal!"
But Izuku ignored him and charged in and pushed him towards the boundary line. Shinso punched him in the face, then his injured hand, but Izuku kept on going. He grabbed Shinso and threw him over his shoulder, over the line.
Midnight announced, "Shinso is out of bounds! Midoriya advances to the next match!"
The crowd cheered loudly, along with Class 1-A. Danny pumped his fist in the air.
Present Mic narrated, "And with that expertly performed throw, we have our first victor of the finals! Class 1-A's Izuku Midoriya!"
Ochaco sighed, "Ugh, that was so nerve-wracking!"
Tenya added, "Turning the tables at the last moment, a classic Midoriya maneuver!"
Kaminari said to Bakugo, "He's pulled that shoulder throw on you before, huh?"
Bakugo growled, "Shut your damn face, Sparky."
Danny looked down at Shinso, still feeling uneasy about him, due to bad memories. Momo noticed this.
Present Mic announced, "Oh, yeah! That was kind of a boring first match, kids. But both of you fought bravely. Let's show them some love, everyone!"
The crowd cheered for the two students.
Izuku looked over at Shinso, "Why do you wanna be a hero? What's driving you?"
Shinso muttered, "You can't help the things your heart longs for." He turned around and walked out of the arena.
Izuku thought, "I felt the same way. Before I inherited One For All, I was just like him. But, nothing I say is gonna make him feel better."
As Shinso was walking out, some of his classmates shouted, "You were awesome out there, Shinso! We're proud of you! You didn't tell us you were that good. You're the star of our program! I can't believe you put up such a great fight against the dude who was in first place earlier. The crowd behind us think you're incredible."
Shinso was stunned. He then said to Izuku, "Depending on the results, they might transfer people to the hero course. Remember that. Even if it didn't work out this time, I'm not giving up. I'll get onto the hero track, get certified, and then, I'll become a better pro than any of you."
Izuku grunted and nodded in response, but then got brainwashed. Danny noticed this and his eyes glowed green in anger.
Shinso looked back at Izuku, "You know, people usually tense up whenever they talk to me. If you're not on guard, someone's going to defeat you. So be careful. You better not lose and make me look bad." He then freed Izuku of the brainwashing.
Izuku had heard the last part Shinso said, and responded, "I won't."
Izuku made his way to Recovery Girl, who healed his fingers, "That should do it."
All Might and Danny were in there with him. Izuku sighed, "That match with Shinso, I couldn't smile through it like you would, All Might."
All Might sighed, "I heard some of the things he said to you. It must've been painful, knowing how much you could relate to him."
"Yeah," Izuku replied. "But I still couldn't go easy on him. I have to keep my eye on the prize. Aiming for the top. Just like you've said."
Recovery Girl sighed, "Poor little darling. Have you been putting too much pressure on him again, All Might?" She whacked All Might.
All Might cried, "It was necessary, and that hurt!"
Danny sighed, "At least you didn't go too hard on him, like I would have."
Izuku looked at Danny, "Why?"
"I've been brainwashed before," Danny revealed. "I was forced to do horrible things. Luckily I broke out of it. Eventually. You broke out a lot quicker than I did. So seeing Shinso do that to you just brought back some bad memories."
All Might looked over at Danny, "This kid has clearly been through a lot."
Izuku then said, "Oh, All Might. I had….some kind of vision in the match. There were people. Maybe eight or nine of them? I'm not sure. When I was under Shinso's control, it felt like my brain was full of fog or something. But when the vision appeared, it completely drove the fog away. That's when I was finally able to move for a second. Just my fingertips. One of the figures had eyes just like yours, All Might. Do you think all the people who've used One For All in the past were there, pushing me on? Like spirits?"
"Spooky," All Might muttered. "I'm a ghost?"
Danny chuckled at All Might's reaction as Izuku said, "Huh? I thought you'd have answers!"
All Might sighed, "Actually, I saw something like that, too. In my younger days. It's a clear sign that you're getting closer to making One For All your own power."
"What was it?" Izuku asked.
All Might answered, "I think it's like a trace of the user's spirit that's left behind in One For All when it's passed on. Don't worry. Whatever you saw, it won't be interfering with you or your progress in the future, I promise. In other words, that vision wasn't what got rid of the brainwashing effects. Regardless of what you saw there, it was your passion that allowed you to overcome Shinso's power, even if it was only long enough for you to wiggle your fingertips and expel some energy."
Izuku sighed, "Man, that explanation is so not satisfying."
"Forget about it," All Might replied. "More importantly, shouldn't you be worrying about who you're fighting next?"
Izuku realized he was right and ran out of the office, forgetting that Danny was standing there with All Might and Recovery Girl.
Danny said, "I saw it, too."
All Might turned to Danny, "You did?"
Danny nodded, "First, my ghost sense went off, like it did against that warp guy and that monster. But this time, it didn't feel the same. And I saw those spirits surrounding Izuku. They were clearly there to help him. I have a feeling they might turn up again in the future. No matter what you think." He then turned around and left.
All Might was shocked, "This kid is surprising me more and more."
"Indeed," Recovery Girl said. "And, the boy saw you there too."
All Might sighed, "That's a good thing."
Meanwhile, Shoto was walking out of the room he was waiting in and toward the entrance to the arena, "Of course Midoriya won." He stopped when he saw his father, Endeavour, standing there. "What do you want?"
Endeavour said, "You're acting disgracefully, Shoto. If you simply used the power in your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in both of the first rounds. It's time to stop this childish rebellion of yours. You have a duty to surpass that imbecile All Might. Do you understand what I'm saying? You're different from your siblings. You're my greatest masterpiece."
Shoto walked past him, "Is that all you have to say to me, you bastard? I'll win this match and advance using only Mom's Quirk. I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me use yours."
Endeavour replied, "Even if that works for you in this tournament, you'll soon find the limits of that power."
Shoto just kept walking and ignored his dad.
Izuku made his way to where Class 1-A was sitting in the stands.
Ochaco said, "There you are, Deku. You did good."
"Come on down here," Tenya added. "We saved you a seat."
Izuku smiled, "Thanks, guys."
Oijiro gave him a thumbs up.
As Izuku sat down, Danny came back, "Thanks for leaving without me."
Izuku panicked, "Sorry, Danny."
Danny replied, "It's OK. You got distracted." He sat down next to Momo.
"Let's see how Kaminari will do against Todoroki," Momo said.
Present Mic announced, "Enough standing around! Now welcome to the ring, our next players! He's got skills and some electrical thrills! From the hero course, it's Denki Kaminari!"
"Time to show what I'm made of!" Kaminari shouted.
Present Mic announced, "Versus, an early frontrunner in the competition who's way too strong for his own good! Someone who rightfully got into the hero course based on recommendations! It's Shoto Todoroki! And now, for the second match of the finals! Begin!"
Kaminari immediately launched an electrical attack at Shoto, shocking him pretty good. But Shoto looked up at Kaminari and brushed his shoulder off, shocking Kaminari, "Aww man."
"Apologies," Shoto said before he unleashed a massive wall of ice that covered half of the arena, freezing Kaminari in place. It also caused a slight earthquake that Recovery Girl and All Might felt in the nurse's office.
Everyone in the audience was shocked, though Danny muttered, "Showoff."
Kaminari asked with shivering, "Uh, don't you think you went overboard?"
Midnight was also half frozen, "Tell the truth, Kaminari. Can you move at all?"
Kaminari tried to use his electricity, but he was too cold, "Nope. Tried, but nope."
"Kaminari has been immobilized!" Midnight announced. "Todoroki advances to the next round!"
"Nice try!" the audience shouted.
Shoto walked up to Kaminari, "Sorry about that. It was a bit much. I was angry, is all." He then started to melt Kaminari from the ice.
Izuku and Danny both noticed something about Shoto. For a moment, he looked sad.