Chapter 15: Fighting with Fire
"What is Shoto doing?!"
The furious yell echoed throughout the empty hallways, not doing much to overcome the sounds of the cheers in the heart of the stadium. As the words faded, the speaker gritted his teeth, the flames lining his shoulder growing in intensity.
"I told him to focus," he muttered to himself. "He was supposed to give it his all! And yet he lost. Every time. To a little GIRL?!"
Overcome with rage, he punched a wall. The very structure trembled from its power, as a rumbling noise was felt even along the walls farther away from the punch's location.
And among that rumbling noise, a familiar happy voice shouted.
"Ah! Punching walls again, old friend?"
Slowly, he turned, his eyes fiery. And before him, approaching down the hall with that signature grin, was the Number One Hero himself.
Instantly, the man straightened, pushing off the wall just as hard as his punch. Instantly, his eyes narrowed in the presence of his fated rival. The one he hated oh so much.
"All Might." he growled.
All Might finally got close before stopping with open arms. "Endeavor! It's been so long!"
Endeavor was still, staring at All Might with undisguised contempt. He lifted his head, almost turning his nose up from him.
"Well, that's no way to treat an old buddy!" All Might announced, a little daunted by Endeavor's behavior. "We haven't spoken in… what? Like, 10 years? I wanted to give you a shout-out. Perhaps we can convene for some tea—"
Before All Might could finish, Endeavor was already moving, suddenly walking past him and walking away. This took All Might for a loop.
"You can take that tea offer somewhere else, All Might. Good day."
With his back turned, Endeavor didn't seem to notice All Might's smile disappear entirely, as the latter furrowed his brows deep in thought. Suddenly, All Might goes up to Endeavor, grabbing his arm to hold him up.
"Listen, Endeavor…. In the grand scheme of things, Shoto really is remarkable. Even without using his fire. It doesn't matter if he hasn't gotten first place yet. He still is in the making for a great Hero." After he said that, All Might grinned again. "So, that proves all the more how great a teacher you can be. And from a friend to a friend, I'd like some advice on how to cultivate this promising generation of Heroes."
Endeavor was quiet, looking at All Might then at his hand on his arm. Finally, he pushes it away.
"Your attitude is as sickeningly annoying as ever. As for Shoto… There is no doubt he is skilled. I created him to be that way. And I don't care how many… clones of you come out in the tournament to beat him, because he will rise above everyone. Especially you."
Saying everything he intended to say, Endeavor walked away and this time, All Might didn't stop him. Once All Might was alone in the hallway, he sighed, shaking his head.
"Hm. Some things never change…"
"ALRIGHT, YALL! WHO'S READY FOR THE SPORTS FESTIVAL FINALS?!"
With Present Mic's announcement, the crowd thundered with cheers.
"That's what I'm talking about! And these students you see now are just as pumped as I am! Especially after our little break for some recreational side games!"
Sure enough, the stadium below was filled with the remaining students in the tournament, doing various mini games. And off to the side, the girls were participating in their own little thing.
"BE. AGGRESSIVE. BE BE AGGRESSIVE!"
Going through a number of inspirational chants, the girls of Class 1-A had temporarily dressed into cheerleader uniforms, cheering on the other students in their games. As they did, they arranged themselves into human pyramids, lifting up some cheerleaders to lift their pom-poms up and cheer.
And one of those cheerleaders was none other than Bubbles.
"WOOO! GO UA!" she whooped.
After she said that, she crouched before springing into the air in a somersault, soaring high above everyone's heads before landing into the arms of her friends.
"WOW! That was a sweet flip, Miyako!" Uraraka gushed.
Bubbles laughed, her cheeks rosy. "Thanks!"
As the girls set her down, Bubbles jumped with joy and waved at her sisters. While Blossom clapped happily with her pompoms, Buttercup gave an awkward smile, shifting uncomfortably in her cheerleader outfit.
"LET'S GO, GIRLS! LET'S PUMP THIS STADIUM UP!" Bubbles shouted loudly.
Blossom giggled. "Seems like you're feeling the UA spirit."
"I SURE AM!" Bubbles exclaimed before rushing over to Buttercup and grabbing her hand. "Come on, Buttercup! Let's do some cartwheels!"
Buttercup grimaced. "Yeah, I'll pass."
Blossom smirked as she looked at her sister. "Is it because you're wearing a skirt?"
Buttercup gritted her teeth as she pulled her skirt down more. "What is the big whoop about skirts?! They're uncomfortable and weird! And it doesn't help that those perverts tricked us into wearing them!"
"Oh lighten up!" Bubbles chirped. "You know what…"
Suddenly, Bubbles took off, running across a clear path before breaking out into a series of rapid cartwheels and flips, landing perfectly with a grin. As the girls went wild, Bubbles looked at Buttercup slyly.
"Try and beat that!" she declared.
Buttercup slowly grinned. Suddenly, she threw her pompoms towards Blossom before cracking her knuckles. It seemed like her unappreciation for skirts was set aside by her competitive nature.
"Oh, please! I can beat that in my sleep!" she declared.
With that, she took off way faster than Bubbles, quickly breaking out into cartwheels and flips. At the end however she did a tucked front flip, soaring over Bubbles's head and landing in front of her.
"SHABOOYAH!" she shouted, doing a fist pump. "THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!"
As she did, the girls broke out into a chant.
"K. A. O. R. U. COOL GIRL KAORU, COOL GIRL KAORU, HEY!"
Buttercup watched them before hiding her face, blushing with embarrassment. "Aw geez, you don't gotta do all that."
But her embarrassment stopped when she noticed a small group of boys giggling madly.
"YO! WHAT THE HELL YOU LOOKING AT?!" she yelled before sprinting after them as they scattered with fear.
But before she could get her hands on the boys to beat them up, a series of pleasant chimes played on the loudspeakers. As everyone paused, Present Mic spoke again.
"And now, the time for fun festivities is finally over!" he announced. "All students, please gather around Midnight to hear how the final round will proceed!"
Immediately, the students stopped what they were doing and got themselves in order, gathering in the middle of the arena. As they did, that familiar feeling of dreadful anticipation wormed its way into everyone's mind. Even Bubbles, whose joy about cheerleading seemed to falter as she joined her sisters.
"And so it begins…" Blossom whispered.
"Well this is gonna be fun! I've been waiting for this moment!" Buttercup declared, grinning as she crossed her arms.
"Speaking of moment… How is the final round going to go? Do you know what we're doing?" Bubbles asked.
After she spoke, another classmate surprisingly answered the question.
"Beats me…" Kirishima speaks up. "It changes every year."
Next to him, Buttercup looked surprised. "It changes? Man, that's confusing."
"Not really." Sero enters the conversation. "All of the time, it usually involves a one-on-one match."
Sure enough, Midnight finally speaks up to confirm Sero's words.
"Okay, everyone! Now I know you guys have been waiting for what the final round holds. And I'm pleased to announce that this year will be a fighting tournament!"
At her words, students looked happy and cheered, especially Buttercup.
"FIGHTING TOURNAMENT?!" she shouted, her eyes filled with energetic glee. "AW YEAH!"
Midnight winked. "That's right! In just a few moments, we will be starting a tourney with the top four teams! First off, we will do 8 one-on-one battles for our first round. Whoever wins their match will move up to the second round, where the cycle repeats and our third round begins. Finally, the winners of the third round battles will enter the final round and whoever comes out victorious will become our Sports Festival CHAMPION!"
As everyone cheered once more, Blossom slowly exhaled, the instructions sinking in.
So for her to win the finals, she had to beat three opponents. Plus the finalist. In total, she needed to win four entire battles to win the festival. The feat seemed simple enough, but with everything that's been going on… Blossom knows that whatever she writes off as simple proves to be the opposite.
Her rivalry with Todoroki and Izuku is proof of that.
"Now, please look at the screen above to see who you guys are paired up with for the brackets!"
With Midnight's cue, the board switched to a drawing of the tournament bracket. The 8 battles were lined along the bottom, with 16 brackets with names grouped up in pairs. The names were as follows:
Midoriya vs Shinso
Todoroki vs Sero
Miyako U. vs Momoko U.
Iida vs Hatsume
Tokoyami vs Yaoyorozu
Kaminari vs Kaoru U.
Tetsutetsu vs Kirishima
Uraraka vs Bakugo
"As you can see, this is the final list for our tournament contenders! Whoever's names aren't up here but has passed the Cavalry Battle has previously asked to officially resign from the tournament and give up the spots. Therefore, other students were given the chance to take their place!"
Blossom frowned as she inspected the list.
"Some people resigned? I wonder who…"
Meanwhile, Bubbles seemed to find the missing people immediately, causing her to gasp dramatically.
"Wait… where's Mashirao?!"
"Mashi-who?" Buttercup asked, her face blank with confusion.
"You know…! Ojiro!" Bubbles urged, turning to her sisters.
But as she did, Buttercup and even Blossom stared at her even more confused.
"Doesn't ring a bell." Blossom replied.
Bubbles frowned. "You guys still don't know our classmates…. Wow."
"Well, SORRY we didn't remember everyone's names while you were giving out friendship bracelets!" Buttercup sighed, exasperated. "Now, who's Mashed Potatoes?!"
"MASHIRAO is the tail guy!" Bubbles finally snapped.
Blossom's eyes lit up in recognition. Immediately, she searched for who Bubbles was talking about. And there he was, in the crowd, his arms crossed and a conflicted expression on his face.
As she stared, Bubbles and Buttercup joined her gawking.
"Ohhh, that guy? HE'S backing out?" Buttercup asked.
"But why?! His team did well in the cavalry battle! Why did he suddenly feel the need to back out?" Bubbles exclaimed, with sad eyes.
Buttercup frowned before scoffing. "Isn't it obvious? Dude couldn't handle the pressure and tapped out. What a wimp."
Blossom raised an eyebrow. Although she didn't agree at all with Buttercup calling him a wimp, she did wonder what possessed him to get so scared to battle? Abandoning such an important event takes away the attention and applause you deserve.
Such a waste of potential…
She couldn't stop the snide thought from entering her head.
"So after some additional accommodation, we're on our way to some actual battling! Please keep your opponents in mind, and remember when your battle takes place!" Midnight exclaimed.
As Blossom looked to the board again, making sure to follow Midnight's instructions, she finally noticed something about her battle. And that realization made her heart completely shut down.
Miyako U vs Momoko U
She hadn't caught it before, since she was still getting used to her fake name. But as she saw her name up there, she realized that she had not been put against a Class 1-A or even a 1-B student.
It was her. Her own sister.
"Wow, Blossom! Looks like I'm fighting you?" Bubbles cried, both shocked and gleeful.
Blossom side-eyed her, as a number of thoughts entered her mind. But this one happened to be the loudest.
Why her?!
It wasn't like she didn't want to hurt her sister. She knew Bubbles could tank anything that she threw at her. But that was precisely why she hated the aspect of battling her. She didn't want to fight her. She wanted to fight someone fresh. An unpredictable opponent, with powers she hasn't seen before. Hell, she'd even settle for fighting the support department girl rather than freaking Bubbles.
She was sick of it, always being paired with her sisters. It was all a game to Bubbles, and she didn't seem to realize that Blossom didn't want to play games anymore.
But before she could even voice her concerns, it was too late.
"And with that, Izuku Midoriya and Hitoshi Shinso will kick the first battle off! Everyone else, please report to their assigned seats in the crowd. As for the crowd, get ready because the show is about to begin!"
The stadium erupted with pure excitement from both the crowd and the students. But Blossom, as she soon came to realize, felt her mood begin to dampen. Just a little. But, something out of the corner of her eye pulls her mind off the battle.
Izuku was standing there, murmuring to himself as usual. That is, until a purple haired guy walked up to him, saying something that couldn't be heard above the roar of the crowd. But, before Blossom could blink, Ojiro had intercepted the two, his face unusually stormy. Finally, Ojiro seemed to guide Izuku away, whispering to him. All the while, the purple-haired boy stood there, looking like he was smirking.
The whole interaction seemed so… random.
"What's that about?" Blossom whispered to herself.
"Eh? What's that, Blossom?" Bubbles asked.
Blossom snapped out of her contemplation, grounded back in her own situation. Almost annoyed, she glanced at Bubbles.
"Nothing." she replied dismissively.
Suddenly, she turned her back and started to leave with the rest of the group heading to exit the stadium floor. Meanwhile, her sisters watched her leave, somewhat unsettled.
"Hey… do you think Blossom's okay?" Bubbles asked Buttercup.
Buttercup looked at her, and for the first time, she looked serious as her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Who knows? She's been this way since she won the race. It's like she's… stuck in her head about something."
Bubbles' expression of concern intensified.
"Do you think she's bored of this, already? I mean she won both events. Maybe she's sick of the tournament." Bubbles suggested.
Buttercup shook her head, her face already shifting to her lighthearted attitude. "Nah. If she did, she would have backed out. If anything it looks like she's dying to fight someone. I know I am."
Bubbles looked hesitant, before finally sighing as the two began to walk with the group. "I guess. I'm just a little paranoid. She didn't really look like she wanted to fight me."
Buttercup frowned, somehow offended that she said that. "Yeah. You're right. You DO sound paranoid. You gotta chill, Bubs. Of course she wants to fight you! In fact, I bet she can't wait to fight you right now!"
Bubbles took in her sister's encouraging words, before huffing in determination and curling her fists.
"Right! And I'll make sure to give her a fight she won't regret!"
Blossom couldn't stop herself from fidgeting. Something that sounded completely unlike her.
Faintly, she recalled her days back in her home dimension, a time that seemed to appear as faraway memories. She always remembered the intense buildup before a fight. Bubbles and Buttercup were always jumping off the walls, but Blossom never participated in that. She always kept herself calm, creating a game plan in her mind to defeat the bad guy.
But now? This was different. It felt like her whole personality had done a 360; it felt like Blossom was just waiting to throw herself onto something. It was much like Buttercup's mindset: Fight now, think later.
And the weirdest part was that she didn't seem to care.
So very little was keeping Blossom glued to her seat, even as her friends tried to engage her in some bets on who would win the first battle. She kept her eyes laser-focused on that arena, as some teachers set it up. She would be down there soon, once the third battle rolled around. And until then, she could only watch for the only reason she bothered to stay.
To see Izuku's Quirk in action.
"Oh, I really hope Deku wins this battle!" Ochaco said next to Blossom, her voice anxious.
"Of COURSE he'll win! No way is he gonna lose to a 1-C student!" Mineta snapped.
"Class divisions don't determine skill, however." Tenya noted, looking deep in thought. "There's no telling how much his opponent has progressed with his Quirk. We'll have to see how much of a threat Shinso really is."
On the other side of Blossom, Buttercup snickered.
"You better pick up the slack, Bloss. Looks like Mr. Nerd Guy is doing his geek speech before you are."
Blossom gave a half-handed shrug. In all honesty, she had already thought about her "geek speech" before Tenya even brought up his analysis. But even then, there was not much else to say.
Izuku was going to win. Plain and simple.
Instead, Blossom was wondering about something else. In their row, she could see Ojiro sitting in his seat. His face was darkened, chewing his fingernail in anticipation. It wasn't noticeable that everyone caught it, but it wasn't subtle.
Ojiro had some sort of connection with this battle. He made that clear when he pulled Izuku aside to talk to him privately. What he said or why he was so concerned about this battle was making Blossom itch with overwhelming curiosity.
But, she would quickly find out the answer.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the intercom broadcasted Present Mic's voice.
"Apologies for the wait, everyone! But, get excited people cuz the FINAL ROUND is about to blast off!"
Once again, the crowd cheered, their claps rumbling the very seats.
"Now, before anything happens, I want to let y'all know that I won't be the only voice hyping the stadium up. Joining me in the announcer's booth, we have a very special guest! The one, the only ERASERHEAD!"
Instantly, Class 1-A straightened with the announcement, soon screaming in joy for their teacher.
"IT'S MR. AIZAWA!" Bubbles cheered, completely ecstatic.
"No surprise that 1-A's stealing the show right now. We're THAT class!" Buttercup whooped.
Meanwhile, Blossom simply blinked. "Aizawa's emceeing? Huh."
Present Mic spoke again over the volume of Class 1-A's cheers.
"So, Aizawa. What are your juicy predictions on who's gonna win THIS battle?"
After he said that, Aizawa's monotone voice echoed throughout the stadium. "I won't disclose that as of now. I'm expecting an unbiased viewpoint on what student is able to succeed."
"Awww, you're no fun. The BEST part of battles is placing your bets! But, let me not get into that. LET'S BRING OUT THE FIRST PAIR, SHALL WE?!"
At this, everyone was jumping, the excitement in the room electric enough to shock someone. Even Blossom sat at the edge of her seat, nearly standing as she peered at the arena. Finally, after a few moments, two students walked out from their entrances, entering the stadium floor. On the screens above, shots of the two students were visible for the whole crowd to see.
And on one screen was Izuku's nervous face.
"IN ONE CORNER, we have a student with Class 1-A, who's been at the center of every explosive event! Here comes Izuku Midoriya!"
At this, most of Class 1-A jumped up to cheer, including two of the girls.
"GO IZUKU!" Bubbles shouted.
"YOU CAN DO IT, DEKU!" Ochaco added encouragingly.
Although Bubbles and Buttercup were cheering, Blossom remained seated, a small eager smile tugging at her lips.
"Come on, Midoriya. Don't let me down…" she whispered.
After that, the screen switched to the opponent, stepping onto the stage. And to Blossom's shock, it was that same purple-haired boy, further confirmed by Present Mic.
"And in the other corner, we have a bright student from the General Course Department! Even though he isn't in a Hero Course at the moment, nothing's gonna stop him from stealing the show! It's Hitoshi Shinso!"
Shinso… the fated rival in Midoriya's first battle. And the sole judge of whether or not Izuku will pass on.
Fewer people cheered as enthusiastically as they did with Izuku. As people clapped, however, Blossom noticed a shift in Ojiro's demeanor. He seemed to tense up, gritting his teeth. It was like he and Shinso had a personal grudge.
Blossom set her sights on the stage, watching patiently. This is going to be interesting.
As the two stood on stage, inside the bright red circle painted on the floor, Midnight climbed onto the stage as well.
"Now, if you guys aren't familiar…" She instructed the two. "The two ways to win is by knockout or elimination. If one of you happens to set a foot outside the red border on this stage, you're eliminated. As long as you stay in this circle and don't try to murder each other, anything goes. So, let's keep this a clean fight, okay boys?"
The two students only replied with a nod, their eyes already set on each other. As Izuku tensed his fingers with anxiety, Shinso seemed a lot calmer, almost smirking.
"Alright, then. BEGIN!" Midnight announced, swiping down her feathered baton.
As she said "begin", the stadium fell into an uneasy silence. The two began to pace the stage slowly, their eyes not leaving each other. Nobody striked or even made a move other than walking.
Finally, Shinso broke it.
"So, you're from the famed Class 1-A…"
Izuku says nothing.
"I've seen your classmates in the festival so far. And I have to say, they don't live up to my expectations at all. I expected more power from our supposed future heroes." he continued, almost spitting out the words.
As everyone watched, Buttercup rolled her eyes.
"Are you kidding me? Is this guy gonna yap the whole time–"
"Shh!" Blossom suddenly hissed, focused on the arena.
Meanwhile, neither Izuku or Shinso made a move, continuing to circle each other in a standoff. Strangely, Izuku was adamant on not saying anything.
"Especially your friend. To back out of the last round like that…? He must be the weakest link in your group, hm?"
After Shinso said that, the energy Izuku was displaying seemed to instantly change. Although he didn't speak, he suddenly stopped walking, staring at Shinso with a look of indignation. Whatever Shinso meant, it hit Izuku on the mark.
And as he did, Blossom could see Ojiro in the corner of her eye tense up. Shinso was talking about him. And he wasn't done.
"It's a shame, really, to pull such a cowardly move. So many people wanted to get to this point yet he gave it all up. It really makes you wonder how a pathetic loser like him ever GOT into the Hero Department at all—"
Suddenly, Shinso was interrupted by a loud yell.
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT, YOU HEAR ME?!"
Izuku had finally set off towards Shinso, his fists balled and his expression clearly showing rage. The girls tensed, anticipating the first blow with mixed emotions.
That is, until Izuku froze.
It wasn't at all like the controlled pause of his walking like earlier. This one was like he was suddenly restricted by something, almost falling over with it. He was completely frozen, not a single muscle moving. Not even his face moved, stuck in a stupefied state.
He stood like that for long agonizing seconds, causing everyone in the crowd to murmur.
"The hell?! What's wrong with him?" Buttercup exclaimed, squinting. "Don't tell me he's got cold feet already!"
"It's like he's frozen…" Bubbles added, frowning. "It's freaking me out!"
Blossom leaned forward in her seat, looking at the screen that showed Izuku. And on it showed his suddenly vacant eyes. A key indicator of her growing theory.
"Shinso's Quirk…!" she suddenly gasped.
Immediately, people turned to her.
"His Quirk?" Ochaco squeaked.
"What kind of Quirk is it, then? Ribbit!" Tsuyu asked.
As if answering her question, Present Mic spoke over the intercom.
"Amazing, folks! What you're witnessing here is none other than Shinso's Quirk! The power to completely control his opponent!"
"To be more specific," Aizawa clarified, "Shinso has the ability to brainwash his target."
"No way…" Buttercup whispered before her eyes brightened. "THAT'S SICK!"
After she said that, some people in the crowd began to cheer enthusiastically, enraptured by the Quirk. Meanwhile, Shinso's smirk was now a grin, soaking in the applause.
"I truly wish I could've seen more of your heroic Quirk, Midoriya. But, I am happy to end this."
With his words, Izuku suddenly straightened, his moves almost robotic. Commanded by a mental influence, Izuku turned around and slowly shuffled towards the ring around the arena, ready to step out of bounds.
At this, the crowd went into an uproar, either cheering or yelling at Izuku to snap out of it. Class 1-A happened to be the latter.
"COME ON, DEKU! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Ochaco yelled.
"YOU CAN'T PUSSY OUT NOW!" Buttercup screamed.
Bubbles looked on, worried. "I don't understand! Why can't he break it?!"
Tenya grimaced, conflicted. "Not much can break a brainwashing. No matter how much you want to win…"
As he said this, Blossom's stomach tightened. Was Izuku really going to lose to this? To some random student from the General Course? It seemed almost ridiculous, to think that someone Blossom geared to fight with no mercy could lose to something as little as a slip of the tongue.
Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Izuku wasn't this strong guy she thought he—
His fingers twitched.
Suddenly, a huge shockwave pushed out from Izuku, cracking the stage beneath him. The aftershock was noticeable, carrying throughout the arena with a rumble and a gust of wind. Everyone's cheers quieted at the sudden event, shocked into silence.
Then, Izuku gasped for air, almost leaning out of bounds.
He was just by the border of the arena, one step from being knocked out. But, he seemed to break the brainwashing just in time. And as Izuku turned around, his two fingers seemed to be bruised and possibly broken.
No one seemed to expect it. Especially Shinso, as he stared at him in shock.
"Y-you…" he sputtered.
Izuku looked at his fingers, and for a minute, he looked surprised too. Yet, the look was completely smothered by his expression morphing into a crazed look as he glanced at Shinso.
It seemed like the battle was heating up now.
"... Looks like you broke through my Quirk." Shinso finally said, composing himself a little. "Mind telling me how you did that?"
Silence.
"You…. you know, don't you? Don't tell me… he told you?!"
Shinso started to look aggravated, his cool slipping for the first time in the match. Especially as Izuku began to approach him silently.
"Of course he did… that incapable loser wouldn't have let it slide–"
Izuku grabbed Shinso by the shoulders, taking the latter and the crowd by shock.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Shinso suddenly yelled.
Izuku glared before pushing Shinso hard, shoving him across the arena. As he was trapped by Izuku's hold, Shinso threw hard punches.
"Why are you acting like this? Fight me!"
Once again, silence from everyone else in the room.
"You bastard! You think you're strong?!" Shinso yelled, punching hard and trying to dig his feet into the ground. "Why don't you punch me back then, huh?! I'm at a disadvantage, right? If you're such a Hero, use your Quirk!"
Everyone watched in bated silence, and before she knew it, Blossom was standing, her eyes wide.
"You'll never understand! That heroic Quirk you have, and you're too ARROGANT to use it! I can't believe you were blessed with a Quirk like that and you won't even USE IT!"
Finally, they were at the edge, locked in a tussle. All the while, Izuku was quiet, struggling as Shinso punched him. Until suddenly, he grabbed Shinso's fist just as he threw it.
"SHUT UP!"
Before Shinso could react, Izuku threw him over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground hard. Dust picked up around them, making it hard to see. But as it cleared, it showed Shinso laying on the ground, over the red border.
After a few seconds, Midnight spoke loudly.
"MIDORIYA WINS THE MATCH!"
At her call, the crowd erupted into cheers. All of Class 1-A jumped up, overjoyed with their classmate's win. And, as the girls came to realize, Blossom cheered the loudest.
Completely ecstatic, Blossom jumped for joy, clapping wildly. She seemed to ignore everything else, just staring at the arena and cheering.
"I KNEW it!" she finally declared, as her cheering stopped.
Buttercup smiled as she did. "Huh. I knew you were placing bets! Why didn't you cash us in, we coulda betted on some money!"
"Well, we were all rooting for Deku weren't we?" Bubbles giggled.
Ochaco sighed with relief. "Thank goodness for that. I was worried for a second!"
As the cheering subsided, the two walked offstage. Meanwhile Shinso managed to get up, looking very dejected. As he walked off, he looked at the crowd for a long time before smiling again, Blossom noted.
Looks like he got over his loss quickly, despite the rant he was having earlier.
Despite Blossom's poking curiosity about Shinso, it was mostly overshadowed by her joy for Izuku winning. But as she watched him exit the stage, she saw All Might greet him at the entrance. They then engaged in a serious conversation as All Might guided Izuku away.
It was only then did Blossom's joy fade.
"That battle was weird." she finally said, all her enthusiasm gone.
"Eh?" Buttercup exclaimed, thrown off by Blossom's switch in mood.
Blossom sat back down, thinking hard. "Shinso had mentioned it in the battle. But, it begs attention. Izuku hadn't used his powers at all during the match."
Bubbles blinked. "Now that you bring it up… he only used it when he broke Shinso's brainwashing. But that broke his fingers. His power may be too strong to use."
"Yeah, the heck's up with that?" Buttercup remarked. "Plus, imagine the amount of brain strength you'd need to break a mind control! His powers must be jacked!"
Blossom nodded, taking their notes into consideration. Her sisters had very good points. Izuku somehow broke the mind control with ease. And even without using his powers, he managed to win against Shinso, who was using his power.
That… didn't sit right with her.
"I gotta use the bathroom." Blossom sighed, suddenly getting up.
Buttercup didn't seem to care, as she threw a glance at her. "Well hurry up, cuz the next battle's gonna start soon!"
Meanwhile, Bubbles seemed to be more reluctant to let her sister leave. But Blossom was already making her way down the row and out of the section, just as Bubbles stood up.
"What's wrong with you, Blossom…?" she whispered to herself.
She really didn't have to go to the bathroom. She had wanted to find Izuku and All Might.
Granted, Blossom had no idea where they could be. The stadium was large, and she spent her time pacing through the corridors. Yet, she wanted to catch them anyway before Izuku would join the rest of the class.
Blossom didn't even want to talk to him. She only wanted to catch just a glimpse of his and All Might's conversation. Even just a few words. Perhaps then, she would be given some insight on the mysteries of their relationship, and put her nagging curiosity at ease.
After a few moments, Blossom got what she wished for: a conversation. Except it wasn't from the Hero/student duo she was expecting.
"Shoto!"
Blossom immediately stopped, shocked by the gruff voice. She was approaching a turn in the hallway, and the voice was just beyond that. She felt tempted to go around the corner and see, but immediately, her danger senses were telling her something different.
Hide.
Quickly, Blossom rushed to the wall with silent footsteps, pressing herself up against it. And as an extra precaution, she hovered above the ground a little so that she didn't make noise. After that, Blossom did all she could in that situation: listen.
"...What do you want, Father?"
Blossom tensed. Todoroki?
"Don't talk that way to me, young man. Not after you completely embarrassed me out there."
As Blossom listened to the gruff voice, her eyes widened with realization. That voice… it could only be Endeavor.
She heard Todoroki scoff. "It seems like anything I do embarrasses you these days…"
"Shoto." Endeavor's voice turned cold. "You need to end this."
"End what—?"
"End THIS!"
After that, Blossom heard a loud thump, almost like someone was punching a wall.
"End this childish rebellion of yours." Endeavor growled. "You're bringing disgrace to the Todoroki name."
Despite the threat in his father's voice, Todoroki seemed like his usual calm self.
"How, exactly? Enlighten me, Father."
"Don't play dumb, you little brat! This little game you're playing is crippling your potential! Your insistence on defying me is stopping you from your goal of surpassing All Might. And because of that, you lost to some little kindergarten CHILD!"
Blossom closed her eyes, steadying herself on the wall beside her. This was about her. Of course…
"Your blindness to the events of this festival isn't something I want to entertain, Father." Todoroki sighed, his voice noticeably tighter. "I have not lost. Not in the race and not in the Cavalry Battle. Every time, I have outmaneuvered many contenders. I plan to win this festival. And I will only be using my ice to do so."
Blossom tensed at the declaration. It seemed that every time Todoroki and his dad had talks like this, it all boiled down to that. To Todoroki defying his father. Him using his mother's ice powers was his way of doing it. And Endeavor seemed to realize that just as much.
"Deny me all you want, Shoto. But, let me warn you. You will have to turn to my guidance eventually. The ice you so often overuse cannot help you win every battle you face. It can only carry you so far, and just like your mother… ice breaks easily."
With that chilling statement, there were suddenly footsteps as Endeavor left. As his shadow grew on the wall of Blossom's corridor, she quickly shot to the ceiling, pressing herself to it as much as possible. As Endeavor entered the hallway, he remained oblivious to her on the ceiling, his face stormy with rage.
And once he was gone entirely, all Blossom heard was an angry yell on the other side of the wall.
"Dang, that took you a while. Why were you gone for so long?" Buttercup asked.
Blossom sat down, her expression vacant. "I couldn't find a bathroom."
Despite her weird behavior, no one seemed to notice.
"I know, right? It's so hard to find one! This place is like a maze!" Ochaco groaned.
Bubbles looked at Blossom with concern. "You can hold it though, right—?"
She was cut off by a sudden glare from Blossom. Stunned, Bubbles closed her mouth, her shoulders drooping. But it was when Blossom turned to Bubbles that she noticed everyone in her row looking at something behind her.
"Deku! You made it just in time!" Ochaco exclaimed, brightening.
Immediately, Blossom froze, turning her head back around. Izuku was back, making his way towards them with a smile.
"Hey guys…" he said softly.
Instantly, most of Class 1-A was up on their feet.
"Bro, you KILLED it out there!" Buttercup congratulated.
"We're so happy you won!" Tenya remarked.
"Good job! Ribbit!" Tsuyu complimented.
Izuku's smile widened at their approval. "Thanks! That means a lot!"
After that, he walked into their aisle as people patted him on the back. As he moved past Blossom, all she could do was stare, unable to form any words. Finally, she closed her eyes with a sigh as he sat down, his classmates congratulating him still.
"Yeah… good job." she murmured to herself.
After she said that though, Buttercup's eyes widened as she looked at the arena.
"SHH! The second battle's starting!" Buttercup suddenly gasped.
Sure enough, the intercom came on, as the crowd grew quiet.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the second battle is about to BEGIN!" Present Mic yelled. "Without further ado, let's bring out our next duo!"
At his words, two new people entered the arena. This time, they were both Class 1-A students.
"In one corner, we have a student who knows a thing or two about laying sticky traps for his opponents. Give it up for Hanta Sero!"
The crowd cheered, especially some of the boys in Class 1-A.
"THAT'S MY BOY! GO GET HIM, SERO!" Denki cheered.
Meanwhile, on the screens above, Sero was smiling wide, waving to everyone without a care in the world. He seemed overjoyed to finally be on stage, about to show his skill to the crowd.
The complete and polar opposite of Todoroki's attitude.
"And in the other corner, we have the prodigy child of the Number 2 Hero and a formidable contender for the top spot. It's Shoto Todoroki!"
As people clapped, Todoroki didn't even seem to acknowledge them. His head was hung, adamant on keeping his gaze at the ground. Meanwhile, his fists and even his jaw were clenched.
No one seemed to know the reason behind that except for Blossom. But that didn't stop Izuku from frowning at the sight before whispering to himself.
"What is he…?"
Before the whisper could be acknowledged by Blossom, however, the battle was already commencing.
"Let's keep this a fair fight, boys." Midnight told the two before waving her baton. "BEGIN!"
Unlike the first battle, it didn't take long for the action to begin. Without hesitation, Sero punched his two arms in the air, and long strands of tape came flying out. They ensnared Todoroki easily, trapping him in their grasp.
Once he was trapped, Sero spun around, taking Todoroki with him. The latter flew around the arena, getting closer and closer to being thrown out of bounds. As this happened, the crowd cheered on the sight, including Blossom's sisters.
But it was at that exact moment that Todoroki finally raised his head.
"...Apologies."
After the word left his mouth, the world shook.
In the blink of an eye, ice blasted from Todoroki in a blaze of intense cold. Before Sero could react, it was on him. Yet the cascade of ice continued, rising high to the crowd's level and piercing the very sky. Screams and gasps erupted from some parts of the crowd until the ice finally stopped growing.
It was a wall. A wall of pure ice.
Completely overtaken by shock, Blossom let out a squeak. She couldn't believe her eyes as she stared at the wall. Neither could Bubbles and Buttercup.
"What… the… f–" Buttercup started to whisper.
Down below, Todoroki had broken free from the tape, which was turned into mere chunks of ice. Midnight, caught in the middle of the blast, shivered intensely with her body half-frozen.
"S-S-Sero." she managed to bite out, turning towards the boy. "C-can you move?"
Sero meanwhile was completely frozen, glued to the ice wall itself. Only his head was unfrozen, and his face was full of shock and fear.
Finally, he shook his head slowly. "...No."
After a moment, Midnight nodded before doing her best to compose herself and raising her hand.
"TODOROKI WINS THE MATCH!"
This time, it took longer for the crowd to clap. But once they started, they were cheering wildly. Some even congratulated Sero, shouting "nice try".
Blossom couldn't even cheer as she watched Todoroki approach Sero.
"I'm… really sorry." he sighed, putting a hand on the ice wall. "I went a little overboard."
After that, a pulse of heat came from Todoroki's hand, and the ice began to dissolve, freeing Sero from the ice prison. As he melted the ice away, Blossom looked at the screen showing his face.
He was sad. Immensely so.
"Holy shit. This guy is nuts." Buttercup mumbled, for once not showing any eagerness.
"He's kind of scary…" Bubbles added.
Blossom slowly nodded. "Yeah."
Everyone seemed to be having the same line of thought. Even Present Mic took a little longer to gather his bearings.
"Well… there you have it, yall. Shoto Todoroki is a force to be reckoned with, JUST like his old man!"
Blossom grimaced slightly. There was no lie about that. As much as Todoroki didn't use his fire, he still resorted to the ruthless nature instilled in him by Endeavor. His rivalry with his father ran deep, but his instincts stayed the same.
It was truly nothing like Blossom had ever encountered. Not even in her home world.
"There's a chance we have to take a longer intermission this time. The ice needs to be cleaned up." Aizawa suggested, his voice as monotone as ever.
"R-right!" Present Mic agreed. "After that, we move on to our third battle! Which is…"
As he spoke, Blossom lifted her head up and looked to the side, meeting Bubbles's increasingly nervous eyes.
"... THE TWO WONDER GIRLS MOMOKO AND MIYAKO!"
The Powerpuff Girls rarely fought each other.
Yes, they have had sisterly fights back home. There was no doubt that the girls resorted to fighting among themselves if their ideals clashed. Bubbles's "hardcore" rebellion was enough proof of that. Not to mention, in this world, they often had spars in training.
But all those times, their fights were rarely a public spectacle. Especially with the circumstances they were in right now, with half the world watching who will screw up. And the fact that they were matched up in the very first round seemed like a cruel trick from the universe to Bubbles.
All this time, she had been eager to show the world what she was made of in this festival. So far, she's been doing a pretty good job of that, with top 5 in the race and being on the winning team of the Cavalry Battle. And yet she finds herself in a position where her spot in the festival is jeopardized by her sister, who is becoming increasingly aggravated by something.
So as she prepared herself in the corridor, trying to psyche herself up, Bubbles tried to hold onto her sports festival high as long as possible.
"Yo, Bubs!"
Bubbles squeaked at the sudden voice before turning around to see Buttercup approaching.
"Oh. Buttercup." she sighed in relief.
Buttercup eyed her as she stopped walking. "You seem… weirdly on edge."
Bubbles gulped before looking up. "I'm not. It's just… this sucks!"
Buttercup gritted her teeth. "I know. Don't get me started. I mean putting YOU TWO together in the first round?! That means one of us is getting knocked out early! They did that crap on purpose! In fact, where's the teachers 'cause I'm gonna beat the SHIT outta them—"
"No, Buttercup! I mean Blossom!" Bubbles suddenly shouted.
Buttercup stopped her rant, surprised by the outburst.
"Wha– Blossom?" she asked, confused.
Bubbles was breathing hard, wiping at her face.
"She seems sick of me! Ever since this festival started. She's so happy to be fighting against Izuku and Todoroki. And yet, she keeps IGNORING us! You noticed it too, right? She only needs our help when it benefits her and not us. It's like we're being used just to help her! Like we're… minions or something!"
Buttercup was quiet, listening to Bubbles's rant. And slowly she nodded.
"Yeah… Now that you mention it, she's been running around trying to fight everyone while ignoring us. I'M not even doing that!"
Bubbles deflated slightly, her eyes growing sad. "We promised each other that we would show everyone who we are. It didn't matter who won or not. Just that we were capable and that we can prove everyone wrong! But I don't think Blossom wants to DO that anymore."
Buttercup sighed. "It's the fight in her. Once she puts her mind to something, nothing can stop that girl."
Bubbles nodded before looking at her sister with pleading eyes. "Buttercup. What do you think I should do?"
Buttercup's eyes widened, before she glared. Suddenly, she grabbed Bubbles's shoulders and shook her.
"What should you do? Bubbles, come on now! You know damn well what you should do!"
Bubbles jerked back, surprised. Then, she thought about it for a minute. Finally, her eyes narrowed.
"Don't let her win..." she whispered.
Buttercup nodded in approval as she shook her again. "If our dear leader is looking for a fight… for God's sake, Bubbles, GIVE HER ONE. If this is the only battle you're fighting, you better draw it the fuck out! Don't make it easy for her, you hear me?!"
Bubbles nodded. "Okay."
"What was that?"
"I hear you!"
"SAY IT LOUDER."
"I HEAR YOU!"
"THAT'S the spirit!" Buttercup whooped as she let her go with a sharp smack on her shoulders. "Now give Blossom hell!"
"RIGHT!" Bubbles shouted.
With her sister's encouragement, Bubbles felt her anxiety melt away. With a quick tug on her pigtails, Bubbles rushed down the hallway, heading towards the opening leading to the stadium. Once she got there, Bubbles breathed in and out slowly.
It didn't matter to her if she was fighting her sister. All that mattered was giving these people a fight they've never seen.
"Let's show them who we are!"
Bright light blinded Blossom as she stepped into the stadium fully. As she did, the loud noises and the celebrations greeted her, a jarring experience to the one she had just moments ago in the locker room. She was alone with her thoughts, shoving down any she had about Todoroki and Izuku.
Blossom couldn't focus on that now. All she could do was look forward to the fight she was ironically dreading.
"I hope you guys are ready!" Present Mic's voice echoed through the stadium. "Because we're on our way to the third battle! Let's bring out the next pair you've been waiting for!"
Joyful screams and shouts were coming from all sides, overloading Blossom's senses before she shook her head. She tugged at the bow in her hair, which she took off her head and instead tied around her ponytail to get rid of the distraction.
"Head in the game, Bloss." she whispered to herself.
As she looked up, Blossom saw her opponent already waiting. Bubbles stood in the arena proudly, her head raised high. And unsurprisingly, she was smiling, happy to see her sister.
If only Blossom could say the same.
"IN ONE CORNER…" Present Mic announced. "We have a Wonder Girl from Class 1-A! With a bright smile and a bubbly attitude, she's ready to rock this stage! It's MIYAKO UTONIUM!"
The crowd cheered wildly, clearly eager to see Bubbles. There were even some chants of "MIYAKO, MIYAKO!" Meanwhile, Bubbles smiled and waved excitedly to the stands.
"And in the OTHER… we have yet another Wonder Girl from Class 1-A! A fiery redhead who's been a first place princess in every event so far! Will she be able to defend that title? It's MOMOKO UTONIUM!"
Once again, cheering came from the stands. But as Blossom raised her head to look at the crowd, she noticed something. Some were clapping, yet others merely sat in their seats with their arms crossed, their faces painted with disapproval.
Even here, Blossom couldn't avoid those judging faces.
The thought made her teeth clench and her stomach flip. Unwillingly, she averted her eyes to Bubbles, who had stuck out a hand.
"Best of luck, Blossom!" she whispered.
Blossom stared at the hand before glancing away. "G'luck."
Bubbles lowered her hand, her smile faltering. That is, until her lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed.
Midnight then stood between the two, looking down at both of them.
"Okay. Let's keep this a clean fight, girls."
Blossom glanced at her before crossing her arms. "I'll make it quick, how about that?"
Bubbles almost flinched at the words. Midnight smiled a little at the declaration.
"Cute. I like your confidence." she purred.
Finally, Midnight stepped back and waved down her baton, saying the word that both girls have been dying to hear.
"BEGIN!"
Suddenly, a loud whoosh and a flash of color covered the arena.
Both girls had wasted no time, as both blasted off towards each other. Now, they were locked in a charged clash, their hands interlocked and their faces inches from each other. Until Bubbles threw a kick, forcing the two apart with a large amount of force.
Blossom skidded back, before steadying herself a few feet away from the border. She flexed her fingers, straightening at the same time Bubbles did. All signs of a smile on Bubbles's face had disappeared, as she matched Blossom's energy and expressions. And they only intensified as she settled into a fighting position and flicked her fingers back in a gesture meant to beckon Blossom over.
Annoyed, Blossom put her hands together. Instantly a sphere of pink energy materialized before Blossom grabbed it, wound up, and chucked it at Bubbles. Meanwhile, Bubbles stayed rooted to the spot as the pink ball fast approached.
It was only when it got into striking distance that Bubbles dodged.
Suddenly, Bubbles blasted into the air, her blue energy trail left in her place just before the ball collided and neutralized with the energy trail left behind. She flew high into the air before changing course, flying down fast towards Blossom like a missile. As she did, her outstretched hands began to spark with electricity and curled into fists.
Blossom quickly jumped away, letting Bubbles fly past. But as she did, Bubbles instantly changed course, chasing Blossom. Quickly, with incredible speed, Blossom ran around the arena, with Bubbles hot on her tail. This went on for some time before Blossom suddenly yanked herself out of Bubbles's path, too quick for Bubbles to maneuver. Suddenly, Blossom was right beside her, and her fist was raised.
That was what Bubbles saw before she received a stunning blow to the cheek.
Thrown off by the attack, Bubbles crashed into the ground, rolling away a fair distance. But before she could react, Blossom raced towards her, jumping high into the sky, and coming down with an energy-fueled punch.
"GIVE UP!"
Eyes widening, Bubbles rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the bullet punch that tremendously shook the ground. Blossom's head snapped in her direction before lunging at her sister. Once again, Bubbles dodged and got up on her feet, raising her fists.
"MAKE ME!" she shouted with equal fervor.
Blossom glared before shouting a war cry and colliding with Bubbles. The two were now throwing punches and kicks, sparring with bicolored energy and with burning glares. The crowd was going wild around them, loud voices ringing in their ears, and yet nothing distracted them from their duel. Each of them tanked their superpowered hits all while trying to weaken the other, locked in a fearsome boxing match.
Until finally it all ended with Blossom suddenly grabbing Bubbles's fists.
"Why are you doing this?!" she yelled.
Before Bubbles could even answer or say anything, Blossom kicked her hard in the stomach all while holding her still.
"You wanted me to show everyone how great we are, right?! I'M the leader that bears that responsibility, to give us the glory and respect we deserve!" Blossom continued, her face twisted with rage.
Suddenly, Blossom grabbed the back of Bubbles's head, spun her around, and threw her to the ground. She knelt down, holding her sister there.
"I can't DO that…" she hissed as Bubbles struggled. "If you don't. Let. Me. WIN!"
"STOOOOOP!"
The sudden scream from Bubbles echoed like a gunshot, her sonic voice rattling Blossom. Stunned, Blossom let go just as Bubbles whirled around and threw a punch to her stomach. As the hit connected, Blossom was blasted a few feet away.
Bubbles got up, her pigtails messy and her eyes almost looking crazed.
"ENOUGH! I'VE HAD IT!"
Blossom propped herself up, clutching her gut.
"All this time! It's ALWAYS been about you! Why are you so happy to push me out of the match?!"
Gritting her teeth, Blossom was suddenly on her feet, running to Bubbles to attack. But before she could, Bubbles jetted towards her, grabbed her, and blasted off, dragging Blossom along.
"It's like you WANT to see me lose. To see US lose!" Bubbles ranted as they flew. "It's like you don't care. For you, it's not the Powerpuff Girls versus everyone else but everyone versus you!"
Finally, Blossom tore Bubbles off her, and the two floated in the air, high above the arena.
"What's going on, Blossom?! Do you not want to show everyone how great we are? Or do you just want the glory for yourself?" she demanded, her voice cracking at the end.
Blossom flinched at the outburst, breathing heavily. "Bubbles, I–"
"No! Forget it! I don't want to talk right now." Bubbles snapped, her eyes glowing red. "You want this fight to end so badly? We're ending it."
Blossom's eyes widened, knowing what's going to happen, just as lasers shot from Bubbles's eyes. Quickly, she called up her laser vision and shot it at Bubbles. The two beams crashed, pushing against each other in equal strength.
"Come on, Blossom! Come at me!" Bubbles yelled.
Those very words motivated Blossom further, as she narrowed her eyes and intensified the lasers. The lasers fought against each other for some time. Until finally, Blossom's lasers overpowered Bubbles's, and the two lasers were pushed onto her, resulting in an explosion.
But as a smoke cloud bloomed, Bubbles emerged, flying at Blossom.
"BULLET…. PUNCH!"
With the encouraging shout, Bubbles wound up and threw a punch straight into Blossom's cheek. As she flew to the side, her mind completely blanked with the punch including her instinct to fly.
So, Blossom dropped a little before she started to fall to the ground below. As she did, her vision and her surroundings seemed to tunnel, as if she was falling into a deep dark pit. Blossom couldn't stop herself in her descent as she blinked up at the sky.
This was how things were going to end. Eliminated from the match. Down and out before she could ever hope to move on.
At least, that's what she thought faintly before she suddenly felt a weight press against her.
She looked down to see Bubbles hugging her, falling with her.
"You're our leader, Blossom. Be one."
Before Blossom could even react, Bubbles quickly let go before shoving her hard. After she did, Blossom finally gathered her bearings and flipped upwards, just as she reached the ground.
She finally landed hard on her feet, stumbling before falling on her butt. Gasping for air, Blossom tried to steady herself, blinking hard. After a few moments, her head finally cleared and she looked at the ground, knowing her time was up.
But then, she noticed she was still inside the border.
Blossom was suddenly on her feet standing, completely taken by shock. And on the other side, Bubbles was sitting, her arm resting on her knee and smiling softly.
She was past the border line.
Blossom couldn't believe her eyes, refusing to accept the meaning of what she saw. But soon, Midnight confirmed it for the whole audience to hear.
"Miyako has been knocked out of the ring… MOMOKO WINS!"
Before Blossom could register the announcement, people were cheering again. And even Bubbles was clapping softly, slowly standing. Just like the previous rounds of the festival, it all felt unreal as Blossom took in what was happening.
But as she looked at the stands, something she always wanted started to happen. What was once faces of contempt and ridicule were now faces of surprise and immense respect. Even the tough looking people were clapping politely. And a lot more students were clapping and cheering, her sister and a certain green-haired boy cheering a lot louder than the others.
It was happening. People were realizing how amazing they were. And it was all because of Bubbles.
Quickly, Blossom looked at her sister, who was approaching her slowly.
"B-Bubbles…" she whispered. "I'm so sor–"
"Can I still hold you on that promise?" Bubbles interrupted, her voice weirdly sharp.
Blossom's eyes widened. "What?"
"I need you to kick ass in this tournament, Blossom. No matter what anybody else throws at you and how crazy they happen to be. Let me be the only one in this festival who can meet you on your level." Bubbles went quiet for a brief moment before opening her arms up with a big smile. "I think that's a pretty good way to prove how great we are."
Blossom's mouth quivered before entering Bubbles's open arms and holding her tight.
"Of course. I promise."