Just so you aren't surprised, the next chapter will be the last official chapter before the epilogue </3
! BUT !
Yes, I will continue writing extras afterwards (there's a lot I wanted to include that didn't make the cut). That being said, they will not be published as frequently or on any particular schedule, given I would like to start my journey of writing an actual book now!
Also, I'm a student and this upcoming course load might just actually kill me, LOL. Therefore, I need to start managing my time a little better this year. Hope you understand and enjoy this chapter of the NWHC competition ;)
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{Written In The Stars}
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Word Count; 8,576
Katsuki sat with his classmates on the second level of the stadium, in their own little section, designated for their class.
He took up his seat on the end, so nobody but Kirishima could sit next to him, as he peered down into the arena. He crossed his arms over his chest, huffing out an impatient breath. They'd already been sitting there for twenty minutes, why on earth have they not started yet?
"Ah! I'm so excited!" Ochaco clapped her hands together as she turned toward Mina, who was sitting beside her, in the front row of their section. Mina nodded eagerly in agreement before a darker look took over her features. "Me too! I hope Costa destroys every single one of them for what they did..."
"Man, I still can't believe they got away with that." Sero added on, clicking his tongue in irritation.
Momo let out a long, sad sigh, nodding in response. "Unfortunately, we had no evidence. Aizawa said he didn't even see anything on the security cameras. They probably tampered with them or something."
Ochaco twisted her lips to one side before turning back toward the center of the arena. Then, she thrust her fist into the air. "No matter, Miri is going to make them wish they never crossed her!"
Katsuki scoffed, even though he completely agreed with the girl. He had never seen Costa so angry as when he saw the look on her face that day- the day they posted that article on her locker. He'd never seen her eyes that color, nearly red, as when she launched herself at the mocking third year. He'd been the one to tell her to take it all out on the battlefield and he knew she would.
He could feel her stirring with that itch to fight this morning, when they were getting ready. She always slipped into what he called her "killing calm" before a big fight. It worked for her, he'd realized. It was her own way of winding herself up until she exploded on her opponents.
Present Mic's voice drew their attention away from the conversation, causing them to flinch slightly as he loudly boomed. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS WONDERFUL FRIDAY MORNING WHERE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL GET TO WITNESS WHICH LOVELY LADY WILL WIN THE TITLE OF OUR UA REPRESENTATIVE AT THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HERO CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN! ARE YOU EXCITED TO SEE WHICH GIRL COMES OUT ON TOP?!"
The crowd roared, consisting of not just every UA student and faculty member but the press, agency recruiters, and of course, a handful of pros. Ochaco and Mina threw their hands up in the air, hollering louder than everyone else. "HELL YEAH! GO MIRI!"
"THIS YEAR WE HAVE QUITE THE BATCH OF COMPETITORS, INCLUDING SOME NEW FACES! NOW TELL ME FOLKS, ARE YOU READY TO MEET OUR FIGHTERS?!" People stomped on the bleachers, throwing signs up in the air with the names of who they wanted to win. Screams and excited cheers were heard, reverberating around the stadium.
Katsuki cringed at the loudness of it all, his ears sensitive this morning after overusing his quirk at the USJ yesterday.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! LET'S INTRODUCE OUR GIRLS!" Present Mic shouted and everyone began searching the arena for any hint of a competitor. Everyone waited with bated breath as a girl emerged from one of the darkened corridors that the opponents were to enter onto the field.
She was short, with black, cropped hair. Her costume was a combination of violet and blue fabrics, tightly singed at her waist. She had a thick hood covering her head, which she pulled back to reveal the determination so plainly stated in her face. She waltzed onto the field and people cheered.
"FIRSTLY, KATAYANAGI KOMACHI, HERO NAME: MIRADE. HER QUIRK IS THE POWER OF LIQUID REPLICATION. SHE CAN MAKE UP TO 10 CLONES OF HERSELF USING ONLY THE WATER STORED INSIDE HER BODY! WATCH OUT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE'S BASICALLY IMPENETRABLE!"
Katsuki rolled his eyes, thinking, okay next. He only gave a shit about Costa's introduction.
Komachi threw a hand up in the air, waving at her classmates, who waved back excitedly. Their class clapped slowly, trying their best to be supportive despite their bias. The girl took up a spot in front of the winner's podium with her hands clasped behind her back.
Then, another girl emerged from the opposite hallway, grinning from ear to ear as she walked into the arena. She had vibrant red hair which contrasted with her gray and white body suit, paired with a flowy cape that wafted down her back. She shuffled onto the field with excitement, pressing a hand to her chest, flattered as a handful of people began cheering for her.
"NEXT UP IS OUR VERY OWN NIJO MASAKO! HERO NAME: EMERGE! SHE HAS THE POWER OF FREAKY FAST TELEPORTATION! SHE CAN TELEPORT ANYWHERE IN SIGHT, SO WATCH OUT COMPETITIORS! SHE MIGHT JUST SNEAK UP ON YOU- MEANING, SHE WILL SNEAK UP ON YOU!" He laughed at himself and Katsuki rolled his eyes in annoyance. The redhead bowed dramatically as her classmates applauded her and he clicked his tongue.
"Fucking idiots." He just wanted to see Costa bash all their faces in already. Where was she? The redhead took up her stance next to the shorter girl and they exchanged an equally excited, friendly smile.
Then, they all waited until the third girl waltzed out and their entire class went rigid with distaste. Kuroki Kayoko grinned widely as she stepped out, decked out in her Navy blue suit that seemed to be plated with a hard exterior armor, from her chest down to her fingers and toes. Her pin straight, blonde hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail, her pale face catching the light reflecting in the stadium.
"NEXT UP WE HAVE THE LOVELY KUROKI KAYOKO! HERO NAME: FAZE! SHE HAS THE POWER OF DENSITY CONTROL- SHE CAN ALTER THE STATE OF HER BODY'S DENSITY TO BE AS HEAVY AS A BOULDER OR LIGHT ENOUGH TO PASS RIGHT THROUGH! SHE CAN ALSO ALTER THE DENSITY OF OTHER OBJECTS AND LIVING BEINGS WITHIN HER GRASP! KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THIS POWER HOUSE, SHE'LL MAKE YOU SINK OR FLOAT WITH THE SNAP OF HER FINGERS!"
Everyone cheered the loudest when she came out, yet, no one heard any clapping from class 2A as she made her way next to her classmates, a pretentious smirk growing on her face. Then, everyone watched as she smacked her fist into her opposite hand, making a grinding motion into her palm. Everyone went wild at the action and Katsuki muttered, "That was fucking stupid."
"No kidding," Mina agreed, glaring down at the girl menacingly.
But when the three girls looked up in the same direction, tensing up slightly, Katsuki knew Costa was about to step out. A hush seemed to fall over the stadium, sending chills racing up Katsuki's spine. Mina and Ochaco leaned over the railing, bobbing on their heels with anticipation.
A figure emerged from the shadows, swaggering onto the field, dripping with arrogance, and Katsuki's mouth pulled into a wolfish smirk at what he saw.
Costa's new costume had a high neck-line and was tight against her curvy figure, sleeves cut off just at her shoulders. The costume had two base colors, split right down the middle- half white, half black, with a golden zipper snaking all the way down to her navel. A glinting, golden belt hung low on her hips and Katsuki marveled at the strips of gold, black, and white spiraling down her arms like snakes, slipping into a pair of sleek, black gloves with white fingertips.
Her heavy duty, black and white boots stomped against the dirt pathway as she tilted her head up to the sky. The sun reflected off the purely golden headpiece that framed her face and when she pressed the button on the side, her visors slipped over her face, also beaming brightly under the natural sunlight.
Their class went nuts at how awesome she looked and Katsuki was rendered speechless as he stood to his feet along with his class. Their classmates cheered wildly, chanting her name at max-volume, before Mic even had a chance to introduce her.
Her head turned toward their section and his heart melted at the gorgeous grin spreading over her face. She sent them a small salute, her shoulders shaking in a laugh, and Mina started blowing her kisses, screaming, "I LOVE YOU COSTA!"
"WOW WAS THAT A REACTION FROM 2A!! OUR LAST INTRODUCTION HAPPENS TO BE OUR MOST CONTROVERSIAL AS WELL. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN UA HISTORY, WE HAVE A SECOND-YEAR STUDENT FROM OUR NOTORIOUS CLASS 2A COMPETING FOR THE SPOT OF REPRESENTATIVE!" There was a range of sounds heard from the audience-- mostly cheering. "EVERYONE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR COSTA MIRIARA, THE RESIDENT WILDCARD OF HER CLASS! HERO NAME: BLACKLIGHT! NOT ONLY IS SHE MULTI-TALENTED WITH SOME NEWLY SEEN- AHEM, TOP SECRET- ABILITIES, BUT SHE HAS THE POWER TO MANIPULATE LIGHT AND BEND IT TO HER WILL! MANY WILL UNDERESTIMATE HER PUNCH BUT TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THAT SHE IS DANGEROUSLY UNPREDICTABLE!"
Costa meandered across the battle field, swinging her hips with exceeding confidence. The three third-years sent her heated glares but she completely ignored their presence, taking the last spot, only a few feet away from Kayoko.
Katsuki watched the third year turn to mutter something to her, causing the other two girls to stifle their laughs. But Costa only turned her head toward the girl slowly and stared at her blankly, giving her no hint of a reaction. His heart swelled with pride and he grinned, knowing she'd wait til their fight to give her the same vicious energy.
"NOW THAT WE'VE MET ALL OUR COMPETITORS, LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED, YEAH?!" The crowd roared, slapping and stomping on the bleachers. Costa stood, spine straight, looking out over the stands. Her eyes caught on something and Katsuki saw her inhale sharply, her lips curving into a jaw-dropping grin.
He followed her gaze until he saw the familiar golden hue of Hana's hair in the stands, as she waved down Costa. He saw the tears in her aunt's eyes as she pressed a hand to her chest and he knew Costa was keeping her emotions in check by the way she tensed her shoulders and shuddered out a breath.
"NOW HERE'S HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK-" Present Mic started, just as the giant Jumbotron flickered to life. There was a diagram, much like at the sports festival, with four blank squares where their pictures were likely to appear. Then, two lines fazed onto the screen, pairing off two-different one-on-one fights, separating the four of them into two. Then, a separate line lead the winners of those two fights to the final one on one.
Costa's eyes burned into the screen as Mic spoke up, again. "LET'S DRAW FOR OUR FIRST FIGHT TO SEE WHO IS GOING UP AGAINST WHO!"
The first box flickered to life before each of their school pictures began flashing, toggling inside the box, until it stopped, landing on the first picture: Katayanagi Komachi's. The girl's eyes narrowed with determination as Present Mic announced, "IN OUR FIRST FIGHT, WE HAVE MIRADE, WHO WILL BE GOING UP AGAINST..."
The second box flickered, the rest of their faces flashing across the screen. Costa's blood thrummed and she wished it was either her or Kayoko. She wanted to take on Kayoko in the finals, to rip the title away from her by force, right when it was at her fingertips.
When the flickering stopped, leaving her face sitting in that little box, Costa let out a triumphant breath. So, she'd be going against Komachi first.
"-BLACKLIGHT! WHAT A WONDERFUL MATCH, DON'T YOU THINK?" Present Mic announced before the other two boxes were automatically filled with the other two girls' faces. "THAT LEAVES EMERGE AND MIRADE COMPETING IN THE SECOND MATCH! LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET ON WITH THE FIRST TO SEE WHICH COMPETITOR WILL BE THE ONE TO MOVE ON INTO THE FINALS!"
Katsuki sat at the edge of his seat, more than alert, as Costa stepped onto the battlefield, that "killing calm" radiating from her in waves. It felt contagious.
He held his breath and he knew the rest of his classmates were too by the way their section filled with silence. Ochaco interlaced her fingers through Mina's as they stared down into the arena.
Costa felt her heartbeat in her ears when she faced her first opponent, Komachi, or Mirade.
When she looked into the girl's determined, violet eyes, she knew this fight would not be the easiest. She knew she was facing someone with an extra year on her, someone who'd worked hard for this moment, as well. The corner of her lips curved up, as she spoke up. "Let's have a good fight."
The girl's eyes widened in surprise, brief uncertainty flickering over that purple sheen, until her narrowing determination returned. She swept a foot back, preparing herself for the alarm to sound. "Yes."
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, as soon as the buzzer was heard. First, Costa let her heart beat calm, falling steady and low. Then, she felt her limbs charge up, as if they'd just been power-boosted. Her eye sight seemed to become painstakingly clear as her irises glowed, her quirk singing at her fingertips.
She was ready.
Komachi was fast when activating her quirk and Costa marveled at the way her clones peeled away from her main form, spreading out, around Costa on all sides- ganging up on her. Costa's nerves caught fire, her senses sharpening as Komachi's clones glared down their noses at her.
They went after her all at once. Komachi had probably been keeping up with Costa, for she seemed to already know Costa's tactic of analyzing the start of a fight before getting involved. Komachi didn't give her much time to analyze anything as she barreled toward her. Costa flung her light out, surrounding herself with sharp panes of glowing light shielding her body.
She needed to see how well her quirk held up against this girl's clones. She needed to see if it even affected them.
Costa whipped her arm aside, sending the pieces of sharpened light straight toward Komachi and her clones. They soared across the field and went straight through the clones, sinking through the water they were made of. Costa's eyes widened as one of the clone's managed to get close enough to send a round-house kick straight for Costa's head.
She ducked, and the world somehow started moving in fast motion. Her arm swept up and around the clone's, elbowing it in the forehead, nose, and then jaw, in three fluid strikes. It felt real, solid, under her hits, but she quickly realized impact wasn't going to work given the clone bounced right back, backhanding her across the face.
Costa's eyes widened at the slap but she had to recover fast as three other clones came at her from all different directions.
Well, shit.
"COME ON, COSTA! KICK HER ASS!" She heard a familiar, girlish voice scream from the stands- from the same direction their class' section was. Costa made a guttural noise from deep in her throat as she threw up her light and pressed into it, thickening it. The clones seemed to bounce off of it at first, eyes blinking in confusion, before an evil look took over their identical faces.
Costa marveled as the clones melted into puddles within a second, reappearing on the other side of her light-wall in a single beat. "What the hell-" Costa breathed out, dodging as they swung at her. She skidded on her light board, having them trail her to the opposite side of the dirt field.
She then clasped her hands together and a flurry of arrows flew up in front of her. She released them on the clones and they rained over, and then straight through each and every one of them. Costa smirked slowly as she managed to catch something out of the corner of her eye.
To anyone else, it looked like another useless attack. People started whispering to each other, wondering what she could possibly do to beat them.
But she'd caught on that one of them, was dodging her attacks.
That's it. How had she not thought of that before?
Costa did a complete 360, instead zooming toward them on her light board. She threw up two shields, on each arm, and knocked each of the clones out of her path like a ricocheting pinball.
"What is she doing?" Kaminari asked from the stands, glancing down at the fight in confusion. Many of them looked confused as to why she suddenly changed her direction and pace, going on the offensive randomly. Costa was never good on defense, at least not in the fight, because it never gave her the upper-hand.
But they had a feeling, this was her way of turning the fight around.
"She's figured something out, that's why." Midoriya leaned over the railing, staring down in wonder as Costa bumped each of the ten clones aside. "What are you thinking..." He wondered, out loud.
One clone bounced back from her nudging it and sent a powerful kick to her left knee. Costa gasped when she lost control of the light board and was thrown into the dirt, where she toppled over and over. Her heels dug into the dirt as she slid toward the boundary lines. Her body came to a halt just a mere couple of inches from the white line and Costa let out a shaky breath. "Son of a bitch-"
Her skin was scraped raw and her left knee was shooting with pain but she forced herself onto her feet anyway. She had this determined look on her face, this glint in her eyes, as she limped a step forward, activating her quirk.
The clones surrounded her on all sides again. She didn't care about them as a whole anymore, she only needed to know which one was a clone and which one wasn't.
Costa inhaled sharply, triggering the move she'd learned working with Mirko. Tendrils of light rose up around her, spinning around her form. The tornado hit its peak of velocity and Costa heard the gasps of awe all around her. She inhaled sharply, letting the power and warmth wash over her until she hit her release.
The tendrils flung out toward the clones and Costa whipped her head around, watching carefully as to how it affected every one of them. When her eyes snagged on a blur of movement in the corner of her eye- the lean of a dodge, the duck of a head- she made her move.
Costa whipped around and flung her quirk out at the real Komachi.
She threw her hands up, her eyes flashing like little suns, as she put her backbone into a throw- the throwing of a glowing, giant boomerang made of light. Everyone gasped as Costa's quirk hit Komachi's in the stomach and knocked the girl off her feet. Komachi went flying across the arena until smacked right into a wall.
There was a collective low, 'oooo' heard around the arena as the concrete cracked from under her body and the girl's eyes rolled into the back of her head.
When Costa released her quirk, the girl's body went limp and she fell straight to the ground.
There was a beat of silence before the crowd went nuts. Costa's heart swelled as people jumped to their feet, applauding and cheering her on as she threw an fist up into the air. Mina screamed a high-pitched yelp from the stands and Costa laughed, free and breathless.
"AND OUR WILDCARD, BLACKLIGHT, TAKES THE FIRST MATCH! SHE WILL BE COMPETING IN THE FINALS! LET'S GIVE HER A HAND!"
Costa smiled and did that sparkle thing with her teeth, which had the press stumbling over themselves to snap a picture of her. She let herself bow slightly, only a smidgen, to retain whatever sense of modesty she had left, before she made her way off the battlefield, limping.
One obstacle out of the way. Next, she hoped to be putting Kayoko in her grave.
Kayoko and Masako's fight was quicker than Costa's was. By a long shot.
Costa didn't fret, even as she watched from her designated spot in the lower stands. After all, the three of them had been classmates for three years. They knew each other's skills, fighting, styles, and quirks- inside out. She wasn't surprised that it didn't take Kayoko long to push Masako out of bounds and win the match. She probably had known what Costa had to figure out about Komachi years ago.
Costa scoffed, cause she'd managed to not only push Komachi out of bounds but render her unable to fight any longer. She'd take that over quickening the fight anyday.
"ALRIGHT, IT APPEARS WE HAVE OUR FINAL TWO CONTESTANTS! CLASS 3A'S POWERHOUSE AND CLASS 2A'S WILDCARD! WHO'S READY TO SEE OUR WINNER?!" Present Mic shouted as Masako limped off, supported by two healers who worked with Recovery Girl. Kayoko's expression was cold as she walked off the field, swiping her water bottle off one of the stands.
Costa had her scrapes and injuries tended to during the second match, although she couldn't really receive any extensive healing. It took a lot out of someone, to be healed with a quirk, so she'd have to do with ointment and bandages for now.
Plus, the adrenaline pumping through her veins was doing a good job at keeping her focused on the upcoming match, and not the stinging of her arms and legs.
They allowed the two of them a brief break, given Kayoko had the disadvantage of directly going into another fight when she'd just finished her last. Costa took the time to use the bathroom, to give herself a pep talk in the mirror.
"You got this-" She pointed at her own reflection. There was a beat of silence before a laugh escaped her lips. She placed each of her hands on the sink and slumped her shoulders, her forehead meeting the glass of the mirror. "What am I doing..."
The door creaked open and Costa flinched, snapping in the direction of it. A fellow student nervously met her gaze before scurrying off into one of the stalls, leaving Costa to look at herself in the mirror some more.
She gave herself one more determined nod before striding out of the bathroom and back into the stadium.
Every step was a word. Every swing of her hips was a memory. Every breath was a moment lapsed in time where she only felt the pound of her heart in her chest.
She didn't think of losing. She didn't think of her competitor. She didn't think of her odds or her faults or her weaknesses. She didn't think of anyone or anything having to do with the competition. She didn't think of her training or her skills or her newly acquired quirk. The past few weeks, the past few months, the years faded into the background of a single moment.
She wasn't sure why she was remembering it now, as she was making her way toward the arena, but she had a feeling it'd been pocketed in the back of her mind for this specific moment.
"Costa!" Her mother whisper-shouted at her.
Costa ducked behind a statue she'd been admiring, clad in her cozy winter clothes when she spotted her mother waving her down. She had her hair thrown into a messy bun, her over-sized, army-green jacket nearly hiding her face in the crowds of people.
Every year, around Christmas time, Costa's mother took her to the National Hero Museum in Tokyo, Japan. Every year they'd wander through the state-of-the-art building and marvel at the new exhibits added, while reminiscing over the old ones they'd already seen.
Her mother always had a thing for history and art, especially related to her craft; heroism, of course.
Costa shuffled across the shiny wooden floors, weaving through crowds of people and exhibits until she approached her mother. "What??" Sofia stood still, staring up at a particular exhibit Costa hadn't seen before. A painting of the Greek Goddess of War, Athena, stared back at them. Costa's eyes widened with delight as she took in the image of Athena, fighting off other greek gods with her glowing staff and mighty shield.
Costa's lips parted as her eyes trailed up to Athena's face. It was set with determination, her wild curls catching in the wind blowing against her face. She held a stance of power, eyes lit up in little golden flames.
It almost looked like... her. Like Costa.
"Wow, that's a striking resemblance." Sofia grinned down at her before slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Perhaps we should have named you after the Goddess of War instead of the Sun God..."
"I think Apollis is a great hero name!" Costa argued and Sofia chuckled softly, pushing a piece of her daughter's hair behind one ear.
"I do too. But look-" Sofia traced her finger through the air, squinting one eye as she followed the lines of the painting. "The strong eyes, the hard expression, the stance of power, the ringlet curls..." Then her finger came to boop Costa on the nose. "She's just like you."
Costa sent her mother a narrowed look. "You mean I'm just like her. She's a greek goddess, for God's sake. I'm not even a hero, yet..."
"So?" Sofia shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, glancing back up at the painting. Her eyes softened around the edges as she explained, "Athena is one of the most powerful female figures in history, known worldwide. Nobody questions her, because she's a legend. Tell me, what's the difference between a hero and a legend?"
"A legend comes with a story." Costa responded, still squinting at the painting. "But I don't have one of those yet."
"You will, I'm sure you'll have tons of stories by the time you're my age, Cos. But it's not about the stories, it's about what you make of them." Sofia said, placing each of her hands on Costa's shoulders and turning her to face her. She smiled down at her young replica, stroking her cheek. "Athena could never be brought down because she was born ready for war- dressed for war in fact. She won each and every one of her battles because she went in helmet first, with no doubts, always ready for the fight that was to come. She was born with greatness in her blood, in her bones."
Costa smiled, turning back to the painting with a newfound respect. She looked up at Athena as if she were just what she was, a God. A being so above any of them that she couldn't be touched. Costa had the urge to reach out and try, but instead, she kept her hand close to her side.
"You were born with greatness in your blood too, ya know." Sofia whispered, pulling Costa in for a hug. She let her chin fall against Costa's head, humming softly as she squeezed her tight. Costa then uttered out, "But how do you know?"
"Because I birthed you, crazy girl." Sofia chuckled softly, pulling away to look Costa in the eyes. "You let out a battle cry as soon as you took your first breath of air. I witnessed it. You were born with greatness in your blood, just like her."
"Then... do you think one day, I'll become a legend too?" Costa's eyes lit up with starry excitement.
Sofia's face was loving as she cupped her daughters face. "It's already written in the stars, my little Athena."
Costa found herself face to face with Kayoko on the battlefield, blinking in confusion.
It was as if she'd been shown a vision, a memory shoved to the forefront of her mind, and it hadn't ended til Costa stepped into the ring with her final opponent. The memory of her mother set something in place, deep within her. An overwhelming warmth filled her chest, her blood, her bones, every inch of her body.
Kayoko's eyes narrowed in on her as Costa's eyes burned with tears. She looked up at the sky, just as the sun broke through the clouds, shining onto her. The light reflected off the golden pieces- the staple of Athena she'd always carried with her, always kept on her body like a symbol.
She smiled up at the sun, welcomed the way it brushed her face with loving fingers.
Costa knew she was watching. She knew she'd witness this, in life or in death. Costa had one shot, one shot to win this for her. She wouldn't waste it.
Every word Present Mic sent echoing across the stadium, Costa tuned out. She even tuned out Kayoko, whose mouth started moving, most likely spitting out ugly words like she had earlier, when Costa had stepped into line next to her. Too bad none of your family's here to cheer you on. Costa had sent her the coldest, most bat-shit-crazy look she could muster, maintaining her close-lipped silence, and Kayoko's eyes widened, slightly thrown off her game.
She only held power when given a reaction. If there was one thing Costa knew for certain about her, it was that.
"ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ARE WE READY FOR THE FINAL MATCH THAT WILL DECIDE WHICH GIRL WE WILL BE SENDING TO NATIONALS?!" Present Mic snapped her back into reality and the cheering of the crowd filled her ears. Costa pushed her shoulders back, lifting her chin as she made direct eye contact with Kayoko.
The blonde sneered at her, her smooth face crumpling with distaste. Costa shook her head in disbelief, laughing to herself as she realized how threatened this girl was of her. So, she made it a point to wink at her and mutter, "Good luck, you'll need it."
"You'll need it more." She grit her teeth and fell into a fighting stance.
Costa glanced up, looking over Kayoko's head, and met Hana's gaze in the stands. She had her hands clasped together, tucking her nose in between them. When she saw Costa looking at her, she smiled and nodded once, for reassurance. You got it, Cos. Costa nodded back, settling her attention back down to Kayoko.
She let her body charge, her quirk activating with the illumination of her eyes, the twitch of her fingers. Kayoko took a deep, visible, breath, falling into focus as well.
When the sound of an alarm rang across the stadium, the world seemed to press play and Costa dove into the fight. Unlike last time, Costa refused to give her the upper-hand by waiting for her to make the first move, knowing that's exactly the kind of person Kayoko was.
Costa flung her arms out in front of her, sending beams of golden light straight at the girl. Kayoko's eyes widened in surprise at the offensive move, right off the bat, but was quick to counter. She dodged the first beam by falling to the side and then let the next one pass right through her, like it had with the clones in Costa's last fight.
Right, she could pass through things too.
Kayoko countered fast, throwing up her arms in a 'X' motion, where one of Costa's beams knocked into the metal plating on her forearms and ricocheted right back to Costa. Costa gained control back of the bouncing beam but Kayoko was already sprinting toward her.
Costa ducked as Kayoko stepped right into a powerful roundhouse kick. Costa immediately twisted her arm up and over her calf, tugging Kayoko off balance. But then her arms suddenly fell through the air, passing straight through her.
Kayoko got her footing back, this time sending a kick straight at Costa's face. Costa gasped and ducked backward, the girl's boot grazing the tip of her nose.
"BOTH GIRLS ARE TRYING TO TO GET A LEG UP AGAINST THE OTHER? WHO'S GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST HIT?!"
She growled, two light discs forming in her palms. She quickly switched onto offense, slashing the discs at Kayoko, drawing her further backwards. Kayoko then ducked, diving forward, attempting to send a hit to Costa's stomach, but Costa was fast and slashed her disc downward, slicing straight through Kayoko's bicep.
Blood gushed from the wound and slid down the girl's arm, dripping into a puddle on the dirt ground.
"OOOO! LOOKS LIKE OUR WILDCARD MANAGED TO LAND THE FIRST HIT! GRUESOME! THESE GIRLS ARE NOT HERE TO PLAY, THAT'S FOR SURE!"
Kayoko winced, glaring up at Costa, who wound back her arm and sent a punch straight to her face. Bye, bye, bitch, she thought as her fist struck home. Kayoko didn't dodge, made no move to, and Costa realized why the second her fist made contact with Kayoko's jaw.
She heard the crunch of her fingers, followed by the shocking pain that raced up her elbow.
Costa grimaced, falling back to cradle her shaking fingers. Kayoko's face, her body, it was like stone-- impossible to dent and it fucking hurt when you hit it.
"OUCH! I HEARD THAT ALL THE WAY FROM UP HERE! LOOKS LIKE OUR WILDCARD HAS LEARNED THE CONSEQUENCES OF PUNCHING A BRICK WALL AND IT IS NOT VERY PRETTY!"
Yet, she'd still managed to land a scratch, meaning Kayoko was only impenetrable when she was increasing her density. She used high density as offense and low density as defense. Smart, Costa would admit. Kayoko smirked up at her, shaking the blood off her arm as if it were nothing. "Try to land a hit on me, it won't work."
Kayoko rose her fists in front her chin, like a boxer. It was then that Costa noticed the metal plating on her gloves coated with deadly spikes, covering her knuckles. Costa breathed out a low breath and pulled her injured hand back behind her, trying to ignore the screaming in her finger bones.
Fine, so she couldn't take her on using only her fists- her quirk would just have to do.
Costa's quirk rose up around her like whisps floating in the air, until they all interconnected into one big cube that surrounded the two of them on all sides- pulsing with a blinding glow. Her quirk thrummed in her blood and her limbs tingled as she forced a layer of protective light over her own body, so the impact was less great if she was hit. Kayoko scoffed, "Nice trick, amateur."
"Shut it, you cunt." Costa snapped the fingers on her good hand and the cube crumpled forward, caving in on them. The audience gasped as the light crashed like a wave, zeroing in on Kayoko, and slipping past Costa.
Everyone marveled at the bright light that ensconced her, pressing in on her. But Kayoko bounced right out of its hold, her body once again changing its density and passing straight through. Costa huffed in annoyance. The girl was like a slippery little snake she couldn't get her hands on.
"You're gonna have to do better than that." Kayoko recovered and sprinted toward her. Costa's jaw clenched as she went back on the defense. Kayoko swung and twisted and kicked, each of her moves precise and quick. Her fists moved in a flurry of attacks but Costa was just as quick as her. She pulled back, to the side, ducked, jumped out of the way. She couldn't let her land a-
The blow to her stomach knocked every ounce of air out of her. She felt the spikes pierce her skin, ripping the front of her new costume, and wheezed in pain. Then Kayoko pulled her head back and went to head-butt her.
No, Costa thought, If she hits me, I'll pass out.
Costa used her quirk just then, knowing Kayoko was in her most solid form, and light slithered around Kayoko's neck. Her eyes flashed in confusion before Costa tugged her backwards, the light dragging her by the throat across the dirt. It took her a second to change her density, letting the grip of light pass through her. Costa strode up to her as she laid there, clutching her throat, recovering from the choking.
Two staffs appeared in Costa's hand and she made a show of spinning them around before thrusting one down on Kayoko. Kayoko rolled out of the way and Costa's staff cracked the ground where it hit. Kayoko's eyes widened as she glanced down at the crack in the earth. Costa was quick with the next one, her eyes filled with fury as she threw it down toward Kayoko's head.
It passed right through and Kayoko grabbed it with both hands before jumping to her feet. Costa threw her head back and laughed as Kayoko tried to use it against her, swinging it at her like a bat. The light only retaliated, molding itself and running up the girls limbs like two racing snakes. Kayoko choked as it wrapped around her neck and squeezed.
Then she was slipped out of it once more, but Costa could see the change in her demeanor. There was a genuine look of fear in her eyes as she went on the defense, Costa shooting beam after beam of light at her. She knew the girl couldn't maintain that state of zero density for very long, she just needed to tire her out until she had no choice but to be solid.
She needed to turn the tides, turn this fight in her favor.
Before Kayoko could advance on her, Costa threw her palms up and a bright light flashed. Kayoko turned away, blinded, and by the time she'd managed to blink her eyes open, Costa wasn't standing before her anymore. Kayoko turned and saw a flash of light racing across the field, coming straight toward her. She put her fists up, preparing to swipe Costa right off her light board-
Kayoko gasped as a boot shoved her in the back, pushing her to the ground. Costa stood above her, her entire body glowing with light as the illusion disappeared. She grabbed Kayoko by her hair and threw her to the side, eliciting a pained noise from the girl. The crowd went wild.
"LOOKS LIKE THE TIDES HAVE TURNED! COSTA MIRIARA IS HERE TO WIN!"
Absolutely she was.
"You are pathetic." Costa spat at her, jaw set hard, a ferocious glare gracing her features. "If you're gonna be a cunt and talk shit, at least own up to it. At least don't be so disappointing."
Costa's words hit home as Kayoko's head snapped in her direction, eyes crazed, blood leaking from the corners of her mouth. She spat her blood out on the ground, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she pulled herself back to her feet. "You're nothing... but orphan trash."
"And you're a fucking loser." Costa clapped back, going to kick her in the face but Kayoko was fast, grabbing Costa by the ankle.
Costa's eyes widened as Kayoko twisted and yanked her, sending her toppling to the ground. She rolled and then leaped to her feet just as Kayoko raced toward her, screaming like a maniac. "YOU WON'T TAKE THIS FROM ME!"
Costa dodged her punch. Her hits were turning desperate, sloppy. But Costa maintained that "killing calm", paying attention to every movement, every hit, every step. She ducked left then right, avoiding each of Kayoko's attempts to knock her out.
Costa grinned in satisfaction, thinking she totally had her until Kayoko faked with her right arm. She pretended to swing, missing Costa's face, until her elbow doubled back and hit Costa square in the side of the face.
It was like a paper weight had slammed into her cheek. Costa saw stars, stumbling backwards on unsteady feet. She blinked, trying desperately to clear her blurring vision, but she was unable to bounce back as swiftly as before. Kayoko knew this, immediately following it up with a harsh uppercut to the jaw.
Costa gasped and her head flew backwards, pain slamming through her entire head like a battering ram. She felt her back hit the ground before she even knew she was falling, her skin scratching on the dirt. Ringing numbness filled her ears and she felt her consciousness being pulled down, down, down. She blinked away the stars littering almost every inch of her vision and tried with every fiber of her being not to pass out.
She couldn't lose. She couldn't lose. Not now. Not after she'd come this far.
Kayoko's hands clasped around Costa's collar as she winded her fist back, about to deliver the finishing hit.
The crowd went wild, chanting Kayoko's hero name. Costa couldn't hear anything but the ringing in her ears, the pain swelling in her face, her head, her entire body. She tried to lift her head but it felt as heavy as a bowling ball. Shit, she was using her quirk on her. Costa was too heavy, too tired, too in pain...
"GET UP COSTA!"
Costa's teeth chattered, her eyes lulling closed as the concussion she surely had clawed deep into her consciousness, beckoning her to the darkness. Dark spots covered her vision entirely and she let out a soft breath, her eyes finally sliding shut.
"COSTA GET THE FUCK OFF THE GROUND!"
The voice was closer this time, familiar, and it caused something to click inside her. A piece sliding into the right place. She remembered each grueling moment she spent training for this. She remembered the blood, the sweat, the tears. She remembered Katsuki by her side, helping her train for this. She remembered all the time and energy her mentors had put into her. She remembered what Aizawa had said to her, what Mirko had said.
I know that when the time comes, you'll spit your blood and bare your teeth. And if you go down, go down fighting.
Suddenly the ringing was sucked right out of her ears, like a vacuum, and Costa's eyes snapped open. The sky blinked back at her. The first thing she heard was the crowd. The second thing she heard was a familiar, rough voice screaming, "MOVE!"
Something charged under her skin, igniting that flame that almost flickered out.
Costa rolled out of the way as soon as Kayoko's fist hit the ground, a large crack spreading out across the rocky dirt terrain. Costa blinked away her dizziness, her senses finally kicking into gear. All the sudden, she stopped sensing the harsh pain, the effects of her injuries. The adrenaline pumping through her veins was enough to mask it, even as she jumped to her feet.
She heard a collection of screams as she rose steadily, her eyes narrowed in on her opponent who was glancing up at her in shock. Costa swallowed hard, fighting against wooziness as she threw her hands out in front of her. "Come and get me, bitch."
Kayoko's entire expression crumpled in anger and within a second, she took the bait. She came barreling toward Costa, her fists raised, ready to try and knock her out again. But that was the thing, she'd grown so desperate in the fight, she was forgetting to hide her next move. Costa's lips curved into a grin as Kayoko crossed those last few strides and Costa's quirk activated.
Kayoko was on the offense, which meant one thing. She was as solid as a rock, aka touchable.
When Costa and Kayoko collided, a bright light exploded across the entire stadium, followed by a loud BOOM. Everyone turned away, gasping at the blinding light. Smoke and dirt wafted through the air, hazing the audience's view of the fight.
All of Class 2A was pressed against the railing, trying to get the best look, to see if Costa was still okay.
Katsuki held his breath, watching from the lower stands now. He'd raced down there as soon as Kayoko hit Costa in the head that first time, knowing she'd given her a concussion. His heart pounded in his chest as the dust began thinning out and the silhouette of a single figure was left standing in the center of the field. Everybody gasped, clutching a hand to their chests as they took in another silhouette, crumpled on the ground, right outside the boundary line.
Everyone went silent, waiting in anticipation to see who had been pushed out of the boundary line. Who was it? Who had won??
Hana covered her face and shook with a sob as the dust finally cleared...
...And Costa Miriara stood standing, bruised and bloody, but with her legs holding steady beneath her.
"FAZE HAS BEEN KO-ED! THIS MEANS WE HAVE A WINNER; MISS COSTA MIRIARA FROM CLASS 2A! THE FIRST SECOND YEAR IN UA HISTORY TO BE SENT TO NATIONALS AS OUR SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE!
A huge wave of pride hit Katsuki right in the center of his chest as he stood there, staring at Costa's form in awe. He couldn't explain the emotion that rose up in his throat when Costa immediately fell to her knees and wept. Her face crumpled up and she hugged her arms around herself, and she shook her head as she sobbed.
Their class screamed with cheers, jumping up and down so wildly that they started knocking into one another. Mina burst into tears, throwing her arms around a hollering Ochaco, repeating over and over, "I'm so proud of her!". Aizawa actually smiled from where he stood in the corner, shaking his head in disbelief at the massive reaction of support from his students.
He muttered to himself, also swelling with pride. Silently. "Well I'll be damned, she actually did it..."
Katsuki left the stands, weaving through other spectators, his heart beating a million miles a minute. He was shaking and laughing and smiling as he charged down the steps and into the corridor leading into the arena.
Costa finally lifted her face, letting the sun reflect off the tears streaming down her face. They all watched, they all cheered, as she lifted an arm above her head and pumped her fist into the air, calling out an exasperated, "YES!"
She laughed through her tears and pushed herself back on her feet, just as Nezu and All Might stepped onto the field and beckoned her toward the podium. She was grinning from ear to ear, despite the blood running down her temple and the nasty bruise on her jaw, as she limped over to the podium.
All Might gently propped one of her arms over his shoulders and helped her up the steps. The applause was never-ending, the cheers sending a fuzzy feeling into the pit of Costa's stomach as All Might took her hand and led her to the front of the podium. Then, Nezu passed him a sleek, wooden box. All Might opened it and carefully plucked the shiny golden medal into his hands.
Costa laughed and cried, unable to contain her emotion as All Might smiled at her before stepping behind her. He placed the medal over her head and Costa marveled at the soft satin of the ribbon against her skin and then the weight of it hanging around her neck. Her fingers touched the cool medal and she squeezed her eyes shut.
It didn't feel real, any of it, as she stumbled toward the podium, now standing in front of the mic. She opened her mouth, then closed it, before turning back to look at All Might. He nodded at her to say something and she swallowed, tapping the mic twice.
The crowd quieted, anticipating her next words.
"I just wanna say-" Her voice slightly wavered and she reeled in her tears, refusing to let her voice crack in front of so many people. She inhaled sharply and lifted her chin, keeping her tone steady and definite. "I won, just like I said I would, and those of you who didn't believe I could do it are fucking idiots. To those of you that did, I'll make sure to kick some serious ass at Nationals and bring back that god damn first place trophy!"
The crowd roared, going absolute feral with school pride. All Might pinched the bridge of his nose at her inappropriate language. Nezu let out a little nervous laugh, clapping along with everyone else, making no sign to stop her. Costa cleared her throat, her good hand clasped around the medal. "Also-"
Costa blinked back tears, glancing up at the sky and winking. "This one's for you, mom."
Hana shook her head, holding a hand close to her chest as she cried happy tears. Costa laughed into the mic before giving one last final nod and stepping away from the podium. All Might grinned proudly and gave him her his congratulations before helping her back down the stairs, leading her off the field.
They approached the corridor she'd had entered from, Costa groaning as the pounding finally returned to her head. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving her with the grating after-effects of the fight. All Might was looking down at her in concern, about to ask her if she needed to sit down when they both looked up and paused.
Katsuki stood there, at the end of the corridor, staring at Costa in awe.
All Might's eyes flickered between the two of them before he cleared his throat, "I'll give you two a minute." Costa thanked him as he slipped away, turning down some other corridor. Cheers still echoed through the halls, but otherwise, it was dead silent. Costa could hear her own heart beating in her chest.
She smiled at him, laughing painfully. "Hey, stranger."
Katsuki shook his head in disbelief, making his way over to her in a few long strides. She wanted to start crying all over again when he scooped her in his arms and started spinning her around. She laughed and then winced, her vision growing blurry. It was just then that he remembered how injured she was and set her back down.
His hands cupped her face oh-so-gently, careful not to touch her bloody wounds, before leaning his forehead against hers. "Sorry, I just couldn't help it."
"I won." Costa smiled, eyes glassy as she looked up into his. "I did it, Katsuki..."
"I know," The pure pride on his face made her heart melt inside her chest. "I knew you would, I always believed you would..." He pulled her in for a kiss and it was passionate, slow, and incredibly rewarding. When he pulled away, he couldn't stop smiling. "You are the most amazing person I've ever met."
She laughed, grabbing his face as well and reconnecting their lips. They kissed long and slow, putting every racing emotion they felt into the movement of their lips. Then, suddenly, a loud clapping noise was heard throughout the hallway, causing them to pull away and simultaneously furrow their brows in confusion.
Then voices filled the air and Costa turned over one shoulder, just to see their entire class rounding the corner. As soon as they saw her, they erupted into cheers which made Costa's lips curl into a joyful smile. "That's our girl!" Kirishima whistled as they all barreled toward her. Katsuki stepped back, allowing her a moment.
As soon as Sero and Kaminari approached her, they ducked down and swooped her up onto their shoulders. She squeaked at being lifted into the air all of a sudden. Then, they all began to crowd around her, chanting over and over, "WILDCARD! WILDCARD! WILDCARD!"
Costa laughed and went with it, letting them jostle her in the air, all the while chanting her class nickname. Katsuki watched from the sidelines, letting them all celebrate her. He couldn't help but admire the pure joy and triumph on her face, an expression he wished he could always see blessing her beautiful features.
All the pain was placed on the back burner, Costa deciding to ignore it just a little longer, so that she could enjoy this moment of triumph. This blissful win. She began chanting with them, still laughing carelessly and pumping her fist in the air. "WILDCARD! WILDCARD! WILDCARD!"
And just like that, everything fell back into place.