"Nanami Tsutsumi is this rounds champion!!" Mic sprung up from his chair in the presenter's box, and Aizawa's brows were knit tightly.
As a teacher, he knew better than to underestimate his student's abilities. But he did not foresee Nanami putting so much effort into the festival. She's always been so quiet, not much of an eye catch despite her notable quirk. When he was watching the feed of the entrance exams, taking notes on all the examinees, she definitely raised the bar high for herself by placing first. As did Bakugo. Except this whole time since she has hardly made an attempt to surpass herself, unlike the unruly blonde. At first, he thought she was lazy, but no. She was just simply not interested. So what has changed since then?
Meanwhile, on the field, Nanami had gotten to her knees and was breathing heavily. Mic was announcing the places of the next few students who entered the arena after her.
2nd Izuku Midoriya
3rd Shoto Todoroki
4th Katsuki Bakugo
5th Ibara Shiozaki
I can't hear what Mic was saying. I couldn't hear a damn thing. It's all to loud. I grabbed my shoulders to hug myself, my chest felt tight. 'Oh god, am I breathing? Did I forget how to?'
'What's going on...no no someone.' She bowed and pressed her forehead to the ground, trying to block out all the sound and focus on the scent of the dirt.
My throat closed and I felt powerless. Trying to squeak out a cry to show my struggle but I couldn't even take a breath in.
'Wow, she made it through the race with hardly any struggle!'
'I thought Endevor's kid would have made it first.'
'This round was great!'
'Woah is her hair real vines?'
'What's that green kid's quirk? How did he end up in second?'
'I hope the next round is as good as this one!'
Nanami's jaw was clenched and her eyes were screwed shut. She moved her hands to cover her ears.
'These damn voices! It's all too loud!'
She felt so sensitive to the environment around her but also so blocked off. She could feel the stomping in the stands, but not the students walking past her. She felt sweat on her arms and back but not the breeze that cooled her skin. She heard the voices bounce around in her head but not the boy standing above her trying to speak to her. She somehow felt almost every presence in the arena, but not the hand on her shoulder. It was all too much.
Midoriya stood above Nanami confused. He first thought the girl was slumped with relief from placing first. He went to congratulate her but from her lack of response when he tapped her shoulder he began to feel worried. He gently held her shoulder trying to get her attention while also debating if he should call for a medic. Maybe she passed out, or overused her quirk, or got hurt...
Scarlet eyes had been watching him frantically look around for a bit. Bakugo sighed and pushed down his anger to approach them.
"Oh Kachan, um can you-"
"Get out of my way Deku." Bakugo ignored whatever he was trying to say and shoved him away from the girl on the ground. Deku stumbled back confused, "Huh..."
Bakugo looked down at her for a second before crouching and putting his hands over hers to help muffle whatever was bothering her. Feeling his hot skin touch hers Nanami gasped in the air she wasn't able to intake before, but she started coughing due to inhaling some loose dust.
The boy above her moved one of his hands and patted her back, not aware that she had just taken her first breath in over a minute. Nanami took a moment to steady her breathing before lifting her head a bit.
Bakugo placed both his hands on her shoulders to push her to sit upright, "Come on and get up Crybaby." The blonde stood up and ignored Midoriya's confused stare and walked away without glancing back to Nanami. Her eyes stayed trained on his back, watching him disappear into the crowd of students that started to form as more and more of them finished the obstacle course.
Nanami's hands were still tightly over her ears, she stayed like that for a second until she got up and walked out of the arena. Midoriya still watched the whole scene confused until Uraraka came to congratulate him.
The blue-haired girl calmly walked to the girl's locker room, she took a deep breath and leaned into the lockers behind her before sliding down. Nanami curled her arms around her head and began to cry.
It was all too loud and so much, but she was relieved to be out.
She didn't cry for long but she stayed in there for at least 8 minutes. Between each round there's a fifteen-minute break for students to get medical treatment and hydrate, so she had some time.
'God my head hurts now.'
I sighed and rubbed the wetness off my cheeks and let out a shaky breath. I pushed myself off the floor and walked to the sink. Making sure to not look up in the mirror I let me hands fill with water before splashing my face with it. My hair and uniform got wet but no big deal. I dried my face with my sleeve, rubbing my puffy eyes.
"Fuck they're probably red." she let out another sigh and her shoulders slumped, "No way Bakugo Katsuki snapped me out of another panic attack."
She paced in a circle for a bit before rubbing at her face again and lecturing herself, "Whatever, just...just stay focused. DO NOT get overwhelmed."
Dropping all emotion from her face Nanami walked out of the locker room and back to the arena. She went to the hydration tent and grabbed a bottle of water before sitting against the wall. Her eyes trailed from student to student, watching them all interact with each other. She shook her head and opened her bottle and took a drink before resting her head on her knees waiting for the break to be over.
_____________________
Midnight cracked her whip, silencing the chatter going on in the arena. Nanami looked to where she was on the stage and stood up. She dusted her bum and made her way to the crowd of students waiting for instruction. Nanami eyes the woman's outfit.
'Hmm. Definitely interesting but I like the mask, it's cute.'
After all the students finished gathering Midnight started to speak, "43 of you have qualified to move on to the next round. Prepare for your next task!"
The screen behind her started to spin through all the possible options before it stopped on Calvary Battle.
'Calvary? What the fuck is that...'
"Looks like you'll be doing a Calvary Battle! Those of you at the top will suffer the most. Of course, that's something you'll hear over and over again at UA. Show us what Plus Ultra means! Nanami Tsutsumi placed first in the qualifying, she'll be worth 10,000,000."
'What did Miss Midnight say....' Nanami felt her skin crawl, she glanced around at everyone staring at her, even her own classmates. She felt butterflies in her stomach ticking her nerves but she kept her face still.
'Whatever. Maybe if everyone had actually worked harder they could have had a chance at first.' Nanami crossed her arms over her chest and shifted all her weight to one foot. The cocky mannerism made everyone turn away and whisper.
"First years!" Midnight called for their attention once again, "Here are the rules you will abide by. The game itself will last fifteen minutes, individual point values will be added together for a team total. Everyone will know how much you're worth because it will say on your headbands.
Swipe as many headbands as you can to increase your team score. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up, the more you steal the harder it will be to manage them. And another thing, even if your headband gets stolen or it falls down, you can keep playing until times up!"
'Interesting... well who should I team up with?'
"This is going to be rough, you may use your quirks as much as you like! But, there are still rules. Make a team fall on purpose and I'll slap you with a red card. You will be DISQUALIFIED! Now, you have fifteen minutes to build your team I recommend you get started!" Midnight finished.
'As long as I protect my own headband my team will most likely win. I need to find an offensive team. Take away everyone else's headbands so they don't stand a chance! Yes, that sounds-'
My eyes widened a bit and I looked around. There were small huddles of students bombarding others to join teams, but why is no one asking me?
'Is 10,000,000 too big of a target? Yeah like I'd let anyone take it."
"Hmm." Nanami crossed her arms and waited for either an offer on a team or the insufferable saps that will be stuck with her if she was still waiting when the clock runs out.
"Hey, you want to join my team?" Nanami glanced to her right and saw the boy asking her. He was pretty tall and his messy hair definitely added to his height.
"What did you place in the first round?" She asked with a raised brow.
The boy signed and looked up, "Look my quirk is pretty good for this round, and from how I saw you perform you would be perfect defense. And it doesn't look like many are begging to have you on their team, so what do you say?" He stuck his hand out for her to shake, Nanami glanced at it and went to grab it when suddenly she was pulled from him by the wrist.
"You're on my team Crybaby." Bakugo grumbled and started dragging her away. Nanami shrugged at the tall purple-haired guy, "Got one beggar."
"I'm not begging!" Bakugo yelled.
I rolled her eyes, "So who is on my team?"
"You mean MY team? Shitty hair, crazy eyes, and elbow guy."
I furrowed my brows and tried to imagine who those people could be but I drew a blank, "I'm sorry who? And you need some improvement on your pet names."
"Tch." Bakugo let me go once he got to Sero, Kirishima and Mina, they all beamed at her and welcomed her.
"Good job on the last round Tsutsumi! Keeping 1-A in the spotlight!" Sero patted her shoulder.
"Alright! We're already in first place now!" Mina cheered.
"Now let's keep it that way, what's the strategy Bakubro?" Kirishima asked.
"I'm rider and you extras are my support. I'll blast us through and Crybaby can use her quirk to take guard us, if anyone comes close I'll blast them. If anyone looks at us, Crazy eyes spits her acid at them. Elbow guy can use tape to steal bands, and Stupid hair is our support. Sound good?"
I shrugged and leaned to whisper to Mina, "Well it could be worse." I watched her clam her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh at my obvious sarcasm.
An alarm sounded and Midnight announced that time was up. Mic took over and announced the competition round starting, "Let me hear you screaaamm!!"
Bakugo went to get their team headband while everyone else on his team quickly got into formation, ready for him to hop on top. Nanami and Sero were in the back and Kirishima and Mina was in the front, they left the center of the clear enough for Bakugo to fit. He made it back quickly and everyone took hold of him. He growled, "Stop holding onto me." He shook his leg and Sero let go and gave him a look.
"Uhh well, dude how else are you supposed to stay attached to us?"
Bakugo rolled his eyes, "With tape you idiot."
'Hmm, good idea. Why didn't I suggest that?'
"Alright, team let's kick ass!" Mina shouted, Kirishima smiled, "You guys ready?" Bakugo got low in their hold, "I've been ready." Nanami could hear the smile in his tone.
"THREE!!!"
Bakugo popped his knuckles and glared at Midoriya, "Get him." He said.
"TWO!!"
"ONE!"
Unfortunately, they didn't have a chance to go after the broccoli kid because everyone was going after them! It seemed like all 12 teams were locked on them.
"Guys straighten up! Tsutsumi back us up!" She heard Kirishima shut from the front.
"Got it!" I put my free hand that wasn't holding Bakugo up and concentrated on forming 4 shields. One in the front, back, and sides of us, but with a decent space so we can use our quirks to attack.
The ground started to feel soft and slippery so the team quickly moved, Nanami glared at the spot they had used to be in and saw that the ground was turned into mud.
"Which one of them just attacked us!" I yelled out.
"The team with the scary-looking center and girl with the water hair!" Kiri answered.
"Mina, spit at them! Keep them back, one of them can change the terrain!" I yelled, Mina go the message and immediately started spewing acid at them.
Bakugo blasted away Jirou's jacks that were coming straight at him. The girl cringed from getting hit with his quirk, and her team had to take a moment to recover. Bakugo growled as he saw Midoriya flying close to them. But he knew they had other things to focus on. For example, the boy from his class with multiple limbs charging straight for them!
Nanami looked around when she heard Mineta's grimy voice coming closer, she spotted that it was coming from Shoji and he was closing in on them. To their right, there was a team full of Class B students.
Without wasting a second I started barking out an order, "Bakugo jump on the count of three and send a blast to Class B on our right, I'll handle Shoji!" I saw him nod slightly, "One, two, three!"
He jumped off of just so dropped the front shield and sent an energy blast at shoji, aiming straight at his face. His eyes widened before he dropped down to dodge. Mina sent acid at where he was, he tried to evade it but got hit with it on his foot. He shouted as his shoe started to sizzle, His arm opened up a bit and a long tongue shot out.
"Gross." I muttered. Quickly I motioned a hand in their direction and an energy wave went to them and knocked Shoji down. I heard several loud explosions come from where Bakugo was before Sero reeled him back to them with his tape. I put up the shield in front of him again. Bakugo laughed loudly before jumping off them again and blasting himself to the sky.
'What is he doing?"
Nanami kept running and watched as he hurled in the air after Midoriya who seemed like his team was struggling.
"Don't think for a second you're safe!" He said while reaching out with an open palm, "I've got you!" His explosion went off but Dark Shadow was able to block it just in time. But not well enough since they still seemed to fumble in the air.
Sero Aimed his tape and him once Bakugo started falling and he got him back to them, "Woah, nice aim!" Kirishima complimented.
"It's been seven minutes so let's take a look at the scores on the screen!" Mic's voice echoed. A crowd gasp was heard, and Nanami furrowed her brows. Not liking their reaction. "Hold on here. This is an unexpected turn! Looks like Class A isn't doing so hot! Even Bakugo is losing!"
Bakugo's eyes widened as he felt the headband material slide across his forehead. "We're what!?" Mina yelled. Nanami frowned and saw an arm retreat with their headband. Her points.
"Looks like Class A is too small-minded. Think bigger." a blonde boy said. He smirked as he brought the headband to tie around his neck.
'No way he slipped through the gap in the shields so quickly?' Nanami glared at him.
"What did you say!? Come back here!" Bakugo shouted.
The blonde boy's team stopped, "Midnight said the obstacle course was just the first game, and we figured they wouldn't cut that many of us off the bat. Would they?" he smirked and turned to look back at them. "Assuming they'd keep at least 40 contestants for the next event all we had to do was have to make sure we stayed within that group as we ran. From our spots in the middle ranks, we could fully observe the quirks our rivals had and judged their capabilities. Only a fool would obsess over winning the preliminary rounds, wouldn't you agree?"
"You planned this as a class?" Bakugo asked, his glare still evident on his face.
"It wasn't totally unanimous but I'd say its playing out well." His hands moved to tie the band. He smiled and kept talking, "It's better than chasing after a temporary front runner like a horse with a carrot waving in his face, Oh! While I have your attention, you're kind of famous, aren't you? For being attacked by that sludge villain. You'll have to tell me about it sometime. It must be strange to always find yourselves in the role of the victim"
'That was him!?' Nanami snapped her head up to look at his face, his had a vicious sneer and was practically shaking with rage. "Kirishima. We have a change in plans..." He graveled out, Kiri's eyes widened and he visibly shifted because of Bakugo's deadly aura. "Before we take out Deku, we're gonna kill every last one of these B lister idiots!"
I squinted my eyes and reached a handout and concentrated on feeling the material. After a few seconds, the knot on some of his headbands got loose and untied, flying into her outreached hand. Nanami struggled to catch them all with one hand but once she did she tightened her grip and held them up for Bakugo to take it, "Don't lose these this time!" she said to him, "We're lucky we're not in last!"
Unfortunately, all the ones I grabbed weren't the one million pointer. I turned back to the Class B kid and saw him with a face of anger, I scoffed, "And cut the corny monologue. Seriously."
"Bakugo chill out don't let him get to you." Kirishima warned.
"Err shut up! I've never been calmer!"
The blonde that was lecturing them glared and his team made a move to come back for the headband but they didn't get close because Bakugo had us charge at them, "You think you're tough!? Die!!" Bakugo used one of his hands to hit the Boy from Class B in the face but he evaded Bakugo's attack by simply swiping his arm away. That shocked not only Bakugo but the whole team.
Bakugo turned to try an attack again but the blonde from B let an explosion go off in Bakugo's face. Since he was so close to us it sounded so loud, I gasped and flinched. The shield Kiri, Sero, and Mina flickered away before reappearing, showing how shaken I was by the attack. I moved my head and pushed my ear into my shoulder to try and ease the ringing that started.
"Huhh. I see why you like this quirk." The blonde said. Bakugo shut his eyes to recover from his...quirk? I pulled Bakugo down by his shirt causing him to lie down on Sero and I. I let him go and moved to point at the annoying blond boy. An energy beam shot out from my finger and at his face. He grunted and swiped his hand at Kirishima. The energy beam lit up the area causing us to squint.
Bakugo rubbed his eyes and sat back up and glared when he saw the blonde using Kirishima's hardening quirk. "Wow, both of you have impressive quirks. But mine's just better."
"What!? Mine too?" Kirishima shouted.
"Bastard." Bakugo grumbled, "His quirk, he can copy other powers."
The copycat smiled, "Very good. So... even an idiot can figure it out?"
Bakugo was ready to attack but quickly backed down when a gooey substance separated them. Nanami gasped, "Class B is working together!?"
"Damn it! I can't move!" Kirishima shouted.
Mina perked up, "I'll melt it with my quirk."
The copycat turned around back to them, "Oh, and no hard feelings right? After all two of you provoked it. What was it again you said in your little speeches before the games? Uhh... Oh right!" The boy who his class called Monomma mocked Bakugo and Nanami.
Bakugo was visibly bothered but Nanami kept a cool head, "Come on, we got to move if you wanna make it to Deku with enough time!" She shouted at him. Bakugo hesitantly nodded, and aggressively took out students from class B.
He stole headbands and blasted students away, but he also got some of ours stolen too. Luckily our big one was still safe so we were still good for now. Nanami kept her eyes trained on the million points on Bakugo's neck.
"We're now in our halfway point, what will we see now!?" Mic asked.
Bakugo laughed manically, "Ahah Deku! I'm coming for you!"
Nanami yelped when she was hit with a searing cold pain in her shoulder, it made her falter a bit causing Bakugo to lose some balance. He turned to yell at her but held it when he saw her biting her lip with tears in her eyes.
"Huh?" His brows furrowed as he scanned her to find her injury, and his gaze darken when he saw the thick layer of ice on her shoulder. Nanami moved the side shields to fully cover the back of them while she punched at the ice on her. It felt like it was getting colder and colder so she needed to get it off quickly.
She started beating her fist against the ice hoping to break it off but she didn't even make a crack. She tried hitting harder but all that happened was the skin on her knuckles splitting. She grunted and tried to ignore it but it was seriously starting to burn.
Bakugo growled when he laid eyes on Todoroki's team behind them. The team kept going trying to get to Midoriya before time ran out. Bakugo glanced around at all the teams now surrounding them and growled. Todoroki's team managed to come around and get in front of them, his eyes were trained on the headband on Bakugo's head, "I'll be taking that now."
"I'd like to see you try!" Bakugo barked.
"Now Iida forward." Todoroki commanded, "Yayarozu, be ready to protect us. Kaminari!"
Nanami smirked seeing her friend coming after her team, 'Hmm. Didn't think he would be with Todoroki...'
Todoroki stabbed the ground with a staff Momo made, and Kaminari seemed like he was charging up. Bakugo smirked. He figured out their plan.
"Crybaby, get us in the air now!"
Nanami's eyes widened, "I'll have to drop the shields!" she warned. She knew if she kept them up they'd be as thin as paper since she would have to concentrate on holding everyone up, so there was no point in trying to preserve them.
"I don't care do it!"
Nanami closed her eyes and all the shields dropped a platform formed under her and resized to fit the whole team onto it, as soon she got them a few feet in the air. And just on time too because Kaminari had shocked all the teams on the ground. His electricity reached them but her shield kept them insulated and unaffected. As soon as Denki's attack was done, Todoroki wasted no time freezing the ground. Nanami shuddered and remembered the problem still on her shoulder.
Bakugo looked down and turned himself around to face her, he hovered his hand above the ice and two small explosions went off from his palm. It wasn't super harsh but strong enough to jerk the girls shoulder back. He moved his palm and noticed a crack in the ice, "I'm gonna punch you."
Her eyes widened, realizing what he said, "What? Wait no stop!" but it was too late, his fist was already moving through the air waiting to connect with her. She closed her eyes and looked away, she felt his punch hit the ice but not her. Which was strange. It felt like he just tapped her.
But Bakugo actually just made sure he didn't punch her hard enough to actually hit her, just to break the ice. Which worked since it slowly cracked off of her. She sighed, the coldness still there just not as painful, "Relax Crybaby. I wouldn't actually punch you. Yet." He smirked and turned back to the front. She rolled her eyes and moved them close to Midoriya's team, who looked like they were still stunned by Todoroki's team.
She scanned the field and spotted Monamma's team in a perfect clearing. She smirked and quickly lowered them down, "Perfect!", Bakugo hopped off early and began laughing as small explosions went of in his hands.
Bakugo got close before Monamma called for one of his teammates who inhaled and exhaled... a wall? Present Mic announced the student's quirk to be solid air. Bakugo landed on it confused but waited no time punching it. It shattered after a couple of hits.
The student laughed, "You look pretty stupid fighting with air!" The team was about to turn away but Bakugo yelled and broke through the air and grabbed almost all of team Monamma's headbands.
Sero tapes Bakugo and brings him back, "Shit! None of them were a million points!" Bakugo said.
"Hey I told you to warn us before jumping off like that!" Sero complained.
"Whatever, this means we're advancing." Kirishima called.
That seemed to be it for Bakugo since he started yelling like a psycho, "We're not done!" He started beating on Kirishima's hair even though it was hardened from his quirk, "We're gonna be the indisputable champions of this game!"
"Who has the million?" Nanami asked.
Mina looked up at the scoreboard, "I guess team Midoriya managed to snatch it when we were distracted with Todoroki. They're in 1st place."
Nanami turned her head to the scoreboard and saw that the ranks had changed, now team Todoroki was in first. "Nuh uh, looks like Todoroki got the headband from Deku right now!"
"I don't care! We're getting the points from this idiot! Then go for the big one!" Bakugo said. Kirishima laughed and turned them around to go after Monamma again. Sero smiled, "Do it!" He said.
"Elbow guy! Tape him!" Bakugo lifted his leg so Sero could get a good shot, "My name's Sero!" He shot his tape but it missed Monamma by a foot. "Raccoon eyes!" Bakugo called, "Spit some acid in the direction we're going.
The pink girl rolled her eyes, "It's Mina Ashido!" She shot a glop of acid out from her palm to their feet. They were sliding on the acid and pulling themselves in with Sero's tape. Nanami smiled. "And Cry Baby?" She looked up at him waiting for his command, "Their air shields are nothing compared to yours. Take it down."
She nodded, "Got it. On you signal."
He smiled deviously and jumped, "GO!!"
I dropped my shields so I can focus all my energy on shattering the air solidifying in front of Bakugo. I released a big purple blast and a second after it broke the solid air, Bakugo let an explosion go off in Monama's face while he grabbed his last headband.
Nanami immediately turned to the scoreboard and nodded when she saw they were in second now, "Come on, we got to get to Deku fast!" She said.
They turned and charged towards the wall of ice, assumingly where Todoroki and Midoriya were.
"THE GAME IS ALMOST OVER!!" Mic said excitedly as the last couple of seconds started to count down. Bakugo Blasted through the ice and went straight into the battle where Both teams had started attacking one another.
Bakugo used an explosive to change his trajectory, "Damn it Icy Hot!" He yelled.
"TIMES UP!!!"
Everyone on the field froze, and attacks paused. Bakugo stopped mid-air and fell flat on his face. They ran up to him to check on him, "Bakugo, are you okay man?" Kirishima asked.
Bakugo started groaning and slamming his fist on the ground. Nanami sighed and squatted next to him, resting her chin on her palm, watching him through a tantrum.
"Now, lets take a look at who our top four teams are!" Mic said over the crowd cheers, "In 1st place, Team Todoroki!"
"In 2nd place, Team Bakugo!"
Mina sighed, "Ugh we were so close to first place."
Sero shrugged, "Sure but at least we're moving on. So it's all good."
"I don't think our leader will agree with you." Kirishima said watching Bakugo scream, now sitting up with Nanami patting his shoulder, "Like at all..." Kiri added.
"And third place it Tetsute-WHAT? It's team Shinsou! When did they come back from the dead!?" Nanami watched the purple-haired guy from before smirk and leave his teammates.
'Hmm. He did pretty good, wished I saw him on the field.'
"Who are you looking at huh Cry Baby?" Bakugo grumbled, She turned back to him, "No one." She mumbled.
"And in fourth place team Midoriya! These four teams will advance on to the final round!!" Mic finished.