The incident at U.S.J. was a piece of news that was bound to make the headlines. After all, it had been a while since a group of villains this large attacked not just any place, but the citadel of the best heroes Japan had to offer. The following day the lesson were cancelled, much to the joy of one Danny Fenton, who, for one, was thankful to the idiots for sacrificing their freedom to give him a well-deserved day off. He and his friends hung out in the city centre, and each proudly watched the news broadcasted from the wide screens. It was them who stopped the villains, after all. That was a pleasant feeling. Danny did feel a bit disgruntled by the omission of the students' achievement, though. Yes, they were shown on TV, but the use of general terms like 'the heroes handled the situation' rid him of that ego-inflating joy.
"Oh, cheer up, ghosty," Kirishima said and nudged him. "There'll be plenty of times when you get the credit. No need to get so sour."
"I am not sour," Danny shrugged. "I know people are more concerned about the fact that the attack happened at all. But honestly, if U.A. students can handle this, it would have been a good advertisement if that part was talked about."
"Yeah. That was stupid of them," Mina grinned and cackled. "What were the bad guys expecting, honestly?"
"They wanted to use Nomu and kill All Might, before tailing. You saw how it was," Danny pondered aloud. "The thing ignored physical damage, and that's what All Might's Quirk is about. But they were so focused on the goal that they neglected all other factors."
"Yeah, who could have known you'll pull out another broken card," Kirishima snorted and grinned. "Fighting you is like playing a stupid Yu-Gi-Oh duel, man."
"Yeah, yeah. Get over it, already," Danny smiled and lightly nudged his friend. "But their shortsightedness is obvious. I mean, have you seen the mastermind of this whole show? Shigaraki is a petulant man-child. A moron, and a prideful one. Obviously he is not thinking rationally."
"Well, he must have some sort of charisma going. I mean, he got so many villains together."
Danny's mind went back to the meeting he had attended. That was unlikely. The guy was completely unlikeable and apathetic. And there was also a different knowledge that the halfa had.
"I don't think so. But there is a chance that someone is backing them," Danny leaned against the railing, looking at the glass roof of the mall. "They did mention some 'Master'. Won't put it past that person to have everything it takes to create this ragtag team. Money, influence, and the capabilities to create a bioengineered monster. Sheesh, he sounds like Masters."
"Your godfather?"
"Yep," Danny's lips thinned. "Although the cheesehead is not the one to blame here, obviously. In any case, I think we can take a breather now. It's obvious they put a lot into this scheme, so it will take some time for them to come back for more."
"That's not a good reassurance," Mina deadpanned.
"You'll get used to it," the halfa smirked. "I learned to just accept things I have no power over. Best we can do is to get stronger."
Truth be told, he held a certain degree of power over the events. He had a sensitive piece of knowledge that could potentially make a difference, he was acting in shadows to harm the villains' livelihoods. But it was still pointless in the grander scheme of things at the moment. Both sides made themselves known, now it came to the data collection before they met again and fought. Phantom had no hope in the heroes' help. It would certainly be welcome, but he had to make do with what he already had. That's how he always did it.
"Speaking of which," Mina rubbed the back of her neck. "Danny-kun, can you make a portal to my home? Please?" She made a begging sign.
"Are you leaving already?" The halfa raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I need to go back earlier today. My parents are still worried about what happened."
"I'd have liked to, Mina," Danny said slowly. "But I got this power only yesterday, and in a very limited form. I practiced just a bit, but portals don't appear further than five meters away."
"Aw, man, this sucks," Mina pouted. "You would have been able to even visit your American friends whenever you wanted, Danny-kun."
The halfa's eyes widened. That...didn't seem as ludicrous as he could have thought. Of course Mina did not know the extra obstacle standing in the way of that goal — the ever-present veil separating the worlds. Looking at his hand, the halfa pondered on it just a little more.
"This sounds like a neat goal."
"It is!" Said Kirishima and grinned. "Let that jerk's Quirk be used for something actually useful."
"Alright, I'll see you guys tomorrow then!" Mina saluted and strolled away, leaving the two boys alone.
"So..." the redhead scratched his chin. "Any idea what else we can do?"
"Dunno. At this time I usually sit at home when I'm not with you guys."
"Come on, don't tell me our class rep is a hikikomori."
Danny raised an eyebrow. "Be sure to kick me when I start buying depraved figurines. I just never was a social guy before. My social circle pretty much ended with my two longtime friends."
"Is that because your Quirk awakened so late?"
"Nah. It's just... my parents are not just inventors. They are seen as nutcases, which they to some extent are. And hoo boy, if I didn't get bullied for my relation to the crazies that violate every single rule about adjacent constructions. You should have seen what monstrosity I lived in."
"I'm willing to raise my expectations. But hey, you are already the talk of the school, man. In a good way," Kirishima wrapped a hand around his friend's neck. Something he did quite a lot, actually. "And with you being the class rep, you ain't going into any shell."
"I could have been a ghost in the shell," Danny grinned. "Get it? Oh, of course you don't," he deadpanned.
"Sheesh, man. I'm not dumb," Kirishima huffed. "I just don't know your American stuff."
The irony of the statement was almost palpable.
The following day the studies resumed. The rumour had it that the day before had been spent in patching the holes in security, looking for villains that had hid from the heroes and assessing if anything had been stolen. Those rumours came from different sources, but not necessarily contradicted each other. The journalists had swarmed near the front gates of the school, but Phantom, who, per luck, was travelling to U.A. alone that day, easily avoided them. He still couldn't forgive them the whole 'Inviso-Bill' fiasco. Nonetheless, Danny made his way to the classroom, his enhanced hearing picking up the traces of conversation, where aforementioned rumours were being spread. He also caught occasional glances thrown his way, which was honestly to be expected. Danny was a part of the class that was the talk of the whole school.
The second Danny opened the door, he was met face to face with Iida.
"Fenton-san!" He bellowed. "Morning homeroom is about to start, you should not be late!"
Danny blinked and looked at the wall clock. He still had some time to spare.
"Well, I am not late, am I?" Fenton smiled, entering the room and seeing that he was the last student to arrive. "I still have you, deputy, in case something happens to me along the way."
"Were you attacked?!" Iida immediately jumped to a conclusion.
Danny's mind flashed towards a huge villain crushing into asphalt right before the bus he had been taking. And him cursing at Tsukauchi for making him take one.
"Nah," the halfa responded and slowly floated to his seat. "Morning, everyone!"
The two students took their seats just in time before the door to the classroom opened, revealing their homeroom teacher. Aizawa didn't leave the fight two days prior with no injuries whatsoever, having been forced to fight a small army all at once, and it was seen due to a number of bandaged parts all over his body and a slight limp. Recovery girl had obviously decided to let his system handle what's left. Still, Danny had expected the man to take a couple of well-deserved more days off. He knew Thirteen did, but she was simply busy supervising the repairs of U.S.J, having left the debacle with little to no injuries.
"I see the relief on your faces," Aizawa spoke in his usual manner. "I hope it is not because you think your fight is over yet."
The tension in the air rose to insurmountable heights, before he continued.
"U.A. Sports festival is drawing near."
"A NORMAL SCHOOL EVENT!" Nearly the entire class exclaimed with joy and relief.
Danny blinked. "A tournament ark so soon? Way to break a cliché, Aizawa-sensei!" He called.
"Is this alright to host a tournament so soon after the attack?" A girl with short raven hair, Jiro beat him to the question. "The villains did sneak in and can try and do so again."
"By going through with our plans we will show that our crisis management system is as solid as a rock. Of course, we will increase the security by five times," Aizawa responded. "Above all, the Sports festival is an essential element of your education and future opportunities. It is not something we can cancel because of a villain attack."
Danny felt at odds with what was going on. It made sense that it was as good time as any to show that U.A. remained solid. However, a sport event of all things really did come out of nowhere. He would have to ask more, because everyone seemed to understand what the event was. Except for him. However, Aizawa unknowingly rushed to his rescue.
"It is one of Japan's biggest events. In the past, the Olympics were called a festival of sports and everyone was crazy about them. However, they are now a shell of their former glory. And now, the U.A. festival serves as a great replacement..."
"A pretty strange replacement," Danny mumbled within Kirishima's ear reach. "The whole world sent athletes to the Olympics. Now it's just one school?"
"Quality over quantity, man," the redhead grinned.
"I never watched them, though," Danny scratched his temple and laughed nervously. "What's in it for us? Aizawa-sensei mentioned its educational value."
"All top-heroes around the country will be watching the festival," Yaoyorozu explained. "Their agents are always there scouting for talents."
"Yep!" Kaminari grinned and gave a thumbs up. "It's a great way of becoming a sidekick to one of the pros."
"Many of them never escape that position, however," added Jiro unenthusiastically. "They become eternal sidekicks and vanish into obscurity. Get used to the idea, Kaminari. You may just be dumb enough."
The boy was taken aback by the straightforward dressing down.
"Of course, joining a famous hero agency is bound to give you experience and popularity from the get-go. Your time is limited. If you expect to become pros one day, this will be a good place to start. But remember, that in these annual events you will have only three chances. No aspiring hero may allow themselves to miss it. If you understand what I am saying, don't slack off on your preparations. Class dismissed. And Fenton, you stay here."
Danny gulped, not knowing what the teacher wanted from him just yet. As the unsuspecting students poured out of the classroom, with his friends promising to wait for him outside, Danny remained alone with the teacher. Aizawa gave him a neutral look in a complete silence, before speaking up again.
"Despite you going against my orders on that day, you still performed quite admirably, Fenton," he said.
"Oh...thank you, I guess. I was just doing what I had..."
"Doing what you WANTED to do, isn't it?" Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "This time I'm not reprimanding you, so you can take a breath. And you have listened to my advice of giving it your all, so it's another pleasant development. You knew that the attack would happen, didn't you?"
"Well...I admit," Danny looked away. "I did suspect they will pull something like that off."
"And you also 'suspected' that they will come on that very day at that exact time."
"Oh, I get it. You think I went against your word of not investigating everything myself," Danny crossed his hands.
"So you just happened to hold a weapon that can capture precisely one of the villains."
"I always had those on me, teach. That thermos I carry around? It's not just for holding soups. I've seen my share of bad guys that use the same energy I do. I learned how to counteract them. I just knew they will be useful at that moment."
Aizawa sighed. "I commend you for being prepared, then. I just want to make sure that you understand that nothing changed since our last talk, prohibitions-wise."
Danny huffed and put a hand on his belt. "This guy doesn't yet dare to hope."
"Neither me, nor anyone else can make exceptions, kid. That's how we operate. We close our eyes ones, the whole system is rendered inutile. Even All Might back in the day adhered to such laws and rules."
"You guys share a hive mind or something? You keep drilling the same thing over and other."
"Because someone refuses to listen," Aizawa responded dryly. "Patience, Fenton. I recommend that you do your best during the festival. This, and the subsequent internship, will let you try your hand at proper hero business."
The halfa smirked. "Not afraid I'll leave no chance to the rest?"
"And he is back to his bratty self," Aizawa sighed half-heartedly. "You can join your classmates. I always expect you kids to give it your all and more. Keep at it."
Knowing his reluctance to give praises at that point, the halfa took it as a compliment. With a smile, the halfa left the classroom.
Soon, after the last lesson before the lunchtime was over, the students could finally freely discuss what had been on their minds the whole morning, pushing away any desire to listen to lectures.
"Aw, man, I'm so excited!" Kirishima exclaimed. "If we put a good show and stand out, we'll have taken the first step to become heroes!"
"We cannot afford to miss this," Tokoyami nodded in agreement.
"Well, I certainly will not."
Even Tokoyami jumped at Fenton's sudden emergence. Perhaps even more so than others. For some reason, the class rep triggered some instinctive fear within him whenever he was nearby. And since his instincts were tied to his Shadow, it was mostly that very sentient Quirk that was scared of him. He couldn't even fathom why. And why cold air came from Fenton's mouth each time Tokoyami saw him.
"Someone's excited," Sero grinned.
Danny shrugged. "Well, the spoils are just flying into my mouth, what's not to be excited about?" He gave a toothy smirk.
"Easy for you to say," Mineta threw his hands around. "You can destroy districts with your shout."
"A wail, to be precise," Danny clarified. "Don't worry, guys. I'll give you a chance."
"Don't get so full of yourself, Danny-kun," Mina lightly slapped him on the back of his neck and went to her friends of girly kind.
The boys laughed at the halfa's misfortune. For all his power, he really let him push himself around sometimes. Danny grumbled something inaudible, staring at Mina's back.
"Hey, Fenton-san," Sero said. "Do you have any hero agency in mind that you would have liked to go to?"
"I don't know that many heroes," Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't really follow the stuff."
"But... you are studying to be a hero."
"Yeah, but I don't know where I'll work, still. So, I guess I'll just take the offer from the highest one on the list."
"It is a logical course," Tokoyami nodded.
"The one reservation I have is that the whole world will know our Quirks," Danny mumbled. "The villains will know them, too."
"They would have found that out when we debuted as heroes," Kirishima waved off his friend's paranoia. "But hey, your family will get to watch you."
Danny was about to object, but then a lightbulb lit up above his head. The halfa looked at his palm.
Only five meters...how thick was the veil, he wondered? That was something he was going to find out eventually.
The lunch and the subsequent lesson contained little of note, albeit Danny and several others kept noticing odd glances. The teachers kept reiterating how important the festival was and stressed the need for preparations. That was something they all knew already. However, once the last lesson was adjourned, the students found themselves unable to leave the classroom, due to a huge crowd of students that had gathered right outside.
"Wh-what's going on?!" Uraraka exclaimed in surprise.
"What business do you have with 1-A?" Asked Iida, beating the class rep to the same question. Danny really had to react quicker to such things.
"What are you here for?" Mineta demanded to know with a panicking undertone in his voice.
"They are scouting out the enemy, small fry."
Bakugo was surprisingly nonchalant as he was leaving the classroom.
"We're the ones who defended against that villain attack. They want to check us out before the festival. There's no point in doing that. Outta my way, extras!"
"That was awfully harsh of you, Number two," the voice of Bakugo's most hated person in that room sounded from behind, making a tick mark appear on the blonde's head. Danny approached him with hands in his pockets, before looking at the crowd. His actions during the whole alarm at the cafeteria fiasco made pretty much everyone aware that he was the class rep.
"What you guys are doing is rude and counterproductive. You don't seriously expect us to blow something up for your information?" Danny smiled.
"I, for one, came to see what famous 1-A was like. But you seem pretty arrogant. Are all students from the hero course like that?"
A tired-looking student made his way through the crowd and to the front. His purple hair was all out of place, and the bags under his eyes only added to the impression.
"Wish I could say you are wrong," Danny shrugged, before rubbing the back of his head.
"Seeing something like this makes me disillusioned. Some of us enrolled in general studies or other programs because they didn't make it into the hero course. Did you know that? The school left those of us a chance. Depending on the results of the festival, they'll consider our transfer into the hero course."
"Pal, don't use 'we' when talking about yourself," Danny crossed his hands. "Hero course is not made of rubber. You getting in means someone is shown the door. Aizawa neglected to mention this part, huh?" He turned to his classmates.
He would hate to see any of them go, even Number two. He had too much fun poking at him. And he certainly was not exchanging them.
"Scouting the enemy?" The student huffed at Bakugo and his assumption. "I, for one, came to say that even if you are in the hero course, if you get too carried away..."
"We will lose. Right," Danny interrupted and sighed. "As if we didn't hear it from every teacher on the way here," he approached the student, "You too, should be wary. Just as all of you. We all are here not because of pretty eyes or charming personality. I mean, look at this guy," he pointed at Bakugo. "No," his eyes glowed. "We are here because we have what it takes to beat a villain. I think the accident a couple of days ago should have proven just that. So far, it is you who should prove themselves, but if you people need extra convincing that we all are here on our own merits, then so be it."
His own classmates were surprised to see Danny stand so firm, afraid that he was antagonising everyone present, but also glad that the class rep had the guts to voice what everyone had on their minds.
"We will see, then," the purple-haired student nodded.
"I'm sure you will show everyone something else than diminutive vocabulary and your outstanding observation skills. Few people can determine what their opponents are like after giving them a one-second glance," Danny said with sarcasm and a small smirk.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
Everyone's eyes turned towards the source. It was a student with long and shaggy grey hair, with some extremely bushy eyelashes. His teeth were also notably sharp. Danny thought he recognised that guy from somewhere.
"Ain't you from 1-B?" He asked.
"Eh? How did ya know?!"
"Saw you with Kendo," Danny grinned. "How's she doing? Haven't talked to her since the last reps meeting."
"Uhm... she's fine. That's not why I'm here! I heard how you fought villains so I came here to hear 'bout it! Don't get so full of yourself!"
"We heard that the first time!" The entirety of 1-A shouted.
Bakugo, however, said nothing, simply choosing to push his way through the crowd. Yes, leave it to him to try and antagonise the whole crowd and then decide to leave. He felt Danny's hand on his shoulder.
"What, you are just going away?" The halfa asked.
"You can show your other cheek all you want," Bakugo growled and pushed Danny's hand away. "But their opinion won't matter as long as you rise to the top."
With that Bakugo decided to take his leave. As he left, the halfa looked back at his classmates.
"That's..." Kirishima's fist balled. "So simple and manly," he whispered and shed a small tear.
Danny sweatdropped at this. While he himself somewhat shared Bakugo's opinion, he had a responsibility not to let the situation escalate. Even if the looks and occasional whispers he caught made him want to punch the most foul-mouthed. But he wouldn't, lest his classmates became pariahs for the rest of the school. As the argument broke between his classmates on whether or not he was right, the halfa sighed and rubbed his nose.
"Alright, show's over. We have business to attend, too. You know, because we have to train. Because we are being responsible."
The crowd slowly dispersed, and once they were gone, Danny deflated like a balloon, leaning against the wall, much to everyone's surprise.
"You alright, Danny-kun?" Asked Mina.
"Jesus, I thought the anxiety is gone by now," he breathed out. "Don't make me talk to crowds like that again."
"Uhm, Fenton-san, you did it yourself," Kirishima pointed out, making the halfa, who felt angry with his stupidity and hit the wall with his head.
-Linebreak-
During the following weeks every student was giving it their all. Every approach was different, but at the core everyone aimed to perfect their Quirks as much as they could, given the time limit. Danny himself took all the time he could to practice. The school had granted the students as much time as possible, allowing them to train during the second half of the day. The halfa appreciated it, and the rest of students, too, he was certain of it.
However, Phantom wondered about having such chance at all. Come to think of it, between school, his family's shenanigans and nigh constant ghost attacks, he rarely got a chance for a simpler, calm training. It was the reason his powers were so many and yet so...surface level. He adapted, but never polished them enough to call one of them his crown jewel, his prime power. Each ghost he fought had their main shtick, be it the wish-granting of one particular nosy genie, or the sword that made all foes perish into the realm of deepest fears. Phantom had none of that. It was his strength, but also his weakness.
Maybe it was the direction he should have taken. What point was there in neglecting other abilities in favour of one? His arsenal made him unpredictable, unlike his enemies. He knew Desiree was helpless against the wishes made against her or a simple shut mouth. Fright was someone to keep distance from. Their actions all spun around utilising their key power, which made them easy to read. It was the key factor behind Danny learning to fight them with little damage to himself. Thus, it was probably good for him. Aizawa seemed to be in favour of such decision as well.
"In your case, it will be better to learn a thousand weapons rather than master one a thousand times," he told the halfa. "Your time is limited, even when the festival is over. You cannot physically master them all in a lifetime, because there is always room for improvement."
The teacher would then go on to clarify that 'mastering' did not necessarily equal simple polishing. Meaning that Danny could still expand on them, creating tactics and combinations that would catch an enemy unprepared. It was a solid advice, the one Phantom, admittedly, hadn't sought himself. It was through Aizawa's own dedication to his work that Danny was given such advice in the first place. Call it his latent arrogance, but he still had little belief that the people with a single Quirk could bring something new to the table. It turned out he was wrong, and it was probably for the better for him. Danny followed the advice, coming up with certain 'combos' that could leave his enemies in the dust. Even those that awaited him upon the return home.
The very thought of shock on Plasmius's face filled his ice heart with joy.
Eventually, in what appeared to the students like no time at all, the day of the festival came about. To the guests of the school, who had to endure rigorous examinations and bag inspections, it was nonetheless an event long expected. The U.A. itself, despite its extra attention to security, was still trying to be as welcoming and accommodating as possible. Some would call it a shameless attempt to sweep the villain incident under the rug... and also earn some cash in the process, but it was far from truth. The school certainly earned some benefits from its position as a first-class institution, but they could hardly be denied the actual agency in all this, one that has already been mentioned.
Nonetheless, as the guests were strolling from one stand to another, cozying themselves before the start of the actual event, the students were busy changing into their gym uniforms back in the dressing rooms.
"Aww..." Mina moaned. "I wanted to wear my costume."
"It's to keep everything fair," Responded Ojiro.
"Why ish it thfat big of a deal," Danny said through his takoyaki-stuffed mouth, before gulping. "The suits just expand our abilities. Everyone here has a suit. It's already fair. For someone it is even more hampering," he pointed at surprised Yaoyorozu. The gym uniform exposed less skin, and limited her options.
"Yes, we are being robbed of a treasure," Mineta mumbled, making it explicit that he wasn't talking about abilities.
Kirishima finished chewing the portion his friend had brought for him and grinned. "We can still kick ass, it's not that big of a problem."
"Where did you two even get takoyaki?" Mineta whined and reached for the box.
"I may have sneaked out to get some," Danny said, looking away, but still slapping Mineta's small greedy hand. "They actually have a lot of stuff out there. Might wanna check those stands after the first round. By the way, where is..."
"Everyone!" Iida burst through the door. "It is finally the time."
Leave it to the deputy to scout ahead, Danny smirked. Iida had really wanted to keep watch and alert everyone, and who was he to stop him. Danny got up from his seat, but then he saw where everyone was looking. Todoroki and Midoriya seemed to be having a conversation.
"Looking at things objectively, I think I am stronger than you," the former spoke, making the halfa freeze. How come that green-haired kid made rivals without him even noticing?
Midoriya hesitantly and shyly agreed with his classmate. Todoroki took it as a clue to continue.
"But...All Might has his eyes on you, doesn't he? I'm not trying to pry, but I'm going to beat you."
"Oh, is that one of the tops declaring a war?" Kaminari said with excitement.
Danny and Kirishima seemed to have caught on on how the situation was escalating and also acted upon it. The latter even took hold of Todoroki's shoulder.
"Hey, hey, why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?" The redhead asked as Danny stood between the two.
"Right before the start, too," the halfa added, putting a hand on his belt.
"We are not here to play at being friends," Todoroki shook off Kirishima. "So what does it matter?" He asked and turned to walk away.
"Ancients, you too?" Danny groaned. "Was my stupid speech all for nothing?" he said and looked at the bewildered Midoriya.
Why him of all people, the halfa wondered, but before he could ask Todoroki, the green-haired boy chose to talk back on his own.
"Todoroki-san. I don't know what you're thinking when you say you will beat me...and probably you will, because you are more capable than most people..."
"Hey, Midoriya," Kirishima laughed nervously. "You probably shouldn't talk so negatively..."
"But...everyone is trying so hard," the boy's fists shook. "And you can be sure I'll be giving it all of my own, too."
Danny blinked in surprise, as the boy's determined face made him think and ponder of most unexpected things.
"Very well," was Todoroki's brief response, before he left the room.
The rest of the students followed suit, and the one behind was, surprisingly, the half ghost himself. Mina was the one to notice this, slowing down her speed and waving her pink palm in front of the class rep's thoughtful face.
"Earth to Danny, come in!" She said, snapping the halfa out of his musings.
"Oh, right..." he mumbled. "I'm going."
"Was Midoriya's speech so inspiring?" The girl joked.
"Thought-provoking, more like. I just...realised that I don't have much agency in this stuff."
"What do you mean?" Asked Mina in surprise. "I mean, you don't have whatever is going on between Midoriya-kun and Todoroki-kun, but we all are here for a purpose, right? We want every agent out there to see us."
"Yeah..."
But then again, who was there to tell him if his future lied with the local heroes? If his license, his internship would mean anything at all? He may have acted cocky and arrogant as usual, confident in his abilities, but his temporary aims were shed some light on, and it didn't make them appear any prettier. Petty, more like. For when compared to the aspirations of the unlucky students, to the sudden rivalry between two of his classmates, coupled with probably another two Bakugo had mentioned long before the tournament, Danny's own goals appeared so insignificant. To gain an internship for a job that he might not even get or want, to simply show everyone who was the strongest...It made a sense of guilt emerge in his stomach. He was going to try reaching for his petty goals, ruining the greater ones in the process. It was nothing an outsider to that world, a stranger who played by his own rules and imposed them on others, should be proud of.
Nonetheless, the halfa bore with that nasty, gnawing feeling. He had never been ashamed of his ghost powers. He wasn't about to start.
Meanwhile, the whole stadium was roaring happily upon seeing Present Mic in the flesh. Or, well, through the giant screen. But he was there, in his own room just nearby.
"Pay attention, audience! Swarm, mass media! This year's high school rodeo of adolescence that you all love, the U.A. Sports festival is about to begin!" He yelled excitedly. "Everybody, are you ready?!"
And this time, his joy and anticipation were reciprocated by the crowd, which happily bellowed their eager response.
"It's time for the students to enter the first-year stage!"
And as the students began to emerge from the corridors, Present Mic continued to speak over the noises of the fireworks and the shouting crowds, his voice resonating across the entire arena the size of several football fields, and the height to boot.
"And here they are, the miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero course, class 1-A!"
And the students in the spotlight each reacted differently.
"Th-there are so many people!" Midoriya said through cluttering teeth.
"You aren't taking it the worst," Iida mumbled and pointed at the class rep, whose feigned smile and mechanical waves of his hand could not fool anyone who saw his wobbly feet. They wouldn't have noticed it, believing the class rep to be the most confident of all, but his outburst after the tense talk to the students made them notice such subtle details.
"I wonder if we can give our best performance being watched by so many."
"He's going a bit overboard with praises, huh, Fenton?" Kirishima asked his friend.
"Yeah," Danny said through the clenched teeth of his smile.
"What say you, Bakugo?" Kirishima continued.
"This gets me just in the mood," Bakugo grinned maliciously.
Present Mic continued introducing all the classes that would be participating. Not only the hero course took part, as was to be expected. There were the general studies, the support classes, from which Danny could easily make out Hatsume's figure, and several others. The students all gathered in front of a podium, on which stood the hero Midnight.
"Time for the player pledge!" She exclaimed. "Representing the students is Fenton Daniel, class 1-A!"
The halfa looked ready to faint. Nobody had told him that part! The gazes he caught from some of the students, who had never agreed to be represented by him, only aggravated his anxiety. But of course they would chose the exam's top scorer. But it still came off a surprise, and a cruel joke at his expense. Danny made a deep sigh, trying to overcome the grip on his core. The halfa slowly made his way to the scene, as Midnight stepped away from the mic. Phantom approached the microphone, gulped, and began to speak.
"Ehm...well, that's a bit embarrassing," he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. The echo of his resonating voice startling even him. An uncomfortable pause settled afterwards. He had to say SOMETHING. "Uh, nice day for a festival, isn't it?"
His classmates felt a sense of dread overcome them. Fenton was a very poor choice for a public speaker. Bakugo, however, guffawed at the halfa's discomfort. The audience, in the meantime, was left to wonder who that nervous wreck is, and why in the world was someone like him representing the students of the world-class hero academy. Midnight hissed quietly. Perhaps it really was mistake.
'Come on, Fenton. Do what you always do,' he told himself. 'Pretend they are not even there.'
"Right, the pledge," the teen coughed. He wanted to crack a joke at the tardiness of the teachers that put him in such a position, to ease his anxiety as always, but he had a feeling it would not be appreciated by anyone. He was all on his own this time round.
"I pledge...on behalf of every student present here...ehm...that the competition today will be a testament to our willpower, first and foremost!" He said the first thing that came to mind. And now he had to finish the thought, speaking to the silent audience. "It is the will to rise higher, beyond what even we expect of ourselves...Uhm...Because ultimately, as long as everyone is pushing themselves past the expected limitations, it means that there is nothing that can stop us!"
The sudden upturn in his speech made his friends eagerly support him with cheers, and some from the audience joined in. It put Danny's mind at ease somewhat. Yes, the entire world was watching them, but those millions of eyes he did not see. What mattered was the reaction of those who were currently at the arena. The newly gained boost in confidence allowed him some breathing space.
"To go beyond! That's our school's motto, the one we intend to follow till the end!" He exclaimed, and opened his arms wide.
And at that the audience, and a part of the students, began to loudly cheer even at a somewhat generic and half the time insecure speech. Midnight flashed him a small smile and gestured for the class rep to return to his classmates, who greeted him cordially, noting the wobbly legs again. How their confident crisis leader and strongest fighter was reduced to mush each time he was put into such situation was beyond them. Those were situations where he could not jest and jab someone. Those were actually the people who could dislike him and whose opinion mattered to him, too. But those were not the thoughts present in everyone's heads.
Meanwhile, one particular indigo-haired student was closely observing the half-ghost, wondering what behaviour was his true one. The one he had displayed before his fellow students or the whole world? Could his insecurities be but a façade to hide how dangerous he actually was or was it something else? But he too had to divert his attention elsewhere.
The one who were watching with great interest, were certain viewers. Two of them were sitting right with the rest of the audience, the small Tsukauchi family, with its only two members, were up there, both a bit concerned for the teen under the detective's care being thrust into something like that. Still, they knew that it wasn't all that important, and that the thing that actually mattered were the end results and prowess. Makoto had even convinced her 'boss', who also did everything she said, to come along and watch. Captain Celebrity had had to protest, but there was little he could do. Even if the perspective of hiring a promising countryman was somewhat appealing.
The other viewer, however, unknowingly shared their opinion. From his secure location, the kingpin of the Japanese crime world was also watching with great interest. And while he was far from impressed by the display, he knew he had to keep his expectations high enough. Even if the boy was his son, he couldn't inherit the perfect ability of speech. Or, in line with Fenton's schoolmate's suspicion, All for One did not exactly disperse the notion of the façade either. It could be a trick worthy of his potential offspring.
Nonetheless, Midnight resumed her position near the mic, as the screens above blared 'First Round'.
"Now! Let's get started right away!" She spoke. "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Every year, many students drink their tears here! Now, here is the fateful first game!"
As the obscenely dressed woman said it, a holographic screen emerged, with the images on it flashing akin to a slot machine. And then it stopped, and everyone could read the words 'obstacle race'. The name was pretty self-explanatory, but Midnight still explained certain details. The students were told to gather near one of the exits, ready to run outside when all three of the lights were out. They were permitted to use their Quirks however they desired, as long as those were not used to cheat and cut the distance. Nobody told them, however, what the obstacle course entailed.
As the teens were gathering, Danny was unexpectedly caught by one particular redhead. Feeling a light nudge, the halfa turned to face grinning Kendo.
"Didn't take ya for someone with a stage fright, Fenton-san," she smirked.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh at my misery," Danny mumbled, wiping his mouth. "I hope it didn't make you lose your guard."
"Don't take me for an idiot, pal," Kendo put a hand on her belt. "I remember the entrance exam."
Danny smiled. "I assure you, I haven't lost any of the skills."
"Are you even allowed to switch into your robot-slayer mode?"
"Ro...oh...well, nobody said anything against my ghost form. Then again, they didn't say anything about the stupid pledge," the halfa grumbled.
The redhead laughed. "Well, I'm gonna go join the others. They are already giving you angry looks."
"Eh...they aren't jealous of our attention, are they?"
As the redhead walked away, she waved at him. "They certainly are."
Great, so not even his ingenious negotiation didn't have much of an impact. Danny sighed and started readying for the race. No point in dwelling on that at that time. Everyone got ready, theirs and everyone else's eyes drawn to three small green lamps, as they slowly shut down, one by one. The halfa took a deep breath. After that display, he had no choice but to show everyone why he was number one.
"Start!" Midnight bellowed and unleashed all hell.
The crowd rushed through the corridor that lead towards the outside, while Present Mic excitedly continued the narration.
"Alright, here's the play-by-play! Are you ready to do the commentary, Doom and Gloom?" He turned towards Aizawa, who looked less than pleased to be there.
"You're the one who forced me to come," he responded.
"Alright, my friend, what should the students pay attention to in the early stages?"
"This part."
What he addressed was something most students came to realise pretty soon. The corridor was way too narrow to fit them all, and thus a big congestion came to be. The students pushed each other around, threatening to stomp on the smaller ones. The competition had already started.
Danny assessed the situation. He was far from the other end, but luckily he had several ways of getting through. The halfa leaped into the air and over everyone's heads, flying forward towards the exit as fast as his human form could. But then, from the spot further ahead, a blizzard emerged, devouring everything in its path. At the last second, Danny conjured a portal and dived inside of it, emerging outside and landing on the ice-covered surface. Thankfully, five meters sufficed. A brief look back surprised the halfa, for as Todoroki pushed ahead, being the obvious perpetrator, the corridor was frozen, covered in ice, with the other unfortunate contestants being stuck. Ruthless, but he nonetheless secured his lead. But not for long.
Danny grinned, switched into his ghost form, which at the time also entailed a P.E. uniform simply switching to black and white instead of a full change (he wanted to stay faithful to the uniformity demand still) and flew forward. Behind him, several other students made it through, either being able to avoid Todoroki's trap, or get themselves out of it. While Kirishima and several others were making it further, Danny's attention was on two most probable contestants: the cold-hearted half and half and hot-headed Bakugo, who propelled himself in the air with his explosions. The halfa's neon green eyes peered into Todoroki, and the human boy saw how close the half-ghost was.
"You cheeky dick-waffle," the halfa grinned. "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
Charging a blast in his palm, with there being no rule against sabotage, Danny fired a blast further ahead of them all. He surprised Todoroki, who was fully prepared to meet the shot, and the beam of ectoplasm exploded, launching upwards tons of dirt. With a laugh, and a last wave, the halfa flipped in the air and phased right through the improvised wall, while the rest had to wait for the dirt and substratum rocks to fall back down, lest they remained buried under.
"He is quite good," said Makoto, who, just like everyone else, was watching the screens. "Quick on his feet, inventive, too. Don't you agree, Captain?"
"Wh...wha?" Captain Celebrity seemed to have snapped out of his thoughts. "Which one are watching out for again?"
He shrunk under his manager's burning look.
Tsukauchi smiled at the exchange and chuckled.
'Keep going, Danny. I know you can win this,' he thought.
The halfa, enjoying the temporary advantage, flew forward, but then, at the last second, he had to dodge something mid-air. A green piece of metal, a hand, to be precise. Phantom's eyes were ready to bulge out when he realised the next challenge that awaited the students.
"Ooh, seems like the obstacles have shown up suddenly!" Present Mic announced. "Starting with....the Robo-Inferno!"
The faux villains. Of course the school would not take out such sophisticated machinery only once per year. But it was not what shocked the half-ghost the most, no just that simple fact. The problem was an army of zero-pointers, the same gargantuan, building-sized machines.
"Deciding to up your game, huh?" The halfa asked nobody in particular, floating at a distance.
Last time he had used his wail, but it would be foolish to use it so early, when there were other trials in the way. He had never actually tested how well they fared against the much more crude use of power. However, even the brief delay was enough for Todoroki to make it thus far. Then, a metaphorical lightbulb lit up over the half-ghost's stark-haired head. Looking at the nearest colossus, Danny flew towards him, showing no intention of stopping. Todoroki, just as the people who had seen him phase through objects, expected him to do just that.
However, the boy did not emerge from the other side, not that his competitors could see it. Todoroki did not waste time on the empty observations, readying his ice power. He let out everything at once, and the ice blizzard enveloped the machines in their entireties. The teen did not waste time, running between the legs of the nearest frozen robot.
"He stopped them! We can get through!" The shouts from the eager students were heard.
"I wouldn't recommend it," Todoroki responded as he ran. "I froze them when they were unbalanced."
And as he was saying this, the ice began to crack, unable to hold so many tons of metal for long. Several machines began to fall, unable to process what was happening quick enough, creating just an obstacle Todoroki had sought.
"Todoroki from Class 1-A!" Present Mic said excitedly. "He attacked and defended in one hit! How elegant! Amazing! He's the first one through! It's, you know, practically unfair!"
"His moves are logical and strategic. But he wasn't the first one. Where is Fenton?"
"Eh?"
In the meantime, one machine stood, its head turned towards the running ice-wielder. To the shock of many, the robot suddenly grabbed one of its hands, tore it out and threw it further ahead. Todoroki saw it, and came to a halt, as the gigantic piece of metal fell right in front of him. Furthermore, it was focused solely on him.
"Something isn't right," Present Mic commented. "Self-mutilation and such priorities aren't a part of the robots' programming! Could it be..."
The machine moved after Todoroki, its speed exceeding the boy's. He had no choice but to face it, with his path forward blocked off. Todoroki launched even more ice, but the momentum was so great, that the ice only slowed down and made the robot tilt forward. Now the prodigious student had to avoid the falling construct, sliding across the ice to the side. And then, with the corner of his eye, he saw how the halfa burst out from the robot's head, laughing in his usual manner, loud and clear, landing on the ground at the other end of the open area. He was once again ahead of everyone, giving a taunting salute.
"See ya at the finish line!" He shouted and flew forward.
Todoroki was about to pursue, but then he had to dodge a small spike projectile that came from one of the students. Yes, he should have seen that coming.
"Could it be?!" Present Mic asked. "Fenton, the class rep of Class 1-A, took over the robot and turned it against his main competition! Now Todoroki is locked with the students out for his blood for what he did before! This guy is a top student for a reason, everybody!"
Aizawa nodded. "He is being inventive, but he is not moving at his full speed," he narrowed his eyes.
"Heh, for every rabbit there is a turtle!" Present Mic smirked. "I guess we shall see."
The audience was left shocked upon learning of the anxious teen's achievements, allowing the rumours to spread. It was like they were now watching a different person altogether. Fenton was already displaying several seemingly unrelated powers, and now the whole world was witnessing his prowess.
"Who's that guy even?" Asked a random Joe from the audience.
"His Quirk is a very unique and strong combination. With proper judgement, he can avoid any danger."
That tournament was the grand statement to the globe that announced the half-ghost's presence, for better or worse. So far he was only known to the select few, but that was going to change. Danny's mind had not pondered on that much, nor was he wondering about it as he traversed the currently empty road. The pathos was lost on him, as he flew forward, close to the ground.
"Well, the first obstacle has been a piece of cake, huh?" Asked Present Mic. "But what say you about the next one?"
Danny's hearing could catch the Voice hero's words. So, they made it through the robots, quicker than he had hoped. He was already seeing the others round the corner. But the sight ahead made the halfa blink with his toxic green eyes. It was a long artificial ravine, with several pillars sticking from the ground and connected with steel ropes obviously meant for traversing. Danny looked down, and he saw no bottom of that black pit. How did they make it in such short time?
The halfa shrugged and flew over it.
"Right. We should have seen that one," Present Mic grumbled.
However, Danny's flight was not that simple. He heard a loud yell behind, and from above came the particular blonde who hit him dead on. Bakugo's explosions had been drown out by the shouting crowds at the stadium, and that allowed the human teen to get close and elbow the halfa hard. Both of them hit the edge of the pillar, and each grabbed on the protruding pieces of rock.
"Ha! Watch your surroundings, dumbass!" Bakugo barked a laugh.
"I'm not the one dropping on people, Number two," Danny smirked.
The blonde's palm cracked like a petard, as his expression contorted into that of rage.
"Stop calling me that, spook!" He exclaimed and fired.
The explosion hit the spot where Phantom had been, but the halfa pushed himself away at the last second, summoning a shield to defend against the rocks and dust. Hearing the sound above, the halfa looked up and saw Todoroki sliding across the rope, freezing it. If he kept the speed, he would not trip, Danny realised. It was also clear that Danny had lost the lead.
"Nah, the name suits you," Danny said and grinned, before flying upwards and landing on top of the pillar.
Immediately he heard the explosions below, as Bakugo jumped off the cliff as well, following right after him. Phantom had no time for that, as Todoroki was getting well ahead of them. So, Danny turned towards the blonde, hiding his fog-engulfed palm behind his back, and just before his face made a contact with the human teen's fist, a portal appeared between them, where Bakugo flew in effortlessly, emerging five meters away and facing a different direction, all the while keeping the inertia he had before. That made some distance between them, enough for the halfa to continue flying forward, over the ravine, over the rest of the competition. He knew Bakugo could not fire explosions at a large distance, so as long as the explosion wielder was kept far away, he was at the advantage. This was not a fight, they were just wasting each other's time.
In no time he already made it to the end of the second challenge, with Todoroki still being slightly ahead. Very soon Danny came to realise why the ice-wielder slowed down, and stopped to process what was happening all on his own. The giant signs that read: 'Danger! Mines!'' Were a clear indication of what they were dealing with. And just so nobody had any doubts, Present Mic was there with an explanation.
"Now, we've quickly arrived at the final barrier. The deal here is that it is a minefield. It's set up specifically so that you can clearly see where the mines are."
For a moment, Danny was struck with disbelief that something so potentially lethal was being used. Them being buried under a thinner layer of dirt was a weak consolation.
"By the way. These mines are for games, so they are much less powerful," Present Mic answered an unspoken question that was on everyone's mind. "But they are loud and flashy enough to make you wet your pants!"
"That depends on the person," Aizawa added.
Danny was fairly happy and somewhat disappointed that all of those challenges were mitigated by the ability to fly. Same deal there, because as Todoroki tried to tiptoe around the mines, the halfa flew by him, as the mines on the ground could not be triggered by someone off the ground. That much was obvious. However, the human teen had anticipated that, luckily Danny hadn't taken it too far away from the ground. Concentrating the ice power in his hands, Todoroki fired forward, beneath the half ghost.
The mine was triggered by the blizzard and ice, as it detonated into pinkish smoke. Phantom felt how the powerful force underneath pushed him away, as he yelped from surprise. Danny managed to turn intangible and kill the momentum, at the expense of his spine. If he had one. The half ghost turned towards Todoroki, as the former's eyes glowed menacingly.
"Wrong choice," he said.
And then he fired a blast, responding in kind to Todoroki's plan. The ice-wielder had expected that and turned forward. The subsequent explosion only propelled him forward, much to Danny's surprise and frustration. The human teen outstretched his hands, and landed with grace, with his face centimetres above another mine. Todoroki pushed himself back to his feet and continued to tip-toe around the mines, as the halfa floated behind.
"Would you look at that! Todoroki managed to turn the obstacle into boost! A risky move, but the one that paid off!"
Phantom could see that his opponent was trying to dissuade him from trying that stunt again. He basically proclaimed that rigging the mines was only going to aid him. Danny decided to play it safer. He pushed himself into the sky. Danny got high enough to be immune to the mines, but yet another source of explosions never was that far behind, as always foretelling his approach with a series of booming noises and his own yells.
"This shit doesn't affect me!" He exclaimed, deciding to pick a fight with someone whom he hated more than the rest.
The halfa turned towards the incoming threat. He met Bakugo with a swing of his hand, but the blond managed to lower his head and dodge. The next moment Bakugo fired a point blank shot and pushed himself away.
Phantom turned intangible at the last second, and the explosion was rendered null. He decided to not get stuck in another fight, and flew forward. Bakugo was pissed, and he obviously was not going to give up. The blond flew right after the half ghost, but he could not deny the obvious: if Phantom never stopped or Bakugo kept the current pace, the latter would not be able to catch up with him. That spook was moving too quickly. Todoroki knew he couldn't reach the two, and could only tip-toe quicker and riskier, hoping that the two lead contestants were going to get tangled in a fight.
He was not wrong, because Bakugo decided to go full throttle in order to catch up with the rest. His eyes on the target, he went after halfa still. Danny had been attentive of the blond's movements this time around, so he flipped in the air and face the teen once more. He expected Bakugo to unleash another point blank explosion, hoping that the halfa would not go intangible in time. An explosion took place, but even before the smoke could clear, Bakugo felt something wrap around his leg. He immediately was flipped over and suspended in the air. As the smoke cleared, he, and every viewer could see that Phantom was grinning widely. Instead of his legs there was a wispy, ghostly tail that held Bakugo in place.
"This ain't a fight, Number two. Concentrate on what you have a chance of winning."
Bakugo was a perfect target for his constant teasing. So easy to set off, he easily lost his cool and made missteps Phantom could exploit. And since the tournament was far from over, it could just come in handy later. That's what the half ghost believed and what his main combat strategy was.
Before the furious blonde could create another explosion, Phantom's tail flicked and tossed the explosive menace far away. Despite sticking the landing, albeit at the cost of triggering many mines at once, Bakugo seemed to have made certain conclusions as he took into the air again. It was true that the spook was a natural airborne, he had witnessed it during the fight with Nomu. Fighting in the air was to fight a losing battle, and with the timer ticking, he could not waste time on just that. Bakugo flew forward, the deafening explosions booming behind him. Seeing that, the halfa decided to add more juice to his metaphorical engine and fly even faster, even if his limit was far from that number. The audience wanted some show, he was giving it to them.
Besides, he didn't want to ruin the impression the recruiters might have of the others. He still wasn't sure how the system worked. And Aizawa could see that the half ghost was once again not giving it his all. The teacher sighed. That kid had so much power and so many mental restraints that it was ludicrous. By not doing that, he was ignoring everything Aizawa had taught him AND lowering his chances of getting a spot at some agency. Granted, Fenton was guaranteed to get one even with his incomplete potential, but his initial chances were lower than that of the rest.
The Japanese agencies were reluctant to hire foreigners, for reasons both pragmatic and ideologic. Not to mention that his vigilante-past was bound to be uncovered by the potential employers. As part of the law they had to know their heroes' and sidekicks' pasts. Thus, Danny really had to perform extraordinarily to impress them enough, not stoop to a lower level because you are a young and self-righteous idiot. Unfortunately, Aizawa had to sit and hope that the boy would arrive to a proper conclusion later. When his limitations would actively hamper his advancements.
Meanwhile, as the three leading classmates were too preoccupied with each other, something very unexpected happened.
Danny could hear an explosion that came from far behind, and had to turn his head and meet a bizarre sight. At an incredible speed, a chunk of metal, a leftover from one of the robots that had got to the third stage who knows how, was flying their way, its initial momentum, given by what probably was a hefty amount of mines exploding at once, was enough to launch the projectile quick enough to surpass all other contestants. And in the split seconds given to them, the halfa could see the green-haired head that could belong to only one person.
'Midoriya, you sneaky bastard,' Danny grinned.
Unlike the case with Bakugo or Todoroki, that guy's resolve was something Phantom enjoyed to challenge. Was it because Midoriya was far more pleasant of a person? Perhaps. Was it why Todoroki had chosen to challenge him of all the people? Who knows. But that alone was not going to make Danny go easier on him than the rest. The half ghost knew that the teen would eventually slow down, even if he was steadily making it to the end of the minefield. They were still separated from the finish line by the last chunk of normal road, and despite his ingenuity, Midoriya's running speed was average, Aizawa's tests had proven that. His distance advantage was only temporary, before the halfa caught up with him.
However, the sudden move seemed to make Bakugo furious. He would not let someone so clearly inferior make it past him! Danny noticed how Bakugo's speed picked up even more, and the halfa pushed himself further, too.
Midoriya landed on the ground swiftly, utilising the remnants of the metal pieces momentum to boost his starting running speed, but he could also understand that Bakugo and Fenton were breathing down his neck. He had to give it his all, run as fast he humanly could.
The two former leaders made it to him even sooner than he had expected. However, this time Bakugo could not restrain himself, and instead of going further he decided to ruin Midoriya's chances of winning. Like a plane diving for the kill, he seemed hell-bent on dive bombing the teen, but Midoriya had been planning something since the start, wondering if he could even pull off a move that was so risky. And if there was the time to do it, it was now or never. The diving Bakugo was charging another explosion, when he saw that Midoriya's legs glowed with the same reddish tint that his hands used to show. And then, the teen jumped forward at an incredible speed, many times further than a normal human being could.
From then the time slowed down from the seems, and in reality it all happened in less than a blink. Once again Midoriya caught up with the halfa who had not slowed down for an attack like Bakugo, and then overtook him. The finish line was meters away, and the halfa did not know how many. He risked it and created a portal that launched him further, in an attempt to cover what little of a distance remained between them. And only that ability, the one that shaved off a fraction of a second, made it count.
"And we have a winner, everybody!" Present Mic bellowed with excitement. "Fenton Daniel from Class 1-A is victorious, with Midoriya Izuku taking the second spot, only 0,2 of a second behind! What a show everyone!"
And as he shouted, so did the excited crowd. Perhaps the most excited of all was one particular PR manager that jumped from excitement and shouted from her seat. Tsukauchi sighed and rubbed his temples, but underneath it all he was smiling, as the screens kept showing more students that arrived one after another. He might not have been the one to raise or train that kid, but as the boy's guardian he was incredibly proud.
"Splendid," a laughter was heard across the facility where resided All for One. "Kurogiri, he appears to have made himself quite comfortable with your Quirk."
"I apologise once more for letting him do this to me, Master," the fog wielder bowed his head, also looking at the screen.
"Do not fret, Kurogiri. I am amused more than anything. It seems that the child is indeed someone we should look out for. I wonder if Shigaraki is watching this."
He was. And he was less than happy, if the scratches on his face were any indication.
Meanwhile, down at the arena, ignoring the burning glare from Bakugo, who was the third to arrive, Danny turned towards Midoriya, who was plastered on the ground. Suddenly remembering what each use of his Quirk entailed, Danny sat down on the grass near him.
"You alright there?" He asked in concern.
"I...I don't know," Midoriya responded, sounding surprised that he was still conscious. "How are my legs?"
The halfa glanced down, not able to see any exposed parts due to the long sport pants. But the joints seemed to be in place.
"Try moving them," Danny suggested.
To the both teens' surprise, Midoriya was able to do that. The shocked human flipped over on the grass, on his back, and pulled the pants upwards. His skin was still healthy peach colour instead of the sickly purple the usage of his Quirk usually left. He... had managed to use it without grave injuries! Although the legs still felt incredibly wobbly.
"You should probably rest while you can," Danny suggested, receiving a nod. And then he grinned. "That was awesome what you did in the end. The leg part was risky, but smart, too."
"Thanks, Fenton-san," Midoriya sat and smiled, before blushing. "I actually learned by watching you."
"Eh?" Danny raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah! You once said that energy is always coursing through your body," he began to ramble. "But you always use it in different ways through different parts of your body. You also always push yourself in the air with a huge boost, so I thought I could try that because..."
"In a way, our Quirks are similar?" Danny raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Perhaps. We should try something after the tournament is over."
"You mean it?" Midoriya asked in excitement, receiving a shrug.
"After such flattery? Not like I can say no. Maybe we can think something up. Although I'm not sure you can now expect each use of your Quirk to work the way it did just now. Be careful."
And then the two of them fist-pumped.
A.N. Only when I started writing this chapter I realised just how much of a headache the tournament ark is gonna be. Hence the amount of time it took for me to finish it. Danny's power is a headache, too (well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions). I'll try to finagle my way so that it at least looks interesting. I'd also point out that I am not going to give detailed descriptions to the unchanged events, obviously. I think people can watch the anime for that.