*S took her damn time to editing. Almost three days now. So, here's picture of her cat on her foot. This is her way of apologizing. Cats and pure embarassment. He is cute though.*
I stretched my arms over my head as I walked back to the balcony. Iida and that girl with the googles is next. Knowing Iida, he'll do well. Unless that girl has some kind of quirk that's better. It could be better suited for support than hero work, but she has all those machines with her. If Iida wins, I'll be facing him in Round Two. I was met with an immersed Deku with a notebook and pen.
"Hey Kashiwa!" Uraraka smiled. "That was a great match!"
"Thanks," I said, sitting down. Izuku was still absorbed in writing while muttering to himself. "Is Midoriya okay or did that Shinsou kid screw up his brain?"
"Oh, I'm just taking notes of everyone's quirks," he stated. I cocked an eyebrow.
"He has information on everyone..." Uraraka added.
"I'm gonna pretend like that's not creepy whatsoever and act like I said nothing," I said.
"All right, here come the next matchups!" Present Mic announced. "Sprint to the top! He's coming across like a center fielder!? It's Tenya Iida of the Hero Course! Versus! She who is fully decked in support gear! Mei Hatsume of the Support Course!
"And is that a full array of support items on him too?!" I squinted, and sure enough, he had support gear too.
"As a general rule, Heroics students are prohibited to use any," Midnight mentioned. "You need to apply for permission beforehand, in cases where it might be an obstacle."
"Hah! I'm afraid I forgot!!" Iida said loudly. Since Aoyama has his belt equipped, I thought it was okay!"
"Yes, since he applied."
"I apologize profusely! However! My heart was moved by that girl's superb sportsmanship!! In spite of the fact she's from the Support Department, she told me: 'We're all on equal footing now that we've come so far, so I want to equalize the fight!' And so she granted me all of these items! Thereby she showed me her mettle! Her grit! I thought it would be small of me not to wield her works in this battle!" So damn formal.
"God, you're so inexperienced!" Midnight said. Guess that means she's okay with it.
"Well, if they're both of the same mind on the matter, then it's not outside the realm of permissibility...I suppose," I finally heard Dad comment. He's not the greatest commentator. This is the first time I've heard it. Present Mic has been running the show the entire time.
What Hatsume is doing doesn't make sense. Giving Iida support gear only increases his chance of winning. He could easily win this in less than a second if he needed to. What's the point of giving him things he doesn't need?
"Start!" Iida charged forward at Hatsume.
"That acceleration, it's fantastic, isn't it, Iida?" a voice asked. Another announcer? Glancing at the commentators, it still consisted of Present Mic and Aizawa. Wait, who...? Turning back to the match, Hatsume's face had a small dot and thing line near her mouth. Is she wearing a microphone? "I trust your legs feel lighter to lift than normal?! Well I'll tell you why! It's because those leg part are designed to follow in line with the motions of their lucky wielder!" What is...?
"But of course, evading is still easy as pie. That is, as long as you've got this hydraulic attachment bar!" She dodged Iida with her machine. I already knew what this match was. It was putty in her hands. She had no intention of winning. She's showing her items to impress the support companies. I forgot they come to this thing too. I feel bad for Iida though, but he's a sure win. As long as she gets to show off eveything she brought.
"I'm taking a nap," I yawned, already tired of this match. Slumping on my seat and shutting my eyes, I dozed off easier than I expected.
"Hey Kashiwa?" I opened my right eye. Midoriya had his hand on my shoulder. He removed it quickly when he realized I was half awake.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Um, Kirishima's match is about to begin," he said. I yawned and rubbed my other eye.
"So why are you waking me up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to, um, come help Uraraka with me." I tilted my head.
"What do you mean help?"
"She's facing Kacchan in the next match. I think she's nervous about it. She left her drink here without drinking any of it. I wanna help her with a plan to beat Kacchan," Deku explained. He must really care about her.
"Fine, I'll come," I sighed. I really wanted to see who'd win though. We both stood up and I followed Deku to the waiting room.
"Hey Uraraka!" Izuku barged in. Iida and Uraraka were the only ones there. I shut the door behind us.
"Deku! Kashiwa!" she greeted. "But are you okay with not watching everyone's matches?"
"Oh, they all ended rather quickly. Short fights, really," he explained.
"Kirishima is facing off against that Tetsutetsu kid from 1-B right now," I said.
"Ashido caused Aoyama's belt to malfunction and the moment he panicked, she snuck in a one hit K.O. straight to his jaw! And Tokoyami won by striking first and making sure Yaoyorozu could never use any of the things she prepared," he continued. So Ashido and Tokoyami will be facing each other in the next round.
"In that case, then soon, the next match'll also..." Uraraka trailed off.
"But you know, mightn't even someone like Bakugo go easier on a female opponent?" Iida wondered.
"Nope, he won't," Midoriya answered immediately.
"Like hell," I agreed.
"Everyone here's giving it their all to become number one and achieve their dreams. So it's inconceivable for Kacchan, of all people, to stay his hand at all here..."
"Remember the athlete's oath? He was dead serious about winning. He's not gonna be pulling any punches. There's not even a snowball's chance in hell he would," I added. Maybe when hell freezes over.
"You've saved me so many times, Uraraka. So I thought I'd help you out in my own way, if only a little." Izuku pulled out the notebook I saw him writing in earlier. "This is a strategy I drafted against Kacchan based on your quirk! It's super hasty, last minute stuff, but this is what I've came up with!"
"Oho! You've must be please Uraraka!" Iida said.
"Thank you Deku..." she smiled at us. "But, it's all right."
"Huh?" Deku said.
"You're amazing Deku! You've already entered the spotlight so incredibly quick! For the cavalry thing, I said I'd rather team up with friends, but if I'm being truly honest with myself, I realize I may've been counting on you to pull through again. That's why when Iida said he was challenging you, I grew a little ashamed of myself."
"Uraraka..." Midoriya spoke. She began to stand up from her seat.
"That's why it's alright." She headed towards the door. "Everyone's duking it out with their futures in mind, so really, everybody's each other's rivals." Uraraka turned back at us and gave up a thumbs up. "Let's meet up at the final match." She left the room and I found myself going after her.
"Hey, Ochaco!" I called out. She turned around. "Before you go out there, I want you to know: We're cheering for you. No matter what, give it everything you have, and then some. Even if I don't sound like it, I believe in you. You're gonna do great." I held out my hand. "Promise we'll meet in the final round?"
"Promise!" she smiled, shaking my hand.
"Now go show Bakugo what you're made of!" With those words, we both walked in opposite directions. I don't know why I went after her to tell her that. I just felt like I had too. And I was glad I did. By the time I returned to Iida and Midoriya, the match was about to begin. Kirishima and Tetsutetsu's match still had no victor displayed on the board.
"It's the last match of the first round!" Present Mic said as I sat next to Iida. "The boy who's been somewhat famous since middle school! But that face ain't the face of a kid on the straight and narrow! Katsuki Bakugo of the Heroics Department! Versus! The kid I'll be rooting for! Ochaco Uraraka of the same department!"
"What was the counter-strategy you came up with for her against Bakugo?" Iida asked Deku.
"Oh that! It's really not all that brilliant or anything," Deku said. "It's just, Kacchan is undeniably strong! And in a close quarters brawl, he's got almost no openings to speak of. And if you factor in the mobility of his quirk, he's even stronger! That being said, while it's true he has maneuverability in midair as well, if she can cause him to float, she can gain initiative from there. So that's why..."
"Start!" Present Mic interrupted.
"She needs to strike fast!" Izuku finished. Uraraka rushed to Bakugo, hands ready to make him flail in the air. "If by some slip he gets tapped, he'll start floating, so he won't want her to draw too close! So if Kacchan is thinking what I think he's thinking, he's not going to evade! He's going to strike back head-on!" Bakugo swung his right hand in front of him. The explosion he used made a smoke screen, making it inpossible to find Uraraka.
Her jersey sleeve appeared and Bakugo smacked her to the ground. Once he did, Ochaco appeared from behind him. She wasn't wear her jersey. Using her jacket as a decoy to attack from behind. Clever!
"Wow! She made her jersey float as a decoy! Yooo! She must've done that on the fly!" Present Mic noted. Bakugo noticed and used another explosion to push her away. She landed in bounds. His reflexes are quick, but he seems to be on edge. It's almost like he knows what she's trying to do. If she's coming this close, Bakugo'll be sure to run out of steam as long as this keeps up. Uraraka tried to attack again, but Bakugo beat her to it. Another explosion. She held on. Charging again, she met another explosion.
"Ochaco...!" I heard Tsu say. Mineta said something, but my ears were already programmed to to tune him out.
"She's pressing on her charge without a moment's rest, but seeing this..." Present Mic said. She's trying to keep his focus on her. But why is that? My eyes scanned around the battle. Something flew upward, catching my eyes with it. Fragments of the battlefield hovered in the air. That must be it. She's keeping his focus away from his surroundings. What's she going to do with those things though?
"Hey! Do you mean to be a hero with a conduct like that?!" someone shouted. "If your strength level is that much bigger, just blow her out of bounds already!" Who is--? "How dare you toy with a girl like that!!?" Booing ensued from the pro heroes. A hero started that nonsense? What kind of hero is he?!
"And the stands stand...to boo him!" Present Mic noted. "Yeah, I've gotta say I agree. Oww, huh, you elbowed me--what are you--"
"Who just said he's toying with her?" Aizawa's voice asked. "You a pro? How many years? If you said that in your right mind, then there's no meaning for you to keep watching. Do us all a favor and go home. In fact, you ought to keep watching the match at a career turnover site.
"He clearly recognizes the strength of an opponent who's reached this far. And is on guard as a result. It's because he's doing everything in his power to win that he's refusing to let his guard down or stay his hand." It may seem like he's only defending Bakugo because he's his student, but it's more than that. Dad has always had the knack for judging people's potential. He's not afraid to say it either. He just speaks up when he needs to.
Both Uraraka and Bakugo were still standing. Uraraka looked like she's gone through hell while Bakugo didn't have a single scratch on him. With a determined look, Uraraka touched her fingertips together. She's releasing them now? My eyes darted up as the fragments began to descend. Nice going Ochaco. You got this.
"A meteor shower!!!" Present Mic exclaimed.
"She made such a desperately risky plan...Uraraka!" Midoriya stated.
"But it gives her the perfect chance for her finally win," I said. Bakugo's head was tilted towards the attack. But, he has a card up his sleeve. If Uraraka can get him in time-- He raised his hand and fired off the biggest explosion yet. The attack scattered into smaller pieces. Ochaco was blown away as everyone felt the wind of the attack. Holy shit...
"He must be content with himself with that explosive showing! He took Uraraka's secret strategy gem and unreservedly crushed it!!" Uraraka seemed to catch her breath and went for him again. Only this time, she couldn't make a step. She collapsed. No.
"Her weight limit," Deku stated. Uraraka. Midnight went to her side. She observed her state before speaking.
"Uraraka is unable to move. Bakugo advances to the next round," she announced.
I didn't have the chance to see Uraraka before the tiebreaker. She was carried on a stretcher to Recovery Girl and Deku left for the waiting room. Present Mic was not helping anything either. Bakugo came back though. Yay.
"Yo hey. That was nearly as tough as your face is villain-y!" Sero said.
"It was a weird matchup, but you played an amazing little heel, nonetheless Bakugo!" Tsu stated.
"Shut up! Just shut your goddamn mouths!" he yelled.
"But damn, man, you're able to blast a fragile girl's ass with abandon," Kaminari added. "Knowing me, I'd end up not going through with it despite myself."
"Kaminari, stop being stupid," I told him.
"Kashiwa beat you pretty easy, Kaminari," Asui said.
"Hey now, c'mon you two," Jiro spoke. Bakugo sat in the seat next to her.
"Where do you see fragile?" he asked. Cementoss had set up the tiebreaker. Kirishima and Tetsutetsu both showed strength as they cracked the cement. Kirishima ended up winning, making it to the second round. He was a good opponent at least, helping Tetsutetsu up. So the second round is set.
Midoriya vs Todoroki
Kashiwa vs Iida
Ashido vs Tokoyami
Kirishima vs Bakugo
"Hey, Iida," I said, turning to him.
"Yes Kashiwa?" he replied.
"We're facing off each other after this," I told him. "Don't hold back, okay?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," he smiled.
"Thanks..." I turned back to the beginning of the first match of Round Two.
"And now for this go-round of the Sports Festival, both competitors are top of their class, and the world isn't big enough for the both of them! Midoriya vs Todoroki!" This will decide the victor of the final war.
"Start!"