There is a difference between those aiming for the top and those who aren't. A difference I only learned during the short amount of time. That difference is crucial in becoming a Hero. Those people who only settle at a certain point and call it enough will go nowhere. But those people who aim for the top and set their goals even higher than the top, that is what a Hero does. Frankly, that is what Plus Ultra means. To go beyond.
Bakugo is the type of person who wouldn't settle for some cheap win. He wanted an absolute win. To become not just the first but the Champion.
As I watch Bakugo took back our points and as he landed on top of us, securing our place in the second spot, I realized that after all, I do wanted to win.
"Next we're going to where Deku and Todoroki are!" Bakugo said as we proceeded towards the wall of ice that Todoroki made.
I didn't know if it was the fact that I've opened my portals far too many times, bringing the four of us in and out that I'm starting to feel cold. Or perhaps it was due to Todoroki's ice.
"Hey Hoshiko!" Bakugo yelled. We stepped inside my portal and open a new right before Team Todoroki and Team Midoriya.
My eyes briefly widen as I saw Todoroki's left side, blazing in fire. Until Midoriya swoosh the fire away using his quirk. Just what was his quirk anyways? It's almost like–
"Dammit Deku!" Bakugo, without warning, blasted his explosion as he went upwards, towards Todoroki and Midoriya.
As the clock tick its final seconds, the three were in a state of a battle royale, where they're fighting for the ten million. But time will not stand still. At the sound of a buzzer, the Cavalry Battle ended. And Bakugo fell face first on the ground.
"Now, the Cavalry Battle ends here! Team Todoroki got the first place, followed by Team Bakugo, then Team Tetsutetsu– wait what?! In the third place, Team Shinso?!"
Shinso? That guy. He probably brainwashed his teammates. O feel bad about them. And on fourth place. I looked at the screen and saw his name. So in the end, he still managed to advance to the next round.
"And on fourth place, Team Midoriya!"
All the students who qualified for the next round cheered. However, Bakugo doesn't seem too happy that he's on second place despite his pledge to be number one. And he made another rival, unfortunately for him.
"Ugh, we were so close," Ashido said as Yaoyorozu walked towards us.
"Congratulations Mina."
"Wahhh Yao-Momo you did great. Bakugo just asked me to join because I could melt Todoroki's ice." Yaoyorozu chuckled and shook her head.
"You did great Yoru-san. Let's do our best in the next–"
"Of course. You don't need to tell me that." I walked past her, not bothering to spare a glance.
What is wrong with me? It's not like me to get mad at someone without any concrete reason why. Besides, Yaoyoruzu did not do anything. Or perhaps it's the urge to win that set me on edge. We could fight each other for all I know. Yes, that's right. It's not as if I'm jealous or anything.
Suddenly, I stopped dead in my track. Jealousy? What does being jealous even meant? These feelings, I should get rid of this quick before it becomes a hindrance.
The next round will be the last one and we were given the time to eat lunch while they prepare for the last round which will be a one-on-one battle.
I was on the way towards the cafeteria when I saw the familiar backs of two people I know all too well. My parents.
I am in no mood to deal with them right now so I decided to go somewhere else. I'll eat lunch later. Right now, I just wanted to be alone. And seeing my parents kinda irritate me in more ways than one.
Just when I was about to turn left towards the staircase, I heard All Might and Endeavor speaking to each other. The latter doesn't sound too happy speaking to the former. I guess they were of opposite sides of the same coin, after all.
Before any of them see me eavesdropping, I quickly walked away.
I don't know if fate is messing up with me. The notion itself sounds fictional. But of all the person I could come across with, it has to be the King of arrogance.
"What are you do–"
A familiar voice stopped me from speaking.
"Midoriya, are you... All Might's secret love child or something?"
If this was another scenario, I would have laugh sarcastically. The level of Todoroki's humor has surpassed all the higher beings. Did he just ask Midoriya if he was All Might's secret love child?
"That's not it– I mean even if I was, I would say I wasn't so I don't think you'd believe me– but anyway, that's not how it is."
"Since you said that's not how it is, it means there is a connection between you two that you cannot talk about, right?"
I briefly looked at Bakugo. Somehow, he had a look I couldn't decipher. He knew Midoriya since they were kids, right? So he knew he wasn't All Might's secret love child. Yet, Midoriya's quirk, as strange as it was, somehow resembles that of All Might. But who am I to jump into such conclusion? I'm not Todoroki to just ask someone if they're someone else's love child.
"Endeavor's my old man." Todoroki just blurted it out as clear as day. "He's been stuck as the Number 2 Hero for forever. If you have something from the number 1 Hero, then I have all the more reason to beat you."
Beside me, I saw a glimpse of Bakugo's eyes, burning with hatred and envy. His fist tighten as his knuckles turn white. When all your life you believe you are the strongest, that you are five steps ahead of someone. Then one day you realize, that someone was just right behind you slowly overtaking you, you'll feel mad. Bakugo, that was probably what he feels.
I didn't know when did I start to act sympathetic. Or how I managed to know what empathy meant. Maybe it's because of all the time I stayed in Class 1-A that I became someone opposite of who I was. Or perhaps this was the real me.
"In my memories, my mother was always crying. 'Your left side looked unsightly' she said as she poured boiling water on me." Todoroki continued.
"I'll reject that man completely by winning first place without using his quirk. No matter what you are to All Might, I will rise above you with just my right side." After he said that, he begin to walk.
I didn't know how my body moved without my brain commanding it. Isn't that suppose to be impossible? But right when I felt someone's hand gripped my wrist did I finally realize I was walking towards Midoriya and Todoroki.
I looked at Bakugo then to his hand that was gripping my wrist. "I know you're about to do something stupid, just stay."
Honestly, had he not stop me, and if I did approach the two. I have no idea what to say. Right now Todoroki is in the state of rebelling against his father. I don't think mere words are enough to make him realize that winning without using everything you've got is the utmost disrespect to those who fight with everything they've got.
"I have to live up to the hopes of those who supported me," Midoriya said as Todoroki stopped in his tracks, glancing back at him. "The declaration of war you made earlier– I will return it. I will beat you, too."
When the two were gone. I looked at Bakugo. He was still gripping my wrist that I'm beginning to feel a bit numb.
"You can let go now, my blood in my wrist was no longer flowing the way it's suppose to."
Bakugo, realizing he is in fact still gripping my wrist, let go almost instantly. I massaged my wrist and walked towards the cafeteria. I haven't eaten yet and lunch is almost over.
But I don't think I will be able to eat lunch anymore. Right when I turned a corner, I instantly saw my parents talking to Endeavor.
They haven't notice me yet so slowly I turned around as quietly as I can. But it seems my mother had a six sense that she managed to see me despite her back turn on me.
"Yoru, come here," she said sternly. I have no choice but to walk towards them.
The flames of Endeavor were quite intimidating. However, the heat it was emitting was not like Todoroki's left side. Todoroki's side was warm, almost like home. The left side he so desperately wanted to reject.
"Enji, this is my daughter Yoru," My father said.
Endeavor eyed me, sizing me up. Probably to see if I were a good rival for his son.
"You arrived at the 8th place in the Obstacle Course and 2nd in the Cavalry Battle. Your daughter's quite skilled, Taki."
Skilled? Hardly. I wasn't even trying to win. Well not yet during the Obstacle Course. But this last round, I might try to actually win.
"Yoru," my father started. "Our agency will not be accepting any interns. So I asked Enji to take you as an intern after the Sports Festival."
What?
What did he say? Endeavor, I will be interning as a sidekick in Endeavor's agency?
I wanted to retort. But I bit my tongue.
"Certainly, father."
"Good. You may go now, Yoru." As if I'm some kind of robot, I walked past them without so much of a word.
I heard my mother called so I stopped briefly. "Yoru! Make your spot in the Top Three!" She said.
A spot in the Top Three? She didn't tell me to become number 1? Oh right, Endeavor is here. Of course they wouldn't risk making the Number 2 Hero an enemy by rivaling me with his son.
Before I turn around towards the cafeteria, I briefly heard Endeavor said that I wasn't like Todoroki, that I listen to every single words my parents said. And I hate it. I absolutely hate it.
_____
I managed to grab a bite before Present Mic announced that lunch was over. But it seems like there's no point hurrying since the stage for the last round was being prepared.
"But before that! There's good news for all of you who did not make it to the finals! This is just a Sports Festival! So we've prepared recreational games that everyone can participate in."
I was about to walk lazily back to the cafeteria since there is still time, I could grab that plate of katsudon and eat it. But then, I saw my classmates. Well, basically my girl classmates dress in a ridiculously showy cheerleading outfits.
"Why are you guys wearing that?" I asked then pointed towards the cheerleading squad that U.A. managed to bring from America to liven things up.
"Eh?! Yoru why are you the only one safe?" Uraraka exclaimed. What did she mean?
Yaoyorozu fell down on her knees. "Why am I always the one being tricked by Mineta? And I even used my Creation quirk to make these clothes."
Oh, so that's what happened. Fortunately I wasn't there. And even if I was, I am not actually that stupid to fall for such thing. Especially if it came out of Mineta's mouth.
I sighed and was about to walk back to the cafeteria when, this time, it was Midnight who was about to announce something important.
"The sixteen students from the four teams who made it to the final round will duke it out tournament style, one-on-one."
In the end, it all comes down to this. A one-on-one battle, huh?
"The brackets will be determined by drawing lots. The sixteen finalists can choose whether or not they want to participate in the recreational games. I'm sure some of you will want to rest or save your strength."
Or eat.
"Now from the first place team–"
Before Midnight could finish, Ojiro raised his hand. "I'm withdrawing."
Everyone was surprise. Frankly, even I was surprise as well.
"I barely remember anything from the Cavalry Battle until almost the end. I think it was that guy's quirk." He pointed at Shinso. When I looked at him, I saw him shrugged his shoulder. I couldn't really blame him because from the beginning, we were allowed to use our quirks. He just did his part.
However, the two others from Shinso's team, Aoyama and Sero did not back out. This was the golden opportunity to be recognize after all.
We drew lots. I wasn't really good at it. No, actually, drawing lots cannot be determined by anyone. We rely purely on luck. That somehow, our opponent was weaker than us.
But then, right when I drew mine, my heart suddenly started to beat faster. Was I nervous?
"This was the bracket based on the results of the drawing."
Somehow, I don't want to look at the screen. But the gnawing curiosity got the better of me.
I wonder, who's the unlucky student who will be my first opponent. Because right now, losing was no longer an option.
I look at the screen and saw my name beside Todoroki.
But he wasn't my opponent. My opponent is Kaminari. The one whose quirk was lightning. He's pretty strong.
If I win our match, I'll be up against either Iida or the girl from the Support Course, Hatsume was it?
Then, if I managed to beat them, my next opponent will be–
"Todoroki, huh? Assuming he'll make it with half his quirk." I muttered, not knowing that Todoroki was just behind me.
But I know he'll win. Now, all the more reason not to let myself lose. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to fight him. After all, I still think that he really is a despicable guy.
I wasn't really interested in the recreational game, so I walked towards the cafeteria, hoping that the plate of katsudon I saw earlier was still there.
However, I doubt if I'll be able to eat the katsudon. Because a certain someone was standing in front, blocking my way on purpose.
"Hoshiko, can we talk."
His glare was still present. Right now it no longer bothers me. Those eyes that were once soft when he told me my quirk was the most beautiful he had ever seen, those eyes that reflected the stars inside my portal, those mismatch eyes of his were no longer the same. It no longer hold the same light of the countless stars gleaming in my portal. The stars in his eyes were dead, just like the stars in mine.
"Sure, Todoroki."