Chapter 75: SF - Semifinals
"Good luck!" Ochako said as she gently squeezed Izuku's arm.
"Thanks," Izuku replied softly.
"Also…" Ochako gave him a playful glance. "You already know what'll happen if you break anything."
"Ehe." Izuku gave her a broken smile as he tried notto think about suffering the wrath of everyone around him.
He stood up and quickly exited the bleachers, letting out a soft sigh once he reached the interior of the stadium. Opening his eyes, he looked down at his still-unscarred right hand.
This is where it all began. Izuku thought to himself. A lifetime of chronic pain.
"It'll be different this time Ocha." Izuku closed his eyes as he balled his hand into a fist. "I promise."
Izuku remained alert as he walked through the stadium, keeping an eye out for Japan's number two hero. He had yet to meet the man in person and couldn't help but wonder if Endeavor was different from what he remembered.
Doubtful, given Shoto's behavior, but he still wanted to know for himself.
He reached the ground floor and started to doubt that he'd run into him when he turned the corner and spotted the hero.
There!
Izuku took a deep breath and mentally rerouted his path so that he would walk past him. Time to see if he would respond. Clenching his fists, Izuku lowered his head to give the impression that he was deep in concentration as he began walking toward the hero.
"I see," Endeavor said as Izuku walked past him. "So you are the classmate my son has been talking about."
"Huh?" Izuku jerked his head up, looking at the hero.
The man stopped and turned toward Izuku, crossing his arms as he examined the teenager. "I watched your previous matches. Your quirk is quite powerful." He nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, you will make a good test for my son."
"Test?" Izuku asked curiously, his stomach sinking as he feared how this conversation would go.
"Shoto is meant to grow into a fine hero," Endeavor explained. "Someone who can carry on my legacy and surpass All Might."
Izuku looked down at the ground as he felt himself instinctively clenching his fist. "Why?" Izuku mumbled.
"Hm?" Endeavor blinked. "What was that?"
"I asked why." Izuku looked up at the hero. "I'm not All Might. So why are you treating me like him?"
"Of course you're not All Might," Endeavor said dismissively. "That doesn't mean–"
"If you didn't mean it, then why compare me that way?" Izuku asked, interrupting the hero. "I'm Izuku Midoriya! Not another All Might! And…" He took a deep breath. "Shoto isn't you. He is his own person."
"You–" Endeavor's voice rose.
"Save it." Izuku turned away from the hero. "My rivalry is with Shoto, not you. And his rivalry is with me, not All Might. If you want to keep up your rivalry with All Might, that's between you and him, but leave us out of it."
"How dare you–" Endeavor began, but Izuku hurried away rather than listen to the hero.
Once he rounded a corner and was out of line of sight, he paused and let out a soft sigh. "Way to get heated there Izu." Izuku rubbed the back of his head as his eyes darted to the corner. "I hope I didn't mess anything up."
The temptation to look back and see the hero's response was strong. Fortunately, good sense (and maybe the memory of Ochako's glare) won out. His true purpose was to help Shoto break away from his father's legacy, after all. It didn't matter what Endeavor thought.
Taking a deep breath, Izuku resumed his walk down the corridor. He had a match to get to.
"What kind of match will these two show us?" Midnight asked from her position on the podium. "Let's find out, shall we?"
"Are you ready, Shoto?" Izuku asked as he stood across from his opponent.
"Yes," his opponent replied simply, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed Izuku.
Midnight raised her baton over her head before she brought it down in a swift chop. "Begin!"
Izuku was already on the move. One For All coursed through his limbs, ready to respond. His theory was proven right a fraction of a second later as he felt the temperature around him drop, and he leaped skyward as Shoto froze the arena underneath him. At the apex of his jump, Izuku's eyes found Shoto's.
That won't work on me!
Flipping over, Izuku extended his legs and increased Full Cowling's output as he raced towards the ground. He felt the ice give way as he landed, racing away from him in a wall of freezing shards as he bent his knees to absorb the impact.
"How long are we going to fight this proxy battle?" Izuku asked as he straightened up.
Shoto lowered his arm. "What do you mean?"
"You're doing exactly what your dad wants!" Izuku insisted. "You and I – we're just acting as stand-ins for All Might and Endeavor!" He took a step forward before he launched himself at Shoto.
He was rewarded by Shoto taking a step backward and summoning an Ice wall in front of him. Izuku didn't mind though as his fist connected with the wall, shattering it into a million splinters.
"I'm not acting like him! " Shoto yelled as he fired off a wave of Ice at Izuku.
From the size and speed of the approach, he knew he had struck a nerve. Which meant Shoto was going to wear out faster. He took grim satisfaction in that as he pushed One For All to his maximum safe limit and clapped his hands together. His hands stung and felt a little numb, but his move had the desired effect as a wall of wind rushed forward to meet the oncoming ice. The two attacks canceled each other out and a single menacing spike of ice was all that remained.
"Then why did he tell me the same thing you did?" Izuku asked.
Shoto let out a soft gasp as his eyes widened a fraction of a centimeter. Izuku took the opportunity and launched himself toward the ice. He kicked off of it and it shattered behind him as he launched himself toward Shoto. He pulled his arm back and dismissed full cowling. Slamming into the ground in front of Shoto, he punched his opponent squarely in the chest. Shoto gasped as he knocked the wind out of him and Izuku watched him fly backward toward the edge of the arena.
Shoto held out a hand behind him and summoned an Ice wall that caught him before he could fall out. Izuku waited patiently as he took a moment to catch his breath before he straightened up and stared at him.
"What did he say?"
"He wants you to surpass All Might," Izuku pointed out. "Just like you want to surpass him."
"But he wants me to do it with his fire," Shoto spat back.
"Do you think he'd care if you do it with your fire or just your ice?" Izuku asked.
Shoto hesitated again as he thought about it, but from the look in his eyes, Izuku saw he knew the answer. Not waiting for a response, he charged forward.
"Everything I've fought for, my mom–" Shoto said as he launched a wave of Ice toward Izuku.
"Did you ever ask your mom?" Izuku asked as he leaped aside. "Or did you just make a decision?"
Are you acting just like your dad?
Shoto's eyes went wide. "Shut up!" He stomped the ground and a wall of Ice appeared in front of him in an effort to shield him from his opponent.
Planting himself in front of the wall, Izuku channeled One For All in his leg as he kicked the Ice with a roundhouse kick and watched it shatter.
"You're holding yourself back, and for what?"
"The answer doesn't change, so why do you keep asking?" Shoto asked as he grits his teeth.
"You saw what we were up against at the USJ!" Izuku exclaimed. "Do you think villains who are willing to attack us on school grounds are going to just stop because they failed once? Are you–" Izuku stopped and leveled his gaze at Shoto. "Are you willing to let people get hurt, even killed because of spite ?!"
Izuku felt the corner of his lip twitching as he saw hesitation begin to fill Shoto's eyes.
"I'm not going to hold myself back, Todoroki," Izuku said as he wrapped himself in Full Cowling. "What will you do when you can't win without your Fire?"
He once again charged forward and threw an elbow jab at his opponent, sending Shoto crashing into his Ice wall. The force of the impact was enough to shatter the wall, removing his final layer of protection from being removed from the ring. Izuku gave Shoto a moment to recover and then charged again.
Make your choice.
Shoto's eyes went wide before Izuku saw them fill with clarity. His opponent's eyes narrowed, and Izuku felt the air around him heat up moments before he felt the thermal explosion send him backward. Refusing to lose, he launched Blackwhip and caught the concrete he had cracked earlier. He felt his body jerk as the tendril became taught before pulling himself back down to the ground.
"Thanks, Todoroki," Izuku said as he dismissed the eldritch quirk.
"You–" Shoto exclaimed. His eyes narrowed. "After what you said, you were still holding back…"
"How does it make you feel?" Izuku fired back.
Shoto opened his mouth and closed it before he closed his eyes and smirked. "I see, so that's how it is. Very clever." He opened his eyes. "Well then, whatever happens next is your own fault."
"I'm looking forward to it," Izuku replied earnestly as he summoned One For All and wrapped himself in Full Cowling.
Shoto held out his hands and formed a ball of flame and a ball of ice in each before he launched them forward, the projectiles spinning around each other as they aimed for Izuku. He hesitated for as long as possible before he launched himself straight upward. The projectiles collided and caused a massive explosion that pushed him higher, and he was thankful there was no limitation on how high he was allowed to go as he crested the top of the stadium.
Reorienting himself, Izuku began his descent. He saw Shoto's eyes on him and tensed up, only to let out a startled yelp as a jet of flame came flying towards him.
"H-he's really out to get me!" Izuku said as he used Float to dodge out of the way.
He dodged several more spears of Fire until he was thankfully approaching the ground, only for Shoto to form another veritable glacier of Ice in an attempt to catch him. Activating Float again, Izuku rose out of the way of the glacier before he finally dropped on it and started racing down the side towards his foe.
"You…" Shoto's eyes went wide as he watched Izuku draw near. "How are you so far ahead of me?" He threw another ball of fire at Izuku.
"I told you," Izuku said as he leaped forward and activated Float. He rode the shockwave from the much smaller Thermal Explosion down to the bottom and landed in front of Shoto. "I've got a lot to prove, too."
Izuku called upon Blackwhip and wrapped it around Shoto. His opponent's eyes went wide as he flung him out of the arena, the eldritch quirk shattering Ice before it had a chance to fully form and protect its owner. Once Shoto was physically outside the ring, Izuku released him and watched as he fell to the ground with a dull thud.
"What an impressive display of power, Midoriya wins!" Midnight called out.
Izuku ignored the cheers of the crowd as he walked out to where his once, and hopefully future, friend sat on the grass.
"You," Shoto swallowed. "You learned all of that in only two years?"
"Ehe." Izuku rubbed the back of his head.
"I really have been handicapping myself," Shoto admitted as he closed his eyes, and Izuku detected a hint of remorse in his voice.
"Don't think of it like that," Izuku said. "We're all here to learn and become heroes, right?" He held out his hand to Shoto. "I'm sure you'll catch up in no time."
"Hmph." Izuku saw the ghost of a smile on Shoto's lips as he took his hand and pulled himself upright.
Ochako quietly let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding when she saw Izuku helping Todoroki to his feet. Sure, Izuku had promised her that he wouldn't break himself in his fight, but she knew what happened to him in his original timeline and couldn't help but worry.
Shaking her head to free herself of the errant thoughts, she pushed herself upright and looked over at her opponent.
"Ready to go, Yaoyorozu?" she asked lightly.
Momo seemed to jump at the mention of her name before she turned her head to look at Ochako. "Sorry, I was… lost in thought."
"I get it," Ochako said as she turned her attention back to the field to watch her boyfriend walking off. "That was some fight, huh?"
Momo stood up and joined her opponent. "It appears I am not the only one seeking out the truth about myself today."
"Yep," Ochako replied softly.
"I must apologize in advance. I fear our fight won't be so dramatic."
"It's okay," Ochako assured her. "What's important is that we tell the world we're here, right?" She offered her a small smile.
"Yes." Momo gave a faint smile in return. "You are right." She gestured towards the exit. "Shall we get going, then?"
"And now that we know our first finalist, it is time to see who his opponent will be," Midnight said with a sweeping gesture toward the two girls. "It's time to find out!" With a coy smile, she raised her baton over her head. "Begin!"
Ochako pressed a hand to her chest and activated Heavy Gravity. Channeling One For All's power into her foot, she stomped the ground. The concrete gave way underneath her, and she saw several large chunks of debris fly in the air from the force of her blow.
"Perfect," Ochako said as she eyed the debris, each chunk giving her a weapon to use against her opponent.
To her credit, Momo didn't show any outward signs of being intimidated by Ochako's display of power. With grim determination, she held out her arm and Created a shield that she slammed into place. She then Created a metal staff and held it in a loose combat stance.
"Are you ready, Yaoyorozu?" Ochako asked.
"Mhm." Her opponent nodded.
"Then here I come!"
Ochako dashed forward, quickly releasing herself from her quirk before she touched two large chunks of debris, each about the size of a beach ball and removed their gravity. She held one in each hand, a smile spreading across her face as she looked at her opponent before she hurled them in her direction. She then rapidly slammed her hands together.
"Invert!"
Momo's eyes went wide as she saw the change in trajectory from the two projectiles. She quickly twirled to one side and allowed the makeshift meteors to crash into the ground where she previously stood, both creating deep gouges in the concrete.
"My turn," Momo announced as she charged forward.
A pink light surrounded Ochako's arm as she raised it and blocked her opponent's staff strike. Momo frowned but kept up the assault, launching a flurry of blows in an attempt to land a hit.
"Your staff skills are," Ochako grunted as she felt a sting in her arms, "amazing."
"Thank you," Momo replied as she kept up the assault in an attempt to push her opponent back.
However, despite being technically perfect, Ochako could feel the faint hesitation and doubt in her attacks. With each swing, Momo revealed her worry that she wasn't good enough compared to the rest of the class. It wasn't true, of course. Ochako had seen the other girl rise to the occasion countless times before.
But this Momo was looking at the wrong thing. Ochako just needed to give her a little push in the right direction.
Sidestepping a downward swing, Ochako reached out and touched her opponent's shield, increasing its gravity. With a yelp, Momo stumbled forward, thrown off-balance by the sudden heavy weight. From her position behind Momo, Ochako delivered a swift kick to her back, propelling her even further until she was dangerously close to the edge of the ring.
Her opponent finally freed herself of the shield's weight and not a moment too soon. Ochako was about to charge forward for a follow-up attack when she caught a glimpse of a nesting doll hidden behind the shield.
"Seriously?!" Ochako exclaimed as she screwed her eyes shut and threw her forearm over her face, only to feel the flashbang go off, shaking her to her very core.
As she saw white and heard a ringing in her ears, Ochako silently wished One For All's increased durability also gave her some resistance to sensory effects. She quickly blinked to restore her vision and reached out with a hand to touch her arm and increase her personal gravity. Her suspicion was proven to be correct a moment later when she felt the other girl's hands wrap around one of her arms.
She felt a tug on her arm, followed by a muffled response from Momo. Her vision coming back to her, Ochako threw a wild punch at the other girl. Her punch must have landed as she was freed from her grasp, her opponent stepping back and clutching her shoulder.
"I can't believe you're willing to go that far," Ochako yelled. "And you think we're impressive."
Momo replied but the words were muffled and muted. It had the effect Ochako had hoped for, however, when she saw the girl lower her arm and stand up straight before she Created another staff.
The act bought Ochako several precious seconds and allowed her to regain her sense of balance as the ringing in her ears began to die down. Dismissing her quirk, she called upon One For All and wrapped herself in a pink glow before she charged.
The determination on Momo's face wavered as she was forced to dodge a haymaker. She swung her staff in retaliation, and Ochako quickly parried the blow.
"You're not gonna win on raw power," Ochako explained as she threw out a kick and forced Momo backward.
She continued to dodge or parry Momo's blows while throwing out attacks of her own, slowly forcing the other girl back to the edge. With each step back, she watched the uncertainty grow on her opponent's face, and Ochako felt her heart sinking.
"What are you doing, Yaoyorozu?!" Ochako exclaimed as she threw a punch that caused Momo to stagger back another foot. Her opponent tried to counter with a quick jab to her stomach, but she nimbly hopped back before she threw a kick in retaliation. "You're not gonna win this way!" She lowered her foot to the ground as she saw the fear in her opponent's eyes. "Why are you trying to match me in raw power?!"
You can figure this out!
Ochako watched as her opponent took another step back and glanced behind her only to see there was less than a meter of space left between her and the edge. Fear shifted to uncertainty and for a moment Ochako felt her heart sink. But then she saw something else there – resolve. A moment later Momo's brows furrowed as she began to work out something.
Yes! Ochako silently cheered as she took a step back to reset her stance. Now show me!
"Let's end this," Ochako said as she charged forward.
Pink energy wrapped itself around her fist as she went in for a blow, only to watch as Momo raised her arm. She saw the fabric of the other girl's uniform rip and tear a second before her impact–
–and she heard a thick splashing sound as her fist slammed into liquid metal instead of flesh. The act was enough to cause Ochako to pause, and Momo wasted no time dancing to the side, giving herself a bit of breathing room.
"Mercury?" Ochako asked as she opened her fist and saw the liquid metal running through her fingers.
"Your quirk is primarily controlled through the pads on your fingers," Momo explained. "I cannot stop you from fully using it, but I can slow you down."
"Smart." Ochako smiled as she flicked her hand. Even though most of the liquid flew off, she saw silver streaks remaining behind, embedded in the cracks and crevices and threatening to disrupt the contact she needed to utilize her quirk. "So you figured it out."
"Not yet," Momo admitted as she held out her arm and began Creating what looked to be an oversized gun. "But I'm getting there." She grabbed the grip of the weapon. "It doesn't matter that I can't overpower you, does it?" It looked like she was drawing the weapon out of her arm as her quirk did its work. Once complete she raised it skyward before she leveled it at Ochako. "Not when my quirk lets me balance the scales in other ways."
Momo pulled the trigger and fired a net at Ochako. Smiling, Ochako launched herself sideways as she dodged the projectile. She instinctively reached to touch her arm and manipulate her gravity until she remembered the mercury.
"I see," Ochako mused as she glanced at her hand. "I can't risk using my gravity manipulation to bounce around the arena."
Instead she activated Smokescreen, filling the air around her with Smoke. A moment later, she heard another net zip past her, and she realized Momo had planned for this, hoping to catch her off guard when she made a mistake.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Ochako muttered to herself as she began to race toward her opponent.
She bounced back and forth as she ran, the smoke heralding her approach as it filled the arena. Momo quickly realized that her current plan wouldn't work and dropped the gun. Ochako's eyes went wide as she saw her Create another flashbang.
"Seriously!" Ochako squeaked as she turned away from the grenade.
She heard it go off, losing all sense of sound and balance as her ears began to ring. Ochako stumbled from her maneuver and her momentum and fell over. She gritted her teeth as she felt her kneecap smash into the ground.
"Of course, I get injured by something like this," Ochako grumbled. "Izu's never gonna let me live it down."
Fortunately, the cloud of smoke helped her mitigate the blinding effect. Even though she couldn't hear her opponent's approach, she could see her clearly as Momo emerged from the smoke.
Using her one clean hand, Ochako reached out and grabbed her opponent. She watched Momo's eyes go wide as she suddenly found herself freed of the effects of gravity.
"Sorry Yaoyorozu," Ochako yelled.
Momo's face flickered from surprise, to disappointment, to contentment. Ochako watched her close her eyes and sigh before she opened them and looked at her. She couldn't hear the words, but it was easy enough to tell she was saying the words Thank You before she raised her hands in concession.
"Uraraka wins!" The muffled words tore through the ringing.
Ochako wiped her hand off on her uniform, swiping at it several times to clear her finger pads fully before she pressed her hands together and released Momo from her quirk. The other girl caught herself and landed gracefully before she looked at her.
"I hope I didn't damage your hearing too badly."
"No." Ochako shook her head. "I've got some ringing, but that's it." She let out a high-pitched giggle. "Still better than some of the bruises I've had after sparring."
"I can imagine, after watching Midoriya fight." Momo closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm going to have to study harder. I am sure there are better substances I could have used against you, but mercury was the only element I could think of on short notice."
"It did the job!" Ochako insisted. "You stopped trying to match me in strength and found another way to keep up instead."
"So I did," Momo said with relief in her voice. She turned toward the stands where their classmates sat. "I must admit, I still don't know my answer. But-" She turned toward Ochako. "Ultimately that doesn't matter, does it?"
"No, it doesn't. As long as you keep moving forward…" Ochako agreed. Her gaze drifted toward Izuku in the stands. "Someday you'll find the answer." She turned her attention back toward Momo and gave her a warm smile. "I know it'll be a good one."
Chapter 76: SF - Finals
Izuku pushed open the door to the locker room only to see Ochako leaning against the table as she massaged one of her knees.
"Are you okay Ocha?"
"Oh!" Ochako quickly straightened up at the sight of her boyfriend. "Yeah, I'm fine!" She smiled at him.
"You took a pretty bad fall on that knee," Izuku remarked as his gaze drifted down to her leg.
"Nothing we haven't done in practice before," Ochako said dismissively. "The worst of it was cleaning up the mercury." She made a face. "Don't want to have any of that lingering."
"I bet," Izuku said as he examined Ochako's leg before he shrugged. "So ready to show the world you're here?"
"Of course!" She pumped a fist in the air. "Even if we did kind of show off last round."
"Ehe." Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "We did what we needed to."
"Yep!" Ochako nodded vigorously. "Although–" Izuku noticed the pink of her cheeks spread slightly as she continued. "I think I may have gone overboard in the second round. Yaoyorozu was a little intimidated by how strong my quirk is."
"And Todoroki and I didn't help either, did we?" Izuku asked.
"Nope!" Ochako giggled. "But she's feeling better now."
"I'm glad," Izuku admitted.
"Me too." Ochako started walking toward her boyfriend. "But! Now serious time is over, and it's just the two of us left."
"Yep," Izuku said as he stepped toward his girlfriend. "I'm not gonna make it easy on you."
"I'd be disappointed if you did," Ochako said with a roll of her eyes as she hooked her arms around Izuku's neck. "You're already catching up. We're almost dead even in our matches."
"I'm sure you'll find some way to take your lead back," Izuku said as his hands instinctively found her sides and slid around to connect behind her back. "You always do."
"Yep!"
Ochako smiled warmly at her boyfriend before she leaned in for a kiss. Izuku's eyes closed as his lips found hers, the two tightening their grip on each other as they took a moment just to themselves. When they were done, Ochako pulled back slightly as one of her hands slid along her boyfriend's neck to cup his cheek.
"For luck," Ochako said.
"Yours or mine?" Izuku asked with a crooked smile.
"I guess we'll find out in a few minutes," Ochako giggled before she pulled away from him.
Izuku silently offered his hand to his girlfriend, and she quickly took it, her fingers lacing between his until they were locked together. He gave her a questioning glance, and she nodded once in response before the couple left the room and made their way down to the staging area, ready for their final match.
"Now it's time for our final match," Midnight said. "The first years have proven to be powerhouses, and these two have overcome all of their peers." She gave the two a playful smile. "But at the end of the day, we can only crown one champion. So who will it be?"
She raised her baton into the air, and the crowd gave a deafening roar for the two. For Izuku, it was somehow even more impressive than what he remembered.
He didn't have much time to reminisce, however, as Midnight brought the baton down.
"Begin!"
Izuku summoned Full Cowling, wrapping himself in ten percent of One For All's power. He felt the energy crackle along his skin as it began to glow with a green light. Across the arena, he saw a pink light as Ochako surrounded herself in Galactic Shroud–
And he brought up his arms just in time to feel the impact of her fist as she struck first.
"Darn," Ochako said in faux-disappointment. "Had to try."
Izuku threw out a kick to her ankles and forced her back a half-step before he quickly retreated. He summoned Blackwhip and the eldritch tendril shot forward, cracking the ground where Ochako stood before she took off into the air.
Back in the stands, Shoto was so focused on the fight that he failed to notice his classmate approach him until she spoke.
"Mind if I sit here?" Yaoyorozu asked.
Blinking coolly, Shoto threw the girl a quick sideways glance. "No."
"Thank you," the girl said as she sat down next to him. "They are quite strong."
"Indeed," Shoto said as Izuku used blackwhip to slam Ochako into the ground with enough force to crater the ground around her. "I was so focused on Midoriya, I had not realized just how far Uraraka had pushed her own gravity powers to match his."
"Does it make you feel like you are behind?"
Shoto tore his gaze away from the match to look at the girl. "Do you feel that way?"
"Yes," Yaoyorozu confessed. She gave him an apologetic look before she turned her attention to the field. "But in some ways it's liberating."
Shoto blinked in surprise. "Liberating?"
"I've spent my entire life being told how I am destined for greatness. And then I watched you and Midoriya fight." Yaoyorozu closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "I could feel the doubt tearing at my heels. But Uraraka never judged me for it. Instead, she chose to help me."
"So what will you do now?" Shoto asked curiously.
"I'm going to try to emulate them." Yaoyorozu nodded toward the field. "And make my strength my own. I will never be able to shatter the earth or create a glacier. But…" She held out her hand and Shoto watched as a paper crane appeared in it. "...I don't need to."
"I see," Shoto said as he turned his attention back to the match.
"Gotcha!" Ochako said proudly as she grabbed Izuku's arm.
Izuku felt his stomach shift as she removed his gravity. Moments later, he felt himself flying through the air as she hurled him toward the edge of the arena. He threw his hand toward her and called upon Blackwhip while silently begging Nana for help.
The tendril shot out and wrapped itself around Ochako's leg, and Izuku felt his body jerk as the quirk became taut. Ochako stared incredulously at him, he was already using Float to race toward her.
"Sorry Ocha," Izuku apologized as he flipped in midair to kick the girl in the stomach.
Sure, he was copying one of the many moves Gran Torino had used on him countless times, but that's because it worked!
Ochako scowled at him as she staggered back several feet before she pressed her hands together. "Invert!"
"Eeep!" Izuku yelped as he suddenly felt gravity's effect magnified on him.
He crashed to the earth, feeling the cement crack and cave underneath him. He tasted the dust in the air as it got in his mouth, causing him to cough.
Not that he'd have time to recover anyway. He scrambled backward, Full Cowling surging as it reinforced his limbs and allowed him to move despite the heavy gravity.
"Dang it," Ochako said as she grabbed air. "This is what I get for training with you, huh?"
"Sorry Ocha," Izuku said playfully as he felt the effect of her quirk fade. "You've thrown me around enough with your quirk already!"
Not wasting any time, he pushed himself off the ground and called on Float. He Floated upward a fraction of a second until he could right himself, then he dismissed the quirk and landed on the ground, already in a defensive posture as he waited for her next move.
"That's okay," Ochako said brightly, and then Izuku saw that purple smoke had mixed in with the dust from the cement. "I've got other options."
Izuku twisted out of the way as a large piece of concrete came hurling out of the cloud.
"That's what you were up against?!" Mizuki stared at the field in disbelief.
"Ehe, yep!" Aika said as she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.
"Hmph." The support girl crossed her arms as she frowned. "Even if I suppressed her quirk, there's no guarantee I could have covered the whole arena…"
"It wouldn't have helped!" Aika yelped and held up her hands defensively as the other girl turned at her and glared. "W-what I mean is sure she's going overboard with her quirk, but that's not all she's got!"
"Wait, really?" Mizuki's eyes darted between Aika and the field where Izuku was nimbly dodging as rocks were thrown like spears from the cloud of Smoke and dust.
"I know you think a lot of hero students rely on their quirk a lot. And you're right!" Aika quickly added. "But I've been thrown around enough by both of them to know that they're the real deal. Quirk or no quirk."
"...you never stood a chance, did you?" Mizuki asked softly as she turned her attention back to the fight.
"Ehe," Aika said through a crooked smile.
"And you still went out there with that same stubborn determination in your eyes."
"You saw that?"
"Of course I did!" Mizuki's head whipped around to glare at her. "We made a deal!"
"Sorry about that," Aika apologized. "I tried my best but…" She gestured at the field.
"How?"
"Huh?" Aika blinked in surprise.
"How were you able to agree to my demands, to smile at me like that-" Mizuki's hands clenched into fists, pulling at the fabric of her pants. "-even when you knew what was gonna happen?"
"Because that's what heroes do," Aika simply said. She pointed to the two currently fighting. "No matter how bad it gets, a hero's supposed to face it with a smile. To make people feel like everything's gonna work out in the end."
As if to emphasize her point, Izuku deployed Blackwhip and grabbed a large chunk of cement. He was battered by another piece but remained standing as he flung the chunk back into the smoke in a counterattack. The blow caught Ochako by surprise, and Aika saw the gravity girl stagger backwards, revealing herself through the thinner Smoke.
Mizuki giggled. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"
"I get that a lot," Aika said fondly as she looked over at the bleachers toward where her classmates, and Kyoka, sat.
"I'm sure." Mizuki shook her head and sighed. "Fine, you win." She gave Aika a faint smile. "Even though you didn't come in first, I'll still go to karaoke with you."
"Thank you!" Aika said as she dove out of her seat and wrapped the other girl in a hug.
"H-hey!" Mizuki protested, but Aika could tell her heart wasn't in it as she squirmed to free herself.
"Of course they have to show off," Himiko grumbled as she folded her arms and slouched into her girlfriend's side.
"Oh come on." Emily rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arm around her girlfriend. "It's not like you didn't have your chance earlier."
"I know," Himiko grumbled, "but I wasn't nearly as flashy as this!"
Emily opened her mouth to respond, but paused as Izuku rushed into the cloud of smoke. Even in the stands, they could see the force of his impact as the Smoke and dust was blown away, revealing a grim and determined Ochako blocking the blow. She swung with a haymaker of her own and caught Izuku on the shoulder, knocking him sideways. He let himself fall and tucked into a roll to dodge her followup kick. When he stopped, he lashed out with a low kick of his own, catching her ankle and giving himself space to rise.
She frowned as they continued to trade blows. "Boring. Anyway!" She turned back toward Himiko. "I'm sure there's people watching that'll remember you! It's not like everyone's watching for the spectacle."
"Present Mic sure makes it seem that way," Himiko grumbled.
"Well ignore him. I'm sure someone out there's gonna remember you. And Eri's cheering for you too!"
"Not. Fair." Himiko pulled away to glare at the other girl.
"I'm not the one jealous of your brother." Emily folded her arms in front of her.
"I'm not jealous!" Himiko said petulantly.
"You are! " Emily's lips curled into a smirk. "What, you get a taste of excitement, and now you want all the cameras on you?"
"Emmy–" Himiko growled.
"What're you gonna do about it?" She raised an eyebrow accusingly.
Himiko lunged toward her girlfriend, her lips crashing into the other girls for a kiss. Emily responded in kind, her hands quickly finding their way around Himiko's neck as the pair stopped paying attention to the finale.
Izuku danced backward, his breathing growing heavy as he stared at his girlfriend.
"We haven't had a match like this in a while."
"No." Ochako took a breath as she shook her head. "We haven't." She gave him a warm smile. "I had fun."
"Me too." Izuku matched her smile before his face hardened in resolve. "Now let's end this!"
"Sure thing!" Ochako said as she took off in the air.
He watched a wave of green ripple over her body as she reached the apex of her jump before she rapidly began to descend. Izuku prepared to jump behind him when he realized his mistake.
He was standing dangerously close to the edge of the arena! If he went the wrong way, the force of Ochako's landing would be enough to send him out!
Well. If it was dangerous for him, it was dangerous for Ochako too.
The gears turning in his mind, Izuku began to formulate a plan. Sure, it was risky, and if he failed, Ochako would have no problem throwing him out of the arena. But at this point, what other choice did he have?
Nodding to himself, instead of hopping backward, he jumped forward.
He twisted his body in the air and saw the confusion in Ochako's eyes as she descended. She responded instantly, as he knew she would, her fists separating as she pivoted from a hammer blow to an attempt to grab him.
Izuku responded by extending his hand.
And he activated Blackwhip.
A massive mass of eldritch tentacles launched themselves from his hand, knocking Ochako's hand away from his and throwing her off-balance. She managed to keep herself upright as she landed, but she was still forced to take several staggered steps backward to regain her balance.
"Midoriya wins!" Midnight announced in the air.
"Wha–" Ochako looked down to realize her left foot was outside the arena. "Damn it!"
"Sorry Ocha." Izuku gave her an apologetic look as he closed the gap between her. "It was now or never."
"Fine." She huffed as her face transformed into a pout. "But I want payback later."
"Of course," Izuku replied.
He then turned his attention to the cheering crowds. Hundreds of heroes cheered him on, and he couldn't help but smile. His eyes went from the heroes to the first years, where he saw many of the general studies students cheering him on along with his classmates. And finally he made it to the teacher's section. He looked for Toshinori's deflated form– and gasped.
"What is it Izu?" Ochako asked from behind him.
"Nana," Izuku muttered.
Ochako followed his gaze and realized what was going on. Sure enough, their mentor sat there, a huge smile on his face as he waved at his two successors. And behind him stood the ethereal forms of Nana and Second, their smiles matching that of Toshinori.
"Do you think anyone else can see them?" Ochako asked.
"Not yet," Izuku said. "But they certainly saw us."
"I guess Nana wanted to see how her grandson did," she said as she nudged him with her elbow.
"You know she loves you just as much," Izuku pointed out. "She was here for both of us."
"I know," Ochako said, and out of the corner of his eye he could see her cheeks blossoming as her permanent blush spread. "C'mon, let's go say 'hi.'"
"Yeah." Izuku looked at her and nodded.
Side-by-side, the two exited the destroyed stage to the sound of the cheering crowds.
Once the couple was inside the stadium, their hands quickly found one another's as Midnight escorted them back down to the basement where the winner's podium awaited.
"You two sure put on some performance out there," Kayama said as she crossed her arms.
"I hope we didn't go overboard," Izuku said.
Their teacher chuckled and shook her head. "Honestly, I think it's probably a good thing. After the USJ, some villains might get bad ideas."
"But–"
"I know what you're going to say, but things are different now," their teacher pointed out. "And the more we can do to tip the scales in our favor, the better. Wouldn't you agree?"
"You're right," Ochako conceded.
Izuku opened his mouth to continue, but he noticed Shoto and Yaoyorozu enter the room. He closed his mouth and turned to greet them.
"Midoriya," Shoto said as he stopped in front of Izuku. "I'm glad you won."
"You are?" Izuku blinked in surprise.
"Yes." Shoto closed his eyes, and Izuku couldn't help but notice the look of contentment that had settled on his features. "I want to know I'm measuring up against the best."
"Hey!" Ochako protested as she stomped her foot.
"I'm sorry, Uraraka." Shoto bowed politely. "Had you won, I would have asked you to become my rival instead."
"I- huh?" Now it was Ochako's turn to blink in confusion.
"I think it's for the best," Izuku explained awkwardly.
"I agree," Yaoyorozu added. "I would not be fond of having to share her." Ochako let out a startled squeak as she turned toward her. "If you will allow it, I would like to be your rival."
"But what about our fight?" Ochako asked. "I thought you found your answer."
"I did," Yaoyorozu said. "And while I know I cannot match you in strength the way Todoroki and Midoriya will test each other, I find your drive admirable," she elaborated. "And I believe that by comparing myself against you, I can someday match it."
"In that case, I'll gladly be your rival!" Ochako declared as she held out her hand. "Let's become stronger!"
"Yes. Let's," Yaoyorozu said as she shook the other girl's hand.
"Oh the fiery passion of youth," Kayama teased. "Where the students strive to make each other stronger. This is why I've become a teacher." Izuku, Ochako and Yaoyorozu all squeaked in embarrassment, causing the teacher to laugh. "You three could learn a thing or two from Todoroki, though."
"I don't see a problem with what you said." Shoto blinked in confusion. "That is exactly what I am seeking to do with Midoriya."
"I'll explain it later," Izuku said awkwardly before he turned toward the teacher. "Shouldn't we be getting ready?"
"Of course." Kayama smirked as she pointed toward the podium. "We've got one more show to put on, then you four'll finally be free."
The four climbed up to their respective positions, and after what felt like an eternity the podium finally rose to the surface. Izuku found himself momentarily blinded by the light as the doors slid open to reveal the bright afternoon sky. By the time his eyes adjusted, the podium had finished its ascent. And standing there waiting for them was All Might.
"Congratulations, you four!" the hero roared. "Your class was put through many trials and tribulations today, and the four of you overcame them all to emerge victorious!" He held the medals up, the awards looking tiny in his hand. "And now for your reward!"
Izuku watched as All Might stood in front of Shoto and Yaoyorozu. The hero took a moment to talk to each one of them, and from their faces, they seemed to appreciate what he had to say. He then placed a bronze medal around each of their necks. He then moved over to Ochako and began speaking to her, but Izuku was distracted by another sight.
"Nana," Izuku whispered as he saw his grandmother standing in front of him.
"You did great today," the vestige said as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "I'm proud of you."
"Thank you," Izuku whispered to the woman as he fought the urge to reach out and touch her hand.
The moment passed when All Might walked through her form and she dissolved into nothingness. The suddenness of the change was enough to make him flinch.
"Is everything okay, young Midoriya?" All Might asked.
"Yep!" Izuku said far too quickly. "Sorry, just distracted."
"It's understandable," the hero said. "You had a long day and fought many battles! And you emerged victorious throughout them all!" He raised the medal in his hand. "Between you and young Uraraka, I know Japan is in safe hands."
Izuku felt himself crying as All Might slipped the medal on his neck. He turned toward Ochako, only to see it was her turn to talk to Nana. When the vestige was done, his girlfriend turned toward him and nodded.
"Todoroki, Yaoyorozu," Izuku called as he wiped his tears away with his sleeve. "I'd like you to join me up here.
"Hmm?"
"What is going on?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"We all deserve to be up here," Izuku explained. "And Japan should know that."
"I see." Shoto rubbed his chin before he nodded. "If you insist."
Izuku stepped back to give the other three room to join him on the podium. Once the four were up there, he turned around and waved to the crowd.
We are here.
Chapter 77: Planetarium Date
"I'm heading out!" Himiko called from the entryway.
"Have fun watching your girlfriend!" Inko said lightly.
"Tell Song good luck!" Izuku added.
"Like she'll need it," Himiko said smugly. "See you tonight!"
With the slam of the door, she was gone, leaving Izuku alone with his Mom as they sat at the table and finished breakfast.
"I'm surprised you aren't going today," Inko admitted as she turned toward her son. "Now that you're attending UA I thought you'd be spending half of your break at the stadium watching the other kids."
"Well…" Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I actually did last time." He watched his Mom's smile droop slightly at the reminder of all he had been through. "It was fun! But I'm not sure how different it'll be?" He added quickly. "Besides, you're recording it, right?"
Inko chuckled lightly. "There's the Izu I know. Of course I'm recording it."
"Great! Once I get home, I'd like to watch it with you," Izuku said. "I'd say we could wait for Himi but…"
"She's going to be staying with the Songs tonight," Inko said.
"Right," Izuku said far too quickly, not wanting to think about what the two of them would be doing. "I guess it'll just be us for tonight."
"That's okay," Inko assured her son. "We saw the most important one together yesterday."
"Yeah," Izuku said fondly. "We did."
And this time your tears weren't sad, but happy.
Inko smiled at her son before she pushed herself upright. "Well, I'm sure you'd rather be spending your time with your girlfriend rather than me." She picked up her plate and walked back to the kitchen.
"I'll still help!" Izuku protested as he jumped to his feet, his plate in his hands.
He looked down awkwardly at it and sat back down before he began to shovel the rest of his food into his mouth. Inko started chuckling, and he froze.
"Oh Izu," Inko said as she gave him a warm smile. "It's okay, really." She gave him a sad smile. "You and Himi are both– you're growing up so fast. I knew it, but when I saw the two of you out there yesterday…" A tear escaped and ran down her cheek.
Izuku lowered his chopsticks as he looked up at his mom. "We may be growing up, but you'll always be important to us."
"I know," Inko said as she wiped her cheek. "And I've got Toshi now. But part of me wants to be selfish and hold on as long as I can."
Izuku thought back to the day when Toshinori got on his hands and knees and begged his mom to let him go to the dorms. His chair scraped against the wooden floor as he slid back and slowly rose out of it before he walked over and wrapped his arm around his mom.
"The dorms won't officially open until next year," Izuku said. "So you've got plenty of time left. And Nezu's hoping to make the policies less restrictive this time around, which means Himi and I can come visit you as much as we want."
"Thank you." Inko looked up into her son's eyes.
"You deserve it," Izuku said as he let his mom go. "I've got a little time before I need to meet Ocha anyway, so let me help."
"Crap!" Izuku said as he jogged towards the meeting spot. He was so caught up spending time with his mom that he was late!
When the spot finally came into view, he saw Ochako playing on her phone and slowed down. Today, she was dressed in a pair of black leggings and a dark red shirt with a picture of Ryukyu emblazoned across it, with a dark pink sweater tied across her waist for later. As he looked her over, he couldn't help but think about how cute she was.
She must have heard his thoughts as she looked up from her phone and raised an eyebrow. "Like what you see?"
"I just–" Izuku looked at her shirt. "You don't wear a lot of hero merch! Normally, it's star-themed or a plain color!" he replied quickly.
Ochako giggled. "What, I can't decide to match my boyfriend for our date?"
"Match?" Izuku replied dumbly before he looked down. Sure enough, he chose a shirt with All Might giving his signature smile without even realizing it.
"I had a fifty-fifty shot." Ochako gave him a grin. "It was either that or one of your kanji shirts."
"Well you got it right," Izuku said as he stepped closer and kissed her on the cheek. "You look great."
"So do you." She smiled back at him as her hand found his. "So what do you have planned for the day?"
"Do you remember the conversation when we finally confessed?"
"Which part?" Ochako asked carefully as Izuku felt her fingers loosen their grip. "We said a lot that night."
"The part about the Planetarium," Izuku said quickly to reassure her. With his free hand, he reached into his bag and pulled out an envelope. "And how you were afraid I wasn't the one sitting next to you."
Ochako's eyes went wide at the sight of the logo. "You– how long have you been sitting on those?!"
"A few months," Izuku admitted. "Golden Week's a pretty popular time."
"Izu," Ochako murmured before she leaned forward and kissed him. "You're the best!"
"You did say I owed you for beating you yesterday," he teased.
Ochako let out a startled laugh. "How confident were you about winning yesterday?!"
"I wasn't," Izuku confessed. "But it's a good excuse?"
"Dork." Ochako stuck her tongue out at him. "This is why I love you."
Izuku squeezed Ochako's hands and felt her grip tighten in response. "I love you more."
"Don't you dare!" Ochako raised her voice. "I'm not gonna lose twice in a row!"
"Okay," Izuku conceded, but the grin on his face told a different story. "I'll let you have this round."
"Well now I just need to win the next one too!"
"I guess we'll see." Izuku smiled before he tilted his head in the direction of the train station. "Ready to get going?"
"Yep!" Ochako said brightly. "Lead the way."
As they walked through the station and rode the train, the young couple found themselves periodically stopped as people wanted to talk to them or congratulate them. It was a minor inconvenience compared to the anonymity they had before the sports festival, but neither of them seemed to mind.
"I'm surprised the two of you are dating," one particularly daring girl admitted. "Considering how brutal that fight was!"
"Oh, that's usual for us," Ochako admitted.
"Yep!" Izuku added. "When we become heroes, we're gonna have to train hard to protect people!" He turned toward Ochako and she could feel the love in his gaze. "And I don't know anyone I'd rather have as a sparring partner."
Ochako could hear the girl's squeal of joy, but right now, she was too focused on Izuku's gaze to care. When they were done living in their own world, the girl wished them luck and took off and they continued through the station.
Fortunately, the crowded train gave the people around them few opportunities to talk, and Ochako was fine with that. She leaned into Izuku's side with her phone in her hand, and she felt her boyfriend's head on her shoulder as he watched her scroll through videos and articles until they reached the end of the line.
They got off the train, and the duo managed to make it through the much lighter crowd without incident as they took off toward the Mustafu Planetarium. Once inside, they had some time to spare, and Ochako wasted no time in dragging her boyfriend to the displays that lined the central auditorium while they waited.
"You know, we've spent so much time in there I almost forget what our sky looks like," Izuku admitted as they stopped in front of a mural of the night sky.
Ochako gasped. "Really?"
"Yeah," Izuku said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "It doesn't help that we can't see much of the sky in the city."
"That's true." Ochako's brows furrowed in concentration before she got a brilliant idea. "We just need to do more evening dates then!"
"Evening dates?"
"Yep!" Ochako nodded vigorously. "I'm sure we can find some parks and places outside the city where we can stargaze!" She swept her hand over the image in front of them. "Then we can see all of this for ourselves!"
"I'd like that," Izuku said.
"Great!" Ochako replied brightly. "Guess that means I'm in charge of our next date, huh?"
"I'm looking forward to it." Izuku smiled at her.
Ochako squeezed her boyfriend's hand tighter as they returned their attention to the mural.
When it was time for their presentation, Ochako led Izuku into the amphitheater, and they found seats near the middle of the room. And this time she had no qualms about resting her head on Izuku's shoulder, her hand resting on his leg while his arm held her close. She savored his warmth as they watched the show. And, as the credits were about to play, she managed to steal a kiss before the lights went up.
"Something tells me you preferred this show," Izuku said softly as she pulled away.
"Yes," Ochako said serenely. "I loved it."
"I'm glad." Izuku smiled at her.
The lights turned back on, and the two reluctantly gave up their seats. They lingered a little while longer in the main hall, catching the last few exhibits before Izuku's stomach reminded them that they had skipped lunch.
Izuku's face turned a bright crimson as he looked down. "I guess we should get food, huh?"
Ochako was trying her hardest not to laugh as she stared at her boyfriend. "Can you hold out to our cafe?"
"Of course!" Izuku said indignantly. "I'm not that hungry!"
"Your stomach disagrees," she teased, "but we're just about done here anyway." She tilted her head toward the exit. "Let's go."
Tugging on her boyfriend's hand, she weaved through the other people in the hall and led them out of the planetarium. When they got outside, they paused for a moment, and Ochako blinked rapidly as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the change in light. When she was ready, she gave Izuku a questioning glance, and he nodded before they resumed their journey.
"After lunch, is there anything else you want to do?" Izuku asked.
Ochako shook her head. "After this morning, we could be fighting villains all afternoon, and it wouldn't ruin my mood."
Izuku laughed nervously. "Do you really want to tempt fate like that?"
Ochako gave him a playful smile before she placed a finger on her chin and gave the appearance of deep thought. "You're right. I'd much rather not share my boyfriend with villains today."
"I know it's selfish, but I feel the same way," Izuku admitted.
Ochako couldn't keep the smile off her face as she tightened her grip on her boyfriend's hand.
While the future heroes enjoyed their date, on the other side of town the other hero hopefuls who attended UA's sports festival filed out of the campus.
"Damn it!" Emily exclaimed. "I was so close to taking Fuwa down!"
Himiko rolled her eyes. "You still took second place in the Sports Festival!"
"I know! And if I was paying more attention mmmph–" Emily was cut off by Himiko's lips crashing into hers. Her eyes narrowed as her girlfriend pulled away with a playful look on her face. "Not. Fair!"
"You made me stop moping yesterday, it's my turn," Himiko said.
Emily groaned and rested her head against Himiko's shoulder. "Why can't you just let me sulk?"
"Because you're cuter when you're your usual stubborn, brilliant self," Himiko said, earning herself an embarrassed squeak from the other girl.
"Fine." She lifted her head and glared at Himiko. "You win."
Himiko gave her girlfriend a far-too-satisfied smile as she grabbed her hand. "Besides, I know you. You're gonna train your ass off, and you're gonna win the next sports festival. The important one, since you'll be a third year. Not that you have to worry about getting an internship."
"Now don't start that again," Emily said darkly.
Himiko rolled her eyes but changed topics. "Ready to see Eri? I'm sure she'll make us both feel better."
"Yes!" Emily exclaimed. "I'm sure she's waiting for us."
Thirty minutes later, the two girls arrived at the familiar apartment complex and made their way up to Aizawa and Fukukado's apartment. Himiko let go of her girlfriend's hand and knocked on the door.
"Coming," a familiar voice called out, only for the door to open and reveal Aizawa. "There you are."
"You can't say we're late," Himiko said innocently. "We're fifteen minutes early!"
"I know." He let out a sigh as he opened the door fully to reveal his living room – and his daughter.
Eri turned and her face lit up as she saw the two high schoolers. "Himichan! Emmychan!" She hopped up and ran over to the two girls before she crashed into Emily. "You did so good today!"
"Where's my hug?" Himiko asked as she looked down at the girl.
"Sorry," Eri apologized before she let go of Emily and switched to Himiko. "You were so brave yesterday!"
"It's okay," Himiko assured her before she returned the girl's hug. "It was scary, but I promised you I'd show everyone that my quirk isn't bad!"
"Mhm!" Eri nodded before she pulled back and looked up at Himiko. "And if yours isn't bad, then mine isn't bad either!"
Himiko felt her heart swell before she heard a cough reminding her that Aizawa was still there.
"Now I need to go to work for a while, but Mom should be home once she helps clean up her sports festival." He gently placed a hand on Eri's head. "Be good until she gets here, okay?"
"Of course!" Eri chirped. "Can big sis and auntie stay once Mom gets here?"
Aizawa looked at the two girls before he sighed. "I'd say ask your Mom, but I know what she's gonna say."
"Yay!" Eri cheered as she smiled up at her dad.
Himiko and Emily felt the girl grab their hands and let themselves be led over to the couch. As Himiko felt Eri let go of her hand so she could get settled on the couch, she looked over at their teacher. Aizawa was giving the girl a fond smile as he wrapped his signature capture scarf around his neck.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good night Dad, be safe!"
"Don't worry." He activated his quirk, and his eyes glowed for a moment. While Himiko felt herself flinch, she knew the sight assured the little girl. "I will."
Once Aizawa left, Eri turned her attention back to the girls she saw more as family than sitters. "Mom and Dad let me watch you on tv! But I want to know what it was like being there!"
Emily smirked at Himiko. "Why don't you let Himichan go first? Since you just saw me on tv?"
"Good idea," Eri agreed as she looked at Himiko.
Himiko looked at the bright red eyes staring up at her and smiled. "They made sure things were exciting from the moment we were lowered into the ground…"
By the time Himiko and Emily were done regaling Eri with their stories about the sports festival, Fukukado had come home and made dinner for the two of them. The hero asked if the two girls wanted to stay, but they politely declined since they were going on a dinner date afterward.
"Feeling better?" Emily asked Himiko as they walked down the stairs toward the exit.
"Yep!" Himiko chirped. "How about you?"
"Me too," Emily said. "Eri's got a way of doing that, huh?"
Himiko nodded with a fond smile on her face. "I'm glad Izu rescued her."
"Even though he may have physically rescued her," Emily said before she kissed her girlfriend on the cheek, "I think it was her big sister Himichan who rescued her heart."
Himiko felt her blush marks deepen as she stared at her girlfriend out of the corner of her eye. "You always know exactly what to say, it's not fair."
"Of course it's fair!" Emily said proudly. " Someone's gotta tell you these things."
Himiko froze on the next landing and grabbed her girlfriend, pulling her into a deep hug. "Thank you Emmy, sometimes I'm glad I fell for someone as stubborn as you are."
"I'm glad I found someone who puts up with it," Emily said as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.
Their shared laughter reverberated through the stairwells before they gently kissed each other. The two separated and continued down the stairwell in silence before they emerged into the evening air.
"C'mon," Himiko said as she grabbed her girlfriend's hand. "The sooner we eat, the sooner we can go to your place."
The next day, Izuku once again met up with Ochako and they returned to UA to spend the morning watching the third years compete. Even though they were two of the few first years there, they didn't really mind.
They cheered on their seniors, the Big Three, and they cheered on Melissa as she announced herself to Japan. She was debuting her Might System, an armored exoskeleton that she based off of the Hercules suit her father built for All Might. While her prototype was much less impressive, it still helped her make it all the way to the top sixteen. Unfortunately, when she was forced into one-on–one combat her inexperience showed, and the hero student she faced easily took her down.
But they hoped it was still enough to get people interested in her project.
As they expected, Mirio won the whole thing with Tamaki in second and Nejire sharing the third place podium with Kawauso, an otter mutant that neither of them recognized. They waited until the awards ceremony was done before they finally stood up and left. Once inside they made their way down to the support lockers in search of their friend.
"Hey Melissa!" Ochako called from across the room as she spotted the American girl. "You did great!"
"Yeah!" Izuku nodded rapidly. "The idea of using modules to simulate quirks for injured heroes could help so many people!"
"Thanks you two." Melissa smiled warmly at them. "I couldn't have done it without a little inspiration from my uncle."
She looked like she wanted to say more, but all three of them knew that this wasn't the place for that. Not in public. Not with other support students around.
"I'm glad we could watch," Izuku said. "Your gear's been invalua–"
"See!" Izuku froze as he heard the voice of Nejire from the entryway. "I told you I saw them go this way!"
"Would you look at that," Mirio said. "You were right."
"Of course I was!"
Izuku and Ochako turned to see Mirio and Nejire approaching them with an awkward Tamaki reluctantly being dragged behind them.
"You were looking for us?" Ochako asked as she recovered first.
"Yep!" Nejire said brightly. "We're going out to dinner to celebrate."
"Tamaki spotted you in the stands and suggested we invite you," Mirio said.
"D-don't tell them that," their companion grumbled as he walked over to a locker and rested his head against it.
"If you two want to go, that's okay," Melissa assured the pair from behind them. "I've still got to pack up and then call my dad."
Nejire and Mirio looked at the girl behind them, then at each other, and then back to Melissa.
"Why would we do that?" Nejire asked.
"Didn't you come looking for them?" Melissa asked warily.
"Yep!" Nejire said. "But we're not gonna pass up a chance to talk to you either!"
"Really?" Melissa exclaimed.
"Of course!" Mirio said. "Your demonstration was amazing!"
"You've been underselling yourself whenever we talked," Tamaki spoke up from the back. "Not that I can blame you, I understand being nervous."
Ochako turned to Melissa. "I know the first few weeks have been busy and you didn't get to talk with them as much as you'd like, but what better time than now?"
Melissa's face quickly shifted from disappointment to excitement as her eyes bounced between the five students in front of her. What started as a fake smile turned genuine as they saw a glimmer return to her eyes. "Sure! But first I need you to help me carry stuff back to the support department."