Mato stood tall on the stands, waiting for the next match.
"AND NOW, DEAR WATCHERS, WE HAVE SHOTO TODOROKI VS. FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI!" Present Mic announced.
(Finally, some action...)
Suddenly, from his left, Mato was approached by Oro. "Mind if I watch with you?"
Mato shrugged. "Your choice."
Oro wrapped his arm around Mato's shoulders. "Let's watch together, then."
Oro took a look at the fighting stage. "Is a friend of yours there?"
"Yeah," Mato said. "The one with the scar on his face."
"I can't see his face from here!" exclaimed Oro.
"Okay, do you see the one who wears full black and has a crow-like face?"
"Yes, I see him."
"Fine, my friend is the other one."
"Oh, now I see..."
"BEGIN!" Present Mic yelled.
"Oh, they're about to begin!" Oro smiled with excitement.
(What is he, five years old?) Mato wondered. (And most importantly, why does he look like me...?)
Tokoyami attacked Shoto with Dark Shadow. Shoto used his ice to block it.
"He seems strong!" exclaimed Oro.
"He is," said Mato. "Whoever wins this match is gonna be my opponent in the semifinals."
"Really?" repeated Oro. "Who are you hoping to face?"
"Todoroki," Mato stated firmly. "Because he is my friend and would give me a better matchup."
"So you're aiming for the hard mode, huh?"
Mato turned to his left to face Oro. "You play video games too?"
"Of course I do!" Oro exclaimed. "When I'm not busy doing the hero, of course."
"So, never?"
"...Yeah, more or less."
"INCREDIBLE! TOKOYAMI CAN'T LAND A HIT ON TODOROKI!"
"Oh, let's focus on the match!" said Oro.
"Yeah," muttered Mato, still leaning against the wall.
Todoroki froze the fighting stage, trapping Tokoyami.
"TOKOYAMI IS CORNERED!"
"Time to end this," Shoto muttered. (I want to fight Hideki, not you...)
WOOSH!
Todoroki froze Tokoyami, making him unable to move.
"TOKOYAMI CAN'T MOVE! THE VICTOR IS TODOROKI!"
"Told ya he'd have won," said Mato, scratching the back of his head.
"He seems pretty strong," said Oro. "Good luck against him!"
"I don't need luck," said Mato. "I decide when to perform well."
"I like your confidence!" Oro exclaimed, clapping Mato's back. "I'm even more willing to make you my assistant when you become a hero!"
Mato stared at Oro, then he smiled.
"I accept to join your agency," he said. "Just don't be boring."
The two shook hands, and without even acknowledging it, they became friends.
__________
Mato went downstairs. It was time for Bakugo Vs. Kirishima, but he didn't care about that much. He should have, since Bakugo was one of the possible opponents in the final, but he didn't.
He knocked at the door of the waiting room.
"Who's there?" Shoto demanded.
"Hideki," Mato answered.
"Come inside," said Shoto.
Mato opened the door and quickly closed it behind him.
"Good job, mate."
Shoto pointed his bottle of water at Mato.
"Thanks. Now it's me against you, in the semifinals."
"Yeah. And we all know who's going to win."
Mato and Shoto looked at each other.
"Me, of course," they said in unison.
"Sorry, but I want to show my father I can win without my left side," said Shoto.
"And I want to show everyone Class B is not trash."
Shoto gave a half smile. "Good purpose."
"Yours too."
"Aren't you going to see Bakugo's match?"
"Nah, I don't care."
"You should."
"You should too. If he wins, either you or I could face him in the final."
"You're right."
"I'll leave you alone now, Shoto. Next time we meet will be on the fighting stage."
Mato turned back and started to leave, but suddenly, he stopped.
"There's also one more reason I want to win this festival."
Shoto tilted his head. "What?"
"I want to impress a girl I like."
"What's her name?"
Mato threw a bottle of water at Shoto. "Do you expect me to tell you!?"
"I don't know, I thought we were friends..." Shoto massaged his head.
"We are, but we're not close enough to reveal our crushes."
"You have a point."
Shoto picked up the bottle from the ground. "Do I know her?"
"No, don't think so."
"Is she from this school?"
"No."
"Do you know her in person?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you ask her out after the festival?"
"Only if I win."
"This won't be a reason for me to let you the win."
"I knew it."
Mato turned again. "See you on the fighting stage, Shoto. Don't you dare hold back."
"Yeah, you too, Hideki."
__________
A few minutes later...
"And so, we have the table of the semifinals!" Midnight shouted. The screen showed the four remaining names.
"Hideki Shirakawa Vs. Shoto Todoroki; Katsuki Bakugo Vs. Tenya Iida."
Mato scratched his head. "Time for some action."
He quickly started to go downstairs when he was approached by Oro.
"Good luck," he said. "Even if you said you don't need it."
"Thanks anyway, Oro-san," said Mato.
Downstairs, Mato started to warm up for the battle. In the hall, he met Endeavor.
"Hey, you," he thundered. "If you dare to knock my son out of this tournament, I'll make you pay."
Mato swallowed, but answered boldly.
"Sorry, but a threat from the #2 National Hero won't be enough to make me surrender."
"How dare you..." Endeavor gritted his teeth.
"I'd ask you for an autograph, but I gotta go now," said Mato, almost with a mocking tone. "I'll convey your greetings to Shoto."
(Hell no, I won't.)
"LET'S BEGIN WITH THE FIRST MATCH OF THE SEMIFINALS!"
Mato stepped up, showing himself to the crowd. His hair was swinging in the air, his fists were clenched, and his grin was challenging and full of itself.
"ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRAINING GROUND, WE HAVE AN OUTCASTER WHO'S DOING AN AMAZING JOB IN THIS FESTIVAL: HIDEKI SHIRAKAWA!"
"AND ON THE LEFT SIDE, WE HAVE THE ALREADY WELL-KNOWN ENDEAVOR'S SON: SHOTO TODOROKI!"
"Ganbare, Todoroki-kun!" the students of Class A were shouting.
(No one is rooting for me...) thought Mato.
"Ganbare, Hideki-kun!" Mato heard someone from the stands. He looked up and saw Itsuka.
(Why is she dressed as a cheerleader? Is she trying to impress me? My heart belongs to Himiko-chan...! Even if she looks cute in that orange dress... no, no time to think about it, Satoru.)
He turned to Shoto.
"Ready?"
Shoto nodded. "Ready."
"Ganbare, Shirakawa-kun!" Setsuna encouraged.
(Shoto's my friend, but I can't fail them...)
"BEGIN!"
Shoto and Mato shouted in unison:
"Bring it on, Shoto!"
"Bring it on, Hideki!"
Chapter 17 - End