Chapter 34: Kindling Flames
"Hey Kirishima." Tennyson had spoken. "Could you maybe go with Midoriya?"
Back outside the tournament ground, Todoroki had watched as Midnight caught Tennyson and his posse of their classmates off-guard.
Of course, the answer that came from him was very chipper, while everyone else's faces seemed to be clouded.
"That's no problem, right Miss Midnight?" He raised his hands. "You said his fight was coming up, not necessarily about to start."
The teacher then allowed it to happen.
"Alright then. What do you say, Kirishima? How about you give him some tips on the good ol' one two?" He raised his hands and punched the air.
That was seven minutes ago.
Todoroki had already arrived at the room, sitting down. Nothing else in the room had been touched. He was just there, with his hands assembled and half-shut eyes.
"But next time, check it at the door."
The form of Tennyson dragging Bakugo by the ankle played in his mind.
"I WANT my indisputable first place! And that's not possible, if I beat scum that underestimate me!"
He remembered the forms Tennyson used throughout their time knowing each other.
The roly poly he had to deal with in the obstacle course.
The wolf that he used to go against Aizawa on the first day.
Not to mention the one he added to his arsenal today.
Multiplying his numbers and subsequently utilizing the sonic screams, it had made his ice crumble before him and his team multiple times.
"-But if you believe even a hint of what you heard about the USJ, you should know that I know my stuff about combat." Todoroki remembered him saying.
All of the forms… seemed remarkably strong in his hands.
Todoroki's brows crossed with aggression. Crystalizing from his side under his sleeve, ice appeared. No doubt Tennyson would put on that exact same face of his, brazenly thinking he was above worrying.
Well, he would not be making the same mistakes–
Midnight suddenly barged into his room. "It's time, my dear."
"Are you ready?" She seductively asked, and… Todoroki rubbed the bridge of his eyes.
"Right, first…" he said to himself. "Midoriya."
The creaking sound of NRG's armor faded in place of the fiery eyes of Midoriya.
"That fighting style of his is good for close quarters. Though he has his flicks to extend his range."
Todoroki raised an eyebrow. "His full power…"
His eyes darted around the place, as thoughtfully they narrowed, half-closing.
"No matter. It is… irrelevant."
Midoriya had his head down, walking slowly.
"Come on, Midoriya! We don't have much time." Kirishima said, a lot more pep in his step.
"Right…" he sighed.
Midnight had already gone to the arena. When she waved at them before leaving, he could only give a half-hearted smile.
She must have thought the nerves of being about to fight Todoroki was getting to him. If only that were the complete truth.
"Ingenium…" he thought. What Iida said after coming clean about being his brother repeated in his head.
"Ingenium is an unmatched commander who honors the hero code, and his people. As the second Iida son, I strive to be just like him!"
Tears formed under his eyes. Raising his sleeve, he wiped them and looked up. "Please… be alright."
Kirishima had turned back to him, keeping his mouth shut but also trying to not lose some of his enthusiasm. It was hard to not feel pissed off and worried, but someone had to stand strong.
"Come on, man. We can't worry now." He tapped Midoriya's shoulder. "We know how strong Iida is, so his brother must be that much more so–"
All of a sudden, it felt as though time paused. Kirishima felt a warmness pass over him.
With a tight navy turquoise bodysuit, and flames over his torso, face and boots; a tall, sturdy-built man emerged from the left hall.
He knew this man, who didn't…
"Endeavor?"
The light turquoise eyes… descended on his friend.
"E-Endeavor?!" A shrill yell escaped Midoriya. His friend's face had switched from concern to dread.
"Ah, I was looking for you." he stated with eyes solely focused on Midoriya.
"O-Oh, hi… W-What are you doing here, sir?" Midoriya responded.
Endeavor pointed at him.
"I've been watching the fights." he said. "You and that transforming guy have very impressive powers, but you..."
From behind the blaze of his fiery mask, Endeavor's gaze narrowed.
"The way you created so much wind pressure just by flicking a couple fingers, it reminds me of only one other quirk, All Might's."
Midoriya felt his heart suddenly start to race. He nervously responded.
"O-Oh, well, I… I do get that a lot from my friends too."
Midoriya side-eyed Kirishima, and his friend thankfully caught his glance.
"Yeah, Mr. Endeavor." Kirishima stepped next to his friend, and tugged him along past the number 2 hero. "His punches really do feel like All Might's, I would know. Now, he kinda needs to be going–"
"Both you and that crowd favorite will do as opponents for my Shoto." Endeavor added, as their backs had turned against one another. "It's his duty to surpass me and become the number 1 hero."
All of a sudden, Midoriya felt this weight, as Todoroki's words crashed like waves.
"And what better testbed is there than to beat the crowd's favorite, and also the current number 1 wannabe?"
The fire on Endeavor intensified, as he stopped side-eyeing him.
"So, hit him hard. Bring out who he really is, and don't disgrace anyone by holding back, like you did in his match."
Kirishima knitted his eyebrows. Now of course Midoriya held back in his match, because he has to–
Midoriya broke away from his grip.
"Now." Endeavor said, and started walking away. "I apologize for bothering you before your match–"
"It isn't his *duty* to do anything."
The number 2 hero felt perplexed by the words, and so stopped. "What do you–"
"I am not All Might." Midoriya looked back this time, his timid nature clearly burned away. "And even if he's your son, he isn't you. So…"
Endeavor's brows crossed with aggression, as his gaze also settled back on Midoriya.
The pupil of All Might however stood strong.
"... It isn't up to you to determine who he is." he finished, and walked away.
Kirishima was wowed. It actually took him a second to see Midoriya was walking away and follow after him. He had been stuck looking at Endeavor, and trying to read his expression from behind that aggregated fire.
"What's up?" he asked. "What was that back there?"
He hadn't even realized his eyes had widened. It was rare to see Midoriya of all people angry.
Midoriya's determination didn't waver though. He looked right ahead.
"I think I found what I was looking for."
Ben 10: Hero Force
Chapter 34
Kindling Flames
Kirishima arrived back at the stances, and sat by Tennyson.
There was this faint smell of spice in the air, but he shook his head for now. The intrigue he had in this battle had shot up tenfold–
"Hey Kirishima." His transforming friend called to him, a little muffled. "So, Midoriya's ready?"
The redhead kept his eyes on the arena. He tilted his head, and spoke as he huffed. "Much more than you know, dude."
Neither Tennyson or Kirishima could see, but hearing that made Bakugo pause.
Despite all misgivings, he turned his attention to the arena, and leaned forward. It actually scared Sero, who had the unfortunate honor of being the one sitting next to him.
"Dude–
He closed his mouth, as Bakugo side-eyed him with very clear and serious intent. Normally a snarl and scoff would follow suit but… they didn't.
Bakugo just assembled his hands. "Eyes to yourself." he said, and Sero nodded, glad to oblige.
"THE FIRST MATCH OF THE SEMI-FINALS IS HERE!" Present Mic's voice then cut right through.
"The 'only' match of the semi-finals is more like it."Aizawa remarked, but not bothering to turn on his microphone.
"LET'S NOT WASTE TIME EVERYONE! I feel both fighters coming up to this stage have clawed their way through, not just through the brackets but to our minds as well!"
Both fighters went up the stairs, mirroring each other with hands by their sides, standing tall, and brows crossed.
Present Mic raised his hand. "On the left, here comes Midoriya Izuku from 1-A!"
The crowd cheered, but even with all the eyes, Midoriya didn't flinch. He didn't respond to the people either, and just narrowed on his classmate.
"And on the right, also from the hero course class 1-A, we have Todoroki Shoto!"
Letting the wind ruffle their hair, their gazes remain locked.
"Todoroki…" Midoriya said.
However, the fire and ice teen didn't open his mouth. He leaned forward, putting his right foot ahead of his left.
Midoriya flinched… but ended up responding in kind, raising both fists similar to what he did with Kirishima. Todoroki took notice of how Midoriya didn't break eye contact, and somehow seemed to get even more fired up.
"Both of them have been front runners in this year's sports festival." Present Mic spoke again. "BUT ONLY ONE MAY COME OUT ON TOP!"
Almost everyone across the stances felt tension manifest as anticipation rose, as did Todoroki.
Bakugo and Tennyson locked their gaze to what would happen, and seeing the latter's reaction, Yaoyorozu did so as well.
Seeing him also focus and put down the french fries, she attempted to mimic him… and ditch the worry she had for her disciplined stature.
"I can't let him throw around that power of his." Todoroki on the other hand, thought to himself at the arena. "So, the instant we start…"
"BEGIN!"
"Now." He put his hand on the ground, channeling a torrent of ice, bursting forth like a volcano!
Midoriya's response was raising two fingers together.
He winced, right before he let a flick loose like a cannon! The incoming attack collapsed into itself, and shot out like shrapnels!
The audience cried out.
"So cold!"
"Freezing, I mean, help!"
"We're gonna freeze solid by the end of the match!"
Todoroki had to put up his arms, and make ice spikes behind him to withstand the wind.
"I knew it." His gaze narrowed. As the dust settled, Midoriya appeared in his line of sight, holding his broken pinky.
"He's prepared to injure himself."
Todoroki pressed his foot down again. More ice surged. However, the gust of air didn't come this time.
Jumping to the side, Midoriya dodged the attack with all other bones intact.
"7%..." His feet pressed back down on the ground and slid back. He used his hand to balance himself while the red glow veined from his left leg.
"Wow, look at that, dear viewers! Looks like this time Midoriya managed to avoid Todoroki's attack!" Present Mic commented.
"That's the level of power he used against Kirishima." Todoroki commented to himself. "The first attack must have been to probe around my edges."
He opened his legs a little, and repositioned himself. Midoriya opened and closed his hands.
Todoroki tilted his head. "Maybe probe around his own edges too."
He fired another barrage.
Midoriya tensed, and dodged to the left via a smaller flick!
With his opponent distracted by the attack, Todoroki took his chance. He created a path of ice above him!
"I won't give him such a chance." He climbed on and started running.
However, Midoriya jumped into the pathway!
"Don't let the dam break." Deactivating the power on his legs, he then switched the 7% to his right arm. "Don't let..."
Todoroki had heard the shockwave from the leap, and the following piercing silence. His gaze narrowed. With a wave of his hand, he made a second rout–
"SMASH!"
Roaring as it emerged, a literal tornado shattered the frozen pathway in the sky. Launched back from the recoil, Midoriya found himself on the ground!
"Ugh…" He hazily raised his head with his ring finger also broken. "Bad idea–Huh!" That's when he saw Todoroki coming at him from above. His quirk came back on, rolling to the side!
Todoroki slammed his fist down, thorns of ice piercing out from the ground!
"You switched."
Midoriya had got to his feet, backing away as the middle finger now behind his thumb.
"One powerful projectile at a time, on top of your common power…" The light in Todoroki's pupils vanished. "Is this the only extent you will go to?"
Ice erupted from his shoulder on its own!
Midoriya flinched as he jumped back, but one of his red boots still got encased.
"Ahh! Bad touch!" He aimed another flick–
Both of Todoroki's eyes widened, he expanded the ice and covered Midoriya's right side!
"Huh?!" His opponent tried to move, let loose his finger, but he couldn't move from under the ice.
"And that ends it."
Todoroki relaxed, standing up straight again as the misty air came out of his mouth. All he needed now, was to expand the ice to cover Midoriya's left hand as well–
"SMASH!"
Like lightning struck before him, a shockwave threw him back!
He flipped and landed on his feet.
"Not yet…" Midoriya was gritting his teeth, as one of his red boots was blown off, and his big toe was bleeding.
"From his feet?!"
He was showing no intention of backing down however, clenching his left fist. Todoroki went back into battle mode.
"That will stump your mobility!"
He sent forward another attack but Midoriya was already moving. Using his foot with the broken toe he launched himself towards him.
His chest faced the ground as he pulled back his arm. Their eyes met as the fist landed, thundering like a hammer!
"7% SMASH!"
Todoroki erected ice to cushion the blow, however before he could even get up, Midoriya came right back at him.
"Again…" Todoroki tossed the broken pieces of ice off himself, and watched out for movement. Midoriya had tricks but he was anything but a seasoned fighter–
"There!" He shot ice to the left, but Midoriya maneuvered around, striking him with a kick to the back!
Stumbling, Todoroki barely stopped thanks to his ice pillars.
Midoriya fell to the ground, as the broken toe seemingly got irritated over the impact, sending a sharp pain to his head.
For only a moment, the crowd felt allowed to get a word in.
"Dang… Deku." Tennyson noticed Uraraka mumbling on the edge of her seat.
He picked up his fries again. "Yeah, pretty astonishing, isn't it?"
His eyebrows went up. Setting his fries back down, he raised his arm.
"Align the chest, rile back the fist…" he repeated, trying to mimic the hammerfist Midoriya just landed but failing. "How the heck did he do that?"
"I don't know if it's going to last though, ribbit." Asui said from beside Uraraka. "Todoroki can still use his quirk to cover the entire arena."
Yaoyorozu nodded for that. "It would completely take away his footing."
She leaned forward. There was also no real lag time between his attacks, was there?
Todoroki got to his feet, rubbing his chin. The pain from the punch lingered–
A jolt then ran up his back, apparently so did the impact from the kick. However, they weren't making much of a bruise, he could feel them fading.
"Those were well-planned… at least you're half-living up to what I thought of you before." Todoroki said. "But… you also put all that momentum behind your last attacks. All to get me away. Is there a reason for that?"
Midoriya had his fists clenched, holding an expression of pained determination.
"Or… are you still perhaps going to dash at me again?" He asked outloud. "Can you really afford having me at close quarters?"
Midoriya bolted forth!
"Guess so."
Todoroki stood tall, as another stream of ice emerged. Midoriya spun around and dodged, coming at him with a roundhouse kick!
But, a wall of ice barely blocked the attack.
"It wouldn't be an easy thing to do though." Tennyson chimed in.
Yaoyorozu snapped out from her trance, and turned her head.
"Be it Chromastone or NRG, that type of wide-spread attack takes a lot to do." he explained.
Ben remembered the improvised attack he did against Bakugo, the Prismatic Explosion.
"Yeah, seconded." Kaminari then raised his hand, putting a hand on his own shoulder. "Increasing the voltage like that is a gamble."
"Yeah, one that you always lose." Jiro snickered.
Kaminari frowned, opening his mouth–
"And somehow, Dunce Face is right for a change."
The eyes suddenly turned to Bakugo, and seeing all these dumbfounded faces looking at him, a convulsing irritated vein appeared on his head.
"Muscles are like elastic bands, idiots. Pull on them too much, they snap. That's what quirks do."
He rolled his eyes… but it was for show only. Bakugo sneaked a quick glance down to his hands.
"That's why I had my costume the way that I did, so that I can launch those massive blasts without blowback."
"Guess… that makes sense." Kirishima became the one to speak up first.
"Of course it does, shitty hair."
Kirishima then hardened his own arms, as an idea struck.
"But then against someone who uses their quirk a lot, like mine, time's the thing that matters–" he started. "Wait, what are the chances he's doing the same thing again!?"
"Not likely." Yaomomo stated. "Todoroki would most likely reserve himself accordingly–"
"Now, hold on Yaomomo." Tennyson said, cracking a smile. "Kirishima might be onto something. Look at his fingers."
At the arena Midoriya attempted to get in close, land a punch to his chest–
An ice spike rose and guarded!
Todoroki put his hand through the cracked ice, and grabbed onto his hand, freezing it.
"You…"
Midoriya punched his opponent's hand!
"Ah–!
Right after putting his middle finger behind his thumb, his opponent followed up with a flick!
His ice crumbled, one, twice… almost three times before he finally stopped.
Todoroki let his eyes drift down to Midoriya's fingers. Out of all of them, only three fingers were broken… the pinky, ring and middle. Not the index.
"So… a war of attrition is what you had in mind?"
He put the freezing pain forming on his right arm aside. Thankfully… he felt comfortable with ending it.
"I've seen all I can." he thought, sneaking a glance to the stances, scoffing. "Let's see how you deal with it."
Midoriya raised his hand– but Todoroki froze it again!
"Get some distance."
Midoriya, using just 7%, broke free.
"To the right this time."
Another wave surged from the ground! Skipping on his left foot, Midoriya moved to avoid it, towards the right–!
Crouching on his right knee and using his right hand, Todoroki created a wall, preventing him!
The pupil of All Might gasped. "Other side–!"
Another wall manifested there in an instant, courtesy of Todoroki using his quirk out of his hand and leg in tandem.
"Oh, Midoriya's been surrounded!" Present Mic called out. If he wasn't going over these walls, Midoriya had only two directions to go; Out of bounds or… through him.
"Now… for the attrition." Todoroki's brows descended.
Air kicked up as another wave of ice was launched straight for Midoriya!
"Oh no listeners! He's going for the finish!" Present Mic stood up.
Midoriya snuck another glance at the walls, maybe he could break them but there was no time…
"Dammit…!"
He raised his hand, and let loose another flick!
The two blows, the boundless ice and titanic force, clashed and canceled out each other!
Collapsed on one leg, the greenette gasped for air. Lady luck wasn't on his side once more, his index finger had also broken after one use…
"I'm out on my right hand–!"
"Again."
Yet another wave had flashed into frame.
Midoriya raised his left hand, pulling back his index finger. "Dammit–!"
The sheer gust and sturdy ice canceled out again!
Todoroki didn't skip a beat however. "Again." he said.
Midoriya switched to his middle finger, as the blows dulled each other out once more.
"I can keep doing this Midoriya." he stated. "Can you?"
The pupil of All Might clutched his right hand, and the crowd started to mumble.
"He's already better than the average pro, isn't he?"
"That's the son of number 2 hero alright."
"Judgment, mobility, reasoning, all together with a powerful quirk? He's just the complete package!"
"The stronger the quirk…" Midoriya tried to catch his breath. "The less precise the attacks should be, but..."
His breath hitched. "...not enough, not with him."
"So that was it?" Todoroki coldly called out, making his opponent flinch.
He could see how Midoriya wanted to keep fighting, even with those wounds and…
Truth be told, it made him feel sorry.
"I'm sorry about this." He put it into words. "But… thank you for drawing it out at least."
He glanced at the stances.
"He's all clouded at me." He said. Even behind that flaming mask of his costume, the death stare of the number 2 hero was very much out in the open. With his arms crossed, brows furrowed and jaw shut, it was clear how disappointed and frustrated he was growing to be. "It angers him that I'm not using his fire, all thanks to you."
Midoriya looked over too, and… it made him recall hearing his talk with Tennyson.
"Have you ever heard of quirk marriages?.."
"...I picked a fight with you to show the old man that I could already do it, without having to use his damn power…"
"I won't be giving him the satisfaction!... I'll win first place without it!"
Remembering that made blood rush to his head.
"Without a place to run, you're out of options." Todoroki stated. "It's time you admit it, and I end this… for your sake."
Crystalizing behind him in the blink of an eye, Todoroki held out his hand and shot his attack forth!
"Woah woah woah, it looks like Midoriya has no juice left, but Todoroki's still fresh and juicy! Is that his finishing ice attack?!"
Midoriya stared it down, mouth open… before his jaw closed.
Shutting his eyes and twitching his broken fingers, he forced them to be fists and raised his arms!
"May my body withstand this."
Opening ajar, a dark determination poured out. Lowering his arms, Midoriya screamed!
"50… PERCENT!"
Todoroki felt a chill run up his spine.
Midoriya riled a fist back–
He pushed his fist forward and punched the air, rocking the arena with ferocity!
Spikes under Todoroki's boots didn't help, and the ice he tried to make behind him kept crumbling under the impact, it launched him from where he stood!
He made several spikes of ice, attached to the side of the arena, and landed in front of them.
All the ice in the arena had turned to dust, as all four of Midoriya's limbs looked to be flared up and ripped right through the ends of his clothing.
"Bastard…" Todoroki said, letting his aggression leak. "What did you do?!"
A clear stress and more importantly a fear of losing had washed over him!
"Something imperfect, unfinished–"
Midoriya shook ever so briefly as the muscles on his limbs had bulked, blood vessels becoming more easily defined. The red energy had spread out all over his body, except for the torso and the head.
"You asked for me to not hold back… earlier today, remember?"
Todoroki recalled it well. Midoriya gained his balance.
"So, I'm fulfilling my promise. This is the best I can manage for now." He straightened up slowly. "Though I should have definitely practiced with it more."
Todoroki narrowed his eyes.
"The probability of it succeeding now was probably…I'd say it's ten percent at best. Or somewhere around there."
"And if you failed?" Todoroki had instinctively asked.
Midoriya's head lowered, as the warning of All Might before he received his quirk came to mind.
Shaking his head, he looked at his opponent and… spoke very strainedly. A sharp migraine had struck his head the second he opened his mouth again.
"It would most likely be worse than just my body collapsing."
A serious, rather unnerved expression took over Todoroki's face, he probably noticed how his muscles were pulsating with every move.
"That's not just fulfilling a promise." He stated bluntly. "What are you trying to do here–?!"
"Prove you wrong."
A darkness obstructed Midoriya for an ever so brief second.
"We're giving it our all." He said, with his hair still over his eyes as the edges of what remained of his sleeve ripped again.
"To give hope, to try and win, to make our dreams a reality, to become number one!"
Midoriya however put his left fist back as the right one stayed in front of him. "Here goes, Todoroki!"
Ice manifested all around Todoroki, as his stance also widened. He raised his arms to protect his face–
Midoriya vanished in a red flash.
"Take this!"
Todoroki's pupils dilated, as he gasped and found a fist embedded right to his cheek!
From the stances, Aizawa's eyes widened. "He's fast!"
Sound of Midoriya's feet skipping around the arena came after the blow.
It made Todoroki reel as spit came out of his mouth, and the ice spikes behind him broke. Waving his hand, he barely created some ice attached to the ring to slide back into safety, right before coming back around to attack–
"HAAAAAAAA!" Cold crept forward at outstanding speed!
Sidestepping around the stubble of ice, Midoriya slammed the ground, fully breaking the remnants of any ice structure.
"What?!"
He ran forward and landed another fist right into his gut!
The audience gasped. "He got another hit?! On Todoroki?!"
"Ahh–" Air was knocked out of him.
"It's no use." Midoriya said between his teeth. He shook his head right before he made eye contact again. "Your freezing body won't last against what I have right now!"
Attempting to block at close quarters, Todoroki tried to cover his own arms and side with ice. Midoriya responded however with a demolishing inside punch and a left cross!
"Go…" he only said to himself. "GO! Don't let any… any of the dams break!"
He took a step back, repositioned himself, and ended it with a ferocious uppercut!
"You think you can win with just half your strength…" He said, as blood escaped his red and swollen fingers. "You haven't even put a single scratch on me with it yet!"
He then aimed a flick to the air… however when he launched it, the bones on his right finger broke again.
Todoroki was sent back, barely managing to save himself with his ice a second time.
"Now *that's* more like a 'Dang, Midoriya'." Jiro gasped, squinting and slightly turned away from the stage.
"Yeah…" Tennyson crossed his arms slowly. "I didn't think he had this much in him."
"Always fear the kind one's anger." Tokoyami agreed with the sentiment–
"Something's not right."
Everyone turned to the source of the concerned tone, Ojiro.
"You too?" Uraraka asked, breaking her silence, and put one hand over her chest, before taking a deep breath. "I thought it was just me."
Tennyson raised an eyebrow.
"Uh… Could we get some subtitles?" He spoke up, as his glance went around the other classmates who also seemed confused.
"Whatever he has committed to, spreading his quirk over all four of his limbs, it has drastically raised his power." Yaoyorozu took notice, and decided to share her thoughts. "However it seems to siphon all of his stamina in return."
Everyone took a second look at the stage.
"His balance really is all over the place." Ojiro nodded in agreement. "It's just obvious from that."
Sato's eyebrows went up.
"Yeah." He said, noticing how much wider Midoriya's swings had become. "It feels like he has two separate winter jackets on."
"Hmm…" Tennyson put a hand on his chin. "Midoriya already had problems controlling the full power of that quirk on one limb." He added his own two cents. "Trying to manage it on all four… I can't imagine the toll of it, mentally and physically."
Uraraka took notice of how after every significant attack, his arms seemed to grow weaker and Deku seemed to be pausing more. He was puffing breathlessly.
"He's not trying to throw away his own life, right?" she asked concernedly. "He can't be doing that."
Yaomomo shook her head in reaffirmation.
"I'd trust Midoriya that he wouldn't take such a risk." She eased her worries, however…
"I can't deny that the risk for it still persists. He's fervorous."
From behind both of them, Bakugo scoffed.
"You can only say that because you don't know shit, Ponytail." He assembled both of his hands, gritting his teeth in frustration. "This bastard… Once you got his interest, he will stick to you like a slug. Now he's set on Icy-hot. If he wants something, he won't stop at anything to get it from him."
Groaning, the images of that blonde Class 1-B extra's taunts from earlier filled his head.
Bakugo gritted his teeth. Or even earlier, when freaking Deku admitted doing all that spying about his explosion quirk in the combat exercise.
"That's how selfish this bastard is–!"
"Yeah, but he's not the only one!" Ashido spoke up. "Look at Todoroki you guys!"
Bakugo immediately ripped his attention from Deku.
Ashido asked. "Don't you guys think he's moving–"
"-slow." Bakugo's chin fell into his hands. "That's Todoroki's limit."
He noticed how Icy-hot's frost continuously shattered with Deku's fists, only to be replaced on his right arm and leg even when he wasn't attacking.
Bakugo's eyebrows rose. "Unlike my limit… could it be like MP from a video game? Then the only way to refresh would be–"
Midoriya grabbed Todoroki's left fist before he could throw a punch, and landed another flick right to his chest!
He winced again, and lagged in his moves.
"You…" Todoroki pulled himself off the ground. "You want… my fire?"
He coughed into his hand and not even an inkling of worry settled in him, after seeing the red inside the white frost.
"Did the damn old man buy you off or something?!" He raised his head. "Now I'm mad–"
"That's not it!" A pleading sound came out from Midoriya, as his muscles continued to pulsate. "My motivation might seem trivial to yours, but… I want to live up to people's expectations. I want to be able to smile, while doing good for them!"
His eyelids twitched, as if his gaze snapped a hundred yards away and back.
"I… WANT TO BE A HERO THAT SAVES EVERYONE!"
For only a moment, Todoroki felt the whole world around him fade away.
"Shoto…" He heard a soft, gentle voice, one that he hadn't heard in years now. His pupils wavered–
"Ah!"
All of a sudden, he found Midoriya landing an uppercut with his palm!
Todoroki glanced down. His fingers were purple and twitching because… he wasn't able to make a fist anymore.
"That's why I'm giving it my all! Just like!.. YOU SHOULD BE!"
Midoriya felt a sharp pain strike all of his joints. The red energy veins of 50% continued to pulsate. His purple fingers creaked in pain.
"There is…" He bit his tongue. "There is no way I can know what you've gone through, or why you're here. Your life's probably been so different than mine, but right now stop screwing around."
He opened his mouth again, taking a deep breath but… his index finger began to shake with an uncontrollable tic. Midoriya held onto it with his other hand to stop it.
"If you want to reject your father, that's fine." He said, looking at Todoroki again with his tone lowered as if it was a growl. "But you have no right to be number 1, IF YOU AREN'T GONNA USE YOUR FULL POWER!"
Todoroki found himself frozen in place again.
His stomach churned, as his mind put him back in his child body, and twisted this overwhelming tone in the tournament in place of someone else's.
He remembered being on his knees, coughing out whatever that was left in his guts.
"Please stop, he's only five!" A gentle pained voice pleaded.
"He's *already* five. Get out of my way!"
The slapping sound echoed in his ear. "Mom…"
In the real world, frost overtook his right side as if he lost the handle on it.
"Shut up." he said under his breath. It cocooned his right side over, as he remembered clutching for that warm embrace again.
"I don't want to, mom… I… I…" He recalled sobbing. "I don't want to be someone like dad!.."
Descending on his head, a hand caressed his dual-colored hair.
"But honey… you want to be a hero, don't you? It's okay, just remember. Stay true to yourself."
Midoriya kicked him in the gut.
"THAT'S WHY… I'M GOING TO WIN THIS! I'LL SURPASS YOU!"
Bits of the frost broke off from his right side, and fell down like shattered glass. It felt like a cold grasp came over his wrist.
"Ignore them, Shoto. They live in a different world than the one I'm training you for."
One day he had arrived in the kitchen, sleepy from just getting done with training. However, the only thing he found was that cold grasp moving in to cover his safe space.
"Mom, I feel like I'm going crazy." She was speaking into the phone. "I can't take it anymore. Every day, those children seem like him a-and… his left side… it's unbearable, I don't want to see it."
"Mom…" He had walked inside. "W-What are you saying?"
Whistling from the kettle hit its peak, and all he saw… were her ash-like eyes.
"What was it that he said…" Todoroki mumbled as his back hit the ground, feeling blistering cold.
"Moronic woman… Huh, she hurt my masterpiece so I admitted her to a hospital…"
That was all he had heard.
"That was your fault. You're the one who made her hurt me."
The blue eyes of his father started down at him.
"I'll reject you!.. I refuse!.." he mumbled, trying to get to his feet once again. "I refuse to use his left side!-"
"IT'S YOURS!" Midoriya shouted. "IT'S YOUR QUIRK! NOT HIS!"
Todoroki's breath… hitched.
"Yes, that's right! Children often develop their quirks from their parents, or ones with similar power sets. But a quirk is what you make of it."
The cold… vanished ever so briefly. In the warm confines of his traditionally designed house, sitting on the couch, he remembered having his eyes fixated on the screen, as the blonde, muscular, number one hero talked with his everlasting smile.
"You decide what you decide. You believe what you want to believe. Take this to heart kids! No one can hold you back from becoming a hero."
He had felt the hand on his shoulder lift up to his head, and pull him closer.
As if he let the reins go, his eyes grew and a groan escaped him. Erupting from his left at full force, fire swirled into the sky.
"WOAH!" Present Mic gasped. "IS THAT–?!"
Todoroki tuned him out. He just let it surge and melt the frost on his side, as using that part of his quirk felt like getting up from a chair after sitting on it for an eternity.
"My fire…"
It felt toasty, however it didn't make him feel good.
"Wow… amazing." Midoriya stated–
"Why are you smiling?" Todoroki raised his head, wiping the blood from his mouth.
The ends of Midoriya's mouth instantly fell back down, as he just looked at him with a numb, almost pitying look.
"Similar to what you said before, now your broken body won't last against what I have right now."
Midoriya smiled. "Is that so–"
His whole left side began to shake.
"Crap!" The red veins of energy flickered, as his pupils dilated and he breathed laboredly. "My muscles are at their limit. I gotta end this with one shot!"
Bending his knees, his power surged, leaking out to his shoulders as his hair blew in the air–
"100%!"
One hundred percent, everything his opponent had got, even despite the harm it put on his body.
Todoroki however couldn't see past his anger.
Icicles grew from his right, fire soared from his left!
Midoriya leaped–
Todoroki sent his ice!
Thankfully he had gotten enough air, Midoriya barely grazed by the ice, putting back his right arm.
"I… I can't make a fist." He thought… but still channeled power into it, half of his shirt ripping. "...fine… It's fine..!"
Extending his left hand and leaning forward, Todoroki started to raise it up, melting the ice with ludicrous speeds, making pillars bend to his heat–
"SHOTO!"
The booming voice of his father cut through, making everyone jump out of their skin!
"YOU'VE FINALLY ACCEPTED YOUR PURPOSE. WITH MY BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS YOU'LL SURPASS ME!"
Seeing the fire then coming out his hand… Todoroki shivered, freezing solid.
"What…" He gasped, dumbfounded. "..am I doing?–"
However, it was pointless to do so, as even though his movements stopped, his fire didn't.
The match that'd lit up the arena in a blinding light ignited.
*BOOM!*
Remnants of any ice around the arena imploded, crumbling the concrete. Todoroki crossed his arms, putting double the effort to his ice to make *some* kind of foothold!
"What's happening?!" Uraraka raised her arms as air shot out like a geyser!
"The cooled air rapidly warmed, and expanded!" Yaoyorozu answered, barely shielding her own eyes.
Ferocity of it soon died down thankfully, however seeing even the glass of the commentary booth shake, Present Mic couldn't help but have a fearful tone.
"Midnight, are you still down there? What's happening?"
The teacher pulled herself up, rubbing her head. As the steam subsided, she would come to see the success of his strategy.
The ice had indeed allowed him to hold on. However Midoriya… was nowhere near that lucky.
As all of his ice remnants imploded, and crumbled the concrete below them, the force sent the protage of All Might out of bounds.
Todoroki shakily tried to gather his breath, and let his mind catch up–
Cracking her whip just as she got up, Midnight raised her hand!
"Todoroki wins! He advances to the finals!"
Very loud cheering from the audience emerged, but…his class didn't seem to be so enthusiastic.
"Deku…" Uraraka twitched in her seat.
Whatever power Midoriya activated was long gone, however his muscles still swelled as if something were pumping air into them, with his veins still clearly bulging.
"Get him to the healing room." Midnight instructed to the robots, her sultry persona was non-existent. "Now!"
Tennyson fully got up.
"Come on." he said. "We should check on him."
Kirishima got up as well, as did Asui and Mineta.
"Yaomomo?" Tennyson asked, as she had also seemingly gotten up. However, her gaze hadn't broken away from the arena yet.
"Go without me, give Midoriya my best wishes."
Ben tilted her head. "What are you gonna do?"
Yaomomo looked back at the arena.
The distance between them was quite far, but with his shirt blown off, they could make out the cuts and bruises that covered Todoroki's upper body.
Even though he had won, there was no enthusiasm from the recommended student. As a robot approached, he just sat on the side, slouched and… closed in on himself.
"I understand how difficult of a battle this was for Midoriya, breaking his bones, and I understand how he should have support from us now. However…" She said that, and managed to look Tennyson in the eyes, but still struggling to find the words–
"But you think something else's broken with Todoroki?" He finished her sentence.
Yaomomo nodded. Reluctance was all over her face about leaving Midoriya but…
"Okay." he waved his hand. "Go check. We'll give him your best wishes."
Momo stared into Tennyson's eyes, as if she measured his conviction to that for a second.
However, she nodded, and ran back before turning right to get up through the steps and down to the stadium.
Ben couldn't help but crack a smile after her. He then turned around and turned left, going up through the stairs to once again go into the stadium grounds.
Seeing all of this happen right in front of her, Ashido then leaned back on her seat comfortably, putting hands behind her head before throwing a glance at Jiro.
"Good luck beating the allegations now."
Jiro got up from her seat. "Hey Yaomomo, wait up!"
Todoroki, with the assistance from a small robot, got escorted to a separate room.
It had the same setup as the nurse's office but…
He took a step back, and read the sign above.
"Recovery Girl's Temporary Nurse's Office (Backup)"
Inside stood Recovery Girl next to one of the beds.
"Oh okay, good. You arrived early–" She gestured to him to sit on the bed, as her eyes widened ever so slightly. "Wow, never noticed Midoriya could give quite a shiner like that."
Todoroki put a hand on his right eye and felt a bit of swelling, and pain.
"Shiner… a black eye." he thought.
Recovery Girl waved her hand. "Well, don't idle around, let's get you treated."
Doing as he was told, Todoroki sat down.
Recovery Girl reached into the cabinet, and took out ice bags, antiseptic wipes, and bandages.
"You sustained quite a lot of injuries of your own, didn't you?" Recovery Girl reached into the cabinet, and took out ice bags, antiseptic wipes, and bandages. She extended an ice bag to him.
"No need." he said.
Closing his eyes, he activated his right side–
*Cough!* *Cough!*
Todoroki looked into his hand, and saw red splatter. Recovery Girl instantly noticed it, and sneaked a look.
"Did you…" She sighed disappointedly. "Gosh, did you also fight with broken bones?"
Todoroki stayed silent, as one of his hands clutched the right side of his torso. There were one or two broken ribs right there, he was sure of it.
"Ugh, kids today… So reckless." Recovery Girl scowled disappointedly. "They get injured and walk it off like nothing happened(!)" She mumbled and complained to herself.
Grabbing the ice bag and holding it over his eye, he let his body relax on the bed as she treated his other injuries and her lips stretched out to kiss him on the cheek.
Instantly, the effects of the quirk came on.
"Now, please rest there as I check on a… significantly more urgent patient." Her lips retracted back, as she walked away using her cane. "I hope you can understand, young one."
Todoroki nodded, and fully laid on his back, looking up.
"Finally, a patient who listens." The mumbling of Recovery Girl was barely within earshot, as with the tapping of her cane, she left.
However, his gaze remained glued to the ceiling.
"Why Midoriya?"
Exhaustion crept through his body and the few broken ribs put themselves back to where they were, but his thoughts remained all over the place.
"It's yours!" he had screamed, taking his labored breath away again. "It's your quirk not his."
Starting to swell, his eyelids fluttered, threatening to sleep, but he didn't give in. The actions of his 'classmate', someone who wasn't even at the top, bothered him too much.
"It's that easy?"
He had defeated Midoriya, he had thrown him out of bounds even when he brought his best against him. However, the security he felt in his resolve, his promise… had crumbled.
His mother *had* been absent from his thoughts. And… for what reason?
Raising his left hand, he covered the side of his face with the scar.
"However it happened, I pushed herout of my mind all the same…" He thought. "I've been doing the same to everyone else, haven't I–"
"Well done."
His hand lowered from his face… That so-called father had excused himself into the room.
"What's the matter? You're not going to tell me to get lost anymore?"
There was a strained, tired, but ultimately satisfied smile fashioning his face.
He had most likely seen his black eye, and his bruises–
"It was a little haphazard, but with enough training we should be able to get that under control. Especially when you work by my side."
Todoroki watched him, as he continued with the tentative smile and let out a huge breath while sitting down at a chair in the room.
His body lost that stiff posture. A whole new well to his joy had opened up.
"Finally, without that childish tantrum…"
His hands clasped in anticipation, as the flames over his body expanded along with his posture. The deep, growling tone returned.
"...We have something to talk about."
"The bones in his right arm were shattered."
As joy from one pro-hero brandished one nurse's office, sorrow from two others descended on the other.
Inside of the nurse's office, laying on a bed, Midoriya groaned painedly. All four of his limbs had been put in casts, and he still hadn't quite regained consciousness yet. But, the single person who mentored him and got him to this situation, listened closely in his skinny form.
"Using his full power on them has done irreparable damage, and unfortunately, it will never be the same again." She shook her head. "I'll remove the bone fragments stabbed into his joints, before starting to heal him fully."
Even saying the words however seemingly took a lot out of the old lady.
"I've been suspecting, you know." She stated, a sigh escaping her mouth. "To light a fire under a child, who'd destroy his body this much for what he yearns for… I didn't like it, and unfortunately I was right."
Toshinori lowered his head. With the shirt now off from the kid, he had seen the difference. His torso and head seemed normal, safe for a couple of bruises. The kid managed to hold the quirk at bay, but… the shoulders were reddened.
"As the match went on, he lost control more and more." He thought, seeing the damage fizzle out as it came to his collarbone. The sight made his blood run cold. "His mind resisted but One for All still came this far."
If he slipped, and let it spread to his heart–
"Don't praise him for what he did today." Recovery Girl cut in. "Promise me, All Might. Even without the proper equipment, I can tell there are three lacerations and serious muscle tear for every bone he *hasn't* broken."
Toshinori's blue eyes drifted downwards. He nodde–
"Midoriya!"
The number 1 coughed blood over his words, putting a hand over his mouth!
"That scared the crap out of me…" he mumbled, as several students gathered around the bed.
Young Tennyson, Uraraka, Kirishima, Asui and Mineta.
The 1-A students' consequent yell, brought back Young Midoriya. Narrowly so, the slits of his eyelids opened ajar.
"Huh..?"
"Is he okay?" Young Uraraka asked Recovery Girl.
"He's stable." She replied. "But he's definitely in no state for visitors."
"I'm glad he's okay…" Uraraka then noticed the old man beside Deku's bed. "Oh, nice to meet you, sir."
Toshinori raised his hand, also unsure on what to say. "Uh… Yeah."
"Oh, hey, Mr. Toshinori." Young Tennyson mirrored him familiarly. "It's… Wow, it feels like such a long time since we saw each other." He put his hands on his hip.
All Might's pupils could help but dilate. "Y-yes, Tennyson. It has been too long I'd say!"
Ben extended his hand, and Toshinori obliged in a handshake.
"Wait, Tennyson, who is he?" Mineta asked.
"He's a friend." Ben said. "Back in the day he used to help out Midoriya with his quirk."
Tilting his head, he put a skeptical expression on his face. "... a job that kind of fell to All Might since you've been gone, I don't know if you know–"
"O-or well, All Might yes, but… the rest of my other teachers too." Midoriya's eyes had shot open, clearly any kind of sleepiness he had was scared away.
"Deku!?" Uraraka exclaimed, as the people gathered their attention on the now awake Midoriya… except for Tennyson.
"What do you mean–" Ben's eyes shot open as well. Right, their meeting with All Might was supposed to be a secret. "Oh, yeah!"
He looked back at Toshinori. "It's on All Might *as well* as the other teachers."
Toshinori nodded, indicating he understands, while his pupil tried speaking through the pain again.
"Hey guys… didn't the… the finals start yet?" Midoriya asked.
"The first thing out of bed, and you ask about the fighting?"
Everyone looked towards the door, and saw students from 1-B.
Tetsutetsu cracked a smile. "You know, that's kind of manly."
Shiozaki raised an eyebrow, as Kendo got in between them. "Not sure if this is the appropriate time for that."
"What… are you doing here?" Midoriya said.
Tetsutetsu crossed his arms. "You have one guess for who sent us here."
A lightbulb went off in Kirishima's head. "Tsunotori."
"Bingo."
"Pony sends her best wishes." Kendo then made herself seen.
"Oh yeah, as does Yaomomo." Ben added, before Shiozaki also stepped forward.
"Regretfully, she has a phobia which triggers upon seeing an injured soul. It is not debilitatingly intrusive, however…"
Kendo raised her hand. "...we thought it best to just come in her stead. Hope that's okay."
Midoriya nodded slowly.
"Yeah…" he said, as his eyes turned to Tetsutetsu.
The steel quirked student scoffed. "And apparently I was 'too hard' with your class."
He crossed his arms.
"But again, you had guts in that fight."
"Oh… Thanks?" Midoriya replied.
"No problem." Tetsutetsu added, all with a proud smirk on his face with the arms crossed.
Recovery Girl shook her head.
"As for the fight, they said they're gonna take a break first, ribbit." Asui said. "You really messed up the arena too much for it to continue."
"And Todoroki." Uraraka added, and… it made Midoriya flinch.
He turned his gaze back to the ceiling of the nurse's office.
Tennyson nodded, one hand behind his head. "Yeah, we saw him get assisted by robots. He wasn't looking too hot…"
"Of course not." Mineta said with a dread-filled expression. "That was the scariest fight I've seen yet, Midoriya–"
"I'm pretty sure that's not what he wants to hear, ribbit."
Tears escaped from his eyes, as sorrow fell over his face. "I… didn't mean to… hurt him."
"Midoriya?" Uraraka asked, most likely noticing them. Sniffling and trying to move his arms, he–
"Okay, that's enough out of you!" Recovery Girl got in front of them, and directed them back towards the door. "I know you're all worried, but I have to get him ready for surgery."
Everyone's eyes went as wide as saucers.
"Surgery?" Kendo spoke first.
"Surgery?!" And everyone echoed.
"Yeah now go on.."
"Surgery's a big deal though, isn't it?" Uraraka asked–
"Don't worry, I can handle it." She slammed the door on them. "Phew…"
"I'm sorry."
Recovery Girl turned and saw Midoriya looking at his mentor.
"I wanted to make my mark, say I was here… but… I just couldn't focus."
Brandishing a mellow gaze, All Might watched from over his shoulder. Hiding his eyes under his hair, his pupil continued to talk.
"I knew something was up with him. I heard it, and… it frustrated me so much that… I couldn't help but meddle anyway, even if it upset him." He confessed.
"Null Void. Round up everybody we captured and free everyone who shouldn't be there." Helen had said before going into the portal. "For Pierce."
"Me too!" Then, Yaoyorozu had volunteered for a dangerous excursion today. "My… match in the tournament is done. I won't be advancing. So, doesn't it make sense for me to be more proactive with my time, as opposed to staying here and sitting for the next two hours…?"
He had managed to hide it better than Tennyson at the time, but… he definitely wanted to help out too. Now…
"I promised to reject him completely, never becoming his tool even for a moment, and win first place without it."
Midoriya wavered.
"He looked so sad." He said. "And so I… lost the bigger picture."
Sniffling, he turned his head to his master. "I'm so sorry, All Might."
As the successor to All Might, as someone who could be the next Symbol of Peace, as someone who was chosen to also keep the people safe from the upcoming war… he couldn't bear it anymore.
He couldn't take news like Ingenium's again–
"You got Todoroki to realize something important about himself." All Might said. Between his teeth, Midoriya spoke again.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." All Might swiftly responded. "I…"
Pursing his lips, he prevented any premature words, before taking a deep breath to get back into it.
"It's true that it's a very regrettable result, and realizing where you went wrong won't change that."
Toshinori crouched down to his level. "But listen well."
Conviction filled his tone, as his gaze narrowed on his pupil.
"Meddling when you don't need to, is the essence of being a hero."
"What's with the sudden trip to Todoroki's chambers?"
After her brief sprint, Yaoyorozu had settled into fast walking through the corridors of the tournament grounds with a gaze firmly settled on her feet.
Her mind was very much racing. She couldn't be any more aware of that. If only she could be in two places at once, perhaps she could help out Midoriya. His injuries also looked very distressing. Thankfully he was in the company of Recovery Girl–
However, that was all until Jiro caught her off-guard. "Hey Yaomomo, wait up!"
Without giving it much thought at all, she obliged. Her steps stopped, as she turned to her side, waiting for her before they continued together.
At first the surprise she experienced most likely spread to her face. However, she knew she managed to contain it shortly thereafter.
Yaoyorozu looked in front of her, fists clenched. "It is my responsibility to make sure he's alright." She succinctly spoke–
"And I know that's the answer of a vice class prez, Yaomomo." Jiro retorted. Raising a hand, and softening her voice, she asked again. "So, what's the real reason?"
Yaoyorozu… looked away. If only it were so easy to put it into words.
Jiro tapped her earphone jacks. "I mean, I know you care about us and stuff because… you just do. But the guy declared war on you not three hours ago."
She shrugged. "Also, let's be honest, he's been kind of an ass. We only don't notice it because Bakugo's around, as well as Mineta."
"I agree he hasn't been forthcoming, however I don't believe additional isolation is the answer." Yaoyorozu apprehensively defended him. "He…" she pursed her lips.
She remembered what it was like to actually feel alone, abandoned. Her mind flashed back to the cavalry battle…
"Without them, there is no one we can recruit who could give Tennyson a hard time." she had thought, as it was only her and Kaminari.
Their advances had all been rejected, none of the ideal people she thought of, could be recruited… and the isolation in her thoughts had ramped her hopelessness.
"We can't give up! Especially not because we don't have just some peopl–"
"No!" She had retorted. "I-I apologize Kaminari, I don't mean to be rude, however they are not just *some* people! Our quirks, both of them, are just too ineffective! I…"
She had spiraled. Momentary as it may, there was no doubt that she had let go.
Her eyes descended onto Jiro. Kaminari had been the one to pull her out of it by making her feel reliable… feel valued.
"He has gotten into our class through recommendations. And just like him, I've had my difficulties in managing social situations." She replied to Jiro, wincing but still committing to turning and facing her. "Any progress I made until now has been just a result of you, Tennyson, Midoriya… and everyone else simply extending their hand, making me feel valued."
"If it's worth anything, I'm glad I had you by my side tonight." Tennyson had said. "You… picked up my slack and… helped me save hundreds of people here."
Her hand formed into a fist.
"I want to do the same thing for him." she declared. "Due to his… *preferred* distant standing, I don't reckon anyone else would do the same otherwise."
They arrived next to the door, and Momo took a deep breath before reaching for the handle.
"Just like Midoriya, huh? Now that I think about it… maybe that was what he was trying to do.
Momo turned around.
Jiro shrugged. "I could listen to the stadium better than most others, so I did."
Momo's pupils went up to the upper edges of her eyes, thinking.
"My plan is not to overreach though." She added, before turning to her friend again. "It's simply to hear his troubles out, be an outlet. I suppose he has a lot of thoughts stirring considering the match that took place–"
The door of the nurse's office slammed open and… with a scowl that matched the aura of a Highbreed, the number 2 hero Endeavor exited the room.
Momo couldn't help but let out a small gasp. "Endeavor… Todoroki's father."
His blue eyes traveled down to them, and scoffed, stomping past them.
Both girls had frozen in place, Yaoyorozu because of surprise and Jiro because of sheer intimidation.
Her friend was sweating. "Well, I think he might have even more things to say now."
Yaoyorozu didn't reply however.
"Todoroki?" she said, knocking on the door. "It's Yaoyorozu and Jiro. Could we come in?"
Behind the doors, there was a bit of a peculiar, unnerving pause.
"Sure."
Yaoyorozu slided the door open, and both girls got greeted with a Todoroki, bandaged, banged up, clumsily holding a hand over one of his eyes and most definitely shirtless.
Jiro nodded in acknowledgement upon seeing those pecs and abs, however Yaoyorozu didn't look. Her gaze was respectfully on Todoroki's face, even though the expression he had seemed hollow.
"We wanted to check in with your recovery." She softly spoke. "How are you feeling?"
"Comfortable perhaps?" Jiro then made her opening with a little more sarcasm.
Todoroki turned away, still keeping a hand over his eye.
"I suppose I am." he replied simply.
Hearing those words, Jiro, who was ready to cross her arms and feel vindicated, paused.
"Huh?- I mean, I'm glad." The earphone jack girl dropped the sarcasm. "Both of you were on each other's necks earlier."
"That is what I asked of him." Todoroki however kept his blunt manner. Yaoyorozu caught him looking down, in deep thought.
"Most likely his father has soured his mood." she thought, and mentally took a step back. "And very admirably you pulled through. Congratulations."
He grumbled, as she sweated, remembering the intensity of Midoriya's quirk. Even though she was saying it mainly as a conversation starter, that didn't mean his achievement should be taken any lighter.
"The crowd found you to be amazing, and I…"
"So I keep hearing." An annoyed glare descended on his neutral tone, defining his facial features even more.
He turned his glare to the outside, as if he was going to have his fire come out of his eye and melt the glass.
The initial mental step back of Momo, became real. Honestly, it was an uneasy feeling to see such expressive vitriol come out of someone so reserved.
Jiro nudged her with her elbow.
"You believe it's time to leave…" Yaoyorozu sighed, and did a mental recount of what she could say. But her sleeves came out empty.
"Right." She audibly bowed out. "We shouldn't disturb you any longer."
Todoroki seemingly gritted his teeth in response, as he audibly sighed. He lowered his chin…
"Frustration was most likely festering over being seen like this." Momo thought.
"I will beat you, all of you." He had personally pulled them aside, and… hardened his heart. No wonder she, in particular, wasn't wanted. "Excuse us–"
"Wait."
Both girls stopped right in their tracks. They heard him shifting back around his bed, and take a big breath.
Jiro glanced over to Momo, but she was already turning.
"Yes–?!"
Hearing her friend gasp, Jiro also turned and… saw that Todoroki had turned to them, with the hand over his eye descending and showing the swollen deep purple mark.
Her eyes widened.
"That's… quite a shiner…" Jiro saw it too, and winced for Todoroki–
"I'm aware." he replied softly. "Recovery Girl said the same thing as she admitted me in."
Momo caught her friend's eyes widen at the implication.
"She said that too… Yikes." Jiro said.
Todoroki didn't respond, looking ashamed but Momo felt as though there was more. She looked through the wounds of Todoroki in her line of sight. Most of them were purple bruises formed from direct impacts, as opposed to simple impacts from air.
"He got through your guard many times, hasn't he?" Momo asked.
Todoroki, momentarily thinking of staying silent… nodded.
"But he kept you in the ring, even though one punch'd been enough." Jiro said.
"Yes, that fool." Todoroki replied angrily… but his muscles seemed to relax, as if he was starting to reminisce, with perhaps even a little melancholy. "Instead of winning the match, he focused on breaking down my walls."
He turned his head, and actually returned the eye-contact. "Metaphorically."
Momo nodded, she had gotten that much.
"Yaoyorozu. You most likely would know better than me." he said. "Is this how Midoriya always acts?"
Her lips pursed thoughtfully.
Jiro let her gaze go back and forth between the recommended students, choosing to stay silent, not like Yaomomo was even asking for her help.
"From what I've seen of Midoriya, someone who… has helped me in my time of need, regardless of what I dared ask of him."
Todoroki narrowed his eyes, as Jiro's widened. What could get Yaoyorozu in such a bind that she would describe it like that?
"Yes." She said. "There is no question he has a deep care for people, one which would branch so thoroughly that… I have no doubt it can give him the drive to make such a sacrifice."
Her onyx pupils stared into his heterochromatic eyes with conviction, and he seemed to stare back at them, probing for any lies or doubts.
Todoroki directed his gaze to the ceiling once more, raising his left hand. "I see…"
"Could I… perhaps ask something now?" Yaoyorozu bit her tongue.
Todoroki sleepily looked back down, lowering his hand.
"It would be fair." he sneaked it back inside the sheet.
Yaoyorozu nodded, but… second guessed herself instead. Jiro saw her friend look away.
"So–"
"What's got your dad so pissed?" Jiro spoke up bluntly in her place, actually straightening her back.
Standing firm, the earphone jack girl felt Momo's surprised gaze above her. Todoroki's expression didn't change however.
"He offered me a job." he said. "For after the festival."
Jiro felt stupefied. "Really?" she tilted her head, clearly expecting more.
"Yes." he answered. "He said he could now properly start training me to be part of the strong."
"Part of the strong?"
"It is a term he uses, for himself and only one other…" As his head rested it on the pillow, he turned it to them.
Both of the girls react surprisedly.
"All Might."
He gave them a shaky nod, as… a chill clearly went down their spines but a load also felt taken off his chest.
"How…" Yaoyorozu spoke up. "How did you decide to go about answering his offer?"
Todoroki's response thankfully came just as blunt as his prior ones, but he couldn't maintain eye-contact as he said it. Her words and actions… they seemed slower, unlike his father's.
With a vacant gaze, he looked at his left hand.
"I told him my feelings regarding him haven't changed."
"On the contrary… in that one moment… I forgot all about what you planned for me. I didn't hear you. I *forgot* about you." He thought to himself, before fully stretching open his fingers, letting himself feel that soreness before letting it go.
His hand descended back to his side.
"I reasoned that I didn't know what it meant now, good… or bad." He put it on his once broken ribs. "But…"
"It's okay for you to be a hero, Shoto." The words of his mother echoed once more, as he clutched onto the burned edge of his clothes. His hand descended on his lap, and eyes staring off into the horizon.
"...I said I want to think about it, alone."
Yaoyorozu nodded, as her eyebrows lowered, and her pursed lips shook. She opened her mouth a little, wanting to help further, say something that could ease any pain, do something that could help him get through this process easier.
But the shackles from her promise to Jiro bound her back. "I see…"
Todoroki saw her growing tense.
"I'm glad that you know what you want to do now." she said. "However…"
Her gaze was downcast.
"I disagree that it has to be done alone."
Momo opened her mouth with difficulty. It stretched her imagination to the limit, thinking about a life where she wouldn't be able to trust her father or anyone from her family.
"You've given us a better idea of your frustration, something that… you haven't done before to anyone."
Todoroki's brows went up. That was true. He had been speaking more than he would normally, ever since he pulled Tennyson aside.
Ever since he was getting unsure of his ice being able to win this whole event.
"So, I would like to pay it forth." she extended her hand.
Her gut twisted, thinking that this might be overreaching. However, she persisted.
"If you ever need assistance, know that I'll be here…"
"Me too." Jiro stated under her breath, joining them. Momo saw the softer, humble expression on her face.
"In case, you know, either of you need a peasant girl's opinion." Her eyes went back and forth on the two of them.
"Don't undervalue yourself, Jiro. If anything, your standing adds a unique perspective." Momo immediately cut in with her smile.
Todoroki raised his torso up from the bed. "Yes, personally I've never been in a field before."
Jiro felt a cross-shaped vein form on her forehead.
"Not that kind of a peasant." Jiro added, still smiling but also adding a tinge of annoyance behind her teeth. It only served to confuse Todoroki further.
"I… see." He chose to nod for now, and turned his gaze to Yaoyorozu.
"Thank you for your concern." he said. "And… the notice."
She saw the absolute strain it took for Todoroki to continue the eye-contact. It made feel sad, but seeing him not avoid facing them, also put a smile on her face.
Jiro could see the feeling of success radiating from Yaomomo's face.
"So. We done here?" She asked playfully, and the vice class prez answered assuredly.
"Yes. We should let you rest. You most likely don't have a lot of time."
Jiro let her earphone jacks levitate, and stab into the wall.
"Um… Yeah, if I'm hearing this right, you have about thirty minutes or so."
Todoroki nodded in response.
"Get well soon." Yaoyorozu added, lowering her voice.
"I will, hopefully."
She nodded. "That's good." Momo then turned to Jiro, hands assembled. "Shall we?"
"Lead the way." Jiro nodded.
Todoroki's eyes followed them, as he felt a crushing exhaustion collapse on him, burrowing him in the bed.
It felt… good to not hear about his successes for a change. How his quirk was the strongest there is, or how much potential he had as the SON of number 2 hero.
Here, he was the one who got to talk and… for the first time in a long time, he got tired because of it.
"I… I wonder what Tennyson thinks." He remembered how he had pissed him off…
Feeling the swelling on his left eye completely go away though, and the soothing ambient noise of the tournament grounds, his eyes winked, before shutting down.
"Reiko… Reiko… Yanagi Reiko!"
Feeling the impact to her side, the silver haired girl shook her head, and clutched her side. Kinoko instantly retracted her elbow.
"Sorry!.." She replied, her breath hitching. "But girl, where have you been?"
Yanagi shook her head. "Here." Her reply came out like a whisper.
"Forgive us, however we don't believe you." Shishida said from her other side rather politely. "Ever since the last brawl, your head has seemingly been in the clouds."
"Yeah, as in the entire time." Kinoko said.
"FINALLY HERE WE ARE!" Present Mic immediately started by jumping out of his seat. "LADIES! GENTS! THE *FULL* SPECTRUM OF LISTENERS! Welcome back to the U.A. Sports Festival! The final battle to the great tournament of dreams!"
"See?" Kinoko gestured again. Yanagi leaned back in her seat, as a full thirty minutes had gone by and the final participants were making their way to the arena.
"In just a moment here, we'll see which first-year comes out on top!"
Tennyson was walking in his usual, tall, smiling and proud manner. In response Todoroki was the same way, minus the smiling.
"From the hero course, Todoroki Shoto! Versus! His classmate, Tennyson Ben!"
As their names rang, the crowd cheered. Todoroki was feeling very indifferent to it at this point.
Tennyson however seemed to enjoy it.
"Huh… It's just like we guessed. You versus me, the final challenge." Tennyson said, cracking his knuckles and then putting his hand on his neck to crack it as well. "I'd say this has been a long time coming."
"Uh-huh." He chose to nod.
Tennyson's arms crossed as he tilted his head.
"And… you're bored." Tennyson stated, looking confused. "Did you fight yourself out?"
"No. The theatrics–" Todoroki replied, as he saw his left hand raise instinctively to gesture.
Tennyson's brows went up, and… Todoroki couldn't help but feel a little frustrated, just making his opponent's competitive spirit vanish.
He made his left hand a fist. "Could I… ask something?"
Tennyson opened his arms.
"Well, I've been trying to humor everyone here all day, haven't I?" He asked, sarcastic but still genuine. He put them on his hip. "What's got you down?"
"Nothing." Todoroki said, bluntly. "And as you see, the arena was repaired… we're on an even field."
"I *meant*, what did you want to ask me?"
Todoroki's eyebrows went up in realization, before nodding. "Right. I've wanted to ask about your words from earlier. When I pulled you aside."
The second words came out of his mouth, Tennyson actually turned serious.
"You told me that holding myself back like this wouldn't be of help to anyone." Todoroki raised both hands, one side which held his ice and the other which had his fire power. "Not to you, not the people I was going to save, and certainly not to me."
Tennyson nodded.
"At the time, did you say it because you wanted to give me advice… help out?" He spoke his creeping thoughts. "... so that I may help out others?"
Tennyson shrugged in response, but the sheepish expression spreading through his face gave his thoughts away.
"Sorry that it was so blunt on my part." Tennyson responded. "But yes, it was."
"Why?"
Todoroki's muscles tensed. "Why do you exactly care?.."
Tennyson lost that sheepish expression again. He felt he must be onto something.