Momo sat with Hagakure and a surprisingly pleased Todoroki. It seemed that the boy was taking his defeat in strides unlike herself. In fact, she could've sworn that Todoroki was smiling for the first time that she noticed. It...was pleasant to look at. Hagakure on the other hand had her arms crossed and stayed silent…at least she thought her arms were crossed.
"Are you doing okay?" She asked, holding out a hand on the girl's shoulders. "I know loss in such a manner can be … difficult."
"It's fucking infuriating, that's what." Oh, she was furious. She wasn't just mad, she was Bakugo-levels of annoyed and spiteful. "That stuck up and mighty bitch thinks she can just do what she wants. It's infuriating!"
"Look on the bright side." The fact Todoroki said that was concerning. "She'll have to face Bakugo next." Well that was bad for Shiozaki.
"True. He really is the necessary evil of the class." Hagakure agreed almost instantly. "Momo, have you ever loved somebody?"
"Wha-" She blushed. "I mean, I've read books of course, and had thoughts, but never … you know."
"Don't you love your parents?" Todoroki asked a question of Iruma-proportions of naivety. "Well, I understand if you don't…"
"No no, I love them." She waved her hands. "They're very understanding people and treat me well." Even if they thought going hero was a bit dangerous. "I've just never been able to engage in an…intimate relationship like you're referring to."
"I haven't been in a relationship, I just like someone." Toru shrugged. "He's my soulmate and everything."
"Isn't that stretching the definition of your friendship with Iruma just a little too much?" Looks like Todoroki caught on to what was happening with Hagakure and Iruma. "After all, you haven't even looked into past lives." Or not!
"He's the only one who looks me in the eye every time that we talk. Do you know how often that happens with everyone else?" Hagakure turned to them...she assumed. "Never. Not even once. You guy's can't even do it right, can you?"
"Ah, I see where you're going with this." Momo nodded. "Well if that's the case then just say yes … otherwise it ends in horrible attacks from aliens." Her two classmates were looking at her funny...well Todoroki was starring neutrally while Hagakure was presumably giving her a questioning look.
"Exactly how long does First Love Memories Last?" Hagakure found her voice before shaking her head...probably.
"It's been ongoing since 1985." The group got very quiet. "What?"
==
Stain was disgusted with this city. Full of fakes, weaklings, and scum daring to taint the name of heroes. And people were unaware of how great it could be, how great heroes could be, how much this society tainted the world.
The name of hero lost all meaning long ago. Everyday this world was growing more and more diseased, constantly flowing with filth that dared taint such a pure and revered position in life. If only he had taken on his crusade much earlier, he could've rid of that bastard Captain Celebrity during the time he briefly made Japan his home base.
The only hope this world had was All Might, who in his wisdom, not only took on the burden of preserving the safety of the world, but also imparted his wisdom to the next generation by teaching his methods to the young ones before this society corrupted them.
Unrelenting, unresting, always putting EVERYTHING before himself. That was a true hero, not someone who cared about money, who cared about fame. Only when a person broke themselves daily for the sake of others were they truly a hero.
And this new fake walked into his alley, he could tell. Ingenium, tainting heroism with business and generational reliance, the only admirable aspect was that they thought it could be a legacy to inherit, but it was a tainted one. Hell, here he saw the man listening to the Sports Festival on patrol! Did he not care if he heard a victim crying?
Stain jumped down, taking the man by surprise as a single knife nicked an exposed gap on the shoulder. "STAIN!" The punch came fast, powered by engines after all. But it didn't matter, after distance was created he licked the blades. "Wh..I can't move!"
"You've tainted the of hero, you lowly fake." The killer marched forwards, pointing to the man's back. "You will serve as a message to the rest of this corrupted society." He pressed his blade against the lower half before raising it up. "Be lucky your life will remain intact." And with that final message, he pressed down, the scream taking over the alleyway. The work would be done by his stained soul alone.
==
Iruma walked onto the stage, smiling and waving. He felt a bit earlier tired, but after eating some packed lunches he went right back to his good old self. He accomplished his own little goal of helping Todoroki, so now he needed to refocus on his main goal of standing out as much as possible during the festival.
"In this corner we have the man making crazy chaos! In any challenge he's come up first, unchallenged even when facing the mighty blows of Todoroki! The one … the only ,... IRUMA SUZUKI!!" Wow, people really cheered there. His standing out must be better than he thought.
"You've made quite the impression, Suzuki." Iida greeted from his side of the ring. "As such, I shall not hold back for a single moment. I hope we can continue to be close friends afterwards."
"Of course we'll be. It's just a game." Iruma waved it off. Honestly, people took the festival too seriously.
"Suzuki, you do not break your bones for a game." Eh, fair. "Besides, there is a secret technique I haven't been willing to use so far. Due to the fact I can't use my quirk for a while afterwards." Oh, secret technique! Super cool!
" And on the other end, he's the man with the need for speed, the fast and chivalrous knight of the streets, the latest in a long line of pro heroes...TENYA IIDA!"
They both readied up, getting into positions. "On your mark … get set … go!" Midnight-sensei shouted out. Iida began to power up his engines, but wasn't running as they got louder and louder.
"RECIPRO BURST!" Iida shouted as the man shot out blue.
Iruma had dealt with many situations in his life. Quirks, animals, weapons. Speed however, was something the human body had limits on. There were some things that were too fast to notice even on an instinctual level. One such thing was Iida's leg to his face, kicking him hard enough to cause a black out.
==
Hawks blinked at the body that came through the glass window, creating some feathers as a cushion.
"Suzuki is out of the park, hit like a home run!"
"More accurately, he crashed into the VIP booth."
"I should give that kid an internship." Endeavor spoke up, looking down at the frankly horrified looking student. It was kinda funny.
"He-he-he-he, hey...hey, f-fireman...you alright?" The kid that just crashed into the spoke with a crazed smile on his face, spinning around and around. "Your...mustache is on fire...heh...it shouldn't be on fire."
"Well this kid has a concussion." Hawks laid him down on the ground. "I can get him to Recovery girl.
"Don't worry, I can fix this." Miriko spoke, cracking her hands … before hitting him upside the head.
"And I'm back!" The boy shouted, looking around. "Aww, did I lose?" Well you were launched out of the ring like a baseball, so yes. "Thank you, Bird-Sama and Rabbit-Sama." He bowed his head towards them respectfully.
"... You're welcome kid." He nodded, accepting it easily. Not even the most uptight sidekicks he's taken on ever called him Sama.
"No problem kid, you're pretty sturdy." The female smirked. "Names Miriko."
"Thank you! I'm Iruma Suzuki!" He introduced. "You look less scary than Bunny-sensei." That was a name to catalog.
"Oh really? Either I'm not trying hard enough or this guy's a real hardass." Miriko laughed lightly. "You're quite the badass too. Look for me when you get your offers. I think we're going to get along great."
"What offers?" The boy tilted his head in confusion. Right, it made sense. First Years rarely got offers from the top ten, unless they showed off lots of potential.
"Don't worry about it." Jeanist spoke out. "You should head back to your friends, they look like they're about to maul the student known as Iida." Yeah, that's what Hagakure, Uraraka, and Shiozaki looked like they were in the middle of doing.
The door slammed open, and All Might came running in. "Young Suzuki, are you okay?"
"Yes, Bunny-sensei!" Suzuki screamed as he went out. The silence was deafening, before being broken by Endeavor slowly shaking as he began to laugh his ass off. Everyone else soon began to join in, just not as boisterous.
"Yeah, this kid's definitely working with me." Miriko sent out her best shit-eating grin to All Might. "From one lapin to another, will that be a problem Bunny-sensei?" For the first time since he's known her, she made Endeavor actually fall to the floor.
==
Iida had two options. To worry about Suzuki, who he launched into a VIP ring under the assumption the boy was fast enough to avoid his opening attack, or worry about himself, being mauled by the class. "YOU SPEEDY BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!" Hagakure's proclamation made the process of choosing much, MUCH easier.
"Don't be too hasty, Toru." Asui held her off. "We should all get a piece in before we finish him off." Why does he need to be finished!?
"Let me at him, let me at him!" Uraraka was fighting her way through the mob engaging him with her hand thrusted forward. "I'll send him to the sun! That way there's no evidence!"
"Hey, calm down!" Kaminari tried to defend him, a true student of example. "We need a damage report, then we judge accordingly." Or not, the traitor!
"I have judged accordingly." Shiozaki made her way to their class's side of the stadium. "He has harmed one of the lord's greatest servants, a true heathen of unprecedented proportions. He deserves nothing less than a slow, painful demise. Hagakure, let us join forces just this once to deliver divine justice." This was not how they should work out their differences!
"Hey, guys, I'm okay!" The boy shouted, running at them.
"Iruma, you're not dead!" Yes Mineta, that much was clear, don't remind them!
"Iruma-kun!" Hagakure raised her hands. "How many fingers am I holding?"
"Seven!"
"... I can't tell if it's because I'm invisible, you're bad at math, or you have a concussion."
"It's alright! Bird-Sama stopped my crash and Rabbit-Sama made the world stop spinning!"
"Fifty says their pros." Ashido held out a pool of betting, the debauchery!
"I'm just glad you're safe! Your fight with Todoroki really scared me!" Uraraka charged right at Suzuki and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't scare us like that again! I like having you in one piece and not held together by bandages."
"But bandages are very silky. I can see why Aizawa-sensei likes to wear them." No, that was the broken EVERYTHING the man had!
"We need to keep an eye on you at all times, don't we?" Jiro smiled with a roll of the eyes. "Sit down and rest. We'll get you something to eat, so just enjoy the rest of the festival.
With all their attention turned to Suzuki himself, Iida was able to sneak away quite easily without anyone catching on. Hopefully by the time of his match with the other semi-final winner, the class's out of nowhere outburst of violence will have subsided.
Ring
Oh, his mother was calling, surely to congratulate him on making it to the finals.