The fateful day of the UA Sports Festival has finally arrived.
Security has been beefed up heavily, and the Sports Festival is being broadcast live across the entire country. The Class 1-A waiting room is full of tense, nervous energy. You can smell the fear rolling off of your more timid classmates (Koda is an absolute fucking wreck), but a vast majority of the other students are eagerly anticipating the chance to showcase their skills. As much as you might want to comfort your meek friend, you genuinely don't trust yourself to be around Koda when he's so scared stiff.
Even from this distance, your belly stirs with a budding sense of yearning that you have to actively disregard. It's bound to be even more insistent once you get around the other Freshmen classes. Better to get ahold of yourself sooner rather than later. You close your eyes, feeling the spark of vitality from Hagakure's nightmare buzzing to life in response to your call. Most of the energy has ebbed away, slowly burning off day by day over the past two weeks. Still, you can feel a few smoky tendrils of power swirling under your skin restlessly, just waiting to be utilized. You guess there was only enough juice left for one, focused burst of energy.
It wasn't much, so you would have to be discerning in when and how you make use of it during the Sports Festival.
Everyone is clad in their gym suits, and you gaze at the throng of blue and white UA uniforms as you center yourself. This is it. The last fortnight spent training privately and with Midoriya have culminated for this very moment. Any minute now, Class 1-A would be summoned to the center stage. You take a deep breath and stand to address your fellow students.
"Listen up, all of you." Beads of sweat accumulate on your brow as eyes turn towards you from every angle, but you continue forward bravely. "From this moment on, I'll consider every single one of you as my rivals! If and when you face me… then don't you dare hold back, because I'll be giving it my all!"
There was a long beat of silence as your bold statement hung in the air. For once you felt noticed by each and every one of your highly skilled peers. It was a bit dizzying.
See me , Hagakure's fear whispered. Witness me , your own dread demanded.
Then Kirishima chuckled, breaking the spell. "Man, it's cute when she gets all fired up!"
"I know, right?" Mina giggled, following him out the door. "That's the most I've ever heard her talk."
Bakugou scoffed, dismissing you altogether.
Your lips part, hanging open in disbelief as you watch your classmates begin to file out of the waiting room. They completely brushed you off!! You trembled like a shaken can of soda, ready to burst at the seams.
"Look'it! You totally gave me the chills!" Hagakure squeals. "I'm hella pumped! Power to the people~!"
"Power to the Extras," you sigh with a weak smile, exiting the room alongside her.
Class 1-A walks out to the Freshman Stage, and the massive stadium crowd is nearly deafening with enthusiastic cheers. The other freshmen classes also walk out, casting dirty looks in the hero course's direction. The Chief Referee for the Freshmen Stage turns out to be Midnight, and you pinch the bridge of your nose reflexively. Curses. What rotten luck. It's bad enough dealing with the R-rated heroine during her Modern Arts class, especially since she absolutely revels in the effect she has on you. At least you aren't the only one, as you see men and women alike blushing, bleeding, and even fainting at the mere sight of the Pro hero.
Once again, it seems, you'll have to prevail despite your degeneracy.
Midnight asks for the player representative, who is Bakugou, to come towards the stage. Ugh, of course that dickhead placed first in the entrance exam. You cut your eyes at him, watching as he rudely bumps into other students on his way to the podium.
"I just wanna say… I'm gonna win," he rasps into the microphone, hands stuffed in his pants pockets nonchalantly.
Then Bakugou turns his back as the crowd of freshmen jeer and boo, outwardly rebuking his statement as pure arrogance. Although you have a strong distaste for the explosive young man, you can't lie and say that this is his usual brand of prideful swagger. He's not yelling or twisting his pretty features into a threatening scowl. Bakugou, in a state of calm resolution, is quite possibly the most dangerous and calculated you've ever seen him. The ash blond isn't just being cocky. Bakugou truly believes that he will win and, frankly so do you. The stark reality of your gap in strength isn't just humbling. It stings like a slap in the face.
Regardless, Bakugou's declaration marks the entire hero course as vehemently hated targets for the other classes.
Midnight announces the preliminaries of the Sports Festival. She reveals the first event to be an Obstacle Race; a nearly 4km relay around the stadium. Bleh, running . You're surrounded by a pulsing mass of bodies as students pile up behind the starting line. You attempt to make your way towards a head full of wild green curls, but Midoriya only seems to drift further and further away amongst the crowd as though lost at sea.
The Obstacle Race starts and you do your best to create some distance between the other competitors. Todoroki makes his move by freezing the ground, causing dozens of students to become stuck in ice and easily skids himself into first place. Nevertheless, all of Class 1-A anticipated this and manage to avoid icy hot's extraordinary attack. You slip and slide endlessly along the now traction-less surface of the ground. Competitors from a few other classes dodged the ice too, including that fine lavender haired man who was currently being carried like a king by three other students.
However you may feel about him, you have to admit the dude has got serious style.
Ahead, the first obstacle comes into view as a large group of villain robots like from the entrance exam block the path. Todoroki instantly freezes many of the bots off balance, gliding effortlessly through their legs as they begin to crash down. You're far enough behind that it actually proves to be advantageous for you, disrupting the other competitors. Kirishima and another student with a similar quirk are unharmed when crushed beneath the wreckage. Wow, now there's two super hard bodies to fawn over!
By the time you reach the second obstacle, a massive canyon with jutting platforms meant to be trekked using connecting ropes, Todoroki and Bakugou have already completed it. You spot Midoriya almost done as you begin climbing. Someone else ahead of you must be scared of heights, and their potent fear beckons, emboldening your own movements. Faster and faster you force yourself to climb.
The final obstacle is a mine field— because of course it fucking is! Far ahead, Todoroki and Bakugou are neck and neck competing for first place. About two dozen other students are already maneuvering the mine field with different strategies of varying success. You stop to catch your breath and think of your own course of action until you hear a particularly loud explosion. It's Midoriya, using a discarded robot piece as a metal shield to blast ahead into first place. He's detonated so many mines that a clear path ahead is forged, and you race forward along with everyone else.
Once you cross the finish line, you double over to catch your breath. Present Mic announces your name and placement, 24th, which qualifies you to move on to the second round. Most of your class is already there, milling about in anticipation. You cover your hands and find your friends in the crowd.
Sato pats you on the back in hearty congratulations making you stumble; he's damn strong even without his sugar form. Koda seems a lot less nervous when he approaches you with that ever present kind smile and a thumbs up. It's nice to be praised, but you can't help but feel as though you were able to coast through the race due to your classmates' superior skills. You politely excuse yourself from the pair and make your way over to Midoriya.
"Congrats on placing first," you say, making him stiffen at the sound of your voice. "That explosive boost at the end was genius!"
He turns, rubbing the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at you. "Thanks."
"I wonder what they'll want from us next," you hum. "Hopefully it's something—"
"I'm going to get closer to the stage," he interjects, pitchy and strange. "Good luck!"
"O-oh, okay. Yeah, same to you!"
"That was weird," Hagakure's voice so close behind startles you. She's way too stealthy.
"What was weird?"
"When has Midoriya ever not been a stuttering, blushing mess when talking to a girl?" She muses. "Did something happen?"
"You peeped that too, huh?" You murmur, watching curiously as the green haired boy stood beside Uraraka.
They're close friends after all, you remind yourself. All Might probably has insanely high expectations for his protégé. Midoriya must be really focused on performing well in the Sports Festival, and honestly you should be too. It still takes some effort to tune in when Midnight speaks, and this time it isn't because she's so ridiculously sexy.
Forty-two students qualified for the Cavalry Battle after completing the Obstacle Race. Midnight explains that students must form teams of a maximum of four people: one rider and at least one horse.
Each student is given a point value, and a team's value depends on where their members finished in preliminaries. The forty-second place finish is worth five points, with five points added to the point value with each cascading place. You quickly mentally calculate your own score of a measly ninety points. The first place finisher, however, is worth ten million points.
Midoriya stinks of fear as everyone turns on him with predatory eyes. There's no doubt in your mind that he'll be the most sought after target this round.
Individual point values are added together to reach each team's total. These point values are displayed via headbands. The goal of the game is to steal headbands in order to raise the team's score. Contestants are not allowed to make each other fall on purpose. Even if a team loses their headband or falls down, they can compete until the thirty-minute time limit is up.
The students are given fifteen minutes to form teams, and you look around to see many of your classmates vying to be apart of Bakugou's group. It begins to be glaringly obvious that your fellow students are avoiding your gaze as you walk through the crowd. Nobody wants to group up with you. How embarrassing…
You glance at the back of Midoriya's head, noticing that he's also struggling to form a team with such a high point score. You consider forging a path in his direction until you see a familiar cutie with pink cheeks run up to him eagerly. Uraraka is practically vibrating with energy when she looks at him. She's hard to deny, even harder to hate— despite how much you might want to right now. The way that she gazes at him would make anyone's head spin. A light skinned girl with shoulder length pink locs also walks up, offering her services. When the boy accepts you smile softly, though there is some lingering sadness in your eyes. A part of you can't help but to think that Midoriya looks really good this way though.
Pink compliments green so very well.
"There you are!" Hagakure tugs at your gloved hand as she practically drags you over to your friend group.
You've never seen Sato looking so sour. "Bakugou didn't want me on his team." When he pouts like this he just looks like a cute, buff baby.
Hagakure leans against his broad shoulder affectionately with a commiserating sigh. "Welcome to the world of the invisible girl."
Her words bounce around your head as you look at your downtrodden friends. Koda, whose soft and timid voice always fell on deaf ears. Hagakure, with the looks of a literal idol, being forced to fade into the background. You and Sato who worked so hard just to remain in competition with your amazing classmates, let alone stand out.
"We're Extras. We go unnoticed," you say. "But that could be our strength, too. Doubt we're on anyone's radar, which means—"
"They'll never see us coming," Sato finishes with a knowing smirk.
You nod, grinning. "I have a plan, but it's crazy… Are you guys with me?"
The three students don't hesitate to put their hands together, piled one atop the other. They look to you expectantly, with burning spirit and strong trust in their eyes. Your goal was supposed to be to make a name for yourself, to differentiate yourself from the pack. But seeing your friends and the faith they had in you meant so much more. In this moment, there's no one else you'd rather team up with. You place your gloved hand on top of theirs.
"Hey, Toru, you mind stripping down? It's strictly for the plan, of course."
"Then why is your nose bleeding?"
A few minutes later you're perched on your friends' shoulders with a numbered headband tied around your forehead. It's a bit nerve wracking being so close to them with your hands uncovered. Hagakure is topless while the boys are blushing and sweating bullets, averting their gaze. Normally you'd be teasing the pair mercilessly, but right now you are a pillar of tactical focus.
The final countdown concludes and Midnight announces the beginning of the Cavalry Battle. As you predicted, everyone immediately rushes Team Midoriya all at once. You urge your team closer to the fray, keeping your low lidded eyes peeled for an opportunity to strike.
It comes unexpectedly when Team Monoma tries to sneak and catch you unawares. You recognize the blond from Class 1-B, the guy who was hurling insults at your class two weeks ago. Maybe that's why you don't feel bad when your bare fist connects harshly with his jaw. The contact is brief as you steal his headband, but unfamiliar scenes still flash into your mind. A little blond boy watching hero films with starry eyes. The crushing blow of not placing into the hero course. The sadness swirling in his pale periwinkle eyes as he climbs a never ending staircase, unable to reach the top.
You get the sense that he is deeply and unwaveringly insecure.
You find yourself stuck staring at his now sleeping face as your team steers you away. Monoma's teammates are trying to rouse him as he slumps in their hold. You only tear your eyes away when your friends call your name, asking for direction. Your fingers shake as you tie the stolen headband around your neck, forcing the visions from your brain.
Midoriya uses Uraraka's quirk and the support girl's jet pack tech to evade the other teams, floating in midair. Bakugou uses his explosions to launch an attack at him, but Dark Shadow successfully defends. While his assault failed, it does give you an idea. Before you can act on it, your team comes under attack once again.
This time it's Team Kendo, with her huge hands outstretched for the steal. You manage to dodge but hesitate to secure her headband without touching her directly. You don't acknowledge the way your friends nervously glance at each other when you order them to disengage. Their ambitions are on the line too, but it just feels wrong to peer into a stranger's soul like that. You can't bring yourself to do it again.
It's then that you notice Team Monoma racking up points like crazy. What you see makes your heart stop. Teams are sleeping in heaps of tangled limbs, teams you haven't even come into contact with. It's Monoma! He's got his palms outstretched, grinning like a madman with countless headbands around his neck. When he catches your gaze, the crazed look in his eyes only intensifies.
"This quirk of yours is pretty handy! Thanks for letting me borrow it!" Monoma cackles at the shocked look on your face.
He must have some sort of copycat ability. You curse, eyes darting to the limp bodies on the floor. "Y-You can't just use my quirk on people whenever you feel like it! If they fall down—"
"Then they're out of my way! I'll do whatever it takes to secure Class 1-B's place in this competition."
"Damn you—"
Your words morph into a yelp as the two headbands you have are ripped from your body by thin green vines. You follow the source to see a girl with long vines for hair collecting the headbands for Team Tetsutetsu. Just like that, your point total has been reduced to a piddling zero. Monoma openly mocks your misfortune, but it's nothing compared to the sound of your own internal screaming.
Kaminari shouts suddenly, and the field erupts with lightning, stunning all the competitors. Todoroki immediately follows up with another massive ice blast that freezes everyone to the spot and manages to steal the ten million point headband from Midoriya. Your inner turmoil grows to a fever pitch. It couldn't have gone any more perfect for that half and half bastard!
Bakugou is launching into the air to attack Team Todoroki. Your male teammates are rooted to the ground as Midnight announces there's only one minute remaining. Should you use the strength waiting inside from Hagakure's nightmare to free your team? But then you won't be able to use it later on in the competition. At this rate, there will be no later if you lose here!
Victory is slipping from your grasp right before your very eyes.
It's Hagakure stepping over Koda's mountainous head that spurs you into action. Somehow she managed to avoid Todoroki's ice and is carefully climbing onto your shoulders. You can still move forward with your plan. There's no time to lose. There's not even enough time to picture what her boobs look like above your head. Probably really full and bouncy— dammit, there's no time for that!
"Rikido-kun, it's time for a Sugar Rush," you declare. "Throw me."
"But—"
"Just do it!"
You feel the muscles in his arms beneath you ripple and swell as soon as the sweet passes his lips. You hook your arms around the invisible girl's legs securely. Then Sato roars , lifting your intertwined forms with ease and launching you both through the air. Tears prick at your eyes as you and Hagakure rocket midair towards Bakugou, her thighs squeezing around your head so tightly it just might pop.
Before you can collide, Bakugou turns and the look in his eyes is murderous, but you hold his gaze defiantly. Even as he holds up a hand to blast you away from whence you came. The explosion that hits your stomach isn't nearly as painful as you were expecting. You can still speak at least.
"TORU?" You holler over the howl of wind in your ears.
"I GOT IT!" She screams back, holding up a fluttering headband triumphantly.
You steal a glance back at Bakugou's face, and the utter bewilderment on his features is deeply satisfying even as you fall hurtling to the ground. He hadn't seen her perched on your shoulders. Because he doesn't see her any other day either. He'd played right into your hand. Because he doesn't see you as a threat, you were able to get close.
You stick your tongue out at him and make a crude gesture with one hand, gripping onto Hagakure's thigh with the other in free fall. That is, until Bakugou redirects his limitless explosive focus, blasting straight for you. You and Hagakure scream in helpless terror as he approaches with blinding speed. Just when his large hand snatches a fistful of your shirt, a loud buzzer announces the end of the round. Bakugou grumbles his discontent, using his quirk to slow your descent before dumping you on the ground unceremoniously.
"Goddamn Extras," he mutters as he storms off.
"Saved by the bell," you sigh wearily.
"I think… my life flashed before my eyes?" Hagakure hiccups.
"That was way scarier than you said it'd be," Sato sobs. Buff baby mode reactivated.
"Never. Again." Koda utters, shaking.
"Hey, it worked," you say defensively, eyes glued to the headband in Hagakure's grip. "But will it be enough?"
The four of you anxiously crowd around the headband as Hagakure unfurls it. The number is 720, and your team places fifth. It's not enough to move on to the next round. Midnight announces the teams that will be continuing, but her voice is the furthest thing from your mind right now. You feel a whole whirlwind of emotions, but the disappointment on your friends' faces is the true twisting of the knife in your gut.
You were the team leader. They were counting on you. You let them down.
"I'm so sorry, guys," your voice is already thick with unshed tears. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't got distracted and lost our first two headbands then we wouldn't have lost. It's just, when I saw Monoma using— abusing my quirk like that… I got tunnel vision. I should've—"
"Hey, none of that now," Hagakure coos. "It was a team effort, and we worked really well together."
Koda places his head on your shoulder, encouraging you to breathe deeply with him.
"Yeah, don't beat yourself up," Sato ruffles your hair before perking up suddenly. "Wanna raid the concession stands?"
You stare at them, awestruck. "You guys aren't mad? Why aren't you mad??"
Hagakure shrugs. "I mean, yeah, losing always sucks. But that was also really fun. It felt like we were flying through the air~!"
"That was not fun!" Sato pouts, flailing his arms. "Koji and I were freaking out watching you two fall!"
"And then Bakugou tried to kill you," Koda adds tentatively.
"Thank you, Koji, that brings me to my next point…!" Sato continues while Hagakure giggles and pesters him.
You wipe your moist eyes, releasing tension in your neck and shoulders you didn't even know that you were carrying. They were… laughing and joking around like usual. Performing your best in the Sports Festival meant a lot to all of you, but Sato and Koda were more concerned with your safety and well-being. And Hagakure was content to just have fun together. When you realize that you had been expecting the reaction of your father, fearing the day your friends would look at you with the same cold and quiet contempt that he did, you wanted to cry all over again.
Instead, you smile big, tugging on your gloves. "Let's fuel up on sweets so we can cheer our classmates on."
"Atta girl!" Sato scoops you up easily and perches you atop his shoulder, doing the same for Hagakure on his other side.
The people in the stadium crowd nearby erupt in cheers and adoring cries, encouraged by Sato's posing and flexing.
"That's right, little future heroes, keep your heads up!"
"Valiant effort!!! Way to leave it all on the field!"
"Looking forward to seeing you next year!"
Hagakure grasps your hand and lifts it up, triumphantly. You lost. But it doesn't feel like it right now. Not when you're surrounded by your friends, spurred on by the enthusiastic audience. You giggle, losing yourself in the beautifully chaotic energy. Your face breaks into a broad grin looking out at the crowd.
Losing… never felt so good before.
You're so caught up in the fanfare that you don't notice the intense green eyes staring at you from across the field. Uraraka is saying something, but Midoriya doesn't hear a word as he glares at the familiar way Sato holds onto your hip. The intensity of his gaze could set this whole stadium ablaze.
He knows that it should be him holding you up, praising you, worshiping you. But All Might is surely watching, ready to reprimand him for his urges. It doesn't make him any less drawn to you, drawn to something he's been strictly forbidden from having. If anything, he craves you more. Midoriya didn't even know that was possible.
And that's the scary part.