Chapter Text
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"Racers cross the finish line one after the other! We'll go over the standings later, so catch your breath for now!!"
You swipe at some of the cold sweat that had gathered over your temple during the run, breaths coming in fast and short. While you didn't detest running by any means, it was your least favorite exercise, legs quivering over the momentary exertion that you'd never been able to get quite used to.
A handful of students crossed the finish line mere seconds after you did, signaling the beginning of the end of the festivals first event. The sights a bit touching, you admit, with various exclamations of joy teeming the air at having completed the challenge despite all odds. If it weren't for the fact that your breathing hadn't evened out yet, you might have even joined in on their shared excitement, silently enjoying the display from the sidelines.
"(L/N)! I'm real happy you made it!"
From behind you, Uraraka toddles up, cheeks taking on a redder color than the natural pink they usually are. Her hairs plastered heavily onto her forehead, the color slightly darker in that area than anywhere else, an obvious sign of gathered perspiration. You make no comment of it as she reaches for your arms, shaking them slightly as she raves about the action that had just taken place.
"The way you chased after Todoroki?! Ugh, it was so cool!! Seriously, those robots were a nightmare to go through-!"
You nodded along, walking with her towards the middle of the field where the other participants had begun to congregate. The brunettes still going on over what it is she thought she could have done better, and when she makes to wipe at her face furiously, you summon your Quirk, swiping the sweat from off her entirely. If she notices, she doesn't say anything, though she does draw herself closer to you, bumping you lightly as her hand comes up to fuss at her now dry bangs.
It isn't until she sees Iida and Midoriya that her train of thought shifts, dragging you over to them as she delightedly shouts, "Deku...! That was awesome!"
Iida doesn't seem to really afford the created group any mind, but Midoriya jumps slightly, covering his face shyly as he addresses all of you. "Uraraka, Iida, and (L/N)! I-"
The pink cheeked teen accidentally cuts him off, hands forming little fists in frustrated elation. "First place, though! Man, I'm jealous!"
Whatever it was that Midoriya had been about to say is visibly wiped away at Urarakas words, a different type of look overtaking his usually open face. Before it can be elaborated on further, either by the male himself or your own mental deductions, a buzzer rings through the stadium, officially ending the obstacle course race with a metallic hum as the opening to the created finish line closes.
Midnight emerges back onto the podium, her mask sitting heavy on her head as she declares, "So it's finally over. Let's check the results!"
The previously used screen floats into focus, a myriad of students fluttering by until they begin to stop on specific people, a number popping up soon after. This must be the overall standings of everyone present that Yamada had mentioned, and you watch as people murmur over their won positions. Met with the image of you the staff had captured before you were allowed entry to your classes designated waiting room, you hummed.
You'd managed to place fourth out of the forty three available spots.
You'd assumed as much, especially with the way Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugou had fought when reentering. Still, you felt a small bit of surprise when you noticed that the abrasive blonde had placed third, under both teens he wasn't particularly fond of.
It was a wonder he hadn't yet exploded at the rankings on the chart, no pun intended.
Those who hadn't placed were soon corralled in the direction of the waiting rooms, leaving behind only a handful of you. When everyone was divided, Kayama continued, the floating screen behind her beginning to hum as events spun slowly by. "The top forty three from this qualifying round will move on! But, for those who placed lower, don't worry! We've got another way for you to show your stuff!!"
Waving a hand, the older Pro ramped up her speech, shimmying excitedly. "And now, the main selection really begins!! The Press Corp's going to be jumping out of their seats, so give it all you've got!"
The screen lets out another loud buzz, words spinning faster now. The seductress roves her eyes towards the audience this time, doling out winks in the process. "Now, onto the second event!! I already know what it is, of course..."
A grand silence falls over everyone as their attention drifts, watching the screen closely to gauge out the multiple possible challenges. It goes on for a moment longer than the obstacle race announcement had, and it isn't until Kayama speaks again that you realize you'd been holding your breath during the wait. "Dying in suspense?! Next up is... this!!"
'Cavalry Battle'
"Cavalry battle...?"
"Cavalry battle...?!"
Asui croaks somewhere in front of you, "So we're teaming up, but how exactly?"
Midnight ushers the attention towards the screen once more, now baring a picture of Thirteen and Yamada holding up a fully formed All Might, with some obvious struggle. You think you can make out Snipes mask and cape, but with the blonde Pro taking up so much space, you can't be quite sure.
"Participants will, on their own, form teams of two to five members each and get into a horse-and-rider formation! The rules are fundamentally the same as those of an ordinary cavalry battle- snag your opponents' headband while guarding your own- but with one exception...'
"Each of you has been assigned a point value based on your ranking in the last event!"
Sato grunts from beside you. "We'll earn points like in the Entrance Exam? Sounds simple."
Hagakures uniform wiggles as she expands upon Satos thinking. "So the point value of each team depends on its members!"
Crack!
Threateningly, Kayama flashes her flogger towards your standing group. "I'm about to explain it, so just shut up already!!"
Giving you all one last wary eye, the older Pro turns up the charm once more. "Anyway, yes!! And your individual point value starts at five, at the bottom! So the student who took forty-third place is worth five points, forty-second is worth ten, and so forth... get it? But..."
The screen changes with another loud buzz, showing off the list of participants and their point value. Up and up, the list goes, with one thing standing out in particular.
"Our first place participant is worth... ten million points!!"
'Ten... ten million...?'
Kayama nods at everyone's stunned expressions. "The higher ranked students are the ones to aim for... this survival game is a chance for a comeback! It's anyone's game!!"
Turning their shocked expressions into one of tense understanding, multiple bodies turn their ire towards Midoriya, who looks to be spooked beyond belief. Though no one says a word, the intent behind everyone's gaze is understandable to read.
"There's more suffering ahead for those at the top. As you must of heard countless times since enrolling at U.A., this is... Plus Ultra!”
Pointing towards the still spooked teen, Midnight divulges, “After taking first place in the qualifiers, Izuku Midoriya… has gotten ten million points!!”
The confirmation wasn’t at all necessary, but it seemed to help cement what it was everyone must be willing to do if they wish to be in the top. It’s a bit of overkill, in your opinion, eyes flitting over to the strung up cameras surrounding the perimeter.
The image in the screen changes minutely with another buzz, displaying the headbands and point values in the still image of the four Pros. “The match will last fifteen minutes. Each team’s points are determined by its members. The rider will wear the headband displaying the total number of points! Until the match ends, you’ll all compete to grab each other’s points and maintain the ones you have!”
The picture zooms in on a solo headband, spinning idly as its important facets are expanded upon. “Any headbands you grab must be worn around the neck or higher. But, the more headbands you’ve got, the harder they’ll be to manage!’
“Most importantly, even if your headband is taken… and even if your horse formation is broken… it’s not over ‘till it’s over!!”
Already, many around you have begun to theorize what the best course of action could be, with various of your classmates already forming mini groups to discuss. They all pointedly ignore Midoriya, who shifts in place at the less than subtle ostracization.
Attacking the air with her flogger one last time, Kayamas speech comes to a close, last second rules mentioned as the screen switches to display a fifteen minute timer. “Quirks are allowed, so it’ll be a brutal battle! However… it’s still a cavalry battle!! Maliciously attacking another team with the intent of making them fall will get you a red card! And that means- you’re out of the game!”
The timer begins to tick down, giant numbers suddenly daunting as everyone looks around themselves. Some people have already started to walk towards friends, while others observe from the side, no doubt trying to come up with a winnable strategy. It leaves you feeling a little concerned, already wondering whose team it is that would grant you an entry.
‘Well… Uraraka might be a safe bet, but…’
“You’ve got fifteen minutes! Time to form your teams!”
•••
- 13:02 Minutes Remain -
Picking a team was a little harder than you’d thought.
Initially, you had concluded that partnering up with someone you knew well enough was the answer. You’d even turned to ask Uraraka if she’d be willing to be a team with you, until you realized she’d slinked off after the timer had begun. When you found her again, she’d been with Midoriya, and while you found the green haired teen to be a fine consideration, there was too much at risk with being in a team with him…
The only other person who you’d considered had been Iida, but he had surprisingly grouped up with Todoroki already. You understood wholeheartedly, but you couldn’t seem to shake the bit of hurt you felt when he’d all but stalked off in the dual Quirk wielders direction, inadvertently ending any chance at a conversation before one could even start.
It left you feeling foolishly lonely, especially with the way everyone formed teams so quickly.
Gauging out your options, you couldn’t help but grit your teeth at how final everything seemed to be. The fifteen minutes weren’t even up, but at least seven groups had been established already, with the outliers either being students you didn’t know or people whose Quirks you doubted would work well with yours.
All in all, this was shaping up to be a terrible event for you to participate in.
You feel a glimmer of hope, however, when Uraraka locks eyes with you, the brunette skimming the crowd hurriedly. She jumps and waves in your direction, whispering something to Midoriya, who also turns in what you think is consideration. He nods, waving you over, and you feel whatever apprehension you’d had at teaming with him slip away.
‘It might be a pain to try and protect the ten million points, but it should be manageable with a good array of Quirks…’
Just as you’re about to make your way, you’re stopped by a hand on your shoulder, the owner of it shaking you aggressively than what was probably intended. “(L/N), I’m so glad I found you! I’d been looking for you everywhere!!”
The owners hand was revealed to be Kirishima, his sharp toothed grin blinding you momentarily as you give him your attention. “Oh, Kirishima… what’s up?”
The redheads grin grows wider, thumb pointing towards himself as he asks, “I wanted to know if you’d be on a team with me?”
Your head swivels towards Uraraka, both of you sharing a look of confusion at the taller teens approach. Though she isn’t close enough to hear, the reason as to why Kirishima was talking to you has be clear enough. Now, the only factor that needed to be accounted for was what your response would be.
Shaking your head slightly, you try to shrug off his hand as softly as you can, not wanting to accidentally offend Kirishima as you reply. “Ah… well, I’m not too sure… Uraraka was just-”
“Please?” Cutting you off, the redhead claps his hands in a pleading gesture, dropping his head in what you predict to be a show of submission. “I had you in mind as soon as I heard teams needed to be formed! Your Quirks perfect for offense and defense, and with me at the front, I’d be able to withstand whatever moves you perform!”
Listening to his reasoning, one thing stands out amongst all else. “With you in the front? Doesn’t that mean you already have a team accounted for?”
Kirishima nods. “Yeah, but we need one more person! You’re the last piece we need!”
When you don’t automatically reply, the teen sighs. “Look, I totally understand if you really don’t want to, but at least think about it? I’m sure we’d make a pretty good team.”
You’re still debating when Kirishima draws his last attempt, voice lowering slightly as he conspiratorially adds, “Midoriyas gonna have a lot of people after him, us included. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to fight for the ten million points than defend them the entire time? Don’t you wanna be at the top?”
It’s a hefty add on, you had to admit. While defending the ten million points didn’t sound too bad, having to fight people off the entire time did seem like a pain. Plus, if it was taken, there was no guarantee you’d be able to win it back from whoever steals it. The fact that someone like Todoroki might be gunning for the ten million points wasn’t lost on you either, and you doubt the headband will be in your hold for the entirety of the event.
With a tick of your brow, you consider his offer a bit more seriously. “What’s your overall plan?”
The redhead stutters for a moment, seemingly having not expecting you to answer in his potential favor. “W-well, we’re gonna shoot for the ten million and take whatever’s available on the way, just to be sure. But, I don’t think we’ll be hurting for points, so as long as we play it safe, we should get a good enough placement…”
You stare back at Kirishima blankly. In short, his group didn’t have a fleshed out plan just yet. “I don’t know…”
Sensing your trepidation, Kirishima slinks down an inch or two to be at your eye level, honesty pouring out of him in droves. “I know I’m asking a lot from you right now, but I wouldn’t have come looking for you if I didn’t think you were up for it. We made a good team back at the USJ, and I’m sure we’d make a good team now. Whaddya say?”
Taking a moment to decide internally, you consider your two options. You liked Midoriya and Uraraka a lot, but there were too many unknown variables to account for, especially in Midoriyas case. While you weren’t downplaying his strength by any means, there still was the fact Midoriya didn’t have a good enough hold on his Quirk just yet, meaning a lot of the heavy lifting would be left to everyone else. And, against so many people…
Mouthing an apology to Uraraka, who’d been watching the entire exchange and waved you off with a look of understanding, you turned fully towards Kirishima. “Okay, I’m in. Who’re the other teammates?”
Pumping his fist in the air, Kirishima tipped his head in the other direction. “The others are waiting for us over there! Man, I’m so excited!”
You don’t cheer in kind, but you offer up a small smile, following his slightly taller frame as he makes his way through the throng of groups. At least nine of them were fully formed at this point, and a glance at the clock shows there’s only seven more minutes to spare. It should prove enough time to talk strategy, and with a bit of confidence swirling within your gut, you meet with the awaiting people-
“I brought her over, just like you asked!”
Before freezing altogether.
Sero is cheerfully calling your name, the dark haired student offering up a high-five for you to complete. You do so halfheartedly, though, you don’t take your eyes off the other team member, one who’s currently glaring daggers at your approach.
“Took ya’ long enough, weird-hair!”
There goes the whole ‘staying away from blondes’ plan you’d made during the obstacle course race.
Snapping your head towards Kirishima, the redhead rubs at his neck sheepishly. “So… this is the team…!”
Right as you’re about to give the redhead a piece of your mind, now understanding that him enlisting you had been a request he was fulfilling and not because he really thought you’d make a good team, Sero slinks behind you both, throwing his arms over your shoulders in a show of camaraderie. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s assign some roles, no?”
Sighing, you deflate, all bite having left you when you remember that while working with Bakugou hadn’t been your first pick, at least it was in a group setting.
Crossing your arms, you look between Kirishima and Bakugou, already knowing what their roles must be. “So, if Kirishima is gonna be the head of the horse, then you’re gonna be the rider?”
Nodding, Bakugou matches your stance. “Can you control multiple sources of water at once or is your Quirk not up for it?”
Ignoring the thinly veiled insult and small surprise at being asked a question without any yelling, you nod again, grateful that at the very least, the explosive Quirk wielder seems to be taking the event seriously. “As long as they’re evenly shared or one’s less, I should be fine. I could probably hold more than my limit on either source, but only for a bit before I start feeling the drawbacks.”
Grunting, Bakugous quiet for a moment, meeting your eyes decisively as he says, “Prove it, and fast. First, I want you to do what you did to pink cheeks to me.”
Confused, your brow ticks up, uncertainty on the tip of your tongue that he counteracts. “Don’t act dense, fire hydrant. I saw what you did after the race.”
‘Fire hydrant…?’
Thinking back, the only person you’d talked to after the run had been Uraraka and all you had done was wipe the sweat off of her entirely, leaving her dry before Midnight had come up on stage.
Slowly, you bring a hand up, letting your Quirk take over as you deliberately wipe off one bead of lingering sweat from off him. You make sure he can see it, small as it was, before concentrating on the grass nearby with your other limb. Multiple droplets float over at your command before melding together to form a quarter sized amount of water, bigger in size than the sweat you’d lobbed off of Bakugou, showing that you could do what he was asking for.
“Move ‘em around. Different ways.”
Annoyed, you move the gathered water in a circle while moving his sweat side to side. After about a minute with no words traded between either group member, you release both sources, letting them plop onto the floor quietly as you await for whatever it is Bakugou needed a show for.
The blonde glances towards the ticking timer, and after confirming it was still running, he clicks his tongue, addressing all of you, “I’m only gonna say this once, so listen up! If I lose this because you shmucks can’t follow orders, I’ll murder you!”
- 4:36 Minutes Remaining -
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