I'm Baaack~

It really shouldn't be as easy as it is to get into the Sports Festival, especially with how many heroes they have acting as security. Doubly especially so considering I'm wearing my villain costume. Sure, I've messed with it so it doesn't immediately scream 'villain', but still. I guess a teenager with a broken arm doesn't rate very high on the list as far as threats go.

They should really rectify that.

I shove Mt. Lady's unconscious body into a supply closet underneath the stadium, grumbling under my breath. "Seriously, why is she so heavy? Does her quirk make her naturally dense to compensate for her growth? Is all that mass actually compressed when she's normal sized?"

Things to think about later. Actually, now that I think of it, I haven't really been analyzing quirk all that often lately. Between working with One, taking care of Eri, and most recently helping Skyfall, I haven't really had time to go out with Himi and hunt anyone. Not to mention that my previous analyses are already as good as they can get without me actually going out and physically studying their quirks.

I glance up at the cheers of the crowd after closing the door. By the time Mt. Lady brought me down here to get checked out by Recovery Girl, the second event -a cavalry battle- had been underway. It sounds like it just finished.

The last event is always a tournament, and knowing Izumi she'll get pretty far…

A grin splits my face as several ideas sprout. 

"Oh, this will be fun~."

`~`

"Come on, there's no reason to be nervous. Sure, Bakugou looked like he wanted to murder me, but there's no way he'll do it live on national television!" Uraraka pauses, thinking about it for a moment. "Right?"

"Oh, he definitely would." She jumps whirling around at the unexpected sound of someone's voice.

Who's there!? The hero-in-training is currently in the preparation room, giving in to its function and trying to prepare herself for her match against the most unhinged person in her class. Sure, she has a plan, but that doesn't mean she's still not panicking!

But when she sees the person casually leaning against the door frame, she gasps. "You!"

The person she knows as Biggius Dickus, the person she met at the Entrance Exam, the person she believed to have died at the Entrance Exam, gives her a bright smile, his tone joking. "Heya, Uraraka. Since you're stressing out about your match, I figured that I'd drop by from beyond the grave and give you a bit of advice."

She stares at him with her mouth hanging open, trying to form her questions. "You- How- I- WHAT!?"

He chuckles, fiddling with the zipper on his jacket. "Yeah, makes sense that you'd be shocked. But just to be clear-"

He steps forward, looking directly into her eyes, his expression suddenly sad. "I did die that day, Uraraka."

Her mouth closes, her eyes suddenly teary. "I…I did what you asked me. I gave Bakugou your message."

He gives her a small smile. "Thank you for that. And I'm sorry that it made you a target for him. But that's why I'm here. You helped me, so now I'll help you."

A choked laugh bursts out of her and she wipes at her eyes with the heel of her palms. "H-how? Are you going to possess him and make him walk out of the ring?"

The boy in front of her laughs, loud and bright. "No, no. You wouldn't be able to show off your skills if something like that happened. Though it would be funny to see his tantrum afterwards. No, I simply have a plan and some advice. You can follow it or not, it's up to you. But the advice I have will be useful either way."

He holds out a hand, a shadow seeming to fall across his face. "So, tell me. In exchange for a plan, would you take this poor sinner's hand?"

`~`

"Are both contestants ready?" Midnight asks, her flogger held out in front of her.

Bakugou stares at Uraraka with a malicious grin, his hands held out to his sides letting off a series of pops and sparks in a show of intimidation. "Give it up bitch, and I won't have to wreck your face."

He's been wanting an opportunity to hurt the chubby-faced girl ever since their first day, when she insulted him. Not that she did, but he blames her since she's the one who said the words to him. Safe to say that Bakugou adheres to the uruk saying; 'always kill the messenger'.

Midnight frowns at him but remains silent, turning and pointing her flogger at Uraraka and offering her the chance to speak. She stares at her classmate with determination in her eyes, her hands clenched at her sides. She holds her head tall as she speaks, her words echoing throughout the stadium.

"The past doesn't stay dead, Bakugou. Are you prepared to face yours, when it comes back to haunt you?"

He scowls at her to hide his confusion. The hell is this bitch going on about?

"Well then!" Midnight raises her flogger. "With those unexpectedly ominous words, let the match: begin!"

Bakugou immediately launches himself forward on a set of explosions, aiming to beat the girl down as brutally and quickly as possible. He sneers when he sees her running backwards to the edge of the arena. He was looking forward to hurting her, but it looks like it will be an instant ring out. Still, he can at least make sure to hit her with a strong explosion.

But it might be better to just beat her down, without using his quirk. As much as he doesn't want to admit it, there's going to be some serious competition during the tournament. Todoroki, for one. Izumi for another. Todoroki's ice is a good counter to his quirk, the cold preventing him from sweating. And with Izumi's quirk evolution-

His planning is brought to an abrupt end after he swings at the brunette in front of him, an explosion primed and ready to release directly in her face. But instead of the expected scream and the sight of her flying out of bounds, he's suddenly staring at the sky with his back hurting. He's in a bit of a daze as he tries to make sense of what just happened, but again, his thoughts are ground to a halt, this time by Midnight's announcement.

"And the winner by ring-out is: Ochako Uraraka!"

He shoots up to a sitting position, twisting around to stare in unbelieving shock at the hero acting as judge for the tournament. She gives him a warning look, but he's still in too much shock to really make a scene like he usually would. What the fuck just happened?

Uraraka looks down at him, an equally shocked look on her face. But she manages to get herself together faster than he can, and she explains to him how he lost so fast. But her words, said conversationally, unheard by anyone else, force him to freeze.

"You should really fix your habit of always starting a fight with a big right hook. A villain might take advantage of that, Kachan."

She walks away, leaving Bakugou staring after her with his mouth hanging open, her earlier words echoing in his head.

`~`

I chuckle at the sight on the monitor, seeing the panic that manages to break through Kachan's wrath and color his expression before Midnight prompts him to leave. "One down, two to go. But where and when, will the reveal take place? Private or public, kindness and wrath. Lay it all out, or save a surprise, for another time? Decisions, decisions, must be made. How much anger, shall I sate? A grand reveal, must be timed, just right…"

I trail off, watching as the next fighters enter the stage. Waiting for my turn, to enter the play.

"...Since when am I a poet? That definitely had a rhythm, and a beat. A tone to know, the plans I make. Maybe I'll write something for Himi, at a later date."

`~`

Shoko stares at her hand as she uses her ice to make a sword. It's sharp, but brittle. It isn't a weapon made to last, just to distract. She can make sturdy weapons by changing the property of the ice she makes, but that takes more time to do. And using your quirk to give yourself an advantage before the match is against the rules anyways, so even this she'll need to use her fire side to melt before the match.

Not that she'll need any advantage, against her final opponent. She expected that she would be facing either Bakugou or Izumi in the finals, but she didn't expect Bakugou to get taken out within moments of his first fight. She frowns as she recalls it. It had happened so fast, so suddenly. It was clearly a plan, but not one her classmate would have made.

Uraraka, contrary to what people would think based on her quirk and bubbly personality, is the type of girl to tackle things head on. So her baiting Bakugou like she did is completely out of character. But the plan itself is familiar, eerily so. Almost like-

A knocking on the door jerks her out of her thoughts, and she stares at it in surprise. No one should be here.

She gets up, her sword held parallel to her leg just in case she needs it. She doesn't think she will, but it pays to be cautious.

But after she opens the door, it slips from her fingers, the handle breaking after it makes an arc and hits the ground. She doesn't care. It doesn't matter. What matters is the person on the other side of the door.

She slowly raises shaky hands in front of her, wanting to grab them and never let go. But she hesitates, as if they'll disappear the moment she touches them. The decision is taken out of her hands as the person pulls her into a hug, letting out a shaky breath.

"Shoko. It's good to finally see you again. I'm really sorry to be abrupt, but I need a favor."

She wraps her arms around Izuku, taking a deep breath, his scent filling her nose. She knew he was alive, but she didn't think she'd see him again. Hear his voice. Feel his touch. It's been over a year, and he'd only ever communicated through letters, and even then less than a handful of times! She's missed him so, so much…

But now he's in her arms, and there's only one answer she can give him. "Of course, Izuku. Anything."

`~`

"THE FINAL MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT! ON THIS SIDE OF THE ARENA: IT'S THE FORCE FOR A GREENER WORLD, IZUMI YAGI!"

Izumi walks onto stage, waving to the crowd with a smile plastered onto her face to hide her nervousness. This won't be an easy fight, after all. She knows how strong Todoroki is, and more importantly she's had a year to put the analysis her brother did on her quirk into practice, deepening her understanding and capabilities of her quirk.

She's not sure she can win, but she's going to give it her best shot. And that's all I can do, she thinks to herself as she looks up at the stands, her eyes falling on Mina. The energetic pink girl gives her double thumbs up, cheering on her friend the loudest of the entire class. They share a bond now, after Mina found her in the bathroom.

She's thankful for her. To have someone who not only understands, but knows the truth. If it wasn't for her, then she probably wouldn't have been able to stand up on stage today and give her speech. But she's glad she did. With any luck, it goes at least a little towards helping her brother rest in peace.

"IN THE OTHER CORNER: IT'S THE TEMPERATURE QUEEN, SHOKO TODOROKI!"

Footsteps echo out of the tunnel on the opposite side of the arena, building up the crowd's excitement as they take their time. Izumi frowns, wondering at the oddity. After all, Todoroki has never been one for showmanship.

They exit the tunnel, and her heart stills, her breathing freezing in her throat. She starts shaking as she watches them step onto the arena, unhearing of the confused murmuring of the crowd, the questions Midnight directs at them, Present Mic's confusion that echoes from the speakers.

She only has eyes for the person a few feet in front of her, a mocking grin on their face.

"Heya, Izumi." Izuku says before stretching his arms out to his sides in a grand reveal. "I'm baaack~."