Chapter Nine: Shadow Boxing
Sero had to admit, out of all the outcomes he had in his mind for how the match between Fenton and Tokoyami would go (some of which had the hilarious bonus of a possibility of Fenton just missing them and them winning by grabbing the bomb), he didn't think it would touch off with a shadow sucker punch.
As it turned out, Tokoyami had a different plan altogether.
Everyone gasped and exclaimed in shock as a shadow stretching from Tokoyami struck Fenton directly in the chest. It would have come as a surprise volume-wise for Sero if he wasn't also exclaiming at the same moment.
"Holy shit!" The tape boy shouted out as Fenton continued to dodge on-screen. "That punch was FAST."
Until now, he didn't think anyone would be able to get a hit on the likes of his ghost-quirk friend. Ever since he regained control of his Quirk, it seemed like Fenton's speed had continued to increase. Hell, it was pretty much to the point where Sero couldn't even keep up with him without playing dirty.
Yet, in that brief moment that the ghost boy seemingly faltered before his attack, it was all Tokoyami needed to press the offensive that surprised everyone.
"He's not wasting any time at all!" Kirishima exclaimed, half in excitement, half in awe. "He's just going in with everything against Fenton!"
"With how fast Fenton is, it makes sense to press any advantage you can have on him." Shoji added.
There was no disagreement on that as the claws of Tokoyami's shadow raked the wall and tried to catch the dancing ghost.
"Man, even with the sneak attack, Fenton's reflexes are tuned as hell!" Ashido enthused. "He's dodging like nobody's business!"
"It's like there wasn't even a sneak attack," Todoroki quietly commented. "While he was caught off guard initially, his recovery skills are refined. Fenton's control of his Quirk is just as experienced and thought-out as Bakugou's. Now, they both know what to expect from each other, so the surprise attack from Tokoyami yielded nothing in terms of results besides the first hit."
"They're both so fast though!" Uraraka said as they watched Fenton retreat and phase back up through the ceiling. "They might know what to expect, but either one of them can still win! Plus, with Tsu and Yaoyorozu supporting them, who knows what other tricks they can pull off!"
There was a silent unanimous agreement among the class as the monitors displayed both Tokoyami and Fenton going their separate ways, their first clash seemingly coming to a draw.
"Well, they'll both have a hell of a lot to plan around," Kirishima commented. "I wonder how Fenton is going to try and beat out that shadow. It's a tricky fight, no matter how you look at it."
"That's for sure," Sero agreed, then smirked. "But Fenton and his Quirk are pretty tricky too. There's no doubt in my mind that that schemer is already planning something to try and deal with Tokoyami. Whether or not it will work, we'll have to see."
From the front of the class, Sero heard All Might laugh. "When it comes to hero work, you always must keep on your feet and work with what you have available! Even when it seems like it wouldn't be useful!" He crossed his arms. "Whatever Young Fenton or Young Tokoyami think of to try and counter one another in the midst of this match, it may be more effective then one might think! Always keep that in mind, young heroes!"
"Yes, sir!"
As the chorus of the class cried out once more (save for the pouting Bakugou and absent Midoriya), the tape-user turned his attention back to the fight. He definitely wouldn't deny Tokoyami was calm as hell under this kind of pressure. And he couldn't say confidently that he thought Fenton would be a shoe-in for the win.
But he also knew the ghost-quirk user wouldn't be making things easy for them, regardless of anything. He was as stubborn as he was inventive. Sero had seen it all firsthand.
And he seriously doubted that Fenton was going to start becoming predictable or easy to catch now.
"Either way," Sero said to himself with a smile. "I am looking forward to seeing how the old man is going to handle this particular situation."
As his white-haired opponent phased into the upper ceiling and beyond Dark Shadow's grasp, Tokoyami let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He had expected the sneak attack and the first bit of combat against Fenton. It was what Tsu had initially warned him about and only logical. With phasing and invisibility, it would be a good stepping stone against an opponent.
The first hit and counter against his opponent had been achieved and it gave Tokoyami the confidence that he could successfully challenge the ghost quirk user as long as he played the oncoming combat as strategically as he could. What he hadn't accounted for was the fact that Fenton had a perfected mix of speed and an energy that could make even Dark Shadow falter.
When the green energy hit his Quirk, he felt the force of the impact and the strength behind it. Had he expected it to hit Dark Shadow? Yes. Had he expected it to be this strong? No. Which made his thoughts on how he would go about fighting the ghost boy change.
For the moment, his attention focused back on the retreating and somewhat battered form of Dark Shadow as he pulled back towards Tokoyami.
"I'm sorry, Fumikage! I pressured him the best I could!"
Tokoyami reached up and patted a hand reassuringly against the almost liquid-shadow body of his Quirk. "You did exactly as I asked, Dark Shadow. Thank you. Rest for now. I'll need your help again soon."
Dark Shadow nodded in appreciation and understanding before he retreated back within Tokoyami's cloak. And the shadow user felt himself relax a little more, feeling the slight edge of the shadow's anxiety slip away.
It had always been this way when it came to dealing with Dark Shadow: he always had to ensure he could be the voice of reason to his always emotional Quirk personification. His former classmates often joked that Dark Shadow was the one who displayed all of his emotion and left Tokoyami to speak with clarity. And, while not entirely accurate, Tokoyami could see why they saw it that way.
Shadow often let himself get ruled by fear or excitement when a situation proved to be too excessive. Let him get too emotional, and he could start lashing out in more ways than one. That's why he had gained the ill-fated reputation he did while in elementary school. He definitely didn't strive to earn it. It was just through lack of control when it came to Dark Shadow as a whole.
It's why he began to personify calm the best he could. Tried to be the equalizer to Dark Shadow's emotional responses. If they were both emotional, nothing could get done. But with one thinking rationally through the process, effective plans and strategies could be formulated with the use of his Quirk. And he hoped his attendance at UA could further him along in the further control of Dark Shadow's violent responses.
And what a good choice in school UA had been.
He was already getting a lot more knowledge than he could have ever imagined, especially given that Fenton utilized a Quirk that seemed on the same level of his own. Tokoyami was insanely curious how he was able to utilize the darkness within to such a degree that he could react in almost a blink of an eye. And that thought offered him many questions he wanted to pose to the top of the class.
But, at the moment, he was more concerned about how best to combat that skill rather than praise it. And how he would utilize Dark Shadow from here in response to that.
From behind him, the shadow user heard his partner croak.
"Kero. Are you alright, Tokoyami?"
"I'm fine, Tsu," The bird-student calmly relayed. "Though I was slightly caught off-guard. Fenton's beams hit Dark Shadow much harder than I would have expected."
Tsu's usually expressionless face scrunched inquisitively as she looked up at the spot Fenton had vanished into. "I didn't expect Fenton's energy to affect Dark Shadow like that." She looked at him with slight concern. "We don't have to continue pressuring him if you don't want to, Tokoyami. If Dark Shadow is having a hard time, we can always change the strategy."
Tokoyami shook his head. "I very much appreciate your concern, Tsu. But Dark Shadow was still able to match him on the level that counts." Tokoyami straightened and felt his determination rise back to the surface. "I can still pressure him as planned."
For Tokoyami, this wasn't him being arrogant or cocky. He knew the details of the plan he and Tsu had worked out and he knew how important it was to keep to the plan, regardless of anything else. He always kept a clear mind when it came to how to best approach a situation. And there was no doubt that Dark Shadow and himself could keep to their end.
He knew Fenton now. He just had to plan the next fight around his now-realized capabilities.
Tsu regarded her partner for a moment before nodding and, after casting a quick look to the windows, moved her way forward and to the stairs. "We should hurry then. Fenton isn't any less strong in sunlight. Kero. Now that he knows how Dark Shadow operates in tight spaces, he's going to try and use the outside as a differing angle to ambush you. He was already pretty quick to try out new strategies. He'll be especially quick with the help of Yaororozu's planning and Quirk."
Tokoyami nodded as he fell into step alongside her. "Regardless if he uses windows, doors or the walls, he will come straight to me. And in close proximity…" The shadow quirk user felt a rush of adrenaline as the tethered form of Dark Shadow began to take early form. "My darkness will overwhelm."
For Momo Yaoyorozu, the plan was starting off well.
Though her breathing was quickening slightly under the exertion of creating another sound maker (which she quickly set in her belt alongside the others) and she felt a little faint, she saw no outward waste happening when it came to her Quirk.
Like her parents, Momo had always been one to keep small items just in case all else failed. And she was always taught to ensure that there was enough of her Quirk energy left that she could always fall back on if it came to it.
While it did take quite a bit of energy to create the necessary components to secure the room from their opponents, it was nothing the creation girl didn't anticipate. Years of self-practice and creation techniques had mentally prepped her for planning ahead and forward with her own Quirk's energy. And today was no exception.
She still had her always-ready reserve energy. And she was glad to have it, just in case.
There were still a lot of unknowns when it came to the fighting-styles of both Tokoyami and Asui. And, even more worrying, there was no reference on what kind of strategies they would create together.
That's why she was happy to be paired with someone like Fenton. Not only was he quick to concoct his own plans on how to deal with an improvised situation (as his friends had made it known he was adept at doing), but his Quirk allowed for a quick mobilization of both intel and free-travel from whatever level they were on.
In other words, they held the obvious advantage when it came to battlefield control.
And, for a defensive position like they were in, it was paramount to utilize that plus her own Quirk to their maximum effectiveness. Especially if they managed to isolate their two opponents like Fenton had suggested.
"If executed correctly," Momo said to herself as she fixed her hero-outfit back into place and stood. "We can keep our opponents locked to the bottom floors and never have to worry about them touching the explosive. Our phasing and creation are quite the combo and can minimize damage to the building as a whole."
It made up a finely-tuned starting strategy in Momo's opinion, taking in both the qualifications of the unknown and what All Might had instructed them on after the previous match: being mindful of their surroundings so civilians wouldn't get hurt.
A strategy to be well-utilized when we all become pros, Yaoyorozu thought as she finished her adjustments and prep. For now, I just need to wait for Fenton's return of intel and we can begin to adjust accordin-
"Yaoyorozu!"
The team communicator suddenly flared within her ear as the familiar voice of her partner spoke up.
Immediately, Momo's hand went to her communicator. "Fenton. Excellent. I've prepared both noise-makers and barricades. Any attacking weapons, I have saved my remaining energy for. Of course, depending on the situation we find ourselves in, we can vary the options. Were you able to find the location of the opposing team?"
"Yeah, I was," Fenton replied, which would have reassured Yaoyorozu had she not heard what sounded like winces of effort and pain on Fenton's part. "Along with maybe a little more than we bargained for."
Immediately, the onyx-eyed girl felt herself freeze a little. More than they bargained for? That did not bode well.
"What do you mean?"
As if in immediate response, the familiar warbling sound that had echoed through the room once before became apparent again. Momo quickly turned to find the slightly battered form of Fenton floating out from the floor and coming to a slightly unsteady stop.
His hero costume was visibly ruffled, with crease and claw marks across the white-and-black lined left-side. Fenton's hood was also now at a lopsided angle, as if sudden bursts of speed shook it right off its regular position.
His hand was clutched to his side and his face was twisted in obvious discomfort, but he nevertheless looked both incredulous and amazed, as if he had seen something he never expected to see.
Yaoyorozu, however, felt her face shift to one predominant emotion: worry.
"What happened?" She asked in shock as she hurried forward to both examine and aid her teammate in standing.
"Well," The white-haired boy said as he straightened out and held out a reassuring hand to Momo. "To answer the mission question, Tokoyami and Tsu are on floor six and quickly making their way up to us. We don't have a lot of time with the way they're moving. And as for your question…" He sighed out and gave a sheepish smile. "I… kind of got a good look at what Tokoyami's Quirk is capable of."
Yaoyorozu immediately made eye contact with her partner, curiosity now mixing in with her own shock.
"Capable of? He engaged in combat with you?"
"Yeah," Fenton confirmed as, after a couple deep breaths, he smiled nervously. "Well, to be fair, I guess it's more accurate to say that I engaged him."
"What?" The onyx-haired girl was incredulous. "We agreed the purpose of your initial scouting was to get the location only!"
"I know! I know!" Fenton said apologetically. "I'm sorry. I thought I saw a chance to take the initiative and take one of them down early. Turns out, way more prepared for that than I thought."
Momo felt a brief pang of frustration in her mind, but that was quickly overshadowed. She couldn't let herself linger on something she couldn't prevent. Plus, a rapid end to the conflict is what heroes sought in a situation such as theirs. She could see the logic where it was due. It was Fenton trying to be practical.
"While I can't fault you for taking a chance to end a situation as soon as possible," She admitted aloud. "You shouldn't take such needless risks, Fenton. That is how civilians get wounded in crossfire. You also could have been captured if you were sloppy."
Fenton, his face frowned in slight guilt, nodded. "I understand. It's not going to happen again."
Momo nodded gratefully at that and quickly felt her focus go back to her planning thoughts. "That said, it's good that we now know what Tokoyami's strength is. How much were you able to see?"
"Quite a bit," The ghost-quirk user admitted. "It was like something out of a movie. He has a bird-shadow attached to him that can stretch and move on its own. Not only is it big, but it's pretty fast. It was able to catch me off-guard and hurt me through my Quirk. And that's not an easy thing to do."
Yaoyorozu frowned. "It can also affect your intangibility? That's troubling. I knew from observation that his Quirk had to do with the manipulation of shadows, but I didn't know it would be able to act on its own and have the ability to counter yours." She looked to the room around them, her mind racing. "How fast was Tokoyami able to detect you?"
"Once I got close enough, pretty fast. And there's probably a good chance that they'll be on the lookout for me even more now."
Momo mulled it over. All of the safeguards she had placed seemed fruitless now, as she came to the quick realization that, if Tokoyami was able to tank Fenton's initial attacks and match his Quirk's phasing… "It's very likely that he'll be able to push through my defenses and get to the objective. We'll need to halt Tokoyami before he reaches this level." She looked back towards her partner, trying to gauge his initial reaction to the change in plans. "It will divert our attention away from Tsu, but that may be a risk we'll have to take."
"That's what I was thinking," Fenton agreed, resilience in his expression and his quick adaptation to plans now on display to his partner. "But I'm also thinking that, as long as one of us can stall Tokoyami long enough, we can either wait out the time or hopefully capture Tsu so we can both team-up on one person." His hands balled in obvious excitement. "I think I have the perfect stall in mind. It might also help us keep the original idea."
Yaoyorozu's interest peaked at that. "What course of action is that?"
"Well, let's just say I've kind of done my own research into people who fight with shadows before. And I was hoping to see if what I know carries over. If it does, it'll definitely help keep Tokoyami and all of his shadow backup in a box." His green eyes looked at her. "You said you only had a certain amount of energy for creation left, right?"
"Enough for small creations and items to properly defend ourselves." Momo clarified. "I don't believe I have the necessary energy for anything too complex."
The white-haired boy shot her a smile. "Well, I don't think we need anything too complex. In fact, I think all I need is something that can shine a lot of light."
Light. It immediately clicked for Yaoyorozu what Fenton was planning, and a million inquiries and ideas ran through her mind. Possible creations in mind, the likeliness of it having an effect and how much time they had. "Are you certain that will work?"
A distant boom a few floors down caught both of their attention. The following scrapes and rumbles gave the indication that something or someone was beginning to knock down doors.
"Only one way to find out, right?" With that, Fenton flared the energy on his fists and funneled it readily into his suit, highlighting the lines along his white gloves in a slight greenish hue, matching the glow that filled his eyes.
Following his lead, Momo extended her arm and began to channel the proper amount of energy into the designs she held clearly in her head. As the rainbow-like glow began to coarse, she immediately started picking apart their chosen course of action.
It was a headstrong idea, of course. An idea that rode on a lot of unknowns, which always made Momo a little anxious.
She always preferred strategies that could cover all bases. But she was also acutely aware that they didn't have a lot of options in the wake of this new development.
Keeping All Might's own words and the last match in mind, the obvious lesson trying to be taught by their teacher was that they had to be adaptable to circumstances at hand. Villains would try anything to get the upper hand.
So they had to match that.
After a moment, three small, round sticks fell from her arm and rolled out in front of her. She exhaled, and turned to the white-haired boy.
"These should help you keep Tokoyami properly distracted." Momo assured as she passed the items to Fenton.
Her partner held one of the items gingerly in his hand, looking them over for a moment before his eyes widened in surprise. "Are these…?"
"Yes. And more than capable to contribute to your plan," She confirmed in pride. "If his weakness is to light, that should be more than sufficient in guiding him to where you want him to go. However, I don't have much of my creation energy left. Replacing those will take me a lot more time. Use them sparingly and cautiously."
Fenton nodded in understanding and carefully placed them in his pocket. "Don't worry about that. With what I have in mind, I think I can make this work just fine." Once the items were secured, the white-haired boy put up his hood. "Alright. I don't think we can afford to wait any more. We have to do it now."
"Yes!" Yaoyorozu quickly took one last look around at her security measures. "This setup should keep me forewarned if either of them get to this level." With another flare, she produced a metal combat-staff. "And I have an appropriate amount of energy to defend myself with. As long as our measures hold, we can hold too. Keep in contact. Cohesion and updates to our plan always have to be considered. Especially against opponents like ours."
Fenton nodded. "Okay. I play distraction, you defend the bomb and catch them off-guard with traps," Then, as he crouched and began to phase out, he chuckled. "We really are fitting the role of cunning villains aren't we? Sneaky plans and everything."
With that, her partner phased into the floor, his laugh seemingly echoing through the room as his form fully vanished before Momo could even respond.
After a moment, she felt herself smirk. He was correct. Their plans felt very in line with the roles they had been given. Villains were always tenacious and ready to execute whatever trick they had up their sleeves.
It usually played in their favor too, usually forcing their opponents into situations they couldn't easily recover from.
"While I don't particularly care for playing a villain role…" Yaoyorozu commented as stood in the center of the room. "I do hope we inherit some of that luck for now."
CRRRKKKK
As the sound of Dark Shadow crumpling a vacant room's door echoed throughout the entirety of the empty floor and hall, Tokoyami felt his gaze drift in and around the empty halls.
"… Dark Shadow."
"Nothing yet." His Quirk confirmed to him as it drifted back. "If he's around, he's making himself pretty scarce."
Dark Shadow's tone was meant to be reassuring, but Tokoyami shook his head in response.
"The fact that we do not know the location of someone with a Quirk like Fenton's does not bode well," The feathered student mulled as he stepped away from the shattered door. "He will have every opportunity to press his attack suddenly, and we cannot afford a sudden capture. Keep your guard up, Dark Shadow. We keep moving."
His Quirk didn't disagree and slowly retreated back into position, melding well into both the darkness of his hero costume and that of the unlit hall. With his Quirk secure for the moment, Tokoyami swiftly resumed his trek and made his way down the hall and towards the corner of the level.
While most people would have felt some kind of hesitation in the environment of a dark, looming empty structure, for Tokoyami, it only helped increase his confidence in increasing his pace to the next interval of stairs.
With the darkness surrounding him, there was no fear of faltering in attack or defense. He could press an advantage for as long as necessary or keep a defense going long enough to find a perfect counter. There was also the added advantage of Dark Shadow being able to blend in more to a dark environment, giving him the advantage in a first-strike.
The darkness was his prime fighting-field.
This is why it was decided by both Tsu and himself that he would work best as the force to put pressure on their opponents.
With the way the training field was, his combat and evasion skills with Dark Shadow were something to be feared. Fenton and no doubt Yaoyarozu both knew it by now.
And that would hopefully drive their focus solely upon him, giving Tsu the time and freedom she needs.
It was why, while already well on his way to the third floor, he was causing as much noise and attention as he could.
If they wanted to stop him, they knew where he was. It's why Tokoyami was on guard and keeping Dark Shadow as rested as he could be.
If they didn't act, he would be fighting the main battle on the top floor and benefited from preparing himself beforehand. It would be a two-pronged attack that they couldn't risk. And a retaliation would result in both fights being 1 on 1, ensuring no support in one fight or another.
Which, given what they knew about their opponents, Tokoyami was of the opinion they knew the risks of a battle at the top level.
If they did, Tokoyami thought as the next available stairway entered his view. It would be a hard and fast strike to slow me down. Most importantly…
A mere moment before closing in on the outside staircase, Dark Shadow's energy suddenly surged and he felt the shadow almost instantaneously increase his mass to cover his body fully.
"Fumikage! Look out!"
Barely a millisecond later, the feathered student felt something slam into his protective shadow, pushing with enough force that it very nearly knocked him completely off his feet.
… they will ensure it happens as fast as possible.
He felt a ripple through Dark Shadow as his Quirk gathered from the darkness of the room, boosting his form and buffering Tokoyami's fallback enough so that he was still on his feet.
After a silent thank you to his Quirk, Dark Shadow uncovered Tokoyami and allowed him a visual on their attacker. Though, for the shadow user, it wasn't needed. The flare of green that was attached to the main attack told him all he needed to know.
"A respectable strike," Tokoyami admitted as he fully stood back up and faced his opponent, his Quirk fully coming into form behind him as he spoke. "But not nearly enough to take me out of the fight, Fenton."
Amidst the darkness and flowing green glow of his opponent's active Quirk along his arms, he saw Fenton smile.
"Well, I knew it wouldn't take you out. That was just something to get your attention." He motioned a glowing finger towards him. "It worked, didn't it?"
Tokoyami's eyes narrowed, concentration bared as he felt the clawed hands of shadow slowly forming on either side of him. "It did indeed." And he charged.
He was acutely aware that an attack like this would be easy to predict, but he was more interested in what his opponents response to it would be.
And in that regard, he didn't disappoint.
As he and Dark Shadow closed the distance, Fenton's form suddenly shifted, going from a solid white-and-black with a green glow to almost completely see-through against the gray of the walls. He quickly sidestepped and leaned, both dodging the oncoming claw attack and phasing into the lower portion of the white wall, leaving nothing but a slight pop of his vanishing energy.
Instantly, Dark Shadow pulled back, adjusting himself so that his claws stood protectively on either side of Tokoyami.
"Damn it! Vanished again!"
"We expected this." Fumikage calmly emphasized as he quickly backed himself down the hall. "He'll have the advantage when it comes to stealth tactics, but he can't rely on that forever. Especially if he plans to attack. If he presses…"
As if on cue, the shadow user felt Dark Shadow's form tense. "Fu-"
That was all his Quirk was able to relay before Tokoyami was slammed from his left, bending Shadow's arm and claw under the force and sending both flying at an angle across the hall as the unseen form of Fenton pushed them forward.
"If you're looking for more of a combat blow," Fenton's voice echoed. "I'd look more at this!"
Tokoyami only spent an instant of time in shock before his thoughts synced back up with Dark Shadow's. It was indeed a hard hit. Hard enough for him to realize that this fight wouldn't be getting any easier as time went on. But he didn't have to worry in regards to time.
His advantage was already in-hand.
He impacted the wall as his opponent pushed him forward. It was immediately obvious the hit was tailored with the idea to knock the wind out of him, probably to set up an easy capture.
But the intention was not reality. Instead, Tokoyami only felt a slight puff of pressure as Dark Shadow buffered the hit to the wall with another massing of protective shadow to his back.
Knowing they couldn't waste a moment, Tokoyami quickly reached down and grabbed onto Fenton's arm, clutching tightly at the same moment Dark Shadow struck. His Quirk swiped his right claw down and around, seemingly targeting Fenton's side for either a grab or attack.
Hearing a grunt of exertment from their opponent and seeing him quickly turn to the oncoming attack, Tokoyami felt a chill that carried through his body as he suddenly felt his grip on Fenton completely loosen.
He's phasing!
Their hooded opponent quickly jumped back, his hand clenched over the now unfurled capture tape.
Tokoyami felt his heartbeat quicken at that sight. Fenton was that close to capturing him?
There couldn't be another wasted second then.
Quickly, he felt his own will mix with Dark Shadow's once more as his free claw slammed down behind the fleeing Fenton, causing the white-haired student to falter for just a moment.
Just as Tsu had described, Fenton quickly adapted. Taking advantage of his speed, he propelled himself up, fist pulled back as he swung himself around and towards Tokoyami.
"You know, if you force me into a position where I have to hit you, Tokoyami, don't look surprised when I have to hit you!"
Tokoyami's eyes narrowed. "That is not the reason for my surprise. It was more about how quickly you go for the obvious strike."
Curious words did not follow Fenton's curious glance, given that he was abruptly and quickly cut off by the sudden appearance and headbutt of Dark Shadow.
For Tokoyami, it was the next expected move. His opponent had only been aware of Dark Shadow's claws, given that's how the last attack went and the only part of his Quirk he kept continually visible.
There was no way to know that Dark Shadow himself could appear to headbutt or bite until it was utilized. And it was utilized well in this case.
Dark Shadow's lowered head impacted directly on Fenton's face, throwing him back and momentarily off-balance, wavering mid-air as his balled fists instinctively went to his struck nose. His free hand quickly shot to his side, but there would be no time for whatever his classmate planned to do.
It was training, so of course Tokoyami instructed Shadow to only strike hard enough to disorient, not break anything.
A disorientation, after all, was all he needed.
Using Shadow's right claw, Tokoyami swung, grasped and clenched, capturing his opponent in his shadow's grip at the same time he pinned him down against the ground. Fenton produced both a startled and pained "OOF." as Dark Shadow tightened his grip.
"I have him, Fumikage! Do it now!"
In what seemed like a flash, Tokoyami moved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the form of the capture tape. Advancing at nearly the same moment, he arced down and snagged the tape against Fenton's struggling ankle. The white-haired boy flinched and grunted, straining to break free of the shadow fingers wrapped around his figure.
A brief glow of green shined through Dark Shadow's fingers and Tokoyami heard his Quirk yelp. The grip visibly loosened.
"Hurry!" Dark Shadow called in a strained tone. "This stings!"
"Hold, Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami looped the capture tape once more and, hands clenched white, went to pull. "We are very…"
He didn't even finish his sentence or thought before there was a burst of red light and a bellow from his Quirk.
Almost immediately, Tokoyami noticed Dark Shadow retract completely, funneling back under his cloak in response to the bright shine.
"How did you OOF!"
Before he could regain his senses, Fumikage gasped as all the air left his lungs. He witnessed a brief surge of green through the light, a smell of ozone and a slam into his chest. It impacted with such force that it propelled him a ways down the hall and flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling and trying his best to regain a steady sense of breathing.
He felt Dark Shadow already beginning to form behind his cape, though it was obvious to him that his Quirk's reformation was slightly slower then before. Whether it was out of hesitation or just trying to pull back from the light, Tokoyami didn't know. What he did know now, as he came to a labored stand, was the source of it all.
As Fenton came to an equally labored stand, shifting his face against the now visible bruises, he held up his other hand. In his gloved grasp was the still shining and smoking form of a red emergency flare, illuminating a fair extent of the area around him and completely overpowering even the visible green in his other palm.
"Well, let me be the first to say…OW." Fenton gave him a surprised look. "Wasn't expecting a grab like that. Definitely wasn't expecting that headbutt. You know, I'm already bad at most school subjects. I don't need the extra hit to the head to help."
Tokoyami, disregarding his opponents attempts at humor, took the brief lull in combat to breathe, helping speed up Shadow's recovery and ask. "How were you aware of Dark Shadow's weakness? Your own Quirk isn't subject to the same light aversion, yet you were aware of it and prepped nonetheless."
The white-haired student cracked a smile. "I've been around another shadow-user before. A lot meaner, but he didn't really like the light either. I figured I'd see if the same carried over to you. I just needed something to test my idea out."
"...And Yaoyorozu provided such a light source." Tokoyami concluded, feeling his cloak flap behind him. He was bruised and injured, but Dark Shadow was ready once more. "You are a very capable opponent, Fenton. It is good that I have gotten to see so much of what your Quirk and mind is capable of."
"Right back at you, Tokoyami. You definitely don't play around when it comes to how you fight and plan. Or how best to try and beat the snot out of me."
At that, Fumikage huffed in amusement, raising his arms slightly as his eyes affixed to his opponent. "You strive to do the same to me. I am merely returning the favor."
"That's… fair, I guess." His opponent raised his rapidly vanishing flare. "...I have a feeling this is where our conversation ends?"
"For now," Fumikage stretched out shadow's arms, plans solidified in his mind as the familiar tingle in his palms assured that his Quirk was ready to act. "The flare's and knowledge of my Quirk are something new to plan around. But if Dark Shadow managed to pin you once…"
"T-Then I can do it again!" Dark Shadow finished as he peeked out from the darkness of the cape.
Tokoyami could sense his Quirk's slight hesitation to push forward. The flare had enough of an impact and pushback to shove Dark Shadow more to his meek-self. He could recover faster, thanks to the darkness of the halls, but his awareness of the flares made his Quirk a lot more cautious about the upfront attacks, which had been their main advantage.
He would have to play it differently, but the black-feathered student knew the plan could still be salvaged. He just had to keep the attention squarely on him.
"We'll see about that," Fenton said as he lowered himself down to a combat stance. "But something tells me it's not going to be that easy for you."
It's not meant to be easy, Tokoyami thought to himself as Dark Shadow pushed both claws against the ground and boosted him to charge forward. It's meant to distract.
The radiant light the flare had once given was a shell of its former self now, only encompassing a small area around Fenton. It was enough to maybe keep Dark Shadow at bay for a little, but it was obvious it wouldn't keep that way for long.
The flares only last a minute, Tokoyami noted. Good for keeping opponents at bay for a moment and enabling quick escape. But it will not help in a long fight. Or against someone who plans against it.
Thinking quickly on his feet, the black-feathered student retracted as much of Dark Shadow as he could into his cape, but continued to utilize the momentum to throw himself forward to his opponent.
Fenton, seeing the shadow retract, quickly reeled his arm back and clenched his teeth, seemingly preparing himself to deliver a heavy hit that could stop Tokoyami in his tracks.
"Now, Dark Shadow!"
Hidden beneath his cape and swamped in shadow, Tokoyami felt the front of his arm bulk against an amassed shadow, building up in the safety of the darkness and from the fading light.
BOOM
The ghost student's blow whipped against Fumikage, hitting his arm undercape with so much force, the feathered student felt his beak vibrate.
But it didn't break his concentration… or his counterattack.
With an audible "Oh no." from Fenton, Tokoyami used the standstill moment in time to funnel all his strength to Shadow's hidden claw.
He swiped against his white-haired foe, knocking him aside just as the last light from the flare began to fade.
Fenton hurdled through the air for a moment, arcing towards the hallway wall before, once more, glowing with the power of his Quirk. He vanished into the wall with another pop of energy and disappeared from sight.
Silence reigned once more as the hall was plunged into darkness, the flare finally dying completely.
Dark Shadow shifted uncomfortably. It was clear that that last hit had caused quite a bit of pain. And Tokoyami's Quirk was trying to make it clear that he couldn't take a blow like that many more times.
That was knowledge that Fumikage intended to keep. The last thing he wanted was to push his Quirk to the exhaustion point.
But that certainly didn't mean surrender. Rather, it meant a push back down the hall towards the outside staircase position, amassing Dark Shadow within the darkness as he went.
These last engagements had taught Tokoyami that he could match Fenton and buy the time necessary as long as it was played smart. Regardless if the ghost-quirk user knew his weakness, he could still buy time for himself.
And for the plan both he and his teammate had on hand. It should have been long enough for her to reach the top.
As the black-feathered student rounded towards the door to the outside staircase and heard the familiar energy pops from his opponent ("I'll say it again, Tokoyami… OW."), his hand went to his communication device as Dark Shadow began to mass.
"Tsu," He called as he whirled to face his quickly advancing villain-opponent. "Do it now."
"Do it now."
"Roger that, Tokoyami. Be careful."
Slowly and steadily, placing one hand after the other, Tsuyu Asui started her advance through the main ceiling air vents and towards the target location.
When she had first arrived at the top level of the building, unseen and away from the main combat, she had briefly stuck near the main doorway leading to their target. She had quickly thought twice about it.
The main doorway had been blocked by a number of protective connecting metal pieces, blocking any access through to the bomb. Tsu felt the same could probably be said to every window and accessway. She hadn't known Yaoyorozu very long, but she could tell she was a very thorough person.
But, with that in mind, the frog girl knew of one small-point access that she could utilize: the air vent system. Each room she and Tokoyami had traveled through, there were small vented openings lining the ceilings.
It was small enough that she didn't think anyone would pay much attention to them and interconnected enough for Tsu to see an opportunity in. If they were lined to match the vents in a standard building, it meant she had a chance to skip any obvious doorways and entrances to the target altogether.
And it was a chance she was willing to take.
Utilizing her Quirk's effect on her body (mainly her long limbs and more slim body), it was easy enough for Tsu to both remove the vent lining from an adjoining room and squeeze her way into the slightly confined spacing of the stretching web of AC.
It wasn't the most comfortable, but comfort wasn't the priority for Asui. For her, it was sticking to the plan and, hopefully, capturing the bomb as quickly as she could. She settled on top of the vent, looking topside into
The strategy she and Tokoyami came up with only gave Tsu a certain window of time to act. Between the exercise time-limit and the fact that her partner confirmed Fenton was now fully distracted and away from Momo, now was the moment she had been waiting for.
With a croak of nervous excitement, the frog girl placed her back against the top of the vent and positioned both her feet against the vent.
Unfortunately, the screws holding the vent in place were only accessible on the outside. And Tsu knew she didn't have the strength or the time to manually pull the vent in.
Keeping in mind that she needed to be as quick as possible, the UA student opted for the advantage of surprise and her own instincts.
Using her leg muscles, she pulled back and kicked with the force she would use if she was trying to jump as high as she could. The vent immediately gave way, snapping as it broke away from the screws and clattered on the floor below.
Tsu briefly traveled with the falling vent before quickly reaching out and clutching the open side of the exposed vent. With no wasted time, she swung her body forward, releasing her grip at the moment of momentum and extended her tongue towards the wall on the immediate right-side of the room.
She felt the vibration of impact and immediately pulled herself towards the wall. All the way through, her mind began to focus on her surroundings.
Tsu had no knowledge of where Yaoyorozu was at the moment. From the view of the vent, she couldn't identify much besides a lay of desks and objects across the room. Tsu had made her entrance into the room as quick as she could to make up for that fact.
She had hoped her speed would give the onyx-haired girl a difficult target to hit and allow her a chance to plan around her surroundings.
An audible boom and hiss from behind the frog-girl quickly shook those thoughts out.
As she landed and pressed both palms and feet against the wall, Tsu looked up just in time to see a white smoke begin to fill the room, obscuring her view of the walls, a majority of the room itself and the firing location.
A smoke bomb, Tsu confirmed to herself. Yaoyorozu's trying to keep my movement locked down and stop me from making any big leaps.
It was a good strategy, there was no doubt about that in the frog girl's mind about that. And it wasn't done yet.
Before being obscured by the roll of smoke, Tsu had seen the large form of the bomb near the opposite side of the room. Centered around the bomb itself were a small number of stretching ropes, connected from the floor to the ceiling and blocking any easy access… or direct leaps to the objective.
Momo really has covered as many bases as she could, Tsu thought as she position herself towards the building smoke. She made it very difficult to try and decide where I can attack or reach the bomb from. But…
With a croak of determination, Tsu launched herself into the smoke and towards where she last saw the bomb.
She can't keep in cover forever. Kero. Especially if she needs to fire to stop me.
It was a little scary for the frog girl to jump into the unknown like she was, but her instincts proved invaluable once more.
Not even seconds upon entering the haze, a small desk was rushing into her vision. Tsu adjusted in an instant, angling her legs out and against the oncoming object. With an audible THOOM, she bounced off the desk with almost expert precision, using the force of her kick to continue to propel herself forward.
Right as Tsu felt her gloved hands clutch to the rope itself, she heard another crack and a whizz through the air as another object came soaring towards her.
Without hesitation (though with slight frustration), the UA student pushed away from the rope and her objective, both avoiding the oncoming fresh blast of smoke and sound… and getting a glance at where the fire came from.
It was only a slight break within the encompassing smoke due to the fast-moving oncoming fired object, but it was enough for Tsu to guess where it had been fired from: near the entrance of the room.
Flipping so that both her feet met the ground, with one flex of her leg muscles, the hero-in-training bounced forward and towards her new target.
It was obvious that, as long as Momo was still active with her machine and the ropes were still up to delay Tsu, there would be no getting to that bomb easily.
Even if her frog Quirk wasn't as offense-oriented as her friends, she needed to properly disrupt and break the line of fire that was hindering her attempts at disarming the bomb.
In a real situation, it didn't matter what your Quirk could do in a situation. It was how you used it.
And this practice situation was no exception.
Gaining altitude thanks to her hop and, at last, breaking through the white smoke that had built up around her, Tsu finally laid eyes upon her opponent.
Standing next to what looked to be a small launch-cannon on wheels, a shield strapped to her free arm and a bulked-up yellow utility belt with a number of small items sticking out, Yaoyorozu's gaze quickly shifted from the wall of smoke in front of her directly to Tsu.
A flash of surprise briefly crossed the creation-quirk user before she slapped both hands on the cannon and tried to shift it towards the rapidly traveling (at least, that's what Tsu hoped it looked like to her) form of her opponent.
Based on her quick and addled movement, Tsu guessed that she was firing based on sounds alone, like the crack of the vent, the boom of the desk or the twang of the ropes upon impact.
It gave her more of a thought-out way to fire and center her shots.
A sudden attack from an opponent would probably give Yaoyorozu a pause in her tactical thinking. And Tsu was in just such a position.
Before her opponent got a chance to fire, Tsu flicked her tongue forward at the same moment she jumped up and towards the main cannon.
Yaoyorozu, with an exclamation of surprise, raised her shield in enough time to block. The resonation of impact sounded off across the room, sending the red-costumed hero-in-training skidding back.
It wasn't by a fair amount, but it was just enough for Tsu to take advantage of the moment, kicking away the small launcher-cannon with enough force to both tip and turn it on its side.
Landing back on the ground, the frog girl turned back to Momo, who came to a quick full-stand, her eyes set in determination.
"Kero. Excellent use of defensive tactics, Momo." Asui said, feeling a burst of happiness at seeing the results of her friend's labor. "I didn't realize your Quirk could create so much in such a short span of time!"
Despite the look in her eyes and her shield raised up defensively, Tsu noted a small smirk coming to Momo's expression. "Thank you. It takes quite a bit of effort on my part and a fair bit of reading. I thank you for the acknowledgement, Asui."
"You can call me Tsu." The green girl quickly corrected.
Momo's smirk brightened. "I will keep that in mind, Tsu." And, without missing a beat, the creation-quirk user flung her arm, and by extension, her created net, forward.
Tsu, who had already noticed the slight glow to her arm, quickly pushed herself up and against the ceiling, dodging the oncoming net that clattered noisily against the ground.
At the same moment, Momo advanced towards the fallen cannon, hand going to her ear and, presumably, her communicator as she did so.
She's probably updating Fenton about the situation, Tsu thought as she crawled back and readied herself. And I don't have anything to deal with his Quirk if he comes up. Tokoyami can buy time, but we still need our plan if we're going to win. I'm sorry, Momo.
The apology was in regards to the full two-legged kick she gave to Momo's shield as the girl neared her cannon once more. As opposed to the last, this kick was using the strength Tsu could fully muster, sending Momo back with another yell.
Knowing full-well she couldn't allow her opponent access to her cannon or free-reign to reposition, Tsu pushed her advantage, hopping forward and flinging her tongue forward to push Momo back once last time.
Momo, in response, was quick on her feet. Steadying her stand and rising once more, she blocked the tongue attack once more with her shield and, on her free hand, began to activate her Quirk once again.
As Tsu followed-up with another hop and kick towards her opponents shield to once again push her back, a crisp THWACK accompanied the vibration of her padded foot making contact with shield. Pain shot into her side as all force she had going into the kick suddenly reversed as she pushed away on the shield and away from the attack.
Landing on her feet, Tsu's hand shot to her side, cradling the pained and bruising area as she looked up towards Momo.
Her opponent, slipping the newly created item firmly into her grasp, now wielded a small bo-staff. The weapon was raised up alongside her shield and Momo had fixed her eyes directly on Tsu, hand clenched tightly around her new item. There was visible sweat now peppering her forehead and she was breathing harder, but it took nothing away from her determined defensive stance.
"And you, Tsu," Momo said through heavy-breathing. "Are equally experienced when it comes to your Quirk. I tried my best to limit your movement, but you were still faster than I had predicted." She smiled. "It's very impressive how comfortable and fluent you are in utilizing your abilities. Your skill is incredible"
With the dulling of the pain came a rush of warmth at the compliment. Tsu didn't have a lot of experience when it came to friends, but she felt glad to be in a class of people who returned her kindness in buckets. Fenton, Kirishima, Sero, Tokoyami and now Yaoyorozu.
UA really was amazing.
"Thank you very much, Momo." Tsu replied as she lowered her stance. "I'm very much looking forward to what we can learn together at UA. Once we improve, I can't wait to see what we can all do as pro heroes."
"I concur." Momo nodded before tightening her shield once more. "But for now, I will not allow you to take the explosive device. Whether you approach or retreat, I will make sure the device is secure for the remaining time."
Another rumble down below seemed to back up Momo's time assertions to Tsu. She didn't know how much time she had left until Fenton arrived, but there also couldn't be much time left in the match altogether.
If the plan she and Tokoyami had decided on was to happen, Momo had to be in position. And it had to be now.
Pulling herself back, Tsu hopped with her remaining strength, ignoring the twinge of pain on her side, and soared a good amount of feet above her opponent.
Momo, surprised, angled her shield up, looking for Tsu to tongue-strike her from the air.
Instead, Tsu moved her gloved hand to her own communicator, pressing both fingers down to open a connection. "Tokoyami, it's set." Without waiting for a response, she angled herself to land on the wall to the corner-right of the room, to cling as she had so many times before.
Her opponent whirled around. Before she could make sense of such a reason for a high hop, Tsu made her move. Slinging her tongue out and to its full extension, she circled and wrapped it around the black-haired girl, tightening it just as Momo tried to move out of the way. She quickly angled her bo-staff to try and space some wiggle room as she was snagged by the tongue, shoving the bottom of the item against the muscle.
Immediately, Tsu felt the uncomfortable sensation of the staff being pressed against her tongue and Momo trying to push herself out of the capture. If her move had been to only hold Momo, Tsu internally knew that it wouldn't have lasted long.
It was one of the main reasons she was using this move as a last resort. With so many of her surprise moves reliant on her Quirk-enhanced tongue, Tsu couldn't risk any bruising or anything to hinder it.
But, aware of both the shrinking time and the situation, it was a risk that had to be taken.
Tsu yanked her opponent forward and fully towards the corner of the room. Away from her cannon and with her arms stuck at the moment, Momo could do nothing except be pulled by the sheer force and towards the right-side corner.
Releasing her from her tongue just as the black-haired girl stumbled into place, Tsu pushed herself from the wall and over her opponent once more, angling herself towards the rapidly dissipating white-smoke and the distant appearing form of the bomb.
In mid-air, Tsu quickly glimpsed back to see Yaoyorozu quickly moving to pursue, her bo-staff raised and her expression set in stopping her or quickly getting to the cannon. But, that didn't last long.
With a flash of darkness and shadow on either side of Momo, two massive claws cracked through the floor, stretched across the area and quickly moved to clamp shut, closing off her advancement and her moves to defend the bomb.
The look in her eyes quickly changed into one of surprise and shock as she stopped in her tracks and quickly reached to her side to create something new. But she was too late to stop the shadow claws from closing in their entirety, capturing the creation girl within the confines of Dark Shadow's grasp.
As Tsu landed, she witnessed both the warble of energy and the sudden black-and-white appearance of Fenton, shooting up from the ground and quickly flicking his green-eyed gaze to her, which made Tsu's muscles tighten in slight anxiousness.
"Tsu!" Before the frog girl could react, his eyes flicked to Dark Shadow. "Yaoyorozu! Hold on!"
At the same moment Fenton flew to help his partner, Tsu quickly hopped, advancing as fast as she could towards the bomb.
The entire plan had relied on two things: getting Momo into a position that Dark Shadow could access and that Fenton would work to help his partner in the heat of the moment. Both parts had been realized and Tsu felt the calm within her grow.
They had an opportunity.
"WAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!"
The behemoth like bellow was loud enough to shake the room itself, causing Tsu to look back in both shock and as a reaction.
And that's when the explosion of light hit her.
For Danny, the fight had been getting trickier and trickier.
At first, to stop Tokoyami's tireless advance towards the staircase to the top floor, he had just been trying to push the bird-like student continuously down the hall with his energy beams and capitalize on the fact that he could long-range his opponent and keep him from getting too close.
That didn't work for long.
Tokoyami, instead, started to adapt, using a mix of his quick-grabs to the walls with Dark Shadow's arms to dodge the bigger shots and tank those that hit. It may have stung Dark Shadow, but it didn't stop him or Tokoyami from advancing.
So, to keep the pressure from Yaoyorozu, Danny ignited the second flare and went in for a more close-combat. He had hoped it would make it easier and give him a chance to deliver more precise hits, maybe give another chance to capture Tokoyami.
But, given the fact that he was currently flying through the air after a claw hit across the face, it hadn't been going as well as he could have hoped.
Hidden behind the cape and trying his best to be shielded from the light of the flare, Dark Shadow and Tokoyami went in for another attack, causing Danny to quickly fly back, glowing flare to his side as he shot another energy beam.
He had to admit, using his energy flowed so much more natural when it came to firing from his lined gloves. He had no idea what Detnerat did to help him out so much, but every shot felt more focused and precise, like he had a better channel when it came to where to aim his energy.
It felt to Danny like he was moving a lot less sloppy than he was before.
Thank you, superhero outfit!
This close and this fast, it forced Tokoyami to react instead of dodge. Dark Shadow's claws stretched out once more, blocking the green shot and pushing him back only slightly.
Which was fine by Danny. Flying forward, flare out, he shot towards Tokoyami and, as Dark Shadow's clawed hand retracted beneath the cape with a squeak, delivered another massive punch to the feathered student's side.
Tokoyami went skidding back, beak contorted in discomfort as he shook his head, seemingly trying to regain his senses.
He looked just as battered and bruised as the halfa felt, but Tokoyami still stood there, Dark Shadow at his side. And, what's more, he looked like he was still holding Dark Shadow back.
Danny had been in more conflicts with ghosts then he could even remember. He had seen them at their most powerful and dangerous. He could tell that Tokoyami's shadow could do even more. What he was holding back for… the ghost boy didn't want to find out.
That brief thought of his old ghost fights and how similar it felt to now…it gave him a bit of a chill. He hadn't expected to be back in this type of combat in this world. It gave him such an odd feeling. And Danny didn't even know if he could keep it up for much longer.
His own energy, even though it felt easier to use, was still wavering slightly now. He had expended a lot of it in this fight and it looked like both of them were reaching their wits end.
The halfa just had to push a little more, hopefully. He looked down at the already fading second flare. He didn't have long in that regard either.
Ahead of him, Tokoyami's shadow gathered around the student once more. It was slower than last time, but still very much there. And Tokoyami himself locked eyes with him and, at the same time, looked behind Danny to the distant door to the staircase on the other side of the level.
"Hey, uh," The ghost boy raised the fading flare. "I thought things flowed a lot better when the flare kind of caught you off-guard more. Can we go back to that?"
His response came in the way of Tokoyami side-stepping in an instant and going down the main side-hall quickly vanishing from view.
"Was it something I said?" Danny called out as he went intangible as flew through the right-side wall and easily cruised through the connecting hallways.
As the pursuit of his opponent began, Fenton felt a jolt in his ear. His communicator. Immediately, both fingers went to his ear.
"Yaoyorozu! What's happening?"
"Fenton!" The black-haired girl's voice came crackling through. She sounded winded. "Tsu is here! My defenses are holding for now, but she's proving to be challenging! Status on Tokoyami?"
"Winded, but I'm not far behind." The ghost boy relayed. "But I just need to outlast him a little longer. He's weak to light and I have my final flare still. I just have to wait for the right time."
"That's excellent!" The girl replied. "I can keep Tsu locked down here! When you find your chance with Tokoyami, rendezvous at the top level! I have-"
That was all Momo could get out before a burst of sound echoed through the communicator and vanished.
Concern went through the halfa's immediate thoughts and he even debated going up to help, but he quickly shook that thought away.
Yaoyorozu said she could handle it. If she needed help, she would ask for it. And I can't exactly let Tokoyami have free reign to do what he wants. I need to keep focused on that shadow.
Not even a second after that thought entered his head, he felt the sudden chill and pure cold exhale of his Ghost Sense.
And when to duck around him!
As the halfa flew through the second-to-last hall, he found Tokoyami sending forward the bellowing form of Dark Shadow, who had both claws raised and ready to attack.
Danny quickly dodged the first swipe and, to begin a quick counterattack, held up the flare in his hand. The idea of the counterattack quickly died as he realized now how dead the flare was.
With an exclamation and a word that Danny was glad Seicho wasn't around to hear, he pressed both arms together to block the oncoming swipe. The ghost boy felt a tear to the arms of his costume and a boom of pain and pressure as he was knocked back and thrown against the floor.
Skidding a ways down the hall, the ghost boy quickly discarded the dead flare and activated his intangibility just before the follow-up strike from Dark Shadow could hit.
There can't be much time left in the match, Danny thought as, after recovering from his float down, rocketed back up. If Tokoyami is saving his power for a final push, why hasn't he done it yet?
Curiosity aside, Danny wasn't about to let that strike go unmatched. Arcing up to where he knew Tokoyami was, he pressed both fists together and, phasing through the floor, came out in just the spot to impact the shadow-user with the double-hit.
A grunted "OOOOF" sounded from his opponent as his fellow student went sprawling to the side.
Danny would have felt more proud of himself if it wasn't for the fact of Dark Shadow grabbing and forcefully flinging him like a sack of potatoes after the fact.
As he slammed into the ground, the air somewhat leaving his lungs upon impact, the halfa quickly rose at the same moment as Tokoyami, both breathing heavily.
"You know, Tokoyami," Danny said between breaths. "You don't have a lot of time left. And you're not any closer to getting to that staircase. So, I don't know what you and Tsu's strategy was, but…" The halfa took another breath and funneled all of his energy back to his palms. "So far, it's not working."
"Indeed." Tokoyami agreed without hesitation, his eyes set firmly onto Danny. "Both Tsu and I knew that a battle between you and I, utilizing the darkness within our Quirks, would be a fight of pure endurance. There would be little to no advancement in that. Though Dark Shadow and I learned quite a bit in the ways of combat against enemy shadows."
Danny suddenly became aware that he was lowering his hand away from his ear… and his communicator.
"But, as heroes, we must always be prepared to move past stalemates and seize an opportunity to stop a fight when we can… even if it takes all of our strength."
At the same moment Tokoyami's cape bulked up, at the same moment Danny kicked himself off the ground and flew to his opponent, at the same moment his ghost sense went off, only one thought permeated the halfa's mind: Uh-oh.
Immediately, the massive claws of Dark Shadow shot from beneath Tokoyami's cape, waving out at the same moment as the beaked-head of the Quirk shot out, bellowing (almost roaring) in the flux of whatever power Tokoyami had remaining.
Danny's jump forward was immediately stopped as he pulled back from the outstretched huge claws. They raked loudly, painfully and briefly against the walls of the room, breaking chunks from the well-made stone and adhesive.
It was a moment of pure chaos. And to Danny, who went into intangibility as he flew back, it was a moment of distraction.
As quickly as the halfa recovered, bringing his attention and senses back to the fighting at hand, he immediately locked on Tokoyami… and the two long stretches of shadowy darkness, arms clamped against the ceiling and claws stretching into the upper room itself.
In an instant, it clicked for Danny what was occurring… and what Tsu and Tokoyami had been planning. They weren't betting on two fights working out in their favor.
They were moving to target one.
Yaoyorozu!
In a flash, Danny balled his ghost energy into his palm and fired towards Tokoyami, taking off and activating his intangibility at the same time.
Dark Shadow immediately appeared in front of Tokoyami to protect him, providing a brief lull and stop that (at least, Danny hoped) bought Yaoyorozu more time she may have needed to react. And the time he needed to reach the top level before it was too late.
Phasing through the ceiling in an instant and hovering a few feet above the ground, he found himself in a slight white-haze, like the room had once been filled with smoke. A small, what looked like a cannon was on its side a few feet away, discarded and seemingly knocked out of commission. Scuff marks peppered the floor around the base of the cannon, giving signs that there had been multiple struggles going on around the item.
And, just a few feet away, crouched his green-suited frog-like classmate, looking up at him with the readless expression he had come to know and befriend.
"Tsu!" The ghost boy heard himself say more in surprise than anything. Instinctively, he arced his tail like he was about to move towards her. But he was instantly reminded why he was here with the echoing crack of cement behind him. "Yaoyorozu! Hold on!"
Immediately, the halfa sped forward and towards the stretching fingers of shadow that were beginning to enclose. Within, he had briefly caught a glimpse of red and a flash of black-hair.
If she was captured, there was a good chance, with Tokoyami still holding onto his shadow and with Tsu already on the first floor, they could win. Danny knew that.
It was why a part of him was saying that he needed to go after Tsu and stop her from reaching where the bomb was. If he stopped her and went on to fight Tokoyami, there would still be a chance there.
But, call it stubbornness or pride or anything in-between, the halfa couldn't leave her like that. Tokoyami was supposed to be his responsibility. Yaoyorozu had kept to her end of the plan. He, for sure, planned on keeping his.
As Danny flew to the shadow, feeling the glow of energy across his fingers, his mind running from plan-to-plan on what he could do to properly deal with Dark Shadow, the ghost boy suddenly felt his focus shift.
From within the closing fingers of Dark Shadow, he saw a flash of yellow as his partner dug into her utility belt and threw out a number of small, almost imperceptible small, black items across to the tightened shadow fingers. And a call flared over his communicator.
"Fenton! Cover your eyes!"
Instant recognition sparked within Danny's mind, of small military items that were constantly used against him. The ghost boy didn't know a whole lot about them, but he knew just enough to know that his eyes should be covered.
Throwing his arm over his eyes just in time, Danny heard a number of small booms, following by the bellow of Dark Shadow as there was another crack and screech from the floor below. A surprised "KERO!" echoed across the room as well, signifying that the mini-flash bangs had done their job extremely well.
Uncovering his eyes, Danny watched as Dark Shadow's claws fully retreated down the gouged holes he had created, retreating back to Tokoyami as Yaoyorozu (sweating and breathing profusely at this point) came to a shaky stand.
The ghost boy quickly flew fully to her, his own shock at what just happened fully present in his thoughts. "Yaoyorozu! Flash-bangs? How did you-"
His partner gave him a smirk. "That… would be thanks to your knowledge, Fenton. When you had mentioned… Tokoyami's weakness possibly being to light, I had made a few safeguards of my own when it came to that possibility." Yaoyorozu chuckled weakly. "Your confidence in telling me didn't give me any doubts in creating them."
Incredulous wouldn't have been enough to describe how Danny felt. He didn't even think that Yaoyarozu had, not only thought that far ahead, but had gone with his theory because she felt it was trustworthy…
Danny smiled. "You just gave us one heck of a chance, Yaoyorozu! Can you still…?"
"Yes." The onyx-haired girl raised her bow-staff and quickly went forward to the form of the dazed Tsu. "Go! I will secure Tsu!"
The ghost boy, nodding to his partner, activated his intangibility. "And I'll secure Tokoyami!"
Without wasting a moment, Danny uncapped his last flare, hopped into the center of the punctured ground and phased through.
It brought him directly in sight of the tearful yet amassing Dark Shadow and the visibly exhausted Tokoyami.
Upon seeing him, Dark Shadow immediately tensed.
"I-It's not over yet!"
With what looked to be the last of his strength, Dark Shadow charged forward, claws bared.
To the ghost boy's own shock, it reminded him almost completely of Johnny 13's Shadow. And, almost on its own, his body reacted with a rush of cold and a tense of muscles that made even Danny shiver.
Almost on pure instinct and, to his own shock, Danny felt himself funnel his ghost energy into his lined gloves.
But Dark Shadow didn't get very far, as the light of the flare immediately caused him to recoil and whimper.
"Dark Shadow, return."
That was enough for the Quirk to retreat back into Tokoyami's cape, who laid back-first on the ground, breathing heavily. Before the extension to Tokoyami could do anything else, Tokoyami himself spoke up once more. "Dark Shadow, cease. I don't think either of us are capable of continuing the conflict as we are. This day will not be our victory, my friend."
Danny, after a moment to stare in shock at his almost automatic funnel of power in response to Dark Shadow (What the heck was that?), put it aside in his thoughts for now. Instead, he slowly approached Tokoyami and knelt beside the feathered student, pulling the capture tape from his pocket as he did so.
As he wrapped it around Tokoyami's leg, the halfa spoke. "You know, you might not have won, but it was one heck of a match, Tokoyami. The plan you and Tsu set up with Dark Shadow's power? I really didn't expect it."
Tokoyami, though still laid out from exhaustion, closed his eyes. "It was an excellent test of our abilities. It is unfortunate that Tsu and I did not grasp victory today, but it shows that I still have much to learn when it comes to mastering my darkness."
"I think we all still have a lot to learn," Danny agreed as he stood. "If it wasn't for Yayaorozou at the end, I don't think we would have won. After all, I'm still not exactly used to working with a team. But we learn and get better, right? Learn everything new so we can REALLY show off to each other next time."
Tokoyami's eyes opened and regarded the ghost boy for a moment. And, for the second time, Danny felt like he was a mouse about to be picked up.
Then, Tokoyami came to a slow stand. "You are right, Fenton. We learn from each other so we better improve our skills as a whole. And Dark Shadow agrees that this match did just that." He clicked his beak. "Our match has already helped me decipher many paths Dark Shadow and I can take in learning how to combat darkness with darkness. I eagerly look forward to learning more alongside you and mastering our Quirks of the night together."
"So do I!" Danny concurred. "... Just as long as its not immediate, okay? I think we can both benefit with some rest."
Tokoyami visibly smiled at that. "Dark Shadow very much agrees."
As the two UA shadow-users begin to make their way out of the area, the resonation of the loudspeakers echo across the building, broadcasting the voice of All Might as he brought the second training match to an official close.
"THE VILLAIN…TEAM…WINNNSSSSSSSS!"
The explosion of conversation and excitement following the closing of the second match was almost as loud as the closing of the first. With Fenton walking with a captured Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu helping up and hugging a captured Tsu, the time to comment on the match as a whole had come.
Voice and shouts carried themselves throughout the monitor room of everything the heroes in training saw and witnessed. What they wanted to emulate and improve on.
And Toshinari Yagi was listening to it all, his famous grin only growing as he listened in on the excitement.
"DUDE! Who knew there were so many delay tactics you could use inside a building?!" Young Kaminari shouted out. "Yaoyorozu had that locked down!"
"So did Fenton!" Young Ashido added. "Tokoyami and him were going fist-to-fist in there, yet he always kept coming back to make sure he didn't get to the top floor! That ghost never broke!"
"Both Asui and Tokoyami had an excellent plan!" Young Iida sounded off with Young Koji nodding behind him. "Minimum damage to the building alongside a worthy move of taking one enemy off the board to focus another! Truly efficient in wrapping up a conflict fast!"
"They both had pretty solid plans to hold each other off!" Sero said with a smirk. "I mean, it mostly involved fighting each other to a standstill, but that's still pretty damn effective when it needs to be!"
"HELL YEAH IT IS!" Kirishima agreed.
"I didn't know Asui could hop like that." Young Jirou added. "She can be REALLY fast when she wants to."
"It's amazing that Fenton's phasing ability has seemingly no limits or stops," The quiet tone of Young Todoroki spoke. "But it can also be easy to hinder him if you have a way to stop it. He does seem very reliant on it."
"Good luck finding a way to stop anything that guy does!" Young Mineta spoke. "He can phase, blast energy and change his appearance. I think he was just born to be overpowered!"
"It's not about being born with it!" Young Uraraka added. "It's about training with your Quirk! Look what Yaoyorozu did! She held the match just by keeping extra energy around and knowing when to use it!"
"I agree," Young Shoji said. "A Quirk is only very powerful when you learn how to use it to its full potential. I had the same experience with my own."
Sensing a good time to add in a lesson, Toshinari let out his signature All Might laugh.
"LISTEN WELL, YOUNG HEROES!" He said in his grandiose voice. "Being a hero doesn't always mean just sticking to a plan! Like Young Fenton and Young Yaoyorozu were forced to do, sometimes the plan you were given can break away and become something new! That is why you must always be ready with the full knowledge of your Quirk! Some can never be truly mastered, but you must ALWAYS be prepared to find solutions to problems in the moment! You must thrive on adaptability and Quirk skill to become the most effective hero you can be! Understood?"
"YES, SIR!"
All Might laughed once more. "VERY GOOD! Now come along! We must meet both teams and award an appropriate winner of the match!"
As Toshinari began to mobilize the class, he noticed one student lingering by the monitors, expression set wide-eyed and angry towards the monitor displaying the second time Fenton and Tokoyami clashed.
Young Bakugo looked on in what looked to be barely restrained anger and frustration as sparks popped off from between his knuckles. As beat up as he looked, his eyes had lost none of their energy and potency.
"You… don't think because your Quirk has so many aspects that you can stay ahead!" Bakugo visibly gritted his teeth. "I can still find a way to surpass you. Win or lose, I'm still going to be number one! Soon enough, Deadhead."
"Bakugo," All Might called. "Don't keep your classmates waiting."
After another lingering second, the grumbling blonde stormed by and made his way with the class, leaving Toshinari with a fair number of thoughts.
They may have been just kids, but they all such a fair amount of potential and ambition to each of them! Toshinari couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of skills they could bring to the pro heroes after three years at UA.
One thing is certain, Toshinari thought as he walked alongside his students. There won't be any who doubt them in the future. They have a drive. And they will use it to seize their goals in their entirety.
And that gave Toshinari even more to hope for.
Second Author's Note
I know there are bound to be questions, so let's get to them!
How come Danny is hit so much by Tokoyami? He should be quicker and faster.
My defense is that Danny gets hit in the show SO MANY TIMES because he's just standing there most of the time. I'm operating under the theory that he can move fast, but his reaction time is not good whatsoever. Against an opponent like the ever-shifting, quick-moving Dark Shadow, I think he would get hit a few times.
Why did this chapter take so long?
I really feared messing up the characters that I know and love and everyone knows and loves and that writing block didn't get aided with so many holidays and things going on. This has been my longest break yet, but I definitely don't plan to make it a habit. As always, I have not abandoned this story and I don't plan on doing so.
Why is Tokoyami able to stand up to ghost energy?
Most of the time, it's Dark Shadow who's standing up to ghost energy and that's because he can increase/decrease his size and mass. So ghost energy isn't knocking him that far because Dark Shadow can definitely take a hit
Okay! So thank you for SO MUCH SUPPORT on this story. Oh my lord we hit 1,000 followers and climbing! I can't thank you all enough for everything and for being so patient with me! Thank you to dragonfire-217 for your continued discussions and idea-bouncing (go read A Waterbending Quirk! Super fun!). I think I may be opening the door more to beta-readers if you all are interested! I need more of a voice then my own critical one, so having more eyes on my chapters before I post will always be helpful in my mind!
Also, I'm setting up a poll on my fanfiction account page! I'm interested to see what direction you want to see the story go, so I want to see what kind of ideas are liked by you guys!
First poll is simple: Would you like to see the Ghost Zone again sometime in the future? Leave your vote and let me know what you think!
Anyway, once again, thank you for all of your support and I wish you all a very special beginning to 2023!
BBbeaver, signing out for now.