Todoroki and Tokoyami stood across from each other on the platform, staring each other down.
"This is crazy," Kaminari breathed.
"The two most serious students in class, facing off," commented Sero.
Ojiro nodded. "It's like two samurai in a duel."
Izuku had finally come back to the box, only to find many people missing. Apparently Namikaze had beaten Ashido, meaning he was facing off against Kacchan next.
I wonder if Todoroki will use his flames on Dark Shadow. It would be the logical thing to do, but… did I really push him that hard, or did I only manage to bring it out for his fight with me?
Surely that question would be in Endeavor's mind as well.
Iida seemed to shudder strangely, and both Izuku and Uraraka gave him strange looks. "Sorry," he apologised. "That's my phone." He stood up and walked up the stairs. "I've got to take this."
"Hmm. I wonder who's calling him," said Uraraka.
"It might be his brother calling back. Earlier Iida tried to call him, but he was busy with hero work at the time," Izuku explained.
"Oh. I see."
"First semifinal, STAAAART!"
Without delay, Tokoyami deployed Dark Shadow. The thing came racing at Shoto, its razor-sharp talons glinting strangely.
Finally, an opponent that doesn't bloody talk. Gritting his teeth, Shoto sent out a huge pillar of ice, meeting Dark Shadow in the middle.
"OOOOOH!" Present Mic shouted, and the crowd gasped.
As the ice slammed into Dark Shadow, the creature expanded and grew upward, creating a shield that blocked it from reaching Tokoyami.
Then the creature shook itself off, and came round again, practically unfazed.
"ICE IS INEFFECTIVE AGAINST TOKOYAMI'S QUIRK! COULD THIS BE TODOROKI'S FIRST MAJOR SLIPUP?"
Okay, time to move. As the creature came at him, Shoto dug his heel into the ground, and slid outward in a wide circle, creating a banked slope of ice as he went. The spirit gave chase, but Shoto was circling and closing in on Tokoyami himself. The boy's eyes widened, and he pulled Shadow back to protect himself.
The second that happened, Shoto stopped sliding and slammed his fist into the ground, sending out a spiky ice wall that erupted in a line right along the tether between boy and shadow. Dark Shadow was briefly delayed in getting pulled back, getting caught on the ice.
In that moment, Shoto slid forward on ice toward Tokoyami, his heart racing. Must get there quickly quickly quickly…
Dark Shadow had been freed, and was now behind Shoto. Shoto was between the two of them, but the creature was closing fast.
Use your fire. Was that his father's voice, Midoriya's, or his own?
Shoto reached out as he slid forward on his ice, getting ready to shoot another pillar directly at Tokoyami.
That's its weakness. Use the light of the flames!
Dark Shadow's claws grabbed Shoto's shoulders, and the boy slipped on his own slide. The crowd erupted in shock. Shoto whirled, holding up his left arm. Embers sputtered from it, inches away from Dark Shadow, and the creature pulled back for a moment, hesitating.
… but Shoto hesitated too.
Dark Shadow swiped with its claws, almost lazily. Shoto went flying out toward the boundary line, digging his right heel into the ground and forming an ice wall behind him at the last second.
The crowd was going wild.
"OHMYGOD! Tokoyami nearly had him there!" Present Mic yelled.
I… I'm confused…
Dark Shadow came at him again, intending to finish the job. Shoto shook his head hard… and ducked low.
Dark Shadow slammed into the ice wall where Shoto had been a split second ago, as the boy rolled under and past him. This time, he didn't hesitate, sending out another wall of ice spikes that enveloped Tokoyami himself.
"OH! Tokoyami's been frozen from the waist down!" The bird boy struggled, shivering as cold raced up his body. "But can Dark Shadow continue the fight?"
The creature had re-oriented itself and turned to attack Shoto again.
Shoto lit his left arm up.
"OH! TODOROKI SHOWS HIS FLAMES AGAIN!"
But Shoto didn't attack. He only held his flaming arm out in front of him as his entire left side lit up with fire.
Dark Shadow paused, uncertain. The spirit shrank away from the light. I don't want to attack with my flames… but when I have them ignited, you can't attack me either.
The crowd murmured, confused by the pause in the fight.
"Tokoyami-kun," Midnight called. "Are you incapacitated?"
The boy struggled a moment more, and then relaxed, sighing. "Come back, Dark Shadow." Smaller and wimpier, the spirit slunk away, retracting back into the boy's body. Tokoyami turned to Midnight. "I am. I cannot move myself, and Dark Shadow cannot fight a man on fire."
"Then it is decided!" Midnight snapped her hand down. "Todoroki-kun advances to the final!"
Shoto walked over and began to melt Tokoyami out of the ice. "You… nearly had me," he said to the other quiet boy, stiffly. "I hesitated with my flames."
"It seems you are most likely to fight Bakugo in the final," Tokoyami commented. "Bakugo has a heat-based Quirk as well."
The unsaid advice was left hanging in the air. The only way to fight fire is with more fire.
Haru's heart was racing as he stepped to the edge of the tunnel. He'd seen Bakugo fight at the illegal ring, and had gotten further confirmation of his viciousness at the battle trial and in his match with Uraraka. He's fast, and relentless. I'm fast too, but… what can I do against him, besides maybe tire him out? I'd be more like to tire out first.
"Second semifinal! On this side, the ball of fire who has steamrolled right through all his competition so far! From the hero course, it's Katsuki Bakugo!"
The crowd's applause and cheering was significantly lesser than it had been for other people. Many of them are uncomfortable with how he fights. But do they feel any better about me?
"And on this side… his bad luck continues. Having to play the bad guy against two girls, and now fighting one of the festival's deadliest opponents. From the hero course, it's Haru Namikaze!"
Inhaling, Haru stepped out of the tunnel and waved at the crowd again, smiling like he'd done before. Like everything was fine.
The crowd cheered and clapped for him. About the same as they did for Bakugo. Even if I don't win this… I WILL win them to my side again. And hopefully my top four placement will be enough from there.
The two boys stopped far apart. "You couldn't keep putting this off forever, crackhead," Bakugo called with a sadistic grin. "It's finally time."
"Dude." Haru scratched his neck, playing up the bit a little. "I don't know if this normal, but I kind of want to beat the shit out of you."
Some of the crowd heard that. Laughed. Good.
And it wasn't entirely untrue, either. Bakugo had shown he was capable of begrudgingly respecting others in combat, but outside of fighting? He was still the same asshole. And… I haven't forgotten Midoriya's notebook.
Bakugo had narrowed his eyes at the comment. "You're gonna regret those words, teleporter."
"And you're…" Haru paused. "… blocking my way to Todoroki."
Bakugo's eyebrows rose ever so briefly, but then he returned to a snarl.