"Before we go on to the final event, I've got good news for all of you out of the running!" Present Mic says as you and Shinsou step out onto the field. "Since this is still a sports festival, we've prepared some fun recreational activities for any and all participants! We even have some cheerleaders from America here to pump you up!!* Hope everyone enjoys the recreational competition! Once that's over, we're on to our final event. Between the sixteen members of the top four teams we'll have a formal tournament! The tournament will be comprised of a series of one-on-one battles!!"

Midnight holds up a box on stage. "The matchups will be decided by drawing lots. Once that's settled, we'll move on to the festivities, and then the tournament itself. It's up to each of you sixteen finalists whether or not you participate in the recreational activities. I expect many of you would rather relax and save your strength. Now, let's start with the team who took first place..."

"Um... Excuse me..." To your right, Ojiro speaks up. "I'd... like to drop out of the tournament."

Your classmates erupt with confusion. "What?! Why?! This is your chance to get noticed by the pros!!"

"I don't remember anything from the cavalry battle except for the very end... It's probably his quirk that did it..."

Beside you, Shinsou turns back to the front. "Wait, did you brainwash your team?" You ask.

"Yeah..."

"Why?"

"I didn't think anyone would want to partner up with a kid from general studies..." Shinsou explains.

"I don't know the guy from Class B, but Ojiro and Mina** are really nice, and probably would have teamed up with you if you asked them." You tell him.

Ojiro continues. "I know this is a great opportunity, and I know how stupid I must seem to just throw it all away... But for this final event... Everyone else worked hard to qualify, and they made it here with their own strength. Yet I'm standing with them, and I don't even know how or why. I just can't take it."

Hagakure speaks up from behind you. "You're thinking about it too hard! Just prove yourself in the tournament!"

"By that logic, I shouldn't really be here either..." Mina sighs.

"No... I'm talking about my pride, here... I don't think it's right for me to stand here with everyone." Ojiro explains with a pained look on his face.

The boy from Class B who was also on Shinsou's team speaks up. "I can't remember anything either... I want to withdraw, too. This is a contest testing our skills. Letting someone who didn't do anything advance... Doesn't it defeat the whole point of the festival? Isn't it rude to all of our peers who worked so hard to qualify?"

"These guys!! Are so manly!" Kirishima says.

"We have a strange turn of events, folks. What will the coordinator, Midnight, decide?" Mic asks.

"How naive and green... I... Like it!!!!!" Midnight cracks her whip and exclaims. "Shoda and Ojiro have officially withdrawn!!"

"Aw man, what do I do?" Mina asks.

"You don't have to withdraw if you don't want to..." Ojiro tells her.

"Hhh...! Fine! I'll stay, but I'll do my best for you guys!!"

"Replacing those two will be two members of Team Kendo, who took fifth place-"

"If it's going to be decided like that... Shouldn't it be them instead?" The girl who you assume to be Kendo says. She has long orange hair done up in a ponytail. She looks to her teammates who nod before continuing. "We were immobilized almost the entire time, but they were giving it their all until the very end. Team Tetsutetsu, I mean. Don't worry, we're not colluding or anything. This just feels right."

"Y-you guys!!!" Tetsutetsu cries. You giggle a little at his enthusiasm and smile. Kendo sure seems like a nice person...!

"Team Tetsutetsu, do you know who you're going to be entering to compete?" Midnight asks. After a moment of talking, Tetsutetsu and a girl with green vine-like hair step forward.

Ah, so I guess Awase isn't going to be competing after all...

"Decided? Alright then, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki bring us back up to sixteen competitors! Please come up in order of teams to draw lots!"

Everyone lines up and draws from the box. Once they're all decided and entered, Midnight gets everyone's attention once more. "And here are the matchups!!"

"Oh! Mina! Looks like we're fighting against each other!" You say.

"Ah! Just my luck!!" You chuckle at her worried tone.

"Let's do our best!"

She smiles back at you and says, "Yeah!!"

You notice Shinsou looking around. His fight was first, and he was up against Midoriya. He spots Midoriya, and before walking over to him he says, "I'm going to go find somewhere quiet to prepare. I'll see you after the fight."

"Alright, good luck!" You tell him.

As he passes Midoriya, Shinsou says something to him, but before he can reply, Ojiro covers his mouth with his tail. "Don't answer that guy. He's bad news."

You frown hearing that. Shinsou doesn't show that it bothered him, but knowing him, he was probably just trying to act tough. He continued on his way out of the stadium, and you walk over to the two boys.

"Hey, Ojiro... Midoriya..."

"Hm? Yes, Y/n?"

"I know you only know Hitoshi from when he came with all the others to check out our class and from today, but he's actually a really good guy. He's not too good with people, and his quirk doesn't make people find it very easy to trust him... But I've been good friends with him for a while, and he's a proper hero wannabe like us." You tell them.

"Well if you're good friends with him then he must be a good person..." Midoriya says.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful about answering him, though." Ojiro warns him. "He said something to me right before the cavalry battle, and after I responded, next thing I knew the battle was over. He can control people by getting them to answer him, right, Y/n?"

"Sorry, but I'm not about to spill any of Hitoshi's secrets. He's been working really hard for this, and as a general studies student, today is even more important for him."

"No, it's okay, Y/n. I don't want you to give me an unfair advantage over him... That wouldn't be right of me."

"You've got a point... Sorry Y/n..."

"It's alright. I'm going to go find somewhere to relax and get ready for my fight with Mina. Good luck, Midoriya." You smile. Even though you were rooting for Shinsou, you'd still feel bad if either of them lost.

"Thanks!"

With that, you head back inside to get ready. The games sounded fun, but you weren't willing to risk your success later on. You weren't too worried about Mina. Although she could kick your ass in a hand-to-hand fight, you had the upper hand in a quirk based battle.

If you beat her, you'd likely be facing Tokoyami and later Bakugou. Both boys seemed to have the upper hand in terms of combat ability in their matchups. Although Uraraka and Yaoyorozu both had amazing quirks, the two boys' quirks were much quicker and effective in a fight.

You shudder thinking about how Uraraka and Sero must feel about having to face off against the two powerhouses of the class first thing. Both Bakugou and Todoroki were insane in fights, and when neither had very good offensive quirks, you couldn't imagine how they must be feeling.

Then again, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu both have incredibly strong defensive quirks. One of the two do have the chance of beating Bakugou...

Finally reaching the prep room, you grab your water and head back out to find somewhere quiet to sit.

-

*I took out the whole Mineta and Kaminari tricking the girls into wearing the cheerleader costumes bc that whole scene was gross and the whole pan over their skirts and boobs just makes me real uncomfortable so yeah! we're gonna pretend that didn't happen!

**As you placing in the top 42 of the obstacle course race kicked Aoyama out of the tournament, I decided to have Mina get brainwashed in his place so you being on Team Bakugou worked and so you could take Aoyama's spot in the tournament

(Also pretend the bracket has full names I'm just too lazy to add them in)