Watching Shinsou's battle shook you in a way you didn't know possible. It wasn't that he won or that he seemed like a bad person but whatever he did...scared you. When he and Mina exchanged a few words at the beginning of the match you thought nothing of it...at least until Mina shut down completely.

It was like a switch was flipped in her brain. One second she was bright and bubbly with that confident, warm smile and the next she was stiff as a board. Her face lost all expression and her eyes glazed over: lifeless. It was that same look you remembered seeing in your eyes each time you looked in the mirror as a child. That look was the same whenever your father used his quirk to 'calm' you.

You were up in the crowd but your keen bird-like eyesight allowed you to see her expression clearly. Your whole body stiffened as fear and panic gripped at your chest. You didn't understand, you couldn't figure out why Mina looked like that...how it happened.

Why...how...nonono, he's gone.

Your father wasn't there, he was dead you were sure of it but that fear that someone like him was here and capable of putting you and others you cared for into the state you once were forced in terrified you. You didn't want to go back...you didn't want anyone to be stuck like that either.

Your hands gripped the railing in front of you until the skin around your knuckles turned white. You narrowed your eyes, dulling your senses so you could focus solely on what was happening to Mina and how. You couldn't, wouldn't have a repeat of your life. You hated those eyes, you didn't want to see them again.

"Turn around and walk out of the ring." Without hesitating Mina did exactly as the lavender haired boy commanded, her face still devoid of life and her walk lacking its usual excited swagger. You were confused, hell, the entire crowd was just as baffled at how the girl just leftthe arena, not even putting up the slightest fight. It was weird and you wanted to know just what he said or did to make her so...blank and fight-less.

"Look at that! Class 1-A's Mina Ashido just walksout of the arena! I wonder what Shinsou could have said to make the energetic girl lose all of her fight so easily. Not the Most exciting match but...THE UNDERDOG FROM GENERAL STUDIES HITOSHI SHINSOU MOVES ONTO THE NEXT ROUND!" The crowd slowly began to clap and cheer for the resident underdog of the finals, confusion being replaced with a (slightly confused) excitement for the boy, most wondering about his quirk and if that was what got him to win.

As he walked off, Shinsou briefly glanced around feeling good about the lack of fear and disgust on people's faces before he whispered to Mina; a smirk on his lips. Her glossy eyes blinked back to life and she looked confused and unhappy as she was ushered from the arena.

You wished you were more skilled in reading lips when someone was speaking Japanese, then you'd be able to know what the purple haired boy had said to Mina to make her leave. You could do English well enough and Japanese barely acceptable but Shinsou was even harder than a native speaker because he enunciated his words just a bit different than the people you were used to learning from and speaking around.

Shinsou was fluent in Japanese as you were but he had the slightest accent from his mother being from the UK and him having learned English and Japanese as a child so that twinge from his childhood was sometimes apparent in the way he talked.

When the pink skinned girl joined your class in the stands, she was surrounded by classmates all eager to console the girl and find out what the hell happened. "Woah Mina, what happened girl? I thought you were so pumped to fight and make it to the finals?" Hagakure waved her gloved hands around for emphasis after releasing Mina from a hug.

"I was...it was so weird. One second I'm all ready to kick that scrawny jerks butt and the next I just felt...don't know...trapped? And then I was out of the ring and the boy was thanking me for my showcase of the true talent of 1-A or something like that." She slumped her shoulders and let out a slightly exaggerated whine. "Damn I was hoping to show off my mad skills, awe I looked like such a dope!"

Though Mina was bummed with her epic defeat, her golden eyes were bright and filled with life once again. That was all you could ask for and the tenseness you were carrying had uncoiled slightly with the knowledge that she was fine.Though you were still on high alert, whatever happened could happen again and you wanted to be ready.

The battle with Kirishima and Kaminari was just as flashy as you expected it to be. Kaminari had started off quickly, sending enough volts out to make the lights in the entire arena flicker. Unfortunately for him, Kirishima had hardened right away and though the electricity hurt enough to make him stumble and drop to one knee, he wasn't K.O'd like Kaminari had wanted.

The blonde went in for a close attack next, using moves he had picked up with training with you but it wasn't enough since he hadn't been too strict on his actual combat training (and as soon as he punched one of Kirishima's rock solid arms he almost cried). Even with Kiri being slower from the shock, the sharp toothed boy was physically one of the strongest in your class and he had finally managed to bat Kaminari from the ring.

As soon as Kaminari stumbled back up with the help of his too kind opponent, he forced you to hug him slurring how he'd just 'die of sadness' if you didn't. You being you complied to his request and let the boy hold onto you as you waited for the next match-up to be ready; him giggling as his brain was being re-wired from the shock.

"Kirishima?" You turned to the redhead whose hair looked a bit like he stuck it in an electric socket. You had a theory that you kinda forgot about after the first time you had a showdown with Kirishima and you hoped your friend would help...that and Izuku was listening in and he'd probably find the info useful to note down as well.

"Wassup [Name]?" He smiled brightly at you, rows of sharp teeth on full display with his sweeter than sugar smile. If anyone asked his cheeks were slightly pink from the exercise not from the way your intense eyes seemed to just penetrate him.

"Can I see your arm?" He handed you the limb and you held it in a relatively delicate grasp, the chill of your metallic hand cooling his hot skin. "Harden it."

"Uh sure." His skin solidified and became ridged looking similar to the rocks on a cliff, though you'd bet his arm was sturdier. You trailed your fingers down his forearm, poking and prodding his arm feeling how it didn't even move in the slightest no matter the pressure. "Uhh what are you doing??" He questioned feeling slightly bashful as you were looking over his quirk with such intrigue, he never felt like his quirk was cool but the way you were looking at it so intimately made him feel cool, like his quirk was manlier than he gave it credit for.

"Your arm doesn't give no matter how hard I poke it." You pressed the pad of his fingers for emphasis; he could feel every touch. Kaminari, though still slightly dopey hugged you tighter when he saw Kirishima's borderline dazed expression.

"Well, yeah. It's always been like that...why?" You decided Kirishima's quirk was really, really cool.

"I thought only your skin hardened but then there would at least be some give where your muscles are because even with hard skin, the muscles underneath would be able to be squished. If you can harden deep enough to have no give, that's like...insane." You looked right into his bright red eyes with a smile. "I want to fight with you someday." When you fought Kiri the first time, you had Kaminari's help to take him out, that and you used moves specifically not involving direct hits with his hard body. You wanted to fight Kirishima and see where you actually matched up against him. Fighting someone so much stronger than you would be good to build up your strength, that and it would be fun.

"I-uh...sure. I guess it'd be more manly to say yes than to wimp out right?" Kiri bumped his fist with yours just in time for the start of Bakugou's fight.

Right away many were booing Bakugou for not going easy on Uraraka, you however thought him taking her seriously was more respectful than just going easy because she's a girl. The mindset of going easy on a person merely because they're female is stupid, especially for wannabe heroes because you know firsthand in the real world being a female doesn't matter to someone wanting to kill you.

Uraraka wasn't as fragile as she looked. There was something about the way she was fighting Bakugou that was interesting. There was a burning in her eyes that intrigued you, it was almost spiteful or angry but also full of resolve. On her final attack, you noticed the way her eyes dimmed just for a split second, she hesitated, then let the earth fall only to be blasted out by the fiercely determined Bakugou. Once again he proved just how strong he was with his quirk, his growing mastery of it was something to behold, once he learned more battle overall you knew he'd have the ability to become the strongest hero.

Bakugou looked immensely satisfied with his first win, the fierce need to win seemed to grow even stronger as he readied himself to fight in his next battle. He looked up at you and smirked a deadly smirk, he was challenging you to make it to the finals to fight him. He acknowledged you and Todoroki as some of the strongest and he wanted to fight to prove himself there as well.

The final battle of round 1 went by quickly, you knew Yaoyorozu was strong, incredibly smart, and her quirk was more versatile than almost anyone else but she lacked in making decisions mid battle, a quirk could only take someone so far and she learned that the hard way. Tokoyami overpowered her with his brute offensive and defensive strength, taking her lack of actual battle awareness and using it to his advantage.

"That's all for round 1 listeners! Give it up for the amazing display of power among these future heroes!" The crowd roared in applause, the energy raising once again in anticipation of the semi-semi-finals.^*^*^*

1. Name versus Todoroki

2. Bakugou versus Midoriya

3. Shinsou versus Kirishima

4. Hagakure versus Tokoyami

You saw your match, receiving a downright hostile glare from the dual-haired boy as you both left to your waiting rooms. Todoroki took a glance at his ever-imposing father and felt his deep rooted hatred increase that much more. Endeavor looked too pleased to have his son facing the ex-assassin. You were a perfect opponent to showcase his power and force him to use the side he despised so heavily.

Todoroki's left hand clenched as he followed behind you, he didn't care who you were, even if your past was fucked up like his, he was going to crush you completely with just his right side.

^*^*^

"Wings, you better not fuckin' lose to that icy-hot bastard. I don't give a fuck 'bout his emotional shit so don't take it easy just cuz his dad's a damn prick." Bakugou was literally fuming as he crossed your path, his fight with his 'rival' was putting him in a mood more dangerous than ever, but when he saw you he had to talk.

"I didn't plan on letting that get in the way but even then I'm not sure if I can win." Bakugou growled -actually growled- at you, his fuming red orbs narrowing as his hands twitched with the desire to slam you against the wall and yell some sense into you. There were plenty with quirks 'objectively' stronger than yours and yet you'd win in a battle, if your couldn't figure it out Bakugou was going to blow you to high hell.

"That half and half bastard ain't worth shit, he's a half-assed hero who is letting his daddy issues get in the way of his goddamn chance of being a fucking strong hero. If you lose to someone that doesn't even wanna be a real fuckin' hero, you might as well quit now." He cracked his knuckles, he didn't want to care about facing you in the finals but he did. Quirk wise Todoroki was as strong as you, stronger even but Bakugou still wanted to face you, to beat you.

Todoroki was strong but he lacked the overall experience you had, he didn't have the close combat abilities you had and Bakugou wanted to face someone who not only was strong in there quirk but strong overall in their battle abilities, someone strongest in all aspects of fighting was the one he wanted to beat and show up on top. It was just a coincidence that happened to be you...right. At least that's what he told himself.

Bakugou flicked you hard in the forehead. "You're not an idiot, my quirk is stronger than yours too so use your brain and figure out how to win."

His words about Todoroki resonated with you and you smiled up at the fuming boy.

Bakugou growled at you, telling you you looked like an idiot with that face before stomping away. He hated the way he thought it was kinda cute, he was a fucking winner not some crushing boy, it pissed him off adding fuel to his already overly aggressive state since he was up against Deku and he wanted to crush the shit nerd this time.

You were still unsure of being able to defeat Todoroki but you did have an idea, one that if it worked you'd be helping him and winning at the same time.

You knew the feeling of not wanting to be a hero or not having a reason but Todoroki seemed to be training just to spite his father. You weren't sure if that was any better than you being forced into it, but you did know that if he ever wanted to be a hero letting his spite for his father dictate his heroics, he wouldn't be worth jack-shit. He wouldn't be a hero for the right reasons nor would he be as strong as he could be. If something were to happen and he died or let others die because of holding back...you couldn't let that happen if you could do something about it.

You wanted him to want to be a hero, to not be controlled by his fathers hand, to escape the prison set for him. You wanted to help Todoroki just like Aizawa helped you, you definitely weren't good with words and you didn't get emotions the way you wanted to but you hoped that maybe just maybe doing things your way would help the boy, or at least open his mind for someone better to help him.

With a deep breath, the air filling your supernatural lungs and flowing through each cell of your body, the gates opened and you walked out into what was a fight that somehow seemed even more important than the previous. You wanted to win, that feeling of your father being there had made that desire to win a bit more convoluted but you still needed to win, you had too much to lose. Bakugou was right and you didn't want to lose to someone who wasn't even fighting to be a hero anymore. You knew Todoroki wasn't your responsibility but you couldn't just leave things be with out trying something.

Its now or never I guess. If I fail, well...fuck it.