Cherry Bomb

Let The Games Begin

Hibiki

I wasn't expecting it. I just wasn't. No pep talk or could've prepared me.

The sounds of the crowd were muffled as I walked through the tunnel. With every step, they got louder and louder. Then finally, the sun shone down on my skin and I was standing on the field. I was hit with a thunderous roar of cheers. I stared, open-mouthed. There are so many people here, I thought. I watched the Festival every year on TV, but it was completely different from actually being there.

I'd been so focused on doing well and advancing to the semi-finals that I'd completely forgotten the fact that thousands of people...no, the entire world would be watching me.

Including mom.

I flinched as I heard my homeroom teacher's voice echoing around me.

"This year we have a very special participant! From the first-year's hero course...HIBIKIIIII ASUGAAAAAA!!!!"

My eyes finally drifted back down to eye level, and I saw. Every second-year was staring at me. All the classes stood in solidarity. Every pair of eyes were on me. Everyone from General Studies, Support, class 2-B...

And Bakugo.

~.~

Bakugo

I held Deku's hand as we waited for the opening ceremony. Last year they asked me to speak because I scored the highest in the entrance exams. At least, out of the hero course applicants. But I didn't know who would open up the festival this time around. I waited impatiently for it to start.

"I don't think she's here yet," Deku whispered in my ear. He glanced around us, looking behind him and at all the students standing with us.

"Who?" I asked.

He scoffed. "Are you serious? Asuga," he answered.

"It doesn't matter if she's here or not," I muttered. "She won't make it far. Not against us."

Todoroki sighed next to me, shaking his head. "You're not gonna go easy on her at all? At least a little?"

I grinned. "Tch. Whadda you think?"

He crossed his arms. "Aren't you wondering why she wants to fight you so badly?"

To tell you the truth, I didn't really care. Even if I knew the answer to that, it wouldn't change anything. She'd die like all my other opponents. And besides...part of me had already figured it out. At least partially.

It came to me while I was lying in bed with Deku last night.

He'd stared off into space, deep in thought about something. "What?"

"I was just thinking...Asuga is a lot like you, Kacchan."

"The hell? How?"

Deku turned around so he was facing me. "Last year...you challenged me because you needed to prove to yourself you were good enough. Maybe Asuga's afraid. And...the only way to feel stronger is to beat you in a fight."

I understood why he'd think that. As usual, he was trying to put himself into someone else's shoes. His words came back to me from our first fight at ground beta.

You've always been stronger, Kacchan! I know that you're better than me. Don't you see? That's why I wanna beat you! BECAUSE YOU'RE AMAZING!

Maybe he was right. Maybe Cotton Candy felt inferior, and only after beating me to a pulp would she feel better about herself. But it wasn't my job to validate her. She had to validate herself.