Trust the fall (on hold)

Unforeseen advantage

Izuku looked at Mirio. He was the only member of 1-A remaining, but he had an idea on how to turn it around.

In an instant, the upperclassman dived back into the ground, however this time Izuku also made his move. If he understood the boy's quirk as well as he thought he did, while impermeable even light and sound couldn't reach him, which meant he couldn't react to any change until he became permeable.

Izuku willed himself to transform. He knew that as a Panther he would be faster and could sense any oncoming attacks better as well. He felt some vibrations once more underneath him, but stayed still this time.

He watched as surprise blossomed on the boys face as he saw the new form Izuku had taken.

He used that opportunity to leap at the boys face, going to bite down on it. He knew that Mirio would simply go impermeable to dodge it, but that would also mean he was blind for that moment.

The boy turned, making his face permeable again, only to be rammed in the chest by Izuku, who had leapt as soon as he had landed from his previous attack.

It was the first hit that anyone of them had landed.

Emboldened by it, Izuku kept up the pressure, either landing hits or forcing the older boy to dodge. 'As long as I keep him from going underneath the ground again, I have the advantage' Izuku thought to himself.

Unfortunately at that moment the blonde haired boy practically shot into the ground, and Izuku let off an annoyed growl.

He listened once more, paying extra attention for any incoming attacks. He felt a slight shake from behind him, which confused him until he realised. Togata, while dodging, had positioned him in front of the wall. The boy emerged just as Izuku tried to leap away, only being successful due to his much smaller size in Panther form, wiggling away from grab.

He felt his heart stop as his tail appeared to be within Mirio's reach, only for it to pass through. He must have thought Izuku was already too far out of his reach and decided to make sure he didn't actually fall face first into the ground due to his own attack, or so Izuku thought.

Instead, a sort of yellow lightning engulfed the boy as he slipped into the ground again, coming out with much more speed and accuracy, as well as power. He shot right into Izuku's midriff, sending his Panther like form flying across the battlefield. The 1-A members who had recovered but were now considered "out", gawked as their classmate was sent hurtling.

Izuku was definitely winded, and if that hit had been much more powerful he had no doubt it could have caused serious damage. He didn't have enough time to ponder on how this was possible, as his opponent popped out of the ground again, right on his trajectory for landing.

He nodded an idea and fast. Unfortunately, the only one he had required a much better control of his quirk than he had.

What did they say about a trial by fire?

He saw Mirio tearing up, obviously trying to incapacitate him with the next attack, although the yellow lightning from before had mysteriously disappeared...

He'd think about it later.

First, he transformed back into his human form, glad for the magic property that made his clothes go through both sides of the transformation unscathed, although the image of them fighting naked due tho their quirks was slightly amusing.

Mirio seemed slightly shocked, but recovered quickly and moved to be able to take him down once more. He clearly viewed it as some last ditch effort to throw him off. Perfect.

Izuku focused, picturing exactly what he wanted to happen. Just as he was about to be caught by the upperclassmen, his head transformed, becoming that of a Panther but much closer to the size of a human.

His eyes glinted at the slight look of terror in the boys eyes as he opened his jaw, encapsulating the boys head within them.

Obviously, he knew that Mirio would simply make his head permeable so he'd just pass through him. If he'd decided to simply slip back into the ground, then Izuku's plan would've been useless.

Even as Izuku manoeuvred to land on his feet, the other boy was turning, with an excited grin on his face. Izuku had a grin of his own, and luckily he had made his head return to its normal shape and size, otherwise it would have probably been terrifying for anyone watching.

When the boy did turn around, face now permeable again, he was met with empty air, only to feel a tap on his shoulder, causing him to turn violently, only to have his legs swept from under him. As Togata was turning, Izuku had quickly snuck to behind him, before tapping him in the shoulder and sweeping his legs while he was off balance and turning.

Unfortunately, instead of hitting the ground like any other opponent would have, Mirio simply slipped into the floor again, leading to Izuku listening out once more. His bag of tricks was now empty, but he wasn't going to give up.

He felt an attack from being once more, but instead of turning around to see Mirio starting to come out of the ground, he was met with the boy slightly in the air, in that crackling yellow energy once more, fist raised as he loomed above Izuku.

They both knew it was over.

Izuku barely felt as the super charged fist made contact with his face, consciousness soon leaving him.
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Even as Izuku fell, beaten by Mirio, Aizawa could only feel pride for how far the boy had come. To an outsider, he was sure that they'd put it on his gaining of a quirk, but Izuku using his best talents, analysis and planning.

All the quirk had done was give him more options.

He looked upon the boy's still form, a small smile across his unconscious face, as Mirio fretted about going too hard on that last attack, and Bakugo screeched about a rematch.

No matter what came next, at least Izuku was happy now.