The King is Dead

Great Battle

He's surprised he got a team at all, not to mention exactly the team he wanted since he came up with the plan. There was one huge problem, but other than that, everyone was keeping quiet and he was being listened to. They were waiting for his instruction because despite his history and place within the media right now, he has good judgment.

The huge problem: Todoroki doesn't want to be touched.

Todoroki can't skate, not if he wants to use his ice. And his fire would hurt someone on his own team. Yaoyorozu could be rider if that weren't the case- but her frame isn't suited for balancing and reaching all at once. They weren't trying to keep their own points safe, they were trying to win. Kaminari couldn't use his quirk if he was up too, and Iida's is self-explanatory.

Todoroki has to be the one on top, and when Iida bends down in front of him, ready to lift him up, Todoroki freezes.

Three people, all touching him. Each touch will burn and no ice in the world could stop it. He doesn't want to do this. He should forfeit- but Aizawa scares him and he's already dragged Iida and the rest through an entire plan that gave them hope.

"One minute to pick your teams!"

He should get used to it now. Before it becomes a problem mid-fight.

His hand makes contact with Iida's shoulder, it burns but he continues by stepping onto the outstretched hand and then he's sitting on Kaminari and Yaoyorozu's arms.

The competition starts, Todoroki knows the best choice for their individual team is to take Midoriya's headband, take a few other bands on the way there.

Iida leads them, Todoroki simply told him to find Midoriya and that was that. Kaminari's and Yaoyorozu's knees were bent, the skates keeping up with Iida's running perfectly. If he didn't know better, he'd say all three were impressed with the idea when he proposed it.

As they got closer to Midoriya, they saw more and more groups. Todoroki decided it was time to set their defenses and offenses.

"Yaoyorozu! The blanket and staff!" He wants to add 'please' but they don't have time for it now. He has to yell just to be heard over over Hizashi's yelling and the rest of the first years.

There's a pink light from below and then he's handed a staff and grey blanket. He readies both, unfolding the blanket to keep it easy and deployable at a second's notice. The staff is in his right hand, his ice spreads down the length and to the ground as he freezes the groups around him, then he picks up the staff and pulls bandanas from the shocked students with it. He doesn't bother checking how many they have now, just flips them over and continues.

He sees a crowd forming, several teams surrounding Midoriya's, they look cornered. Off in the distance, he can hear Bakugo cursing at someone, explosions and shouting coming from the same direction. He'll avoid that for now.

"Kaminari, as soon as we're about six feet from the nearest group, I'll cover the rest of us with the blanket, you electrocute those guys!"

Kaminari's voice is shaky- he's probably dealing with the fact he's carrying a murderer on his arms. "R-right!"

He does perfectly, Todoroki is impressed that he was able to cover such a wide range. Todoroki spreads ice to everyone, leaving a clear path for Midoriya to run at him, or vice versa. They're near the end of the arena, if Iida uses his quirk, they'll both go out of bounds. He needs to lure them out somehow.

Todoroki lifts his left arm and reluctantly blasts flame at them. Logically, Dark Shadow should be sensitive to light, if logic can even apply there.

It seems to work as Dark Shadow comes at Todoroki, who launches an ice attack to block it. The opposing team runs to the side now, Todoroki uses the staff and creates a wall around them, trapping Midoriya.