𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 || ᵇ.ᵏᵃᵗˢᵘᵏⁱ

XVI

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No one looked in their direction as they returned to the stands. They looked guilty but they never approached them, nor did they apologise to Bakugou for villainizing him. There was a twenty-minute break between the first matches and the quarter-finals. they needed to clean up the destruction from Bakugou's explosions and hold Kirishima's tie-breaker match with Tetsutetsu. Aeri didn't know what to expect of a tie-breaker, but it definitely wasn't an arm wrestle—Kirishima wiped the floor with Tetsutetsu nonetheless.

The pairings for the quarter-finals were yet to be announced but Aeri noticed that Iida was rushed out of the stands by a teacher, looking panicked. It was announced a few minutes later that Iida would be dropping out of the quarter-finals due to a personal family matter.

"And now for our match-ups!" Present Mic began, silencing the chattering crowd. "First up will be Ashido Mina Vs Tokoyami!" Mina stood up with clenched fists and passion blazing in her eyes.

"Do your best darling!" Aeri shouted to her. Mina turned and gave her a thumbs up. The match ended relatively fast, with Tokoyami earning the win using his dark shadow. Mina sulked slightly but congratulated Tokoyami anyway. Aeri gave her a cuddle and she soon cheered up.

"Up next is a highly anticipated match for everyone... Moon Aeri Vs Todoroki Shoto!" Present Mic shouted passionately, eliciting cheers from the audience members. Aeri smirked, excitement bubbling inside of her. Todoroki was powerful and she wanted to go up against the best—she considered Todoroki one of the best.

Jungwon patted her knee encouragingly and she walked out with Todoroki trialing behind her. They didn't speak and Aeri was glad. After earlier it'd probably be awkward for both of them. Todoroki could barely hold a conversation anyway, and Aeri would just end up shit-talking him. They split off down separate hallways without a peep from either of them.

"First out, icy both personality and quirk wise, is Todoroki Shoto!" Aeri watched through the opening as her classmate walked out, eyes forward as he paid no attention to the shouts of his father and the clapping of the crowd.

"And everyone's favourite little ninja, Moon Aeri!"   Aeri smiled as she strutted forward, keeping her eyes on Todoroki as she entered the battle area. She was confident she would win this—no matter how good Todoroki was and no matter if his quirk was flashier and had the advantage over hers. Aeri was faster and had a knack for thinking of cunning plans and little tricks.

"Match, start!"

Todoroki shot out a huge amount of ice and Aeri almost laughed at the predictability. She teleported upwards and began skating her way along the ramp of ice he'd created. She created two shurikens and flung them out with excellent precision clipping his biceps without him even knowing they were coming at him. He hissed in pain and shot out more ice in her direction, only for her to disappear once more.

Her plan was to make him panic. To push him to the point that his left side came out. She'd discovered his weakness through watching him in their hero training classes. He would use his ice so much that he'd end up covered in frost, shivering as he struggled against the incoming frost bite. If she got him to use his ice enough that that happened, she'd either win or he'd become desperate enough that he use his fire.

She appeared behind him silently and whispered, "Boo." He flinched and jumped away from her but she was too fast. She sent a quick punch to his nose and he stumbled, his eyes watering as he short more ice out of his right hand. At this point, the battlefield was almost completely covered in thick ice, any more and the audience wouldn't be able to see them at all.

"C'mon shoto..." Aeri whined. "Use your fire,"

He scowled at her through his shiver and attempted to dodge when her dagger shot towards his leg. The blade sliced through the side of his calf and he winced.

"You can make up for the marriage proposal by fighting me properly. Use your fire!" She smirked and blended into the looming shadow of the ice. She was practically undetectable in this form so she slid up behind him. "You won't win unless you use it." She whispered and his head snapped around, his eyes wide as he tried to spot her.

He growled and slammed his hand into the ground, freezing up the past remained spaces that his foe could be hiding in but she was already teleporting out, her physicality returning to her as she stood atop Todoroki's ice mass.

"Has Aeri tricked Todoroki into trapping himself in his own ice?!" Present Mic shouted and gasps of disbelief sounded throughout the crowds. Aeri smirked knowing that Todoroki would've heard the announcement. This was her last attempt at getting him to use his fire. He could get himself out of the ice enclosure if he only used the other half of his quirk. If he didn't, Aeri would win and the site managers and pro heroes would have a field trip trying to get him out of his own creation.

Aeri laughed loudly when she felt something erupt beneath the ice beneath her feet. She could see the hot red light melting through the centre of the ice and seconds later, the ice was gone, reduced to puddles of water beneath their feet. Todoroki was absolutely seething with anger when he broke out. The entire left side of his uniform had been burnt to a crisp and fell to the ground in piles of ash, blood dripped down his front from his nose.

"Took you long enough," She teased.

"Shoto!" Endeavour bellowed from the stands, ecstatic that his son was finally using the quirk he'd passed down. Todoroki's scowl deepened at the voice he hated so much and he focused his attention on the girl in front of him, who was flipping a dagger around in her hand casually.

He charged with a deep war cry as both flames and ice shot out of him. Aeri winced as she felt a burn on her shoulder but managed to dodge before he knocked her out of the territory. They engaged in hand to hand combat for a minute or two with Aeri slamming her fists and feet into his body relentlessly and Todoroki attempting to disable her with his ice.

Aeri could see him getting tired and used it to her advantage, directing her punches at his arms, aiming to make his limbs feel heavier and weaken him faster so that he'd find it harder to lift his arms to use his quirk. It worked and Aeri could see his arms shaking as he tried to burn her once more. She sprung back and slid her hand into her holster, gripping another dagger. Her actions were swift and she flung the blade forcefully. It flew through the air and the hilt struck Todoroki in the centre of his forehead.

The boy fell backwards, unconscious.

Cheers and screams flooded through the stadium and Aeri released a deep breath.

"What an extraordinary win for Moon Aeri!" Present Mic whooped along with the crowd. Aeri approached the boy on the floor and pulled him up into her arms, carrying him over to the medic bay at the other end of the battlefield. The paramedics thanked her and she picked up her scattered daggers before leaving the field. Making her way to Recovery Girl's office to get her burn treated. It was second degree at least, she could feel the welts and blisters forming as the singed fabric of her jacket and fitted white t-shirt rubbed against it painfully.

"Oh dear this a nasty one..." Recovery Girl said as she checked the wound. Aeri flinched when the disinfectant came into contact with her wound. "Lucky for you, I'm the best. I'll just give it a little clean and then i'll use my quirk and wrap it up for you. The pain will be gone in an instant and the burn should clear up."

Aeri nodded and accepted the kiss the old woman pressed to her cheek. The relief was almost instant and she watched as the blisters disappeared leaving behind a slightly red area. After her treatment it just felt like she got a spot of light sunburn. Recovery Girl applied her bandages and sent her on her way.

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