The stadium was a cauldron of noise, the air thick with anticipation and the low hum of thousands of voices. Midnight stood at the edge of the tournament ring, her figure silhouetted by the brilliant floodlights. Her voice, amplified and edged with theatrical delight, sliced through the din.
Midnight: Next up in the first-year tournament bracket: Tenya Iida versus Mei Hatsume! Let’s see if speed can outrun genius, ladies and gentlemen!
The roar that followed was a physical force. Iida stood at his designated mark, the very picture of rigid composure. He adjusted his glasses with a sharp, precise motion, the lenses flashing under the lights. Beneath the tailored fabric of his uniform, the powerful engines in his calves emitted a low, expectant hum—a sound like a race car idling at the starting line, eager to unleash. Across the stark white circle, Mei Hatsume was a study in kinetic energy. She bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, her pink dreadlocks swaying. Her signature goggles were pushed up on her forehead, not as an afterthought, but like a soldier readying her helmet for battle.
Midnight: Start!
Her command was a crack in the air.
Iida didn't move. He exploded. The word "For the honor of Class 1-A!" was a clipped declaration lost in the sudden thunder of his engines. Blue-white fire roared from his exhausts, and he became a cobalt blur, a straight-line missile aimed directly at his target. His right arm came down in a perfect, guillotine-fast chop aimed at Mei's shoulder.
She was already a foot off the ground, propelled backward by a sharp, hissing burst of compressed air from her boots. She landed in a skid, a wide, manic grin splitting her face.
Mei: Ha! Too linear for Baby 36, the Hydraulic Heel-Snappers! Observe the instantaneous lateral repositioning! Boom!
Iida skidded to a halt, his polished shoes throwing up a small plume of arena dust. He pivoted on the spot, his movements sharp and economical. His brow was furrowed behind his glasses.
Iida: This is a sanctioned combat trial, not a product demonstration! Engage me with intent!
He lunged again, this time dropping low, his leg sweeping out in a blur to sweep her feet from under her.
Mei didn't jump. She twisted. With a metallic snick-snick, two thick cables shot from ports on her wrists, their barbed tips embedding in the concrete a dozen feet to her left. The cables retracted instantly, yanking her sideways through the air in a wild, pendulum swing that neatly avoided his sweep. She cackled, the sound echoing.
Mei: Oh, it's both! Always both! These are Wire Hooks, Babies 24 and 25—primary function: rapid positional adjustment! Secondary function: making linear fighters look silly!
Present Mic's voice boomed from the speakers, tinged with glee.
Present Mic: Whoa! Iida comes in hot, but Hatsume's playing a whole different game! She's turning the arena into her personal playground!
Iida's jaw tightened. He revved his engines, the pitch rising. He began to circle her landing spot, a predator trying to cut off the angles of a much more erratic prey.
Iida: Evasion is a temporary tactic! Your gadgets have limits I intend to expose! Recipro Burst!
He poured on the speed, not in another direct charge, but in a tight, high-velocity orbit around her. He became a blue afterimage, a human-sized halo of motion. His hand shot out, chopping through the space where she'd been a fraction of a second earlier.
Mei hit the ground in a practiced roll and popped up, her hands flying to her goggles. With a decisive click, she snapped them down over her eyes. The lenses whirred, telescoping outward like a pair of high-tech binoculars.
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Light: A Neglected Izuku Story
FanfictionIzuku Midoriya, neglected and bullied due to his lack of a quirk, endured abuse from his family and friends, especially his twin sister Izumi and Katsuki Bakugo. One fateful day, when locked outside his home, Izuku was kidnapped and taken to a secre...
