The Two Quirk Hero

Episode 14 - Conflict, Conflict, Conflict (1)

"All right, everyone! Let's have fun competing in the recreational games! When that's over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will duke it out tournament style, one-on-one!"

"The last round is a tournament where we fight one-on-one, huh?" From beside me, Kirishima speaks up. "I'm gonna stand on the stage that I watch every year on TV!" I try to hold back the blush on my face at hearing Kirishima's giddiness. "Was it a tournament last year?" Mina asks. "it's different every year, but there's a one-on-one competition every year. Last year, it was a sports chanbara match." Answers Sero, who's also stood next to me.

"Now, let's draw lots to determine the bracket." Midnight stands on the stage with a box labeled 'lots' on it, "Once the bracket is determined, we'll have the recreational games and then start! The sixteen finalists can choose whether or not they want to participate in the recreation. I'm sure some of you want to rest or save your strength. Now, from the first place team-"

"Um..! Excuse me." I turn around. Ojiro is raising his hand with a sorrowful look on his face. "I'm withdrawing." Everyone gasps around us, my eyes widen. "Ojiro, why?" Midoriya turns around and asks, shocked. Iida speaks up as well, "This is a rare chance for pros to see you!" He looks down as he lowers his hand, "I barely remember anything from the cavalry battle until almost the end. I think it was that guy's quirk..."

I look around, 'Ojiro was with that guy from the crowd in front of our class, the one with the purple hair if I remember correctly...' I spot him a couple people away from us. 'A quirk that erases a person's memory when it's being used, huh?' Once I make eye contact, he looks away from me. "I know that this is a great chance and it's foolish to waste it... But- Everyone here competed by giving it their all! I can't... I can't be up there with everyone without knowing what really happened..."

I place a hand on his shoulder, "Ojiro... That's really noble of you, but I'm sure that even if you don't remember how you did it, you still made it with your own strength." I say, waving my other hand to make my point. "If you're gonna say that, I didn't do anything either." Mina tries to reassure. 

"That's not it. I'm talking about my pride here... I can't..."

Ojiro removes my hand and looks back down to me, "Also, why are you guys wearing cheerleader outfits?" I flinch. "I-It's not what you think!" I stutter, waving my free hand around.

"I'm Nirengeki Shoda from Class B. I also want to withdraw for the same reason. Regardless of ability, don't you think it does against the goal of this sports festival for those who didn't do anything to move onto the final round?" A short, blue-haired male speaks up as well. Which makes Kirishima cry. "What's with these guys?! They're so manly!" 

"This youthful talk is something... I LIKE! Shoda! Ojiro! I accept your withdraw!" Midnight strikes her whip, a strange look on her face. "In that case, we'll have to move up two people from the fifth placing cavalry battle team..." She continues, staring at the crowd of us students. "If that's what's going to happen, then rather than us, who barely did anything during the cavalry battle, the ones who fought and stayed at the top should be Team Tetsutetsu, right?" Kendo, someone from Class B, says. 

'My metal head made it!!' I make my way to the male and sling an arm around his neck, giving him a noogie. "I knew you could make it! You better hope you aren't up against me!" I laugh, seeing him flustered and trying to get me off. "R-Right!!"

"And so, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki have moved up to make sixteen! This is the bracket based on the results of the drawing!" As soon as the names are shown on the screen around the stadium, the crowd goes crazy. 

'So I'll be going up against Iida...'

"Alright! Let's leave the tournament aside for a momentary interlude! Let's have fun with the recreation!!"