Different But Not Bad

Chapter 19 {Shoto Todoroki: Origin}

I watched Todoroki walk up the stage while I did the same. I recalled the 'chat' I had with Endeavor before our match, fucking asshole. I can't believe Todoroki has to put up with him every day. I couldn't imagine someone treating their own child like that. "The first match of the second round! At this year's sports festival, one has always been top of the class while the other is rapidly climbing right begin him!" But after hearing Todoroki's story I couldn't help but think how things could be different, how it could change in the best way imaginable. I stared Todoroki down and he did the same equally as cold. "Midoriya! Versus--" I lifted my hand above my head and stretched, "Todoroki!" He did no stretching meaning he already did it or he just didn't need to. "It's like two great rivals fighting against each other!" I nervously scratched my neck, "We're not rivals..." "Now--" I raised my hand up in a 'rise' motion as Todoroki adjusted his footing, "Start!" He left me no time to summon anyone as ice shot out from under his foot to make spikes. I couldn't dodge but instead, let Chinen's quirk guide me as I used the shadow to pop up right in front of Todoroki. He brought up a shield of ice to prevent me from getting any closer. "Wow! Midoriya evaded Todoroki's attack and even managed to get close to him!" I heard whispers in the back of my head, "You can't use my Quirk if he's gonna hide like that, it's too dark and it'd be unsafe for you to be in such a small space with him." I nodded and jumped back, circling the funnel of ice he made around himself. The cone was soon disbanded and it launched out in every direction even managing to pull me along with it, I climbed over it before I got too close to the edge. He sent another ice attack towards me but this time I used Chinen's Quirk and appeared on the other side of the ice not wanting to get too close lest he brings up the shield again. "He dodged it again!" "From what we know about Todoroki's fighting, he always attacks in an instant, so you don't have much data on him. During this fight, you need to find an opening... The wall of ice behind him is keeping us from attacking from behind. You've got to look carefully..." I nodded at Kanno's words and backed up some to give me enough time to dodge his ice. He sent another wave towards me and I responded by doing the same thing I've been doing but this time when I materialized I had a gleaming star in my hand and my arm pulled back.

"Catch!" I threw the smiling star with as much strength as I had and it grew red the minute I let go of it. It hit him softly with a 'thunk' and hit the ground, as opposed since I was almost all brain and no brawn. But I've been growing stronger and my muscles were more toned now, the star started beeping immediately. His multi-colored eyes widened and he covered the ticking bomb with a dense layer of ice. It exploded and sent chunks of ice scattered everywhere and I was scared they were gonna hit an audience member. But there wasn't much time to think about that, "Todoroki doesn't recoil from Midoriya's explosion and gets in close!" Todoroki created a trail of ice that went up and up, I cursed, I couldn't use Higashi's Quirk since I passed her contract off to Aoyama so a close-range shock was out of the question. And her Quirk would be so useful right now too! I wouldn't need to aim her electricity and nothing would come in its way, you can't block it if it's coming from under the ground. "The only shadows are under that thing and an explosion that close could hurt you!" I couldn't think of what else to do in this situation but luckily Kanno was faster. Feeling her heat well up in my chest I opened my mouth and let out a huge blast of hot air. It started melting the ice he was sliding on. Todoroki got off before it could finish melting and jumped towards me, I jumped away just in time as his fist met the floor and ice sprouted from his hand. He made another line of ice towards me while I was still in the air and it closed around my foot, I did my best to reach down and touch it, "Please work, please work, please-" I watched the diamond spread on the ice and let out a small 'yay'. Using Kanno's Quirk, I shaped the diamond into a hammer and hit Todoroki right in the chest. He was thrown back and his ice created a sort of frost screen between us as the diamond shattered, leaving shard on the floor.