Whipped Cream {Sequel to Marshmallow}

Chapter Sixteen

Izuku winced as he put the Hearing Aids back in place, cursing the unforgiving cheap plastic. They were still awaiting the custom ones, and since he was only under the care of Heroes, he was bunked up but not prioritised. 

The rest of the students were filtering out, and Izuku's eyes avoided Katsuki's, the boy glaring at him. It wasn't his usual scowled - more like a challenged one - but scary nonetheless. 

Rolling his wrist and stretching his muscles, he slightly waved as Denki - who'd come in twenty-fourth - stalked over, smirking as he bumped into the slightly panting Hitoshi, Kirishima, Sero and Mina following. Before he realised, his group of friends were surrounding him, slapping his back. 

His arms wrapped around his face in embarrassment, yelping as Mina jabbed his ribs. "Don't be so modest Izuku!" Oh right - he'd almost forgotten he'd had them call him Izuku, he wasn't a huge fan of Midoriya knowing his Father still carried the name. 

Before he could murmur the sorry, Kirishima ducked behind him, holding hi shoulders and using him as a shield between him and Katsuki. "Dude! Help me! He's gonna kill me!" Katsuki grinned menacingly, small explosions popping. "I'll go through the fucking nerd."

Izuku's eyes travelled to Hitoshi - who was stood with Tokoyami, Shouji and Koda - purple meeting green as his hands moved.

'Idiot. Any damage?'

Izuku shook his head, quickly pulling away before anyone saw their interaction - or Hitoshi pushed - and smiled sheepishly at Katsuki. "Kacchan, t-the next ev-event is happening so-soon." The boy scowled, instead going over his head and slamming a fist on Kirishima's head, and scowling more directly to Izuku.

"Use me as your stepping stone again nerd and I'll blow your head off." Izuku nodded with a nervous smile. "O-Okay."

Denki laughed, wrapping an arm across Izuku's shoulders and flicking the Hearing Aid, lightly, put still causing Izuku to gasp and squirm slightly. "Can't believe you got first man! And you left your childhood friend in the dirt, Zukun!"

Izuku pushed him off, staggering slightly and laughing at the tease and Sero pinched Kirishima's ear, laughing as it hardened under the touch. "K-Keep up th-then Chargebolt."

Denki couldn't leap at Izuku, cut off as Midnight stepped into view. Her hands were clasped together, glasses raised onto her hair and grin scary. Izuku felt his gut twist.

"The forty-two at the top have earned the right to advance! I'm sorry for the kids who failed, but take heart! This festival's showstopper is still being prepared!" 

Those who hadn't made it through filed away and Izuku clenched his fists, pushing the urge to pick his nails - or skin by default - down to the bottom of his stomach, hoping it's get stuck in the twists and turns his organs were partaking. 

"And now for the post-preliminaries, the final selection! From here on out, even the press corps will teem in a white heat of excitement, so go all out!" 

Izuku took a deep breathe. 

"Now then, onto today's heart-pounding second event! I already what it will be, but the suspense is killing me ... What could it be?! Well, I'll tell you!"

Izuku had never focused on a screen harder in his life, heart heavy on his tongue and throat sore.

"Behold!"

Izuku heard murmurs fall all around him, amusing in the back of his mind, and listened it. Denki paled slightly.

"Human Cavalry?!"

"But that's not a game that works with players playing as individuals. How will it work?"

The screen changed to a photo of Thirteen and Present Mic holding up All Might. Izuku put in  mental note to ask his Uncle about that - sharing a small amused smile with Hitoshi as they briefly looked at the commentary box, catching eyes as they looked back.

"You can all form two-to-four person teams freely and form a horse back configuration! Basically it's the same rules as a normal human cavalry battle: swipe enemy riders' head-bands and guard your own. Except one more thing ... Everyone will receive points based on their performance in the last trial!"

Another voice, from within the students, cut in. "If it's anything like the entrance exam points system then it'll be easy to understand." Izuku's eyes moved to Mina, her eyes wide. "Which means that the value of each human war-horse will be based on whose in it!"

Midnight snapped her whip down, face flushed. "Don't say what I was gonna say before I can!"

Izuku didn't miss the smirk in her gaze as her eyes met his.

"But yes, that's right! And the number of points you're worth will be five points if you placed forty-two. Ten if you placed forty-first, fifteen for fortieth place, and so on... with the exception of first place, whose head is worth..."

And this is - the catch. The first time Izuku does well in anything, it backfires. His chance ended here - all odds were against him when he was equal (mostly) with his peers. But now, ha, Izuku was lucky if he got out of here with his life.

"... Ten Million points!"

_________

"If I were you, I'd aim for the guy who placed first ... this is the chance for you to supplant the high! Welcome to our survival game!"

Shouta groaned, closing his eyes and leaning back in his seat. Of course, of fucking course.

"Problem Child..." He muttered, and Hizashi laughed. "Poor Jelly Bean has it coming for him. You're his teacher, how do you think he'll do?" 

Shouta shrugged. Honestly, he didn't know. He wasn't sure how Izuku would have done during the obstacle course - he was good, but lacked any Heroic training - but his nephew had surprised him. Once again. He'd used his peers advantaged to push himself forward; like a Hero.

But this, Izuku didn't do well in the limelight. He never had - his best tricks at gymnastics where the ones where he thought Shouta or anyone else was watching, tucked in the corner of the room. Even earlier, when Izuku had shown Cheo how to hand stand, he was showing off but it was flawed slightly.

So, he didn't know. He could only hope, for his student, and pray, for his nephew.