Stuck In The Middle

Chapter 19: The Sports Festival Part 3

"Um... Excuse me." Ojiro said, raising his hand. Midnight had begun to explain how the matchups would be made, but the boy interrupted. Why, you might ask? "I'd... I'd like to drop out."

Everyone surrounding the boy looked on in confusion as the boy looked down. Izuku turned to the tailed boy and looked at him questioningly. "Why Ojiro? This is your chance to be noticed by the pros!"

The boy looked down, seemingly in frustration. He then faced the rest of his class, and the audience of onlookers. "During that cavalry battle... I have no memories of what was happening up until the end... It's probably his quirk that did it."

Ojiro had then pointed to Hitoshi Shinso, the lilac haired boy who declared war on 1-A before the Sports Festival. Izuku turned and stared at the boy, who simply looked away. What was his quirk?

Ojiro then began to explain how he wanted to win with his own power, and standing here to compete with the others felt wrong... It felt undeserved. Then a group of other students had begun to pull out of their matches as they too were met with the unfortunate fate of being used by Shinso.

"How naive." Midnight said, drawing her whip before cracking it loudly. "I LIKE IT!"

Izuku and Kyoka looked at each other before sighing at their teacher's antics. She really was a strange woman, but it just added to her character.

The people who were replaced by the people who had withdrawn were from 1-B. It was Tetsutetsu, with Ibara Shiozaki, and Shinso taking their place. Everyone then began to draw their lots, and Izuku had been paired with the one person he had seriously hoped he wouldn't have.

"Hitoshi Shinso..." Izuku mumbled, staring up at the tournament bracket. If he were to win his match, he'd be up against Todoroki. He sighed before he felt someone's presence behind him.

"You're Izuku Midoriya, aren't you..?" A voice spoke, causing the boy to jolt in surprise. He turned and was about to speak to the boy, but a tail found its way over his mouth. It was Ojiro!

"Don't respond to that guy!" He said, covering the boy's mouth. Kyoka then ran over to the two of them and was about to chew Ojiro out before she noticed the serious expressions of the two boys.

"What's going on..?"

Izuku stood in the corridor waiting for them to call him to the stage. His nerves were at an all time high, as this was going to be his first battle. Was he even truly ready? All-in-all he doubted it.

"Hey kid!" All Might's voice called from behind him. He turned to see the suited man standing behind him. "It's been such a short amount of time, and yet you're using One For All amazingly! Keep it up, kid!"

Izuku smiled at his mentor's praise, and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. His hero really praised him!

"I-It's all thanks to you, and Kyoka All Might! Please don't p-praise me so much." He said, smiling nervously. "H-Honestly everything up till now has been a bit of good luck..."

All Might then chopped Izuku both on the head, and in the throat. The boy began to hack and cough as All Might scowled at the boy's disbelief in his capabilities.

"You'll never be a hero acting so mopey all the time!" The man scolded, before changing into his muscle form. "Now listen. When you're feeling worried or scared, that's when you gotta smile!"

The man then smiled down at the boy and gave him a thumbs up. "You've come this far, even with help, it's all because of you! So show some bravado, even if it's fake! Never forget that I'm expecting big things from you, my boy! And I know you'll do great!"