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A My Hero Academia Fanfiction: Age of Heroes Chapter 12 Training Montage by RVasil

Two weeks.

Two weeks was all they were given, and even then, with each passing second, time was beginning to tick by. In the span of two weeks, U.A. expected all the students who were going to participate in the sports festival--and that was pretty much the majority of the student population--to be in tip top physical form, ready to show the world what they can do and be crowned the champion. Anticipation was at an all time high and the pressure wasn't lost on the students.

Each and every student of Class 1A took the little time they had left to prepare. U.A. was supportive enough to give permission to students to use the school facilities after classes to train in whatever manner they deemed fit. Everyone used this to their advantage. Iida used the track and field to practice his runs, seemingly becoming a blur in the afternoon, leaving nothing but dust behind him as he ran countless laps over and over, all in an effort break past his current speed limit. Tsuyu took to the school pool, training her already excellent swimming techniques underwater into a razor sharp edge. Ojiro and Sero used the large urban setting U.A. had to work on their movement as well as get more training in for their Quirks. Even USJ was open to any student who wished to use them. Kouda, Sato, Uraraka and a few others used this as their training ground, determination behind their every move.

Everyone was certain to push themselves to their limit.

Sensing the drive his classmates had, Kinus wasn't going to let himself lag behind, not by a long shot.

It was later that afternoon after classes that Kinus found himself standing inside U.A.'s gymnasium. There were already other students there, minding their own business as they focused on their own specialized training regime. Some were lifting barbells, others were running on treadmills. Shoji was actually on one of the bench presses, lifting a barbell whose weight visibly shocked Kinus. The boy was super strong, but that was probably because he had six arms to lift with. Each and everyone were in their own world. There were mats placed on the floor to allow people to work on their flexibility, and there was even a full sized boxing arena at the far side of the room. U.A.'s dedication to having top notch facilities never ceased to amazed the dragon.

"So this is where we're going to train?" came a voice from behind Kinus.

The dragon turned around to find Tokoyami walking up to him.

"Yep! When I learned that U.A. had a space like this, I figured, why not. We might as well make the most of what we have," Kinus remarked. The dragon began to do some preliminary stretches on the mat, rotating his head back and forth.

"Still, Hazani, thank you," Tokoyami said as he joined Kinus in stretching.

"You don't have to thank me," the dragon replied back. "It's the least I can do." Kinus lowered to the ground and stretched out his legs, making sure to get his thigh muscles. "Though, I still stand by the fact that you're probably better off asking someone else. I'm not exactly the best teacher."

"Nonsense," Tokoyami said. "I've seen you fight. You're probably the best person I know."

The dragon found himself blushing at the compliment. "Thank you." He cleared his throat and planted his feet firmly on the rubber mat. It was a bit odd to move around with only his socks on his feet but the dragon would get used to it. "So," he began, "you wanted to start with hand to hand, right?"

Tokoyami nodded firmly. "Yes."

"And this is no Quirks. Just physical training?"

Another nod.

Kinus nodded back, remembering the mental lesson plan he created when he agreed to Tokoyami asking him to teach him a few tricks. It wasn't exactly a detailed lesson plan, but it was a start nonetheless. He mainly took inspiration from how his mentor taught him when he first started learning how to fight.

"Okay," he began. He stood in front of the bird. "I want you to hit me."

Tokoyami's head cocked slightly to the side. "Hit you?"

"Yes," Kinus answered. "I want you to hit me. I want to see what you can do."

"Okay then," Tokoyami answered, sounding a bit skeptical for a moment. He then got into a fighting pose, raising his fist up. Kinus stood his ground, watching the bird closely. Tokoyami began to walk forward before launching a quick jab straight at Kinus.

Immediately, Kinus responded, raising a hand to block Tokoyami's attack. The bird's fist stopped a few inches short off coming in contact against Kinus's face. "Not bad," Kinus responded. He cocked his head to the side and gave the bird a smile of approval. Tokoyami on the other hand looked visibly surprised, but it immediately went away and reverted back to the calm and serious expression the bird had. "Why don't you try..."

But whatever Kinus was going to say next was cut off as Tokoyami didn't wait for him to finish. The bird sent out another punch, this time coming from the side. The dragon's reflexes carried him, his other hand quickly coming up to stop the attack. The bird's fist was stopped once again.

Kinus's eyes flicked towards Tokoyami, giving the bird a knowing look. There was a brief pause in their movements as each held their stance in place.

"Okay, I'll give you points for--"

But it would seem Tokoyami wasn't interested in getting lectures. The bird quickly sprang into action, rearing back to throw another punch at the dragon. Kinus rolled his eyes before quickly ducking, the punch whiffing past his head. He quickly raised his hand up as a kick was sent towards his way, stopping it from hitting his head. The bird was quick in his movements, doing his best to hit the dragon that was blocking and dodging every attack he sent towards him.

The two were locked into a sparring match.

Tokoyami was giving it his all. A punch here, a punch there, each was either met with a near close call for Kinus or a well time block by the dragon. Even as he tried to switch things up by throwing a kick, followed by the other, Kinus would duck under it just in the nick of time. The dragon jumped as Tokoyami went for a sweep. He used his momentum to carry him, pressing both of his arms on the bird's shoulder and practically launching himself over him. He landed squarely back on his feet, completely unscathed. The bird however didn't let up, spinning around in an effort to catch the dragon as he landed. But Kinus was one step ahead. He bent over, the bird's legs barely missing his chest as it whizzed by him.

"Damn it!" Tokoyami cursed, sounding frustrated at how things were going. "Stand still, Hazani!"

The bird launched himself at the dragon. He extended out a fist, but this time, Kinus took the chance to counter. He easily sidestepped Tokoyami's attack, and grabbed the bird's outstretched hand. Using Tokoyami's own momentum against him, the bird found the world rotating around him as he was sent head over heels before his back came crashing on the rubber mat with a firm thud. Kinus climbed on top of him, using his own weight as leverage. The dragon pressed his hand on the bird's neck.

Both Kinus and Tokoyami were out of breath, but it was clear who won the impromptu sparring match.

It was a fight that involved Kinus not even throwing a single punch.

"Like I said," Kinus said in between pants of breath, "not bad, Tokoyami, not bad at all."

The bird let out a defeated huff in response. Kinus got off the bird and extended a hand to help him off the floor. Tokoyami gratefully took it, pulling himself up to a standing position. "So," the bird said, looking at Kinus, "how'd I do?"

"Well," the dragon began, "considering you didn't actually hit me that would mean you..."

The bird quickly struck out his hand. This time however, he successfully caught the dragon off guard and ended up hitting him square in the face. The dragon reeled back, grabbing his maw in protest. "Ow!" Kinus cried out, briefly seeing stars. "What the hell was that for?" He gingerly held his nose, checking if it was bleeding or something.

"I just wanted to wipe that smug smile off your face," he teased.

"That was amazing, you two," came a voice from behind them.

The two boys turned around to find Shoji walking up to them. The boy had a towel wrapped around his neck and was using one of his free hands to dry the sweat from his forehead.

"Oh, hey, Shoji," Kinus replied, waving at the boy. "I didn't know you were watching."

"How could I not?" he asked rhetorically. "It was like you two were already competing in the sports festival or something." The boy looked around and took note of the other students who had stopped what they were doing and was visibly gazing at their direction. "From the way the others are looking at you two, I'm not alone in that sentiment."

"Heh," Tokoyami huffed. "I could have done better."

"You did fine," Kinus waved a dismissive hand at him.

"I wasn't able to land a single hit on you."

Kinus looked at the bird seriously. "That's because you were a bit predictable, Tokoyami." Then the dragon's brow scrunched up. "Well no, that's a bit harsh. I'd say...rough around the edges."

The bird brow rose. "What do you mean?"

"You don't fight often, do you? Like close quarters, that is."

Tokoyami nodded, listening intently. "Admittedly, Dark Shadow does most of the fighting."

"Exactly." Kinus walked over to his pack and took out a towel. He then proceeded to wipe the sweat that was dripping from his forehead. "You rely mostly on your Quirk. There's nothing wrong with that. You have a very strong Quirk. Dark Shadow is very dependable after all."

"I agree with Hazani," Shoji commented. "I still remember what you did back in All Might's class. That was amazing, Tokoyami."

The boy smiled in response. "Thank you, Shoji." He directed his attention back to Kinus who was taking a drink from his water bottle. "But I suppose you're going somewhere with this."

"The point I'm trying to make is, some people have great Quirks. They can do amazing things and be seemingly unstoppable with their powers. That's mainly because they've had it since the day they were born," Kinus said. He put the bottle back into his bag. He then continued, saying, "but that's the thing, they've had it since they were born. They don't know what it's like to be Quirkless, in a sense. They tend to rely on their Quirks with the notion that they'll always have it, or in this case, always fighting with it. If you take away someone's Quirk, they're left with their inherent skills and abilities. From our brief skirmish with each other, it's obvious that you don't fight one on one often. You have a tendency to leave yourself wide open and you're also a bit...rigid. You need to be lighter on your feet."

Tokoyami closed his eyes and sighed, letting the dragon's words sink into him.

It was at that moment that Kinus felt guilt wash over him. "Tokoyami, I didn't mean to..."

The bird raised a hand to stop the dragon from apologizing. "It's fine, Hazani." The boy's eyes opened and he smiled at him. "This is why I asked you for training advice."

"If you guys need an extra hand or two for training," Shoji smiled at the two of them, "I'm down to help you guys out."

Kinus smiled. "Thanks, Shoji. I appreciate the help."

Time seemingly dilated itself as the students of U.A. focused on honing their skills to a razor sharp edge. Everyone fell into a sort of rhythmic trance as the days went by. It was studying in the morning with the typical school hustle, but then when afternoon rolled around, everyone went out to do their respective training regimes. Kinus spent the rest of the day training by himself or was sparring with Tokoyami. The bird was a quick learner, as Kinus found out. Their constant training sessions with one another was beginning to have its effect on the bird and Kinus figured that Tokoyami was well on his way on becoming capable in hand to hand combat.

The two were at USJ and Kinus was occupied with swinging away at an imaginary foe whilst Tokoyami was taking a rest on one of the benches. They had just finished sparring for the afternoon. The bird helped himself to a bottle of water as he watched Kinus. The dragon was twirling around, swinging a dagger in one hand, and a hammer in the other. The swoosh of the blade cutting into the air was subtle but audible, and wasn't lost amidst the sounds of explosions that Bakugo was making at the Ruins Zone.

"How come you know this stuff?" Tokoyami voiced out, resting his back on the bench.

Kinus spun around, slashing wildly, yet perfectly calculated before ending in a flourish by throwing the dagger straight at a tree. It impaled itself perfectly into the bark of wood, and Kinus held the pose for a brief moment before letting himself relax. "Know what?" he asked, glancing at the bird.

"These different weapon styles. Who taught you all of this?" Tokoyami asked.

"My mentor did," Kinus answered. The dragon stuck out his hand and the impaled dagger shook. A few seconds later, it shot back, stopping gently into the open palm of the dragon. "Well him and my mother."

Tokoyami raised a brow. "Your mother?" Then he paused for a moment. "Oh, that's right, she's a police officer."

Kinus smiled. "She's the proactive type. Even before I was serious in becoming a hero she taught me the basics of fighting." The dragon tossed the dagger and hammer in his hand into the fountain. It landed with a loud splash, before resting on the bottom. "She figured that it was best for her son to know how to fight in case a situation happened where I needed it, self defense and all that. It only served as a strong foundation when I started training to be a hero."

"That's where your mentor comes in," Tokoyami said.

"Yeah...My father wanted to personally teach me but..." The dragon paused for a bit, a flash of emotion appearing briefly in his eyes. "Yeah...things happened, and so my mentor took over." Kinus smiled, the dip in his mood disappearing as quickly as it appeared. "He taught me everything I know in regards to weapons."

Kinus stretched out his hand and the water from the nearby fountain floated over to him. In a few seconds his trusty dragonic halberd froze before him. The dragon grabbed it, and spun the object around like a baton. The audible whoosh of the bladed edge pierced through the air.

"Why the halberd?" Tokoyami asked as he glanced at the weapon the dragon held. It was probably the first time Tokoyami had a chance to properly look at the weapon. It had a pointed sharp end to allow for stabbing, an axe head on one side for slashes, and finally a warhammer like flat surface on the other for complete straight up smashing. It was a fairly multifaceted weapon.

"My dad," Kinus answered solemnly. "I based the design off of my dad's personal weapon." Upon seeing the puzzled expression on the bird's face, the dragon continued, "he was a pro hero, you see. He fought crime with a weapon just like this. He was my main inspiration in becoming a pro hero."

Tokoyami noted the tense the dragon was using when he answered the statement. "I see," the bird answered, unsure if this was a touchy subject for the dragon or not.

"It's fine, Tokoyami. It's been a long time now," Kinus answered. There was a bit of a longing tone from the dragon's voice.

Tokoyami reached out and placed a comforting hand on the dragon's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss," he added. "I get that he was a really important figure for you. What was he like?"

"He was," Kinus answered. "I don't remember much honestly. He died when I was young. I was at that age where I was old enough to remember things, but still too young to understand what was going on." The dragon glanced up at the skies, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he thought back to his father. "I remember him coming home, and he would tell me stories of his hero work. He'd tell me that his job was important, and then preached to me that like him, I should always do the right thing. He told me that he became a hero because he wanted to subdue villains and give them the second chance at doing the right thing." The dragon snorted. "It's a bit cheesy, I know, but hearing that as a kid? It meant like the world to me. It sounded so cool." Kinus lightly chuckled. "I looked up to my dad. He was an upstanding guy, super nice, always did the right thing, and was overall a pretty good pro hero. He wasn't famous like All Might is, but to me, he was the best there was. But then..."

Tokoyami remained quiet, letting the dragon continue.

Kinus looked somber for a brief moment. "...then one day..." The dragon paused, letting out a deep sigh. "I have trouble remembering what exactly happened that day. I think I was with a friend...or was it a family friend? I'm not sure. The point is, I was with someone and we were heading to a park or something. Then, a commotion happened nearby and..." Kinus shook his head. Remembering the memory was like looking into a fogged up glass. Hazy images were all he could remember and blurry faces and places. "I don't really know...just that my dad arrived and he told me it wasn't safe anymore. He tried to get me to safety when we got blown off by an explosion of sorts. When I came to, I was in the hospital and...well...my mom was there and...my dad wasn't."

The bird remained quiet, opting instead to just offer support to the dragon by gently squeezing his hand on Kinus's shoulder. "I'm sure he was a great hero."

Kinus nodded. "Ever since that day, I made it a personal goal of mine to be just like him. To be a hero that saves lives, much like how he saved me, and give people the second chance they deserve. I trained everyday to really get a firm grip on my Quirk, and then I tried my luck at U.A." He smiled at Tokoyami, the gloominess from the dragon's eyes fading and was going back to its familiar perky self. "That's why I'm here." Kinus let out a sigh, looking down at the halberd he held in his hand. "It's one of the reasons why I want to win the sports festival," he added. "I want to make my father proud." Then, as if to break up the somewhat serious conversation they were having, the dragon let out a light chuckle. "This all sounds so corny, I'm sorry."

The bird blinked, surprised at the dragon's sudden outburst. "No, it's not," Tokoyami countered. "Trying to keep your father's ideals is a good thing."

That was when Dark Shadow appeared, floating next to Tokoyami. "I don't say this often, dragon boy, but you're alright in my book."

"Thanks, Dark Shadow." Kinus smiled. His expression then turned somewhat serious. "If there's one thing I only regret, is that I wish I could have saved Blur."

The bird looked a bit surprised. "Even if he was trying to kill you?"

"Hero work is all about saving people's lives, right? That shouldn't just be exclusive to civilians. Heroes, villians? We're all just people," the dragon answered. "That's what my father taught me."

"You shouldn't be blaming yourself for what happened to Blur. It's not like he gave you a choice."

The dragon shook his head. "I'm not." He looked at Tokoyami. "I just wish I could have done better."

Tokoyami smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well then, all the more reason for you to need to win the Sports Festival. If you win, you get one step closer to landing a good hero agency."

Kinus chuckled. "I suppose that's one way of putting it." He then leaned back on the chair.

Tokoyami's eyes glanced over to Kinus's weapon and he found himself cocking his head towards the side, a thought crossing his mind. "Is it hard to learn how to use a weapon?"

Dark Shadow extended himself towards the halberd and held it in his shadowy hands. "I'm sure it's not that hard. It's just swish, swish, stab, right?"

Kinus chuckled. "Well, technically, yeah. But remember that we're not fighting to kil. You'll be using weapons to subdue opponents. My mentor taught me how to fight in a manner that my opponents would not be injured fatally unless I meant to."

"I take it that requires finer self control, especially for a big weapon like your lance?"

The dragon nodded. "Pretty much. It's the same way how someone like All Might can punch villains head on on and not kill them in an instant, given how absurdly powerful he is. Besides, I don't exactly want to be swinging this around and accidentally chop someone's head off. Or stab someone, for example." At the mention of the last statement, the two boys looked at one another knowingly. "Yeah...so no fatal wounds is what you'll be taught most importantly. Maybe you can join an agency of a pro hero who can give you some pointers."

Tokoyami nodded, then said, "Can you give me an introductory lesson then?"

Kinus blinked. "An introductory lesson?"

The bird nodded. "I've always had a passing interest in using swords."

The dragon shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "I don't think I'm qualified enough to teach you this one, Tokoyami. You're much better off asking a professional instructor to be your mentor."

Tokoyami visibly frowned. Kinus swore the bird was even pouting at him, but maybe he was just misreading the bird's expression. Dark Shadow rested on the bird's shoulder. "Come on, dragon boy. I'm sure you can teach Tokoyami here a thing or two. You're doing well as a teacher. I'm surprised you actually managed to teach him how to take a punch!"

"He's a quick learner," Kinus answered. His eyes turned to Tokoyami, and sighed. How could he say no to him? "Alright, fine. I suppose I can teach you a thing or two. But if you're really serious about this, you'd have to ask a professional because I'm definitely not qualified to teach you."

"That's fine. Thanks, Hazani."

The dragonic halberd he held in his hand melted back into liquid and floated weightlessly in front of them. "So, what sword are we looking for here?"

"Katana."

"Culturally appropriate," Kinus remarked. The water separated and formed two blade hilts. The blade of the katana extended outwards and in a few moments froze itself solid. "Don't worry. It's dull," Kinus added, tapping his hands on the blade. "I'd rather we not have any accidents here."

The bird nodded. "Understandable."

"So," Kinus handed one of the katanas to Tokoyami who took it appreciatively. "Do you know how to at least use one of these?"

Tokoyami smiled. "I've seen my fair share of old school samurai movies." He took the blade and held it firmly in his hands. He opted to make a slash before holding a pose becoming of a samurai.

Kinus nodded. "That's actually not that bad. I admit, I'm not really that well versed in katana wielding, but I can teach you some general things about it. The one thing you have to understand is that just like our quirks it's a part of your body, like an extra limb." The dragon held the katana in his hand, trying to get himself acquainted with the weight. "So when you move, you have to use the weight as an advantage, instead of a disadvantage." The dragon slashed at an imaginary foe, using the weight of the sword to carry his momentum as he spun around. "Use your reach for long range pokes, and keep enemies at bay."

The bird followed his notion, a smile tugging at the corner of the bird's lips. The two playfully slashed at each other, the clang of the two frozen objects echoing in the park as the blunt objects collided with one another.

The two were so caught up that they didn't realize that a few of their classmates had passed by. "So you two are now moving to sword fighting?"

Kinus stopped what he was doing and turned around. Shoji was walking up to them, and was accompanied by Ashido and Uraraka. "Tokoyami wanted to try his hand at wielding a sword. I decided to humor him."

"I think it suits you, Tokoyami," Ashido commented cheerfully.

"Thank you, Ashido. I'm now heavily considering in picking this up as part of my skill set," Tokoyami said, eyeing the katana he wielded in his hands.

"How's the training going, Uraraka?" Kinus asked, looking at the girl.

She just sighed in response. "Exhausting. I don't think I've trained this hard in my entire life. But it definitely feels rewarding, that's for sure."

"The sports fest is right around the corner, after all," Ashido added. "Are you guys excited?" she asked, idly swaying back and forth.

"A little bit excited, a little bit nervous, you know, that sort of thing," Kinus answered. "You can never be too confident."

"Unless you're as headstrong as Bakugo," Tokoyami replied in jest.

The five students all chuckled to themselves in response to it. That was when Ashido clapped her hands. "You know what, why don't we go out to eat? A celebration of sorts of us training hard today. What do you guys say?"

Kinus smiled. He liked the sound of that.

"Okay, you guys," Kinus said, standing in front of the class. "As Class Secretary, Iida has tasked me in managing the forms for the Support Items Requisition. Please fill in these forms if you need a support item."

Kirishima passed by and curiously took one. "What exactly is this form for?" he asked, staring at the official looking piece of paper in front of him.

"It's for the Sports Fest, Kirishima," Yaoyorozu answered. "Students from the hero course aren't allowed to use support items, unlike the other students. However, you are allowed to fill out a form requesting for a particular support item you plan on using and will be subject for approval by the teachers. It can't be something that makes your Quirk better than what it is though."

"Are we allowed to request for costumes then?" Mineta asked.

"No, hero costumes aren't allowed either," Yaoyorozu added.

"Well that sucks..."

At the end of the session, Kinus only managed to get four filled in forms. They were namely Aoyama, for his naval laser, Sato, for some sweets to activate his Quirk, and then himself, for his Hydro Pack. He needed it because without it, he might as well have been fighting Quirkless out in the field. To his surprise, the last one was from Tokoyami.

"A choker?" he asked, looking at the piece of paper he held in his hand. "Is this...a joke?" he asked, unsure if he should be smiling or not.

"I'm serious," Tokoyami answered, and then motioned to the red choker he was wearing. "I need this."

The dragon stared at the bird for a brief moment, and then just shrugged. "Okay then..." He walked over the class representative who was reading a book at his desk. "Here you go, Iida," the dragon said, handing it over to the class president.

The boy took it happily. "Thank you, Hazani. I'll have this sent over to Mr. Aizawa immediately."

The dragon walked over to his seat, and Tokoyami turned his attention towards him. "I got a question for you."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"What would you do if the teachers didn't allow you to use your Hydro Pack? How would that affect your performance in the Sports Fest?" Tokoyami asked.

The dragon's brow furrowed. "I'd be screwed."

Midoriya, who was seated in front of Kinus, turned his head to join in on the conversation. "Really? That bad?" In his hand was his personal notebook.

"Well, Midoriya, unlike the majority of everyone else in this room, I need that item to make my Quirk work," the dragon flatly answered. "If I don't have it, I might as well be fighting Quirkless."

Midoriya's expression visibly dipped. "Being Quirkless isn't that bad."

"True, but if you're fighting against people who can literally blow you away, like Bakugo for example, it's a..." The dragon shrugged. "You get what I mean. My Quirk isn't as strong as Todoroki's."

"You should have more confidence in yourself, Hazani." Kinus turned his head to find Yaoyoruzu leaning in. "You did beat Todoroki after all in that training exercise."

"Wait, what?" Midoriya asked. "When did that happen?"

"Remember that class we had where you fought Bakugo, and you got knocked out? Tokoyami asked, trying to jog Midoriya's brain. The lightbulb atop the green haired boy's face lit up. "Yeah, that one. Hazani went up against Todoroki and won."

"Seriously?!" Midoriya asked, sounding ecstatic.

"Yes, he did."

The four students turned their head to see Todoroki looking at them. The boys eyes lingered then focused on Midoriya and Kinus. "But I don't plan on letting that happen again. I have no intention of losing."

Kinus gulped. "Duly noted," the dragon replied.

While he never really had any problems with Todoroki, there was something about the boy that always intimidated him. Maybe it was the scar, or perhaps the way the boy carried himself. Whatever it was, it permeated his demeanor and actions, and told Kinus that it was probably for the best to not get in the boy's way. Unfortunately however, if he was to proceed well into the Sports Fest, there'd be a point where they may have to fight each other. The dragon wasn't looking forward to that encounter.

Thoughts on the different possible matchups buzzed through Kinus's mind well into the afternoon and even as they went home for the day. He began to strategically calculate and see what his chances of winning were, if he were up against his fellow classmates. The dragon felt a bit bad. These were his friends, and the idea of punching, kicking and ultimately smacking them around with his dragonic halberd wasn't something he looked forward to. But this was a competition, so he inevitably had to put his feelings for them to the side.

The boy mentally created a list of individuals who would give him a problem if he were to fight them one on one. Naturally, the top two people were Bakugo and Todoroki. Kinus knew himself well enough that his Quirk, and himself, were weak to fire. The dragon let out a frustrated sigh. He needed a game plan against those two, or else he wasn't going to stand a chance against them.

"You okay?" Tokoyami asked. The two of them were walking home, the sky being painted a vibrant orange glow as the sun set on the horizon. "You've been quiet for a while now."

"I've just been thinking," Kinus remarked. "I just realized that there's a possibility that we may end up fighting each other in the Sports Fest."

"You only figured that out now?" Tokoyami asked flatly.

Kinus chuckled. "I'm going to have to figure out how to beat everyone..." He then glanced at Tokoyami. "Even you."

The bird smirked. "I'd like to see you try, Hazani."

"I taught you everything you know."

"Well not everything," Tokoyami answered confidently. "Dark Shadow and I have been practicing in our spare time after all." He then gave Kinus a sly look. "I've already thought of ways to beat you. The student has to beat the teacher."

The two glanced at each other for a brief moment, before breaking into laughter, enjoying each other's company. After a few moments, they both regained their composure and it was Tokoyami who first spoke. "But seriously though, Hazani," the bird looked at him, his tone of voice becoming more firm. "Can you promise me one thing?"

"Yeah?"

"If we ever meet each other in the one on one matches, I want you to promise me." The bird's eyes narrowed. "I want you to promise that you'll fight me to the best of your abilities."

Kinus stopped in his tracks, sensing the seriousness in the bird's request. The dragon faced Tokoyami fully and he could see that there was a fire burning in the bird's eyes. Tokoyami's resolve was astounding. It actually confused the boy as to why he was being challenged all of a sudden, and from his friend no less. "Just one thing," Kinus said, "what brought this on? Did I make you angry or something?"

Tokoyami shook his head. "No, it's not that, Hazani. I'm not challenging you out of spite, or malice, you can be sure of that." The bird smiled, and began to continue walking forward, Kinus following alongside him. "You must understand, I respect you, Hazani. Ever since meeting you, I've seen you do amazing things." Kinus's raised brow prompted the boy to continue, saying, "first was the Entrance Exam. You saved my life." Tokoyami smiled. "Then there was your fight with Todoroki. You went up against, admittedly, the strongest in the class, and managed to outlast him. I saw it with my own eyes. Then there was USJ." The bird looked at him. "Hearing, and seeing these feats you've accomplished in such a short amount of time, makes me question if I'm even worthy enough of standing next to you."

Kinus felt guilty. "Tokoyami...I...I didn't mean to make you feel like this."

The bird shook his head. "It's not your fault, Hazani, far from it. I see your level of skill as something I can achieve. A milestone I can reach. That's why I asked you to train me." The boy smiled at him. "Ultimately, I want to beat you. To prove to myself that I can do this. I can be a capable hero. I want to be just as good, if not, even better than you. I hope you can understand that."

A brief moment of silence hung in the air as the two friends looked at each other. "Alright," Kinus answered a few moments later, breaking the ice. "I promise then. I promise to fight you with everything I've got."

Tokoyami smile. "Thank you."

"Just don't lose before our fight, got it?"

The bird smirked at him. "That goes for you too, you know."

Day broke.

The sun was shining brightly against the clear blue skies, its rays illuminating the streets below. Kinus woke up that day, feeling refreshed, relaxed, and most importantly, ready for the sports festival. The dragon ate breakfast with a renewed vigor, making sure to get himself a nice helping of food to prepare him for the arduous day ahead. Anticipation electrified the air and the news outlets were buzzing with excitement about the oncoming Sports Festival.

"...the police are still looking for the dubbed Musutafu Bomber, who was responsible for the recent string of explosions a few days ago. If you have any information in regards to the criminal at large, please do not hesitate to call the tip hotline of the police." The news segment changed and flashed a picture of U.A. as well as the U.A. Sports Festival Stadium. The newscaster smiled and then said, "And now for something more uplifting, it's that time of the year again, folks! Today's the one and only Sports Festival! The time of the year where we get to see aspiring heroes show their might as they compete to be number one!" A picture appeared in the corner, showing a reporter. "We now move to our reporter who's live on the scene!"

"Are you nervous?"

Kinus turned his head to see Ruby walking up to him. The dragon shrugged. "A bit," the dragon answered.

The red dragoness smiled and pinched her son's cheek. "You'll do fine. I know you can do this."

"Do you expect me to win?" Kinus asked curiously.

"Of course! What kind of mother would I be to wish my son to lose?" Ruby answered confidently. Her expression then softened. "But really, Kinus, whatever happens, I just want you to know that I'll be rooting for you every step of the way." She briefly turned her head to look at the small family picture frame they had on a table. "You're father will be rooting for you too. He'll be proud of you, son."

The dragon felt his heart swell. "Thanks, mom." He stood up and pulled his mother into a tight hug. "I'll make you guys proud."

"That's my boy."

It was a few moments later when Ruby and Kinus were pulling up to the curb on the street. Before them was the entrance to U.A. and it was filled with a crowd of people, one by one being scanned by the security personnel that were aiding U.A. for the school event. "Are you working here today in the stadium, Mom?" Kinus asked.

Ruby shook her head. "Unfortunately, I'll have to be at the station today, having to deal with some paperworks. But I think a few of my colleagues have managed to organize it where we can watch the competition when it happens." She smiled and gave his son a peck on the cheek. "Good luck out there! I love you."

"I love you too."

Kinus climbed out of the car and eventually waved goodbye as his mother drove off towards the city. The dragon took a deep breath, and then started walking into the entrance of U.A.

He had a feeling that today, was going to be a long day.

Security was tight, both literally and metaphorically. The amount of people that were falling in line was astounding. Kinus had never seen so many different people from various walks of life converge in one location. There were families together with their kids waiting in line patiently to get in. There were groups of teenagers who were busy chatting with one another and taking photos with their phones. There were even businessmen who literally looked like they just stepped out of a meeting to personally be here for the Sports Festival. Then there was the press. It seemed like everyone was there as the line for security was crazy.

"I've never seen so many people in my entire life..."

Kinus turned his head to see none other than Midoriya walking forward, taking in the entire environment. "Tell me about it," Kinus remarked.

The green haired boy looked forward and smiled upon seeing a fellow classmate. "Hazani!"

The dragon waved as Midoriya walked up to him. The two boys then continued forward, skipping past the long lines and entering through the space dedicated specifically for the students of U.A. Security personnel scanned through them, checking their belongings for anything out of the ordinary, as well as giving them a quick XRay scan even. Once they were cleared for security, they were led forward. "I feel like this security is tighter than in the airports!"

"It has to be," Midoriya answered. "We did just get attacked by villains you know."

"True," Kinus replied. "But hey, at least we won't have that happening to us this time!" he said optimistically.

"I sure hope so," Midoriya replied sounding a bit wary.

"Are you nervous?" the dragon asked as the two kept walking.

"For the Sports Festival?" The dragon nodded, prompting Midoriya to continue, "I am." Midoriya clenched his fist, looking determined. "I can't lose. This is my chance to prove myself."

Kinus noted there was a certain fire in the boy's eyes. While the dragon could understand where Midoriya's motivations were coming from, he felt that there was something more. Midoriya looked like he was ready to give it his all.

Kinus tapped the boy in the back. "Relax. You've got this," he remarked.

The boy laughed sheepishly. "Thanks, Hazani. How about you?"

"A bit nervous," he answered. "Aside from my mom, the whole world will be watching so I'd rather not make a fool of myself," he answered, offering a grin to the boy. Then a stray thought entered the dragon's head. He remembered what Nedzu had told him a few weeks ago. "Hell, even the principal is looking forward to what I can do."

Midoriya cocked his head to the side. "The Principal? Principal Nedzu? Why?"

Kinus chuckled. "It was brought up when I was being asked about USJ when that happened. It was a thing," he said, waving a dismissive hand at the boy.

Midoriya nodded. "Looks like we all have to prove something today."

"True. Let's do our best."

The two students made a beeline to their destination, and before long, arrived at the side entrance of the stadium, designated for students and other authorized personnel. "Over here, Hazani," Midoriya said, calling over the dragon. He was pointing to a sign next to a door. It was aptly labelled as the waiting room for Class 1A. Upon entering, they were greeted by familiar faces.

"Ah, Midoriya! Hazani! Glad to see you two are here," Iida said, being the first to meet them at the door. "Hazani, I need to talk to you."

"Yeah?" Kinus replied, placing his belongings into a designated locker.

"Here you go." Iida handed him a piece of paper. It had his name on it, as well as a few personal details. "That's your Support Item Clearance Form. Hand it over to the Support Items Armory so they can give you your Hydro Pack. Sato and Aoyama have already taken theirs." Iida motioned to one of the boys mentioned. Kinus could see Aoyama was busy posing with his Naval Laser, asking the others what pose he should do when the cameras focused on him. The dragon just smiled to himself.

Kinus took the form appreciatively. "Thank you, Mr. President!"

"Happy to help," Iida replied.

The dragon turned to Midoriya, who was now also placing his things into a nearby locker. "I'll catch you later, alright? I have to get this."

Midoriya nodded. "Just be sure to get back here fast. You don't want to be late."

Finding the Armory wasn't that hard, thankfully enough. There were signs posted all over the hall, and whenever Kinus felt he was getting a bit lost, there was a person that passed by that was helpful to point him toward the right direction. Before long, he arrived at his destination. It was a neatly cut hole in the wall, serving as a divider of sorts, with a glass front and steel bars behind it. There was a person manning the station, and Kinus peered in, seeing various items locked in steel cages. U.A. truly wasn't kidding about security.

"Oh hello there," the person called out, seeing the dragon. "What can I help you with?"

"I'm here for my support item," Kinus answered, slipping the piece of paper through the open section in the glass.

The personnel took the paper, and it was only then that Kinus realized that it was a dragon, much like him. He had striking red scales that were a stark contrast against the gray U.A. staff outfit he was wearing. Kinus froze, his entire body seemingly paralyzed. His felt his heart jump in his chest, and his breathing somewhat quicken. For a split second, his mind thought he was looking at Blur.

"Kinus...Hazani...is that right? The Hydro Pack?" the red dragon asked. That was when he noticed the blue dragon having a somewhat fear stricken expression on his face. "Hey, are you okay? Hazani?"

Kinus blinked, his mind finally coming back down to reality. "I-I'm fine. S-sorry about that."

"You sure? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's uh..." Kinus took a deep breath, doing his best to control his shaking tone. "I'm fine. It's nothing. It's just nerves and all that." It sounded like a lame excuse but that was the best he could come up with. "But yes. I need the Hydro Pack."

"Well alright then." Kinus saw the dragon smile underneath the cap he was wearing. "I think I've seen it earlier. Give me a second." The red dragon then proceeded to head to the back. Kinus heard the jingle of keys as he unlocked one of the cabinets and proceeded to take out Kinus's own designated support item. "Here you go, Hazani, one Hydro Pack ready for the Sports Festival." The red dragon pressed a button and a section of the wall opened up, and the Hydro Pack gently slid out.

"Thanks!" Kinus answered.

"It's no problem," the red dragon answered. "Do your best out there!"

"I sure will!"

Kinus took off, taking a brief moment to stop to lock the support item securely on his back. He didn't want it to fall off when he happened to be doing acrobatics and he didn't want it to obstruct his movement. His mind however was still somewhat shaken. He thought for sure he had seen Blur again. The dragon shook his head, doing his best to bury the negative thoughts away. Blur was gone. That nightmare was over. Blur was the last thing he should be thinking about right now, and the dragon focused in getting his head into the game.

The straps finally clicking into place, Kinus smiled to himself and continued walking.

Before long, Kinus arrived back into the waiting room, and was greeted with a tense atmosphere. Everyone was there, and were all at various stages of anxiety. Sato was seated by the table, next to Tokoyami, and was nervously twiddling his thumbs. "I wonder what the first round's going to be."

"No matter what they prepared, we must persevere," the bird answered confidently.

"Right," Shoji added.

"Don't be too nervous, Sato," Kinus added, joining in on their conversation. He smiled at Tokoyami who looked happy to see him back into the fray. "Just focus on yourself and do your best," the dragon finished, standing next to Shoji.

The doors swung open once more, and everyone turned their heads to see Iida appear. "Everyone! Get your game faces on! We'll be entering the arena soon!"

The wave of anxiety that washed over everyone was visible. Midoriya let out a deep sigh, and Mineta did his best to stop himself from passing out. The rest were all quiet, clearly deep in thought. Kinus couldn't blame them. Even he felt the anxious. Showtime was just a few minutes away.

That was when a voice cut through the silence. "Midoriya."

"Hey Todoroki, what is it?"

Todoroki looked at Midoriya seriously. "Looking at things objectively, I think I'm stronger than you."

Midoriya was visibly taken aback by the sudden statement, as well as the rest of the class who were surprised at the sudden hostility. "Y-yeah..." the green haired boy replied meekly.

"However, you've got All Might in your corner helping you out," Todoroki continued. "I'm not here to pry about what's going on between you two. But know that I will beat you."

Kinus blinked, and the dragon briefly glanced at Tokoyami. It seemed that everyone had something to prove in the Sports Festival.

"Oh? Is the best in the class making a declaration of war?" Kaminari asked.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Kirishima asked, standing up and walking towards Todoroki. "Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?" he placed a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "Right before we're getting started too."

Todoroki shoved the boy's hand to the side. "We're not here to be each other's friends. Don't forget, this isn't a team effort." The boy then began to walk away, leaving Midoriya and the others.

But it would seem that Midoriya wasn't going to let the boy walk all over him. "Wait a second, Todoroki. I don't know what's going through your head, or why you think you need to tell me that you'll beat me. Yeah, it's obvious that you're better than me. I think you're more capable than most people. That's why you got in through recommendations alone."

Kirishima did his best to try and defuse the tense situation. "Midoriya, maybe you're being a bit too hard on yourself and us."

"No," Midoriya answered firmly. "He's right you guys.The students from the other courses are aiming for the top with everything they have. We're all going to have to fight to stand out." Midoriya looked at Todoroki with an equal fire in his eyes. "I'll be aiming for the top with everything I've got."

Kinus released a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "I swear, this anticipation is going to be the death of me."

Shoji let out a light chuckle. "You're not alone in thinking that." The boy's eyes flickered towards Midoriya who seated himself into one of the vacant chairs. "But yeah, Midoriya's right. We have to aim for the top. We have to show the world what we're made of."

Kinus took a deep breath and smiled. "Let's put on a strong showing."

---

Author's Notes: Please don't forget to comment you guys! Feedback is always greatly appreciated. Yep. We're finally here guys! The Sports Festival here! One of my all time favorite arcs in the entire show. Tournament arcs are always fun to watch because it's a great excuse to have your favorite characters beat each other up endlessly. That said, yes, even Tokoyami is out to challenge Kinus! You can definitely understand where he's coming from though. Hearing and seeing the feats the dragon has achieved can definitely make you want to push yourself further. Will Tokoyami win? Or will Kinus beat him? Read on to find out about the exciting matchups that are about to happen. : 3