"I pledge… That I'll be number one" Airi announced to the whole stadium. Hearing what she said I immediately let out a sigh pinching the bridge of my nose. When everyone else registered what she said everyone's eyes went wide and just before they were ready to start booing her Airi continued,
"Haha just kidding! Could you imagine if someone actually said that as their pledge? Anyways I'd like to tell you a parable if you don't mind. Whether you believe it actually happened or not is irrelevant. There were once two people staring at another person who was staring back at them only this person had a gun. It was pointed right at the two people. They didn't know what that person was thinking but he decided to fire his gun at one of the people. This person was petrified too scared to move. But the other person wasn't and they moved as if on instinct pushing the other person out of the way.
A heroic act one would say. But the person who was pushed didn't think so. Watching as the heroic person starts to bleed out. They cursed, begged, and sobbed at the other person as they lay dying. I know selfish right? But when they asked why they did it the heroic person spit out some cliche line that one could find on a fortune cookie. They told the other person 'A strong man can save himself; a great man can save another.' Those were that person's that man's last words. They were the words of a true hero. So, standing here I pledge not to become a strong hero…but to become a great one. Thank you."
After a brief silence, she was met with thunderous applause. Watching from the lawn I knew that the parable she just told was not a simple story it was our story. The story of the day we both died. What she left out was the other person ended up dying as well. Blinded by rage they recklessly charged at the gunman in order to get revenge taking two shots in the process. This eventually led her to bleed out and die but not before she was able to wrestle the gun from his hands and empty the rest of the magazine into him. That was the story of how she died. Needless to say, I had mixed feelings when she finally told it to me. I wasn't able to save her in my last life and I wasn't able to save my mother in this one. I was no hero… at least not my own.
"Akira are you ok you're crying," Toru said when I used my Force sight, I could see she was looking at me with concern. I let out a small chuckle and said,
"Yeah, I'm fine it's just a terrible day for rain."
"Huh, what do you mean it's not raining?"
"Haha I'm just joking around trying to cover up my embarrassment," I told her honestly
"Oh I see now that I think about it did feel a drop just now"
"Haha thanks I-"
"Aki!" That was all I heard before something torpedoed into my stomach.
"Wow, you hardly ever cry I guess my speech was just that great huh," Airi said puffing out her chest.
"Yeah, it was, you did great," I said caressing her cheek.
"Uh did you two forget there's a stadium of people watching us"
"Let 'em" I said not caring all that much.
"Yeah, it's not like we're making out or anything" Airi agreed.
"M-making out" Toru stuttered. Looking at her, her cheeks were carrying a healthy blush.
"Aww, you're so cute Toru-chan" Looking at Airi's faintly glowing eyes told me she was using it too. Suddenly Midnight's voice came over the mic.
"Now, let's get started right away. The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Every year, many drink their tears here! Now here is the fateful first game!" With that said a huge screen popped up and the lottery began to spin rapidly.
"This year it's… this!" On the screen in big block lettering were the words Obstacle Race. Midnight then began to explain that all 11 classes would participate in a race that spanned the 4-kilometer distance around the outer circumference of the stadium. We were also given the freedom to do whatever as long as we stayed on course.
"Now take your places, everyone!" As everyone was getting into position in front of the entrance me and Airi made sure to keep to the back. Seeing as how the first event was the obstacle race there was a good chance the next one would be the Calvary battle so taking first here would put us at a big disadvantage and seeing as how we were already at a disadvantage being in class A it wasn't a smart move to make. Looking over at Airi I asked,
"Truce till we get out of the tunnel?"
"Hmm ok sounds good"
"Cool good luck," I said stretching out my fist.
"Hehe, you too" she responded bumping my fist with hers. And turned to focus on the green lights that singled the start. When each one had gone out, I heard Midnight shout,
"Start!" And everyone took off running. The tunnel quickly became congested because it was so narrow people began to push and shove each other to try and get ahead. As soon as the first group was nearing the entrance Todoroki known to some as the half and half bastard let out a wave an ice freezing everyone's feet and separating himself from the pack.
Taking this as our queue me and Airi used the Force to boost our jump and began running on top of people's heads quickly closing the gap with the leading group that was composed of Momo, Kirishima, Bakugo, Aoyama, and Todoroki who was leading the pack.
Shortly after leaving the tunnel, we were met with our first real obstacle. A group of 0-pointers from the entrance exam. As one robot's eye focused on us it announced in a mechanical voice,
"Targets found… Lots!!!"