"Eheh." Ben let out a weak chuckle. "That's Upgrade's shtick. Should probably use him more often."
"A well-deserved name. You guys came out of the first event at the top, even beating Endeavor's kid. Gonna pair up in the next event too? That one usually showcases great synergies between quirks."
"No!" Hatsume's cry caught both hero and student off guard. "I can't show off my babies properly when teamed up with him! They were upgraded artificially, not by my own hands, and the support companies watching know that. If I want to get noticed then I have to start showing what I can really do, on my own!"
"Really? You do know that most support items are designed to supplement a quirk, not to be used on their own." Powerloader spoke back.
"It's not about the devices, it's about me!" Hastume threw her arms down and pouted. "I only got second because of him. I know that, he knows that, everyone knows that. I need to prove that I can stand on my own two feet! That even without someone as overpowered as that boy, I can still make a difference!"
"Well, that's the most insightful thing you've said all year. At least now I know you do think about things other than inventing." Powerloader turned back to Ben. "Regardless, after all this is over, you should come on down to the support laboratories. We could really do some amazing things with a quirk like that." Ben couldn't see it, but Powerloader was smiling.
"Yes, come every day! Just because I can't team up now doesn't mean we can't work together in the future! I can make the most amazing babies with you! Just think, if he made the Hover Soles that strong, what could he do with a jetpack? Or my latest baby: The Juicer!"
"Alright, that's enough." Powerloader turned around to carry Hatsume, still rattling on about her 'babies' to cool off on the sidelines. Before going, the hero craned his neck to yell to contact his homeroom teacher for directions to get to the support laboratories.
Ben awkwardly waved goodbye, before mentally letting out a massive sigh. That was draining. He pictured the head of UA's support branch to be a nerdy engineer with large glasses and a pristine coat. Not that he disliked Powerloader's appearance, it was certainly memorable and unique, but it was very different from what he envisioned. Ben chose to spend the next few minutes watching the rest of the racers pour in through the tunnel, all of them desperate to be the first 42 to make it.
Right after the first group Ibara made it in, with that other class B guy right behind her. Neither showed much emotion or exhaustion. A bunch of class A boys followed, with Ida leading them, but with an annoyed expression on his face as he removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. Tetsutetsu and one of his classmates followed suit, then a storm of class A students. Among them was Yaoyorozu, who looked exhausted and humiliated, as she turned to reveal that the sticky-ball haired midget from gen ed, Mineta, had stuck himself onto her, forcing her to race with the weight of another student. Most of class B followed, with some class A sprinkled in there. Ben did see the purple gen ed guy in the crowd, much to his disappointment, with a satisfied smirk on his face. No doubt happy that he had not gotten in last. Speaking of last place, Aoyama staggered across the finish line, face tight with pain and clutching his stomach. His passing caused Midnight to sound a horn, letting everyone else know the top 42 had been selected.
Once the last of the racers had made it back into the arena, the same gate that they used for the entrance appeared to close off the course. It looked like the rest of the Sports Festival would take place in the confines of the arena. Ben gave waves and thumbs up to everyone he knew as they passed. Some like Kendo returned the gesture with one of their own. Others like Aoyama and Shoda could only barely prop themselves up right to give a pained smile. But it seemed that the show would stop for no one as Midnight signaled to the commentator's booth above and Present Mic started hyping up the crowd for the next event.
"Once again, a first place finish. Congratulations." Shoji's voice rumbled behind Ben. Ben didn't turn around, merely waiting for the large student to make his way beside him.
"You didn't do too bad yourself. I saw you enter right behind Asui and that guy with a bandana around his head. What was that, 15th place?"
"14th actually." Shoji raised his arm to point at the largest stadium screen, which showed the times and placement of the 42 qualified students. "Looks like everyone from our class made it in. Hmm. Actually, all fourty hero students made it in"
"Really? Not a single one dropped?"
"Wait, the screen just flickered. Never mind, it says 19 out of 20 students from class B made it in. 20 from our class, 19 from class B, 2 gen ed and one support. Totalling 42." Shoji scanned the screen one last time before confirming. The pair spotted some class B students comforting a student on his hands and knees, quivering with emotion. His head, mutated from his quirk, resembles a japanese character. Apparently he had gotten caught in Todoroki's initial ice attack in the first tunnel, and couldn't use his quirk to break himself free without causing harm to the people around him.
'Poor fella.' Ben felt for the guy, he really did.
"Unfortunate that one of our class couldn't make it, but to be fair, it was due to the actions of one of class A's students. So whose fault is it really?"
'This guy again.' Ben's thoughts soured as he spun around to see the infuriating smirking face of Monoma. Shoji, sensing this was not his fight, just stood to the side.
"What do you want?" Ben kept his sentences short and curt.
"Well, just to apologize for what happened at the beginning of the race. It was an accident. They happen, you know? I couldn't see and I tripped and you just so happened to be in the perfect position to break my fall." Monoma leaned in, and Ben could see just how strained that fake smile was. He put a hand on Ben's shoulder, and a little too close to his neck for comfort. Then his thumb extended to brush against his throat. Ben could feel his skin tingle where the skin made contact. Felt weird.
Ben swiftly raised his hand to smack Monoma away. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again."
"Oh, it won't." Monoma's smile grew wider, and he backed off. Turning away, he walked off to join his own class. He got what he came for anyways. Monoma now had confirmation that Tennyson's quirk was indeed compatible with his own. The contact he just made wouldn't last to the next event, but it was important to remember. Monoma smirked to himself. The scales were even now.
"What a nice guy." Shoji sarcastically remarked as he stepped back beside Ben. "Creepy too. You feel alright? He didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"Nah, I'm good. Just, give me a minute."
But there was no time to relax, as Midnight cracked her whip into a microphone, echoing the sound throughout the stadium. The audience quieted and the students started moving. The 42 that could advance moved towards the podium right below the big screen and the rest of the students moved to the sides. A clap from Midnight brought the spotlights to her, and all the screens blinked as they transitioned to showing her.
"It was a hard-fought battle, but the top 42 students have emerged, and have earned the right to advance to the next stage! For those that did not make it, don't let it get to you! There are two more attempts in your future, so take this as an opportunity to evaluate yourselves in what you did wrong and what you can do to improve your standing! However, we require the stadium grounds for the post-preliminaries, so please proceed to your designated viewer's box from the tunnel on my left!" With a flourish, Midnight jabbed her whip's handle at a tunnel whose entrance blinked with red lights. The defeated students marched through, heads low and spirits lower. Polite clapping from the audience sent them off.
"Now, for the rest of you!" Midnight brought the focus back on her. "I hope you aren't bottomed-out, because this was only the first of potentially three challenges! Over half of you got cut in the first event, and the same thing will happen in this one. 42 of you will enter, but only 16 of you will make it to the third, and final round. The first event was a free-for-all, but this one will be a team event! But which team-game will be chosen? Let us find out!"
WRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
The screen behind Midnight flashed to show the list of events, with the same layout of before. A large and bolded 'Post-preliminary 1' and the two smaller titles above and below it featuring: 'Conquest' and 'Defend the President.' The words then were spun in a fast downward spin, letters blurring together.
WRRRRRRRRrrrrrr- DING!
"Human Cavalry Battle!" Midnight announced and the audience cheered.
"You all will form teams with a minimum of two people and a maximum of four. You will form a cavalry formation with one person being the 'rider' who is supported by the others. The rider will have a headband with a score total equalling to the entire team's points earned from the last event. The rider is the only person allowed to wear the headband and must be worn on an area above the neck. The objective of the game is to attempt to steal other team's headbands while simultaneously protecting your own. The same rules from the race apply here: quirks are allowed, but excessive force and malicious intent will get you disqualified!"
While Ben had never heard of such a sporting event until just now, it was not that difficult to understand it. While the formation was strange, the game would require a mix of offense, defense and knowledge. Offense in order to steal headbands and defense to protect yours. But while Ben was confident in those two categories, he was less sure on the last. He didn't know everyone's quirk, and that would make it difficult to choose an alien. The last event was easy, but he just had an unfortunate mistransformation. He would be in his element in a one-versus-one bracket, as he could pick the optimal choice for each battle. But in a chaotic stadium with about 10 teams each full of powerful quirks that he didn't have exact knowledge on? Not to mention how to best suit his own team.
"Remember that this event will require perseverance! If you are knocked down or get your headband stolen, you are not out of the game! Get up, dust yourselves off and jump back into action! As long as you keep your rider the same, anything goes! Change up your formation! Switch up your tactics! The game will last 15 minutes, at that point the headbands in your team's possession will be counted. So fight to the very end!"
Ben froze. 15 minutes?
Shit.
Ben's previous train of thought was instantly derailed as this new information sent him into panic-mode. He could only fight transformed for 10 minutes max! Not to mention countless other times where the Omnitrix just felt like being lazy and transforming back early. Ben looked down at his palms, up his arms and flexed his legs. His conditioning training with Aizawa-sensei had definitely increased his strength and stamina, but would that last him 5 minutes in arena combat? Every time he fought without the aid of the Omnitrix before he either had some sort of technological device to assist him, like his hoverboard or a blaster, or he had Gwen and Grandpa Max to back him up. Would he have to rely upon his team for 5 out of the 15 minutes?
"As for points, the amount increases depending on what place you ended up in the first event!" Midnight broke Ben's musing and he looked up to see the screen behind her shift from displaying the event name to an empty graph. The graph had two columns and 42 rows. At the very bottom, in the left cell, there was Yuga Aoyama and to the cell on the right, was the number 5. "42nd place is worth 5 points, 41st is 10 points, and so on."
After some quick mental math, Ben realized that his first place finish earned him a score of 210. A high point total, but not that bad all things considered. That put him only 15 in front of Todoroki, 20 for Bakugo, and so on. Depending on how teams formed, Ben's score could easily be brought down by his teammates. That was good, as it would alleviate pressure off him, giving him time to evaluate the situation to best choose an alien to compete with.
"There is an exception!" Midnight put special emphasis on this statement. "While first place would normally be worth 210 points, consistent viewers will know we here at UA always throw something special at the first place finisher. This year, we chose to alter the point total of said finisher. So, for this event, the first place scorer will be worth 10 million points!"
Shit!
Well, that's just peachy! Ben kept his cool facade, but he could feel the stares and glares from all sides, burning into his very being. Throw away the plan he made earlier out the window, because there is no way he can bring down a point total that high! Ben could feel his heart rate jump. This was bad. He thought his most difficult hurdle was behind him, but this was so much worse! An event that was too long and a target over his head. For five minutes in this event, he would be essentially quirkless. How could he compete like this?
"Alright, now that you all know the rules, start forming your teams! You have the same amount of time as the event: 15 minutes!" With a final crack of her whip, Midnight turned to talk to some approaching technicians, and the student body immediately started talking amongst themselves. But one thing stood out. Rather, a person stood out. As soon as Midnight cracked her whip, Ben soon found that people were distancing themselves from him. Then, he remembered. What his classmates had said to him at that lunch period a little over two weeks ago.
"Just don't get cocky, kid! Everyone's gonna be training their asses off for the Festival, trying to knock you off your pedestal as number one."
"Despite your age, you have been number one at anything that was ranked. The entrance exam, the assessment on the first day, and then there was the USJ. If someone disagreed with your power before, you proved them wrong then. But that just makes everyone much more driven to beat you. Hope you're ready."
'No Ojiro, I'm not ready! I wasn't prepared for this!' The target on Ben's back wasn't just for the sake of points and the Sports Festival, although that did little to help the situation. No, what the rest of class 1-A was concerned about was evening the score. This was their big chance. Those at the top like Bakugo and Todoroki saw this as the perfect opportunity to take Ben down. The rest just wanted a chance to fight him. No matter their 'rank' in the class, everyone in Ben's call was aspiring to be a hero. They had high hopes and big ambitions. Everyone was in the endless quest of self-improvement and this was just one of the stops. For most, this was not done with ill-intent. They just wanted to prove themselves at who they perceived was at the top. It just so happened that this left Ben alone, in an event where he needed at least one other partner. Ben was just irked that so many people flocked to Bakugo, despite how the guy treated everyone. Ben then overheard that the blonde had the gall to tell everyone to their face that he didn't remember their names. Ben's shoulders started to sag and the reality of the situation started to settle in.
Thump
"Oof!" Ben staggered under the weight of an unnecessarily heavy hand landing on his head. As the hand started to ruffle his hair, Ben reached up to grab at the offending limb to stop it, opening his mouth to retort.
"Can't believe the rest of your class left you hanging like that. Not manly at all."
"Tetsutetsu!" Ben couldn't stop the relief flooding into his body and voice as he looked up at Tetsutetsu. The boy's face was split with a massive smile, his sharp teeth exposed. He really was similar to Kirishima. Were they related?
"I noticed that no one seems to have approached you yet. Mind taking me on?" Ben nodded vigorously at the offer.
"Of course!" Ben stuck out his hand, to which Tetsutetsu shook.
"Still can't wrap my head around why no one from your class didn't at least try to approach you. I mean, you're you!"
"Yeah, but I also got that 10 million point bounty on my head. Everyone's gonna be after me. And they know that all the other top dogs of class A will be after me. They'd rather try their luck elsewhere, and I can't really fault them for it." Ben shrugged. What else could he say? If they were willing to go to Bakugo, then there was nothing he could say to persuade them to join him.
"Bah, I've only seen you in action once and I know you're a sure bet. Still, it would be better if we had more people. Got anyone on your mind?" Ben and Tetsutetsu started scanning the crowd, but most people were already in clearly defined groups. That divide was mostly between class A and B. However, aside from Ben's group, there were some interesting developments. Midoriya seemed to be talking to Hatsume. True to her word, she never approached Ben. She must really be trying to sell her abilities and devices. It also looked like Mineta was concocting a strategy with Shoji and Asui, an interesting trio of abilities. But all the groups were talking not about groups anymore, but rather strategy. It seems like the time for finding members is over.
"Pardon me, but are you open to accepting another team member?" A soft voice caused the boys to turn behind them, and their eyes widened.
"Shiozaki? I thought that everyone in our class would be fighting to have you on their team." Tetsutetsu uttered in surprise as the serene girl approached them. Ben didn't know much about her, save that one time he ate lunch with her and some other class B people. Judging by how she was mostly looking at Tetsutetsu made Ben think that she was gravitating more towards him.
"Yes, well I was forming a nice team with Honenuki, but then Monoma gathered our class and started his usual talk. Do you remember the plan he was trying to recruit people into while we were in the waiting room? It appears more people are in it than I thought." Shiozaki sighed.
"Damn, he's serious? I thought it was just Monoma being Monoma, but are people actually joining in? Yikes." Tetsutetsu frowned at this new knowledge.
"Um, is this something I should know?" Ben awkwardly injected himself into the conversation.
"Well, you know that blonde guy in our class? His name is Monoma Neito. He did that speech thing in the hall, remember that a couple weeks back? Don't know why, but he's always held some sort of grudge against your class, as early as the first day. After the USJ hit the news, it just got worse. He used to be tolerable, kinda like a motivational speaker you know? Gave us something in common to work towards. Then he started spouting stuff like how you guys think and act like you are superior to everyone else. Started saying some really unmanly stuff about you guys. In our waiting room, he came up with a plan that changed how he'd approach the festival. Instead of trying to win, he'd make sure people from 1-A lost. I didn't want anything to do with it, so I just ignored him. Didn't stop him from trying to recruit me all the way until we hit the field. But it looks like he's got enough people to make the plan plausible." Tetsutetsu explained.
"Huh. He has been acting kinda like a jerk to me, so I guess I'm his prime target." Ben thought back to the weird interaction they had after the first event. Was that a part of Monoma's plan?
"Indeed. My teammates started agreeing with him, so I excused myself to join another team." The vine girl turned to look back at her class, squabbling among themselves. Her gaze focused on Pony, who wore a polite smile that covered her confusion as she struggled to understand what was happening. It looked like Monoma's small faction was talking to her, and she was just nodding along. "Poor Tsunotori, that girl is too nice for her own good. She just can't say no."
Shiozaki brought her attention back to Ben. "Hopefully by joining with you two, I can show to our classmates that such animosity between our classes does not need to exist. I wish to end this silly war that Monoma is instigating. So, do you accept my proposition?"
"Uh, sure! Love to have you." Ben shook her hand the same way he did with Tetsutetsu. Stealing a glance at the area where the majority of class B gathered, Ben couldn't help but notice that some people looked out of place.
"Hey, it looks like Monoma's talking with Kendo. I thought I was on good terms with her. Is she still angry at me?" Ben turned to ask his partners.
"Oh, no. Quite the opposite really. Our class president and vice president are doing damage control. While I commend them for trying, I feel that they are fighting a losing battle." Shiozaki also turned to look at the class B representatives arguing with Monoma. She then turned to Tetsutetsu. "Be honest with me Tetsutetsu, Monoma is not the only reason why you joined Tennyson, is it?"
"Guilty as charged!" Tetsutetsu said with an unapologetic smile. "I want to get noticed by some high-up agencies, but my quirk and fighting style are a bit plain and easy to miss. I mean, I just kinda ran through the race, nothing special about it. I need to get to the third event to really show my stuff in single combat. The best way to get there is through Ben. But don't worry! It wouldn't be right if I just rode on your coattails. I'll pull my own weight, and I weigh a lot!"
"Well, if I'm being honest as well, Tennyson's power is very tempting. However, I too do not want to seem as if I can not stand on my own. Your power may be immense Tennyson, but we will not stand idle. All of us must do our best to achieve victory." Seeing their smiles made the pressure too great. They were going in without any real knowledge of how the Omnitrix worked and were expecting something from Ben he just couldn't give. They gave their trust to Ben, so Ben needed to place his trust in them. He had to tell them. A series of quick glances around showed Ben that 6 minutes had passed and people were talking strategy. No one was looking or eavesdropping, so Ben beckoned the other two into a huddle.
"Look, you guys need to know something." Ben's tone caused an immediate mood shift. Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki leaned closer in, a mixture of confusion and apprehension on their faces. "I... may have a time limit on my transformations."
"Really? Well, I guess you aren't all powerful. But why tell us?"
"My limit is 10 minutes."
A pause.
"You aren't joking, are you?" Tetsutetsu gave Ben a blank stare.
"Remember the entrance exam? How I transformed back from Four Arms in that flash of red light? That was me reaching my time limit. I can't push it any further, it only gives me about 5 seconds warning before turning me back." Ben recounted the events of the practical examination.
"This is an unprecedented issue." Shiozaki hummed, closing her eyes in thought. "We already have the most attention on our team due to Tennyson's point bounty, and now this. For a third of the event, our most powerful member will be out of commission. That is the most pressing issue we must plan for."
"Well, I just wanted to tell you guys in case you wanted to reconsider team options." Ben hung his head. "I understand if you don't want to team up anymore. Didn't want to lead you guys on a lie."
"What? Are you kidding?" Tetsutetsu looked at Ben incredulously. "Hell no! I chose to be on your team Ben, and I ain't backing out now! What kind of man would I be if I backed out of a situation the moment things looked rough?"
"These scenarios will happen in a hero's career. Encountering obstacles, overcoming them, and learning from them is just a part of life. As students, we should not run from these situations; rather we should embrace them. Only in truly rough times can true heroism be found. And Tetsutetsu is right. What kind of hero students would we be if we abandoned one of our own?" Shiozaki gave Ben a soft smile, but one with conviction behind it.
Ben almost shed a tear. "Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. I do."
"Don't cry. Save that for the lunch break. After we qualify." Tetsutetsu hooked his arm around Ben's body and shook him good-naturedly.
"As much as this masculine bonding is touching, I believe we have pressing matters to attend to." Shiozaki broke them up in her soft, but firm, voice. "We need to plan how to pass this event."
"Right." Ben nodded. Time to get down to business.
"I say we just have Ben transform right off the bat! Someone strong and beefy, really send the competition flying!" Tetsutetsu pounded his fists together. "Gather as many headbands as possible in the beginning to expand our lead."
"I don't think so." Shiozaki shook her head. "Midnight said that the headbands will be counted at the end of the match, so I think we should be patient and wait out the first five minutes and make our move in the last half. If we defend our 10 million headband for 14 minutes and 59 seconds, but let it get stolen at the very last second, we will be eliminated."
"Yeah, but it's that 10 million headband that won't let us play it safe in the beginning! Everyone's gonna be gunning for it! We won't be able to be passive if every other team is after it!" Tetsutetsu argued.
Then Ben had an idea.
"Wait a moment!" Ben held up a hand, silencing his teammates. The two looked at Ben, eyebrows raised. "Repeat what you just said Tetsutetsu!"
"Uh, that everyone is gonna be after the 10 million points?" Tetsutetsu frowned.
"Right. The headband is worth 10 million, not our team. What you are saying is that everyone is after the headband, not us in particular. Am I right?"
"Tennyson. Are you really suggesting that we give up our headband without a fight?" Shiozaki deadpanned.
"Yup!" Ben cheerfully nodded.
"Ok, I've heard crazy strategies before but this one is on a whole new level. No offense, but what kind of stupid plan is that? Just give away our guaranteed ticket to the next round?" Tetsutetsu bristled, his fists curling up and jaw clenching.
"Look, it's the best way to combine both of your plans." Ben tried to explain. "Shiozaki is right in that the most important part of the event is how we finish, not how we start. But you are also right, we are the prime target of any team looking to win. I'm also as good as quirkless for 5 minutes, nothing but dead weight. Once the other teams see I'm not transformed, they will all come after us, and we will probably lose our headband at that point and exhaust ourselves in the process. If we don't have any points for them to steal, then they have no reason to target us. Even Monoma won't have a good reason to fight us. If we don't have points, we are in last, in position to be eliminated. He'll go after some other class A team."
"There is some merit to this. While the others fight it out, we can conserve our strength and observe from a distance. It is not like we are waiting until the last minute to retaliate either; we will still have two thirds of the event left to earn back our points." Shiozaki reasoned.
"I'm not saying to just give the headband to a team in particular either. Midnight never said the headbands had to be attached to us at all times, just that they had to if we wanted them to count at the end. If we just throw it away, into say the center of the arena, then we can change who the other teams fight. Instead of being a common enemy, we can pit them against each other. It's only for the first 5 minutes Tetsutetsu. Then, for the next 10, we'll get the 10 million back and then some." Ben saw Tetsutetsu's expression shift from frustration to worry and back again as he thought it over.
"...you sure you can get the 10 million back?" Was all the boy said.
"I thought you knew who I was. I'm Ben Tennyson. Should be a piece of cake." Ben wore a confident smile.
"Alright. I'm game. So how are we gonna form up?" Tetsutesu clapped his hands and shook himself out.
"Again, Midnight said that we can adjust our formation, as long as the rider stays the same. So, as long as I'm not the rider, any formation should do. Don't want to risk transforming into something too heavy for you guys to carry. Even my forms that are roughly humanoid are significantly heavier than what I am now. Also, we are only three people. Not much variety in how we can do this." Ben responded.
"The rider has the most flexibility with their attacks, so shouldn't Shiozaki be our rider? Her vines have a large radius, and would be able to buy us space." Tetsutetsu creased his brow in thought.
"Actually, I was thinking you should be the rider Tetsutetsu. From what I saw in our training exercises you have great reflexes. Once we start gathering headbands we will need to make sure we can keep them and guard against sneak attacks. With Tennyson in the front and your Steel quirk on defense, I doubt anyone could steal back their headbands." Shiozaki then beckoned to her hair. "I would also like to be closer to the ground. I have been working on a new approach to combat, after seeing the many strategies our classmates used in our basic hero training. Observe."
Ben and Tetsutetsu watched as Shiozaki took a single vine and thrust it into the ground, and started tunneling. After a couple seconds, the vine broke out of the ground a couple feet away from its initial entry point.
"Right on! That's a good technique to hold onto and surprise our opponents in the ring!" Tetsutetsu praised.
"Alright, looks like we are good. Let's go to Midnight-sensei."
"Please wait a moment. You never told us who you were gonna transform into. Isn't that something we should know?" Questioned Shiozaki.
"Oh, that's because I don't know who I'll transform into. Look, I don't know all of my class's quirks and much less your class and the gen ed boys. I want to take the 5 minutes to see what will work. Like I said before, Midnight didn't say we had to maintain the same formation through the entire game. I'm trying to be a bit more smart with my transformations. If we're gonna win, I need to make sure I got the right one for the job."
"Very well. It's your quirk, so you know best. I trust you."
"Ok, we got a game plan! Let's go confirm with Midnight to get our headband and name of the scoreboard."
Tetsutetsu led the three towards their teacher, who was slightly surprised that she was handing the headband to someone other than Ben. She quickly recovered, and just wished them luck with a smile. Hurrying to their spot in the circle formation the teams would begin the event in, Team Tetsutetsu started forming up.
"Hrg!" Ben carefully spaced out his legs to distribute the weight as Tetsutetsu held his arms out to maintain balance. Shiozaki braced her palms under Ben's as they held Tetsutetsu in their cavalry formation. It was a bit wobbly due to the height difference between the front and back horses, but the two managed to carry their rider with minimal strain.
"You good Ben?" Tetsutetsu asked, watching as the younger boy took deep breaths.
"Yeah. I've been taking extra conditioning classes with Aizawa-sensei, so I got a lot stronger over the past two weeks." Ben grimaced at the hellish memories, but begrudgingly admitted that without them, there would be no way he could hold Tetsutetsu for 5 minutes.
"Nice! Maybe once this is over, we can head to the gym, get a workout routine going!" Ben nervously laughed at this proposition, but the fire in Tetsutetu's eyes and the bulging of his flexed biceps told Ben that whatever the guy thought was a normal gym workout would probably match Aizawa's. He couldn't accept that, it would end him.
"It looks like everyone's getting into formation as well. We should be starting soon." Shiozaki interjected from the back.
Ben looked to his left and right, evaluating the teams. Midoriya tightened his headband with a final tug, his expression one of determination. Uraraka and Hatsume supported him from the sides, with Tokoyami leading the team, and all of them wearing a piece or two of support gear. Bakugo, supported by Sero and Ashido with Kirishima in front, flexed his fingers, palms pointed upwards and already popping with explosive power. Todoroki, Yaoyorozu and Ida stood with focused expressions, with the nervous Kaminari looking a tad out of place. Shoji stood alone, with many of his arms ballooning behind him, forming an orb. Were his teammates inside that? Ben could only surmise so, as solo teams were not allowed. Jiro and Koda formed a team similar to Ben's, but their headband was seemingly floating in midair. So, that meant Hagakure was their rider. Monoma, slightly slouched and with his fake smile on his face, gave a final talk to his team. 3 boys, one clenching his fingers together into a strange shape, the other with excited, oval shaped eyes and brown hair, and the final one with a pitch black skin tone nodded along. Kendo led her team of class B girls, with a girl with white hair and a vacant expression, a girl with brown hair who hid behind her team, and Tokage who Ben recognized from the lunch he had also met Shiozaki. Shoda rubbed the bridge of his nose as he supported a girl rolling her head around with an indifferent gaze. Supporting alongside Shoda was Pony and another class B student, but their strange physiology made it difficult for Bent to tell who they were. Did those holes in their head expel some sort of fluid? A boy with a mantis-like head slammed his fists together, a chinese boy with sharp eyes holding him from the back and a massively built beast-like student with fearsome features taking point. The only duo team, a boy with a headband atop the boy with exposed teeth who finished alongside Shiozaki calmly stood at the ready.
It was the last team that didn't sit right with Ben. That gen ed kid with the eyebags and purple hair stood with loose arms and a Monoma-like smile one his face. Ben was used to that, but what really unsettled him were the people supporting him. Sato, Ojiro and Aoyama formed around him, but they had such empty expressions on their faces. It was a different kind of emptiness, as they were not talking, concentrating, interacting with their teams. The class A boys looked like robots; dead until given a command to move. It gave Ben chills. That gen ed guy definitely had some skill if he made it past the race, but to what extent did his powers go?
"ALL RIGHT EVERYONE, THE HUMAN CALVARY BATTLE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!" Present Mic's voice shook the stadium, and caught the students below off guard. During the race they were outside the stadium, and thus were protected from the voice hero's commentary. Now that they were here, they had no such protection.
"I HOPE YOU FORMED A SOLID TEAM, 'CAUSE IT'S DO OR DIE TIME! LET'S START THE COUNTDOWN TO THE START OF THIS CLASH!"
"3!" Ben breathed out slowly, relaxing his body.
"2!" Every student had their eyes on just one target.
"1!" The only headband that really mattered: The one with 10 million points!
"START!" At Present Mic's scream, every team angled themselves towards Ben and surged forward. Explosions fired, students roared and projecticles flew. All aimed at one group.
"Tetsutetsu! Take it!" Shiozaki snapped off a small, withered vine from her head with a fresh one and slithered it up into their rider's hand.
"Use this!" Before even getting into the cavalry position, Ben had picked up a small chunk of the arena floor from the edge that had come loose during the stadium's assembly.
Ripping the headband out of it's loose knot around his head, the steel quirk user got to work. Gripping the dead vine between his teeth, Tetsutetsu grabbed the small chunk of gravel from Ben and wrapped the headband around it several times. Taking the vine, he then wrapped the vine to secure the headband-wrapped rock while leaving plenty of length left. Even with the pressure of every team rushing them, Tetsutetsu took his time to make sure his work was done right, pulling at his rock-headband laso to make sure it held.
"IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE HAS THE SAME IDEA AND ARE RUSHING TEAM TETSUTETSU FOR THE 10 MILLION! BUT THAT TEAM HAS YET TO MAKE A MOVE AND- WAIT DID HE REMOVE HIS OWN HEADBAND? DID HE, DID, WAIT HE JUST MADE SOME SORT OF LASO? WHAT IS THE GAME PLAN HERE MAN?"
"You all want this headband, right?" Tetsutetsu held up the headband, dangling from the vine. Every rider's eyes snapped up, the hunger evident. The teams, with their target now in sight, moved even faster, with the frontrunners like Team Todoroki preparing to attack. Tetsutetsu hoisted the rock above his head and started spinning. The rock, with the headband wrapped securely around it and held in place by the vine, started whipping around at high speed, to the point where it disappeared into a circle of gray and green. The other teams faltered, unsure of this tactic.
"Well, go fetch!" With a final heave, Tetsutetsu let the vine go, letting it soar out of his hands and over the heads of the teams right in front of them. They were so close that Ben could see the sweat running down their foreheads from the quick sprint. All heads turned, watching the rock sail gracefully through the air and arcing down. With a dull thud, it landed near the center of the arena, where it didn't roll or move. For a moment, there was peace in the arena. The audience and participants alike didn't know how to react to such a strange move by Team Tetsutetsu.
Then the peace broke.
"Get it!" The riders screamed and the carriers obeyed. As Ben expected, the aggression that was targeted at his team just moments before was suddenly gone. All eyes were on the headband, and a massive melee broke out in the center over it. Dust was kicked up from the powerful attacks teams threw against each other, adding to the confusion. The headband was securely tied to the rock, which sat on the floor, presenting an additional issue: reach. Many teams didn't have the ability to grab the headband, as they chose riders expecting to grab the headbands from other people's foreheads, not the ground. If one of the horses tried to reach down, the stability of the rider was at risk, and in such a melee a moment of weakness could mean one's own headband was at risk.
Ben saw flashes of ice from Todoroki, heard booms from Bakugo, the smacks from Kendo's fists and the cries of his fellow students. It was a mess, and he couldn't tell who was closest to the 10 million headband, or if anyone even knew where it was anymore. It was just pandemonium, a tangle of arms, legs and quirks. The fact that only the riders could use their quirks to their full potential added to the chaos. The horses had to support the rider with their hands and work together to move, trying to attack on top of that was difficult, especially for teams with less than three horses.
"I got it!" The class B bandana boy emerged from the melee, his fist rising above the dust. The 10 million point headband clenched tightly in his fist, the boy positively glowing with triumph.
"Oh no you don't, Awase!" A large had chopped Awase in the back of the head, causing the boy's eyes to bulge in pain. The headband fluttered out of his grasp, and was caught in some spectral power. Team Kendo's point, the girl with pale skin, narrowed her eyes in concentration as she levitated the headband closer. Kendo reached out with her enlarged hand, fingers quivering as she tried to reach just a few centimeters more.
"Shit, she's almost got it! Go for it Shishida!"
"GRAH!"
A beastial roar shook the arena as Shishida from class B pumped himself up, activating his quirk, Beast. Now so large that the riders had to angle their heads up to see his face, Shishida raised both arms, with hands open wide. In a single leap, the boy leapt over Shoji and slammed his palms down on the ground right in front of Kendo. The resulting shockwave sent dust flying up, and the turbulent air shook the pale girl's concentration and the headband flew away.
"No!" Kendo grit her teeth in frustration. She looked down, ordering her team forward, but then her instincts flared up. Arcing her head to the side, she narrowly avoided the tape attack that nearly caught her cheek. Looking back, she saw the smirking face of Sero and the face of absolute concentration of his rider, Bakugo.
"Get out of the way, extras!" Bakugo snarled, raising his palms to aim directly at the center of the melee. Kendo and the other teams within earshot quickly ordered their teams to move to the side.
Kaboom!
In a fierce twin explosion, the dust in the center was blown cleanly away, leaving dazed teams in its wake. The 10 million headband, the rock it was attached to now showing signs of damage, flew from the sight of impact, in clear view as all teams looked up. A long tongue lashed out to grab it, but was jabbed away by a pair of ear jacks. Class B's beast student bent down to perform another leap, but the ground beneath him suddenly softened, preventing him from moving. Bakugo's team managed to jockey into a position under the headband, and the blonde rider reached a hand up, only to get blocked by a wall of solid air. In the brief lull of combat, Koda rushed forth, Jiro barely managing to keep up, and the headband suddenly started following the quiet boy. Hagakure was now in possession.
"After her!"
"IN A SHOCKING MOVE, TEAM TETSUTETSU WILLINGLY THREW AWAY THEIR HEADBAND TO THE WOLVES, CAUSING ABSOLUTE CHAOS! THE 10 MILLION HAS BEEN IN SO MANY DIFFERENT TEAM'S HANDS THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHO IS IN THE LEAD! I COMMEND TEAM TETSUTETSU'S BRAVERY, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE GOING A TAD TOO FAR! WHAT DO YOU SAY ERASERHEAD?"
"While a strange move, the logic behind it is sound. Team Tetsutetsu realized that the headband will make the team who is in possession of it the public enemy. Giving up the headband has been attempted several times in the past for the same reason. Tire the competition out, then counter-attack later to pick off the exhausted teams. Of course, this plan can easily backfire. The plan revolves entirely around Team Tetsutetsu's assumption that they can earn back enough points. If they misjudge their own abilities, they will have just thrown away their ticket to the final event. Only time will tell."
13 minutes and 45 seconds remaining!
"How are you two holding up?" Tetsutetsu called out, keeping his eyes forward.
"Fine." Ben grit out. Really he was feeling the slight strain of holding up Tetsutetsu, but he had gone through worse.
"I am alright, thank you for asking." Even in the face of so many teams, Shiozaki never lost her cool attitude.
"Well, looks like the plan went off without a hitch. The scoreboard is shifting every second." Tetsutetsu looked up at the main screen, which showed a graph depicting each team, their score and their placement. Their team was tied with multiple others in last place.
"I would not say it has gone fully as planned. It looks like there are two other teams with similar ideas to us." Shiozaki scoured the field, and easily identified two other teams.
The first was Team Midoriya, who skirted around the outskirts of the arena. Despite this team's massive score total, they were able to remain under the radar due to the 10 million point bounty on Ben's head. All 4 of Team Midoriya's members had been in the top 10, and so they easily had enough points to make it to the next event, so they chose an intelligent, defensive plan. The other team was that gen ed kid, with the 3 class A boys silently holding him up. They did not move, nor talk or even flex a facial muscle. Now Ben was unnerved, and his team was starting to feel uncomfortable too.
But there was no time for that. Puffing out his cheeks, Tetsutetsu got his blood moving. "Alright guys, let's move around! No point staying in the same spot all game."
Shiozaki agreed. "It would be prudent of us to move while eyes are not on us."
Ben hoisted Tetsutetsu up a fraction. "Alright, let's move! Where to?"
"Just move opposite to that green dude's team. Stay on the perimeter. When they move, we move."
"Got it."
Ben and Shiozaki shifted their formation to move in the clockwise direction that Team Midoriya was using, and started to go from a walk to a brisk jog. Then Ben's battle sense, beaten into him through countless battles, went off. There was someone quickly moving to engage them. But from where? He couldn't see!
"On the right!" Tetsutetsu's panicked cry startled Ben and Shiozaki into action as they slid their feet left. Just in time, as a team of 4 barreled past them, only just missing collision. Yet, not fast enough as Ben received a rough slap on his right arm. His sleeve caught most of it, but his hand's exposed backside stung from the blow.
"Ow!" Ben winced as the initial spike of pain from the blow subsided. Looking forward, the team that had hit them halted and spun around. Not really recognizing them, Ben assumed that they were from class B. All boys, but he did recognize the rider.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt? I didn't think a mere love tap would make the great Tennyson of class A wince!" Monoma laughed, throwing his arms out. "Tetsutetsu, Shiozaki, I am wounded! Would you really choose this pompous class A brat over your own class?"
"Dude, attacking from the back is not cool." Tetsutetsu scolded. "And why I chose Ben is honestly none of your business. I did what I thought would get me through the round, nothing more or less."
"We don't have points, so there is no reason to incite a fight, Monoma. Is your vendetta against class A that important to you?" Shiozaki peered around her team to talk.
"Oh my dear Shiozaki!" Monoma brought his arms back to clutch his heart. "You truly did forget about me! Do you not remember my quirk and how it works from our first training exercise together?"
Ben's teammates eyes widened in realization.
"Oh shit! Ben, did he touch you?" Tetsutetsu called down urgently.
"Yeah, he got my arm. Why? Is that bad?" Ben replied.
"Tennyson, Monoma's quirk is Copy! It allows him to copy the quirk of anyone he touches for a set period of time!" Shiozaki explained. "His plan the entire time must have been to isolate us and then copy your quirk!"
"Oh, so you do remember! Well then, you should have realized that I would have come for your team, points or no points, the moment you decided to team up with that class A brat! Now, let's have a taste of this legendary transforming power, shall we?" Monoma curled his hands into fists, closed his eyes, and tightened his smile.
Memories of Kevin Levin flashed before Ben's eyes. The way he morphed into the 10 aliens, then mutating into an abomination consisting of all of their powers. How it warped Kevin's mind. Ben would not let that happen again! Pushing his left hand, which was under Tetsutetsu's foot, Ben began mentally preparing for a transformation. If Monoma's quirk acted like how he thought Kevin's did, then it wouldn't be long before he lost his sanity. But looking for just a brief moment stalled Ben.
"Uh... you OK?" Monoma was no longer smiling. His face was scrunched up, eyes clenched shut, jaw set and cheeks reddening. His shoulders shook, his arms quivered and the blush spread to his collarbone. Both teams stalled out as neither was sure what to do.
"rrrraaaAHHHH!" Monoma let out a strangled scream.
"Monoma, what's going on up there?" Monoma's lead horse called up through grit teeth.
"You're embarrassing us!" The boy with black skin hissed out. Indeed, several camera crews noticed the mini-confrontation and some small screens were showing the stand-off. In particular, they were zooming in on the student who looked constipated.
"What. Is. Going. On!" Monoma finally broke, his smile gone. His face morphed with pure fury, and his gaze landed on Ben. "I can feel your quirk! I felt it! I felt it being copied by my own! It's in me, but I can't bring it out! I can copy mutation quirks like Shiozaki, emitter quirks like Tsuburaba, transformation quirks like Shishida, but I can't copy yours! But I did! What are you?"
"Uh, I do have a quirk. Cellular Adaptability. If you weren't screaming, you'd probably notice its effects. They're small, but they are there." Ben gave a half-hearted shrug.
"W-w-what!" Monoma sputtered. "But you- but you- you, transform into other creatures! Where's the link from Cellular Adaptability to that?"
"I dunno. Copy is your quirk right? Shouldn't you know this stuff works?"
"Grrrrr! Tsuburaba! Forward!" Monoma commanded, snarling out orders.
"Uh, no, dude. You told us the plan was to take Tennyson's quirk and then use that to get points. They don't have any and we just wasted a bunch of time on nothing. You couldn't copy Tennyson's quirk, they don't have the 10 million, and we looked like a bunch of idiots on national TV. We need to get back in the game." Tsuburaba huffed.
"He's right. We still have time, so let's recover fast from this blunder." The black-skinned boy agreed.
Monoma looked down, his eyes covered by his hanging blonde bangs. "Very well. But this isn't over Tennyson! Not by a long shot!"
Team Tetsutetsu just looked on in confusion as Team Monoma ran off back into the melee.
"Uh, so you want to tell us what just happened Ben?" Tetsutetsu asked, scratching his head. "Did you lie just to get him off our backs?"
"I wasn't lying. It's just as I said: my quirk is Cellular Adaptability. Makes me really resistant, but not immune, to sickness and I adjust quickly to environmental changes, particularly to temperature." Ben did remember one time on his summer road trip where he got sick, but that was his fault. Not even a quirk could protect him from over half an hour in the back of an ice cream truck, eating till he was literally sick.
"How does that connect with your ability to transform?" Shiozaki asked next.
"Oh that's easy. He doesn't have an Omnitrix. Err, that's what I call my watch." Ben quickly skated over revealing the Omnitrix. "Monoma can't absorb a watch, can he?"
"As far as I can tell, he can not. Moreover, since your watch is merely facilitating your quirk, I do not think touching will make a difference." Shiozaki said.
'Oh, if only you knew.' Ben thought.
12 minutes and 57 seconds remaining!
"WHAT AN ACTION-PACKED 2ND EVENT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS THE BRAWL FOR THE 10 MILLION HAS YET TO HAVE A CLEAR WINNER! TEAM HAGAKURE TRIED TO MAKE A BREAK FOR IT, BUT TEAM SHOJI BATTERED INTO THEM, FORCING IT OUT OF HER HANDS! BUT TEAM SHOJI IS UNABLE TO TAKE THE HEADBAND FOR THEMSELVES AS TEAM KODAI LETS LOOSE A GLUE BARRAGE, COURTESY OF BONDO, FORCING THEM BACK! TEAM KAMAKIRI RUSHES IN FROM THE RIGHT, AND IN A STORM OF SCALES, CLAWS AND BLADES, TAKE THE 10 MILLION! DON'T REST NOW, CAUSE HERE COMES TEAM BAKUGO, POWERING THROUGH! THE HEADBAND CHANGES POSSESSION YET AGAIN! BUT TEAM AWASE CAUGHT TEAM BAKUGO IN SOFTENED SAND TO TAKE BACK THE HEADBAND! TEAM AWASE WAS THE FIRST TO ACQUIRE THE 'BAND AND- OHHHH, WHAT A SPEEDY STEAL! POWERED BY IDA, TEAM TODOROKI BLINDSIDES TEAM AWASE TO TAKE THE HEADBAND!"
"Keep a good distance between us and the rest, Ida. Yaoyorozu and Kaminari, prepare to deflect any incoming attacks. We end this needless squabble now." Todoroki coolly ordered.
"Yes!" Ida's legs pumped up and down as he extended the gap between his team and the rest, but careful not to endanger his team's formation. Yaoyorozu and Kaminari looked over their shoulders to spot any incoming threats. Yaoyorozu produced some sort of launcher out of her elbow and Kaminari spun several sparks between his fingers. Todoroki himself started to secure the other headbands they stole around his neck. It was nothing when put next to the 10 million, but it was never a bad thing to have a backup plan.
Todoroki scanned the battlefield, and spotted Team Tetsutetsu moving along the edges of the battlefield. But, just as he was when he first approached his team when the event started, Tennyson was still not transformed.
'What are you waiting for Tennyson?' Todoroki narrowed his eyes. What was the boy planning?
12 minutes and 7 seconds remaining!
"Damn it! He's running like a coward!" Bakugo spat, firing off an explosion at the retreating Team Todoroki. It did nothing, as Ida quickly brought Bakugo's targets out of his range.
Bakugo threw his head back and gnashed his teeth in frustration. This was not how the event should have gone! He was supposed to overpower his opponents with explosive power, and prove once and for all he stood above all these extras! That he was the closest to becoming number 1! But what happened instead?
Tennyson, that damn American, just forfeited the 10 million right as the game started! He didn't even transform! Was he looking down on him, not thinking that it was worth it to use his quirk? Whatever the case, that cowardly move forced the teams into a frenzy, a frenzy that Bakugo did not come out on top. At least his own headband wasn't stolen in the chaos, but he didn't manage to snag any more headbands either. Unlike damn Todoroki, who somehow grabbed three other team's headbands before securing the 10 million. And then he just booked it and ran away! Was he the only person who had any pride at this school?
It was that pride that propelled him forward, edging him to do more than just qualify for the next event, but to crush everyone and demonstrate just how much stronger he was. His headband was loaded with points! He didn't need to go on the offensive like this, but he wouldn't just let someone else take his rightful first place! Bakugo snuck a look at the scoreboard. Stupid Todoroki should be in first and he should be second-
'Nope! That's it. This will not fucking stand!'
How was shitty, useless Deku above him? The person who had never challenged him before, how was he in a place above him? Did he surround himself with stronger people to make up for his own lack of strength? It was a fluke that he finished the race before him. A fluke! Here, in this event, he could do something about this himself! No All Might to put stupid restraints on him, no villains to interupt his work, just him and Deku.
"Kiriman! Change targets! We're going after Deku now!"
"It's Kirishima." The lead horse sighed as he pushed off course and started running towards Team Midoriya. "And are you still calling Midoriya, Deku? Are you just bad with names?"
"No, I'm not bad at anything! Shitty Deku is Deku, that's all he is and will be! Now charge!"
"What about the 10 million? You said it was our only target!" Ashido called from his right-backside. She did, as well as the two other horses, obey his order to speed up.
"We'll grab it later, once Deku is taken care of!" Midoriya finally spotted the charging team and frantically called out orders. Bakugo was close enough to where he saw the fear in Deku's eyes. Bakugo felt satisfaction flow through his body. Deku still knew where he stood. So why didn't he just give up? Bakugo braced his wrists behind him.
"Catch me before I hit the ground or I'll kill you!"
"Huh?" Boom! Bakugo's three teammates cried out as he blasted off into the air, without a single care for how his take-off affected his team.
"Game's over Deku! Now die!" Bakugo's feral grin emerged as he flew through the air, hands outstretched. He could see the whites of Midoriya's eyes.
"Tokoyami!" He heard Deku call out. But Bakugo couldn't put the name to a face.
"I see him. Dark Shadow, repel him!"
"On it!"
Seemingly from the bird extra's stomach, a massive shadow flew out and placed itself between Bakugo and his prey. Quickly throwing out his palms, Bakugo let loose twin explosions that battered the shadow. His victory was short-lived however, as the dark mass regained its form and made a retaliatory swipe. Bakugo used his right hand to fire off another explosion to create some distance. As the explosion moved him away, the shadow retreated.
"What the fuck was that?" Bakugo begrudgingly admitted he needed to brush up on the extra's quirks. Letting his body fall, Bakugo then felt something snap onto his left shoulder. The object stuck to his uniform, and heaved him back. He crashed into Kirishima, who shrugged off the damage and held still as Bakugo used him to get back into position.
"After him! Don't let him run!" Bakugo yelled, and his team pushed onward. They easily closed the distance, riding up on Team Midoriya's left side.
"Pinky! Attack!"
"It's Ashido! It's not that hard!"
Ashido lifted her right arm to fire off a stream of acid. Bakugo followed it up with a smaller, but focused explosion near the middle of the steam. Sent scattering from the explosion, the acid flew towards Team Midoriya, in small quantities from every direction, making it nearly impossible to dodge.
"Hastume! Uraraka!" Midoriya called out his other teammates.
"Alright, revving my babies up!"
"Hold on everyone!"
Team Midoriya took a small hop synchronously, and that small shared airtime was extended through Uraraka's quirk. Hatume then activated a booster back on Midoriya's back as well as firing the familiar Hover Soles on her feet. The entire team jerked back several feet, and the acid that seemed like a sure hit just moments ago fell to the ground harmlessly.
"Hahah! I told you I didn't need Tennyson! My babies are perfectly fine on their own. I should know, cause I built them!"
So that's how Deku got so many points! He's leeching off the leech! Well, no matter. She didn't have Tennyson this round! Wait, why was Deku backing away?
Snatch!
"Ah, class A, always so rash! Like taking candy from a baby." Monoma twirled Bakugo's headband twice before adding it to his own.
"You were all so focused on achieving first place in the last event that you failed to strategize! Did you really think that class B couldn't challenge you for first? We let you pass, so that we in the middle and back could observe your quirks and strategies. Explosions, Acid, Tape and Hardening, led by an aggressive, barbaric leader. I suppose that's what happens when you're attacked by villains so often. How many times does that make it that you've ended up in the news Bakugo, twice, I believe?" Monoma was back in his element. He needed to recover from that debacle with Tennyson!
But he may have chosen the wrong target.
"Kirishima. Change of plans. Before Deku, before the 10 million... I'm gonna send these no-name shitstains to their early graves!"
10 minutes and 48 seconds remaining!
"Are you sure about this, Shiozaki?" Ben nervously asked the girl.
"Yeah, I think even a dunce would notice the vine just laying on the ground. A bit obvious, don't you think?" Tetsutetsu agreed.
"You boys fail to consider their perspectives. Some realize that their headbands don't have enough points for them to safely believe themselves qualified. Others have had their headbands stolen, and are desperate to make a move. Even if they do notice my vine, which I'm sure they have, they will not have the time nor mental energy to consider what it means for them." Shiozaki commanded a single one of her vines to snake to the side, closer and closer to the center, where the majority of teams were still fighting it out.
"When a team lets themselves fall too deep into their emotions, they grow sloppy." The mantis-head class B student pointed at the retreating Team Hagakure, and gave chase. Team Hagakure ran over the vine, showing no signs of noticing it other than making sure they didn't step on it lest they roll their ankles.
"That is the time to strike." As soon as the beast-student passed over the vine, Shiozaki let loose a crack that sent a wave of force down the vine, similar to a whip. The vine flew up and striked the student bringing up the rear, snapping against the inside of his thigh. He let out a cry of shock and pain, and dropped his rider. Mantis-boy fell back, and landed atop the horse. The team was so busy reorganizing themselves, that they didn't notice the vine snaking up the mantis-boy's shoulder until it was too late. The vine wrapped around the back of their headband and yanked the head and headband back. The headband was securely in the vine's grasp and Shiozaki reeled it back.
"Awsome." Tetsutetsu smirked as he tied the new headband around his forehead. It wasn't 10 million, but it was a start.
"Shiozaki! Just for that, I'm gonna put your team out of commission!" Now reassembled, but headbandless, the class B team stood face-to-face with Team Tetsutetsu.
"So confident, eh Kamakiri? Then come and get some!" Tetsutetsu snarked back.
"All right, we will! Let's go, team!" Team Kamakiri moved onto Team Tetsutetsu, aiming for their headband. Ben saw blades growing out of the mantis-boy's arms, in a process similar to Yaoyorozu. He already knew what Shishida could do. The boy in the back, who Ben heard them call Rin, morphed his arms to be covered in green scales. It was a 3 on 2. Not good, especially when Team Kamakiri had quirks specializing in close quarters combat.
"24 seconds until the 10 minute mark Tennyson!" Shiozaki called out as she sent a mass of vines forward. They wrapped around Shishida, and managed to restrain him for a few precious seconds before he managed to rip them apart. Tetsutetsu was in a fierce battle with Kamakiri; blades sparking off steel, punches being woven in, and sweat pouring down their faces in concentration. Ben narrowly pulled his foot back from being smashed. Just a little while longer!
"17 seconds!" Ben dropped his shoulder down to avoid the scales shot his way. So Rin could fire them from a range as well!
"12 seconds!" Tetsutetsu gripped one of Kamakiri's arms and held it to the boy's chest, but one arm was insufficient to protect himself from a scale assault. Forced to steel his face and close his eyes, Tetsutetsu had to back away.
"8 seconds!" Shiozaki threw more vines to buy some time and space, but Shishida attacked them before they could bunch up. He easily ripped through individual vines, and the few that did make it didn't have enough power to hold him back.
"Just a few more...!" Ben clenched his teeth as he tried to back up, but it was Tetsutetsu who was now in Kamakiri's grip. Yanking Tetsutetsu towards him, Kamakiri grew a long slender blade from his knuckles and aimed for the side of Tetsutetsu's head.
"Not yet, Tennyson, not yet!" It was too close! Kamakiri's blade slid under the headband and started moving outwards!
10 minutes remaining!
"Now!" Shiozaki's cry was all Ben needed. Tetsutetsu was being indirectly supported by Kamakiri's grip on his arm, so Ben safely dropped Tetsutetsu's right foot to swing his right arm around to the Omnitrix.
"Alright!" Ben quickly dialed through the watch, the alien he wanted already decided a while ago. Team Kamakiri noticed what was going on, but watched on with only curiosity, as they didn't know much about Tennyson. Then they figured it out. Their eyes shot open and their actions grew frantic. But in that panic, they messed up and Kamakiri was unable to remove their headband from Tetsutetsu.
"Time for a show-stopper!"
Slam!
Flash!
The anticipated green flash of the Omnitrix bathed the stadium in a pale green glow, drawing attention of participants and spectators alike. Fingers pointed, cameras rolled and eyes stared as everyone knew what the light represented. Team Kamakiri threw their hands up and backed away, temporarily blinded by the light. Once the light subsided, they couldn't believe what stood before them.
Towering above even Shishida, at around 8 feet, stood a crystalline giant! His main body was clad in a black and white skin-tight uniform divided in half: black on the right and white on the left. The omnitrix nodule was located on the left side of his chest, with a black decal under it. It was the exposed arms and head that really stood out. The humanoid had no skin, rather it seemed to be made up entirely of pale-green crystals! Harsh edges and geometric shapes were cut all around the exposed exterior. The shoulders were wide and built, and the forearms had long rectangular sides. The connection between the shoulders and the forearms were definitely less built. There were 5 fingers on both ends of the forearms, made of two rectangular prisms put together. 4 spines grew out of the figure's back at an upwards angle, the top two growing out even past the head, and the other 2 were only a few centimeters out of the uniform. The neck was smooth and transitioned into the sides of the head. That transition fed into the back of the head, which extended into a sharp fin. The face was an area indented into the head, and the jaw was the bottom of that indentation. Sharp yellow eyes outlined in black ran parallel against the top of the indentation.
The roar of the crowd shook the air itself.
'I hope you're watching Tetrax.' Ben raised his arms and clenched his hands into fists. 'Today's the day I show you just how far I've come!'
Omnitrix Form #6 - Species: Petrosapien, Hero Name: Diamondhead
Strengths: One of Ben's most reliable aliens, Diamondhead is a force of nature thanks to his incredible array of abilities. For starters, Diamondhead has inhuman physical might and can punch well above his weight class. However, what truly sets Diamondhead apart is his durability. Diamondhead is able to withstand ungodly amounts of punishment without even flinching thanks to the silicon-based crystal structure that makes up his body. Most attacks made against Diamondhead won't leave a scratch, and whatever weapons and limbs performed those attacks may break on impact. The crystals that make up Diamonhead's body are not just there to tank hits either. Ben can manipulate the crystals at will, allowing him to morph his own limbs into weapons like swords and giving him some regeneration capabilities. He also has complete control over all the crystals he produces, which lets him fire crystal shards out of his hands as projectiles, create shields, conjure crystal formations and even encase his enemies in a crystal cage.
Weaknesses: Diamondhead may seem like an unstoppable force, and to most fodder he is. However, Ben's more powerful enemies have demonstrated several key weaknesses and effective methods of attack. Diamondhead, similar to the gem he was named after, is brittle. Durable, yes, but the moment a force powerful enough hits, the damage is terrible. A powerful blow from Vilgax cracked younger Ben's face while he was Diamondhead, and that left him immobilized. Petrosapian's are not known for regeneration, and that is because that trait is there to reform crystals used as projectiles, not to withstand constant assaults. More so, Diamondhead is strong, but not Four Arms strong. Powerful adhesives can slow him down, and physically superior opponents can cause Ben to struggle. Despite all of this, there is a reason Diamondhead is always in Ben's back pocket: he is an alien that can always pull through.
"Yeahahahahaah!" Tetsutetsu now found himself on Ben's shoulders, in a piggy-back ride style. He smacked his head against Ben's head, still encased in steel, and threw his head back in laughter and joy as the fist just bounced off.
"This guy is so freaking awesome! Even cooler than Four Arms!" His gaze met the stunned Kamakiri. "Are you guys still sure you want a piece of this?"
"Beautiful." Breathed Shiozaki, now resting atop the top left spikes of the four spikes shooting out of Ben's back. She ran a hand down the spike, marveling at the smooth, cold sensation. Peering at the left arm, Shiozaki was shocked to see that she could see her own reflection refracted in one of the smooth, flat surfaces of Diamondhead's skin. "A man made entirely of crystal!"
"THERE IT IS FOLKS, TENNYSON HAS MORPHED ONCE AGAIN! LAST EVENT HE WAS A GOOEY GREEN TECHNO-BLOB AND NOW HE'S A CRYSTAL PERSON-THING! LOOK AT HOW THE LIGHT REFRACTS OFF HIM, AND CHECK OUT THOSE SPIKES ON HIS BACK! WOW, I KNOW I SAID HE CAN TURN INTO MULTIPLE FORMS, BUT HOW MANY DOES HE HAVE? WHAT DOES THIS TRANSFORMATION DO? LET'S FIND OUT!"
The stadium was in uproar, with people cheering, cameras rolling, broadcasters analyzing and students fighting. The only one who wasn't making any noise was Ben himself. Unlike every other time he transformed, Ben did not say a word. He stood, quiet and unmoving. His teammates were active: Tetsutetsu on his shoulders was cheering and Shiozaki on one of his back spikes was enthralled with what she saw. Yet, Ben stood motionless, staring into the stands. Was he looking for someone?
Team Kamakiri shook off their shock and rallied together. Kamakiri slapped his face twice, and sucked in deep breaths. "So what if you transformed? You think that's gonna change anything?"
Kamakiri bent his left arm and a blade shot out of his elbow. With his left hand clutched against his chest, the boy swung at Ben's chest, expecting him to dodge like he did when he was human.
Tink
Kamakiri could only stare with wide-eyes as Ben did not move an inch. His blade swung true, but made only the most pathetic noise on contact. So small that it seemed to be lost in the noise of the melee around them. Despite this, both teams heard the sound loud and clear. The sound of weakness. And Ben finally moved.
"Cool. You form swords out of your body." Ben bent his neck down so he could look Kamakiri, eye to eye. At the sounds of the crystals bending, Kamakiri hastily withdrew his arms and his team stepped back.
"We are not going to give up until we have our headband back!" Kamakiri swung again, this time with a sword protruding from his forearm. Ben raised his right arm, and aligned all his fingers upwards.
Crrrrrrch!
Clang!
"...what the hell?"
"So can I. Wanna test might?"
The green blade of Kamakiri was intercepted by Ben's new sword arm. While Kamakiri's was narrow, Ben's was as large as the arm it was made from, and far tougher while being just as sharp. There was no way Kamakiri could overcome such a difference of power.
"Sir Kamakiri, let us switch off!" Shishida stepped up, and with a guttural roar, grew to his full height. With Kamakiri and Rin clinging onto his back, Shishida now had full use of his limbs and towered above even the tall Diamondhead. The alien in question merely tilted his head up, and reformed his blade into an arm and hand.
"I have been advised against using my full strength against my fellow students, but you seem like a worthy foe!" Shishida bent down, pawing the ground with his claws. Feeling his team secure on his back, he surged forward. He charged at Team Tetsutetsu, hands outstretched. "Now you will fall!"
Thump!
"Grrr-ah!" Beast met diamond as Shishida and Ben clashed. Ben bent his knees and held out his hands to meet Shishida head-on. The force of the attack was impressive; Ben was pushed back several inches. But no more than that. Ben started pushing back, his yellow eyes narrowing. Shishida's hands were trembling from the amount of force behind them. So Ben started to squeeze.
"Arg!" Shishida felt pain shoot through his hands as rough crystal crushed his flesh and pressured his bones. Even with a charge attack he couldn't break through Tennyson! The pain was unlike anything he experienced before and it was only increasing! Shishida fell to one knee, then the other. He could vaguely hear the shouts of his teammates on his back, but the pain was too intense.
"Hold on to something." Ben instructed his own team. Feeling a pair of arms tighten around his forehead and vines wrapping around his torso, Ben moved.
He started by ripping his hands out of the deathhold he had Shishida locked in. By swinging his body to the left, he sent Shishida off balance and freed his hands. Halting his backwards momentum, Ben pulled his left arm back into a powerful punch, slamming cold, hard crystal into Shishida's face. The beast-student staggered back, now completely disoriented and off-balance. Ben extended his right arm and morphed it into a massive circular orb. Using it as a crude club, he started with a crushing swing, smashing into Shishida's left arm. This time following through with his momentum, Ben spun in a tight circle, and with the orb grazing the concrete beneath, finished with an upwards strike. The orb caught Shishida in the stomach, and sent him flying a good distance away.
The crowd erupted into a frenzy.
"Holy crap, you've been holding out on us Ben! What do you call this guy?" Tetsutetsu spoke in awe, still staring at the undignified heap Team Kamakiri landed in.
"This is Diamondhead." Diamondhead turned around, and saw many other teams staring back at him. While they had a variety of expressions on their faces, Diamondhead could see the nervousness. And fear. The terrified glances they gave their teammates, the shuffling feet of the horses and the face that none even tried to approach him.
But there were some that held their ground. The ones that were preoccupied in fighting and didn't notice Ben's transformation. It was one of those teams that stopped, looked around to see why everyone else had stopped, and finally saw Diamondhead. Heterochromatic eyes locked onto solid yellow. Diamondhead could see that Todoroki had multiple headbands, but it was the one he had tied to his forehead, the safest position, that caught Ben's attention.
10 million.
8 minutes and 51 seconds remaining!
"Now let's get our points back."