Yagi Toshinori watched as the boy was healed by Chiyo. "So Bunny-sensei, I have a question about One For All." Alright, time to enter teacher mode. "Why is it haunted?"
Toshinori blinked for a second, before Recovery Girl whacked him over the head. "What, what did I do that time!?"
"For not giving full disclosure when you passed your quirk on to him! He uses it for the first time since the Entrance exam, and he breaks fingers! I thought you were going to teach him to handle it better!"
"Actually I didn't break my fingers, the ghost did." Even Chiyo looked confused. "I know how to cook the chicken and punch without breaking my bones."
"His metaphor, not mine." Toshinori explained. "Now what's this about ghosts?"
"Okay, so when the sleepy brain control guy made me walk away, the world suddenly became dark and foggy and I saw eight ghosts looking at me. They took over my brain and made me raise my arm." Eight ghosts … "Actually, one of them looked like you." The boy's eyes widened, probably understanding what's going on like he just did. "You really are a trash-zombie!?"
"Ahaha, I'm telling Gran about that one." Chiyo wasn't even bothering to hide her amusement. "Come on, trash-zombie, be a good bunny and explain the ghosts."
"You're just lucky I haven't found blackmail on you yet." He deadpanned. "Now Young Suzuki, one thing I never told you about One For All." He started. "You are the ninth user."
"Really, nine people had it before?"
"What, no, you're the ninth. Eight people would have had it before you."
"Oh right, sorry, still not good with numbers." They needed a tutor fast. "So that ghost that looked like you was you? But how are you still here?"
"That..that I'm a bit uncertain about, but I've experienced something similar when I first started out." Toshi remenisenced. "After I got a handle on around fifty percent, I experienced a version of seven vestiges, one of them being my mentor Nana Shimura. It is likely a sign that One For All is starting to adapt to your body. You're one step closer to making the quirk fully your own."
"But … it already is my own." Oh, was that a bit of an ego forming? "It's like if you gave me a five yen coin. It would be my coin." … One for All, the most valuable quirk on the planet for the force of good, was being compared to a five yen coin.
"Gran's going to have a fun time with him, I just know it." Don't torture the boy too soon Chiyo! The scars won't fade so quickly! "Either way, grab something to eat and your stamina will return to normal in about an hour."
"Oh yeah, I need to overcook the chicken for my next fight." The boy started running out of the room.
"... I apologize in advance." Yagi spoke to his long-time nurse.
"He's your successor alright. Just as naively optimistic about the consequences."
==
Ibara slowly contemplated options. "How does one punish tempters and sinners …" Burning them on the stake had been outlawed after all.
"Shizokai, calm down." Kendo tried to reason with her. "The guy is already out of the tournament. I say the situation is already taken care of."
"He hurt the angel. Dare to taint his touch and sullied his tools of divinity."
"Ah, I'm pretty sure Suzuki broke his own fingers." She glared at Tetsutetsu. "I mean, not that it wasn't manly as hell, but it was still his doing you know?"
"I see...he pushed the angel into a corner….forced him to sully his touch." The culprit of this travesty would not be forgiven in the slightest.
"Since when did Monoma become the sane one who cared about 1-A?" Awase asked with a bit of a joking and serious tone.
"Perish the very notion, Awase, the class is full of fools after all." Monoma returned from his extensive surgery, now only having a broken arm and a neck cast compared to the shambles his bones were in during the Cavalry battle. "Just look at Suzuki, I heard that the class had extensive knowledge on the enemy's quirk." How did he gather information so fast? "And yet Suzuki went ahead and got caught so easily."
"Ah, Monoma, you might want to tone down the rant just a bit, shroom." Kinoko warned him as Ibara slowly formed her hair around the blasphemer's legs.
"What? Do I not speak the truth? That 1-A is half led by a naive child who's stumbled his way into victory so far? What has he done to actually earn his place at the top!? Break his own hands, eat a piece of fabric. Any dumb dog can be trained to do the same."
"Monoma, really, stop before it's too late."
"What, say the truth that Iruma Suzuki is a lucky and quirkless fool that shouldn't be here?" And then she held up the boy by his legs, holding him face to face as she glared at his upside down expression. "Ah, Sh-shiozaki! I, what brought this about?"
"Pride is a sin you know, so is blasphemy and envy." She squeezed her vinces tighter around the fool's legs, growing a little bit of thorn across her hair. "It seems you need to be cleansed of these sins through suffering." The boy's only response was to squeak.
==
Endeavor waited for his legacy to make his way down the hall. This entire tournament the boy has been nothing but a disgrace. Third place in both events? The lack of fire was clearly holding him back. This was the problem with angsty teenagers. At the very least he didn't go ballistic … like Touya.
Todoroki could do so much more than that, achieve feats higher than Touya, than himself, than All Might! He shouldn't be slowing himself down in the pursuit of meaningless spite, especially when some quirkless nobody was taking the spotlight away. It was pathetic.
It was one thing for All Might to bable that 'anyone could be a hero', but someone without an ounce of power trying to keep up with a handicap? Pathetic, should have just gone for a menial job. The brat was succedding so far by sheer dumb luck, and it would run out eventually.
There were footsteps now, he watched the boy make his way forward step by step until they met face to face. "You're holding back." There was no need for coded messages or hidden meanings, the Todorokis always told it like it was.
"I've made it this far. All I need is mother's ice."
"And said mother was a frail woman that couldn't handle the stress."
"Stress she experienced because some bastard bought her like she was an accessory you threw out the moment she gave you what you wanted."
"I didn't throw her out. She was welcome to stay inside the household. And I'm still paying for her medical bills." He would repay his debt for that particular success, even if she tried to harm his legacy. "Hate me all you want, I still gave you a gift that you've sullied for far too long. You're feeling it now, aren't you? The frostbite."
"I warm myself between matches. I don't need to rely on fire mid combat." He glared.
"That's what you say now, but it builds up over time. So much ice produced in a short period. Keep this up and you won't even be able to move a single muscle."
"I won't need to produce that much ice." His spawn walked to the gate. "Any opponent will go down in one hit." That confidence would kill him if that Bakugo kid really had the talent he saw. Then again it was the final fight, and there was no way his son would lose.
==
"Coming at us is the son of Endeavor, a frozen menace with high notice and lots of power! Give it up for 1-A … SHOTO TODOROKI!" Kamui watched the audience cheer as his two buddies kept gloating and sulking with each other.
"Couldn't compete with the other students, huh? Had no chance, right?" Mt Lady reached her ear over. "Did I hear you wrong?"
"It was a fluke! The kid wasn't even from the hero course! Of course he wouldn't be that strong!" Death Arms complained.
"Then why did you bet on him?" Kamui asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because I thought even someone not in the hero course could take on that quirkless kid!" Okay, there seems to be a bigger problem here than just being sore over losing money. He deeply hoped his partner wasn't a quirkest. "And now I can't just bet on this next match, it's completely one sided."
"Coming up is a guy with no special notice at all, but still manages to shine!"
"What did I say about bias?"
"Give it up for Class 1-A … HATANA SERO!!"
"I mean you have a point, but you don't need to say it so bluntly." Kamui was definitely sending the tape kid an offer, something told him he would need it after the fight.
"Alright then, if this fights for sure, then what says next round?" Mt Lady asked. "The little pot of luck hasn't failed me yet, so I'm feeling pretty sure about his chances against Endevor's kid."
"Fine then, you're on." Death arms grins. "Better hope your kid can make it showy Kamui."
"I'm sure he'll last a decent amount, the kid has speed after all."
"And begin!" As soon as Midnight's words are spoken, tape extends. Nice, quick reflexes combined with a laid back attitude would make any underestimate the kid-and the screen went white.
"Still a believer, Yu?" Death Arms snarled.
"...Double or nothing." Wow, she must've really believed in that Suzuki kid. Now he kind of wanted to just screw with them.
"I'll place twenty on a draw." Neutral side.
==
Aoyama watched as Suzuki shook in place, an icicle five inches from impaling him. "So … did anyone know he could make something that big?" The boy asked.
"N-N-Nope." Was the blunt reply of Tsu, although it was hard to tell because she seemed to become tired for some random reason. "I-Th-that's the most..most...most he's ever made...so...far…"
"Asui's entering hibernation!" Momo shouted, making heating blankets from her body. "Quick, bundle her up!"
"I'm on it!" Suzuki volunteered and gave the frog girl a bear hug.
"I'll help you out!" Hagakure jumped in and offered her own, although she wrapped herself around Suzuki rather than Tsu.
"I can't even say anything, I'm more worried about Sero's condition." Iida looked over at the boy covered in, while admittedly sparkly, ice that reached the heavens.
"... Kids are getting scary, aren't they Eraser Head?"
"Life is scary. They're just getting a headstart."
"Can you continue!?" Midnight-sensei asked with a beautiful flourish. A small shake of the head confirmed the answer. "Hatana Sero is out, the winner is Shoto Todoroki!"
"So that's what Peppermint is like without holding back." Bakugou grinned savagly.
"No … he's still holding back." Suzuki stated. "He has fire on his left side, but doesn't use it because he hates his father. Understandable." No, context please.
"So Iruma …" Uraraka started. "I already have to worry about Bakugo, so it's hypocritical to ask now but … how do you plan on fighting Todoroki?"
"I'm going to overcook the chicken and make him use his fire." … The boy was doomed.
"Iruma..I know that you have this crazy ability to avoid danger no matter what happens, but I have to ask you this, so please answer honestly." Jiro looked pleading, but Toru seemingly turned her head and growled at the earphone girl. "Are you a danger-junkie?"
"No, I'm not a junkie. It's the one promise I made to my mom." He blinked. "Well that and to make sure to help anyone that needs it." So many ethical questions were raised in letting this boy go against the ice age of a silent student. He feared that the light in his rival of twinkling may dim very soon.