The next two weeks flew by as everyone began their earnest training for the sports festival, especially with the hope that those who do well enough will stand a much better chance at becoming pro heroes.

Some chose to train by themselves, like Bakugo and Todoroki. Others, like Ochaco and Tsu, chose to train together to strengthen both their teamwork and their quirks. Felix had also been mingling more with his classmates over the course of the training period, although Izuku still can’t help but feel that this new student seems to be carrying a heavy baggage.

It was not long until the day before the sports festival arrived, and a group of U.A. students walked into a junkyard for their final joint training.

“You sure you don’t wanna join us?” Ochaco asked with a slight pout. Izuku’s dark green hair fluffed in the wind as he shook his head. He climbed onto a stack of scrap metal and took out his hand strengtheners again.

“I still can’t really control my quirk yet. I don’t wanna make a mess,” the boy replied from his vantage point. “Besides, you guys are going to need an umpire. So I volunteer.”

The four students took up their positions in the large empty space surrounded by walls of abandoned vehicles.

“Now, the objective of this sparring session is to strengthen your quirks. So don’t hold back when it comes to securing a win,” Izuku announced, doing his best Aizawa impression. “Tsu and Felix, you’re a team. Iida, Uraraka; work together. Ready? Go!”

Tsu wasted no time, stretching out her tongue towards Tenya. The boy darted around, his speed bolstered by the engines in his calves, and dodged all her attacks. Both of them clashed in a blistering dance of mobility as Tsu leapt around, using her environment to her advantage.

“An easy win!” Tenya roared victoriously, aiming a kick at Tsu from behind-

And crashed into a pink barrier.

The class rep got to his feet quickly, watching carefully as the surrounding rubble rearranged themselves like leaping platforms. Tsu took the cue to leap onto them. Tenya tried to chase after her, but more pieces of rubble simply knocked him away.

“Not so fast, Pagonis!” Ochaco whizzed around in a frenzy, nullifying the gravity of everything around her. She kicked them towards the floating rubble, disrupting Felix’s precise arrangement of the environment.

“Felix, look out!” Tsu called out in warning, but it was too late.

“You should have kept your eyes on me!” the girl yelled as her fingers made contact with Felix’s body. “Now float!”

Nothing happened.

“Huh? Why didn’t my quirk work?” Ochaco gasped in genuine surprise, staring at the boy with a slight pink aura around his body.

“Oh, don’t get it wrong. It did work.” Felix laughed, waving his hand casually. “I’m just anchoring myself back to the ground with psychokinesis.”

His eyes flashed suddenly, and he stretched a hand out. Tenya’s well timed kick missed its target yet again as Tsu was telekinetically dragged back to Felix’s side. A force field formed around the two of them as Tenya rushed towards them.

“A shield too? That is very impressive,” Tenya said as he pummelled the pink bubble relentlessly together with Ochaco. “But we’ll break it!”

Izuku leaned forward from his makeshift umpire chair, muttering to himself.

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Felix’s spatial awareness is incredible, and his mastery of his quirk is nearly, if not already, perfected. But…

“Come on, Felix!” he yelled out. “You can’t win with just defensive moves. Don’t hold back anymore!”

Energy blasted from the shield without warning, knocking Ochaco and Tenya away. Izuku leapt down from his seat before the resulting gust of wind toppled the heap of metal he was sitting on. Ochaco was not so lucky.

Izuku only had time to stretch his hand out in warning as a scrapped lorry fell off its unstable platform, threatening to crush the girl. She raised a trembling hand to receive the falling vehicle.

The lorry froze in midair before it could touch her fingertips, caught by a pink glow. Felix waved his hand and set the abandoned vehicle gently on the floor. The students rushed towards Ochaco, who slumped back to the floor, overcome by adrenaline.

“Ochaco, are you alright?” Felix exclaimed, kneeling beside her. “Oh gods, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to push that hard.”

“I’m alright. Thanks for saving me.” Ochaco gave him a small smile as Izuku helped her to her feet.

“I think that’s enough for today,” Izuku said, after making sure that everyone else was unscathed as well.

“Indeed.” Tenya nodded, before turning to Felix. “You have such incredible mastery of your quirk! Not many heroes can lift a lorry so casually. You simply must teach me your training regimen.”

Laughter ensued as the group of students left the junkyard. Izuku trailed behind them, still deep in thought. There was no doubt about Felix’s unbridled telekinetic strength, but there was still something disturbing about him.

Izuku looked at Felix once again as he recalled the fight. Although the others probably did not notice it during the heat of the battle, he had the advantage of overseeing the match. And in the split second before Felix unleashed his psionic power, there was something eerily familiar about his expression.

The cold look in his eyes that resembled that of the villains during the USJ attack.

~ ~ ~

Izuku was minding his own business in the changing room when Shoto Todoroki approached him with all intentions of hostility.

“Midoriya,” Todoroki began in a voice as intense as ever.

“Todoroki? What is it?” Izuku tried his best not to squeak like he had just been caught red-handed for something he wasn’t even aware he had done.

“Looking at things objectively, I think it’s fair to say I’m stronger than you.”

Who even starts a conversation like that? I’ve only just changed into my gym attire!

“Huh?” Izuku stared at him wide-eyed, before trailing his voice away. “Yeah…”

“But All Might has his eye on you, doesn’t he?” Todoroki’s voice dropped, but continued before Izuku could reply. “I’m not trying to pry about that.”

Then why even bring it up?!

“But know this, I’m going to beat you.”

Why are you telling me this again?

“Hey now. No need to pick a fight right before the sports festival,” Felix said cheerily, putting a hand on Todoroki’s shoulder. The half white, half red-haired boy shook his hand off as though it was a burning hot iron.

“And you, exchange student.” Todoroki trained his hostile gaze at him. “I’m going to beat you too.”

Izuku tensed up as he noticed the same coldness flash in Felix’s eyes again, although contempt also accompanied his gaze this time.

“C’mon, lighten up.” Felix raised his hands in mock surrender. “This is a live performance. Let’s all just put on a show, have some fun, and make friends. Why the cold shoulder?”

“Don’t forget; this isn’t a team effort.” Todoroki turned away. “We’re not here to play at making friends.”

“Todoroki,” Izuku called out to the boy. “I don’t know what you’re thinking when you say you’ll beat me, but of course you’re better than me. I think you’re more capable than most people, from an objective standpoint.”

He turned to the class.

“But, everyone. The students from the other courses are aiming for the top with everything they’ve got!” His voice trembled with emotion. “We want to become the heroes, don’t we? We can’t afford to fall behind.”

The room nodded in emphatic agreement as Izuku faced Todoroki again. His voice dropped to a determined whisper. “So go ahead and bring your best. I’ll be going for it with everything I have too.”

Todoroki walked away without a further word.