Chapter 82: The Obstacle Race
I stretch my arms above me as I wait for them to call the start to the event, letting my eyes wander over the crowd of excited students. I'm more towards the front along with most of the hero course. Guess it's a privilege of being considered 'higher value' in today's society?
But the position doesn't matter. I'll win either way. The question, is how?
I could Cat Up with a brawler to let me speed through it. But that runs the risk of someone possibly recognizing me from the Masquerade. With how the entire festival is nationally televised, it might not be worth the risk. But then again, most people would probably brush it off as just something similar, instead of the same quirk.
Still, it would be the easiest way to win. And it's not like the first years really get as much attention as the others until the tournament portion of the festival. Which is perfectly understandable. Why watch the ones who've barely had time to train versus those close to making their debut? It's the tournament that shows you who the stars are, and who'll be most likely to make an impact in the future.
But for me, simply winning isn't enough. I want to have fun~. So…
I grin when I see Midorinya's new friend, Aizawa's secret love child. At least according to Todoroki's theory notebook. 'Ooohh. Maybe the reason he was so grumpy is because he realized it was missing?' I'll admit to forgetting to put it back after he left it out. But in my defense, he analyzes other people as much as Midorinya analyzes quirks! His notes on Uraraka's parents secretly being part of a criminal organization due to how she's always talking about being broke despite being able to pay for the steep tuition almost had me convinced! And that's not even mentioning Fatgum being closely related to Momo!
I shake my head to dislodge the theories, instead focusing on the here and now as I peer at the faces around…what was his name? Shinpo? Shinglow? Shine-low? Whatever it is, my grin morphs into a smirk as I see my scapego- *cough* minion nearby. Making eye contact with her, I flick my tail in a motion for her to join me as I approach the tired looking boy. He raises an eyebrow, but otherwise doesn't change expression.
I launch into my pitch right away. "I can boost your catabilities quite easily, and all you'll have to do is carry meow to first. Second and third good fur the two of mew?"
He hums while the kitten dips her head in deference. It's good that she hasn't gotten complacent in the time we've been separated. "How strong are you talking about?"
I just smile.
`~`
The buzzer sounds, and Midnight calls for the event to begin! Immediately the first obstacle becomes apparent. Everyone is stuck in the doorway leading out of the tunnel! Of course, Todoroki just has to make it even more difficult by trapping most of the other students in ice. It's enough to hinder the other courses, but our class easily sees it coming and bursts through after him.
As do my temporary clanmates.
"WHOA! Eraserhead, what's your student doing!?" Present Mic shouts over the microphone.
"Telling the staff that we haven't seen all she can do." I can perfectly picture how his eyes are narrowing in on me. Which is fair because I've never shown anyone that I can do this, not even Coach or Himi.
Because this is the first time I've done it.
Shinpo is in the front, hooking his arms with Kitten's behind me as we speed across the icy path, carrying me between them as I hold onto Shinpo's shoulders to steady myself. My tail is wrapped lightly around Kitten's neck so that I won't lose contact with her, which adds another layer of difficulty to keeping my concentration going. And what exactly am I doing that requires so much concentration?
I Cat Up'd the two of them.
Shinpo's purple hair is hidden by the dark blue of a mage cat's hat, the claws extending from its feet easily finding purchase on the ice. Meanwhile Kitten is wrapped in a brawler cat, whose much sharper claws are digging furrows into the ice, the now damaged terrain adding another challenge for those behind us to deal with.
It's actually super difficult to maintain, and costs an extra two cats each to coat them like that, leaving me with only five to use for whatever the next event is unless I can get a cat nap in. Hopefully I don't have to summon anymore for this event, or else I'll be fighting purely physically. Not that it will be a problem, but it will be annoying.
Up ahead Todoroki freezes one of the zero pointers from the exam just long enough for him to pass before it starts to topple over. "Keep going, nya! The cat's will protect mew!"
"The power of nya compels us, huh?" My ear twitches at Shinpo's snarky remark, and I can even feel Kitten nodding along with him! I am so going to get them back for not letting that die! And what's even worse is some of the audience are still saying it!
At least they manage to avoid getting crushed by the falling robot, and the other zero pointers are too slow to catch us and instead focus on the slower or dumber students who are fighting them. The two of them aren't having too much trouble getting around the smaller bots, though the rockets from the three-pointers are close calls. Thankfully, with my cats boosting their physical abilities we're nearly out of here! Until a one-pointer pops out in front of us. "Shinpo, yowl!"
"What!?" He yelps in confusion, but that's all it takes for him to unintentionally utilize the benefit of Cat-ing Up with a mage instead of a brawler. A small hairball builds up in the cat's mouth before shooting forward, obliterating the robot's head. He stumbles at how unexpected it is, but thankfully falls back into step without any of us falling. He takes a breath before speaking in his usual bored voice, though it's tinged with confusion. "How the hell did I do that? And did you just call me Shinpo?"
"Mage cats nya up hairballs. Since that's what I Cat mew Up'd in, so can mew."
"...You called me Shinpo."
"Oh look, rope bridges, nya!"
I click my tongue in dissatisfaction seeing Todoroki already halfway through the obstacle. It consists of a series of ropes tethered between each pillar that we have to climb across. And if we drop we're out.
"Feline balance, don't stop nya!!" I shout at the two of them, and I'm pleased to see that they take my words at face value. Even if I do choose to ignore Shinpo grumbling something about making me jump in a lake. Luckily he stops when we actually start crossing, seemingly pleasantly surprised at how easy it is. Which is good, because if he kept it up I would have punted him into the abyss below.
""The power of nya."" The two say as we make it to the other side, and I let go of Shinpo with one hand to smack the both of them. That's never going to go away, is it?
We finally reach the final obstacle, a minefield!? "The mines aren't strong enough to seriously hurt you, just make you pee your pants!" Oh… Still.
Todoroki isn't too far ahead of us, but as we're standing there trying to think of an easy way through Bakugou launches himself above us using his quirk, landing just behind Todoroki, who he starts attacking.
I blink, looking down and meeting Shinpo's eyes. "We can attack each other, nya?"
"Guess so." We hold eye contact for a second before we sport matching savage grins. 'His resemblance to Aizawa is uncanny.'
We look forward, and I stretch out a hand to point to the two who haven't realized the danger they're in now. "Longer and louder, makes the hairball larger. Fi-meow!"
"SSSCCCRRREEEWWW YYYOOOOUUU!" Wow, his voice is strong. And that hairball is huge! While we start picking our way between the mines, putting that feline balance from the Cat Ups to good use, the hairball casts a shadow over the two students, causing them to look back.
I see Todoroki's mouth drop open while Bakugou yells in outrage. "WHAT THE FU-" His curse is eclipsed by the sound of an explosion, followed by a series of smaller explosions as the hairball sets off the surrounding mines.
"WHAT THE HECK!? WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING THESE KIDS ERASER!?"
"That's all her. Not only is this student a part of 1-A, which was attacked by the League of Villains, but she also provided valuable support on a recent hero raid. What we're seeing is her own accumulated skills and experience."
"You heard it here first folks, Eraserhead is a terrible teacher!"
"I will hang you from this booth."
We slow down after passing the minefield, looking back and seeing the two former front runners picking themselves up from where they'd been thrown. They look dazed and pretty beat up, but not seriously injured. 'That's good. Looks like not telling him how to increase the power was the right call.' It would have been bad if one of them died.
"So," I start conversationally, "is this the part where mew try and betray me to steal furst fur yourself?"
To his credit, Shinpo hesitates before he speaks, and we stop just in front of the finish line. "No… You kept up your end of the deal, so I'll keep up mine."
"Good choice, nya." So I hop off, the sudden disconnect from their power source forcing the cats around them to dissipate. One thing I didn't account for?
Backlash.
I stumble forward as I'm suddenly hit by an intense feeling of nausea, unable to hold back the rising bile I fall to my hands and knees as my breakfast makes its return. But even when my stomach is empty, the nausea doesn't pass, and judging by the retching sounds coming from the other two I'm not the only one suffering.
"Uh, should we call Recovery Girl? That doesn't look good."
"I already did. The medical bots are already on their way."
Thankfully the nausea abates enough that I can look around before they get here, and I can take in the crowd of people trickling in. A number of students I don't know are looking on with worried looks, though my clanmates surround me. Rubbing small circles on my back are Minya, Tormew, and Purrny. A small way off I see Midorinya doing the same for Shinpo.
Uraraka, looking a bit awkward, is holding Kitten in the air using her quirk, who looks like she fainted.
What the nya is going on?
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