36: 𝚃𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙
"K-Kurayami?" Midoriya stammered.
Nova walked up to him nervously, rubbing her arms and glancing around at the crowds. Midoriya didn't look much better.
"Hi um... I was... I was w-wondering if... You'd wanna... Team up?" Nova asked, looking away and hiding her face in her red hair. Which she had taken out of the braid it had been in during the race.
Midoriya stared at her. And she suddenly felt twice as nervous as before.
"Nevermind! Sorry I-I'll find another-"
"You... Wanna team with me?" Midoriya whispered. Staring at her.
Nova watched in real time as a massive amount of tears erupted from his eyes.
"Really?! Are you sure?! You know I have a lot of points and everyone is going to be gunning for me!" He stammered, crying hysterically. "But if I had you on my team we could win! Your quirk is really cool!"
"Y-you think my quirk is cool?" Nova whispered. Midoriya frantically nodded.
"Yes! Yes please I'd love you have you on my team Kurayami! Thank you! You won't regret this!" He said, grabbing Nova's hand and shaking it frantically. Like they had just made a business transaction.
Nova had been right, the boy was definitely desperate. He'd probably have taken anyone who asked to have him in their team. But Nova's lips turned up just slightly in a tiny smile. She was glad she made him at least a little happy.
"Hi guys!"
They turned and looked at the source of the cherry voice. Uraraka panted like she had run over.
"Can I team with you guys?" She asked with a big smile.
Midoriya started crying again. "Urarakaaaa, Kurayami! Thank you so much!" He cried out.
"So! What's the plan?" Uraraka asked, both girls immediately looked at Midoriya. He scored the highest in the obstacle race, and he was also the most strategic out of the group. Nova was most definitely not a leader, and neither was Uraraka apparently.
"Oh! Well I don't know..." Midoriya stammered. "I'd like to have at least one more person... So we have more than two people carrying..." He whispered.
"Let's ask Iida!" Uraraka smiled. "I'm sure he'd be on our team! Besides it's better to team up with people you like!"
Nova stared at Uraraka worldlessly. Did that mean... Uraraka liked her too? Nova looked away quickly. Although they didn't really talk, Uraraka was among the nicest of all the girls in their class. She was always cheery and seemed to get a long with everyone.
Nova chewed her lip nervously. The idea of asking Iida to be on their team too made her nervous, she really hoped he would reject his friends just because she was on the team too. She wouldn't mind fighting alongside him, but he didn't seem too fond of her...
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"With you as our front man we could move extremely fast. Avoid anyone coming after the ten million. Uraraka could use her quirk to make the rider light enough to carry without straining ourselves. We'd be able to maneuver unlike any other team. Then with Kurayami's quirk we'd also have a strong offense! Able to launch offensive and defensive attacks from a distance, if we could get you metal that is."
Midoriya was stammering nervously, explained the tactic he thought up to Iida. Who listened with a blank expression.
Nova stood practically behind Uraraka, who smiled at her friends brightly.
"Both me and Kurayami could be riders, but I think she should considering the fact that she has to move her body to use her quirk properly... Right?" Midoriya asked, glancing back at Nova, who nodded nervously.
"R-right..." She hadn't told the boy that, she he must've figured it out through just observing her fight... It made her a little nervous to think about.
"It's a good plan..." Iida mumbled. His expression seemed grim and Nova held her breath.
"...I'm afraid I must refuse your offer."
"Shit." Nova thought. She opened her mouth, but she wasn't sure what she would say. She could always offer to leave the group. If that really was the reason he didn't want to join. But she held it back.
It was a little selfish... But Nova wanted to stay in this team. These were the only two people who would want her. She couldn't give it up... Surely Iida could find another team. He was strong, had a good quirk. Not to mention the fact that he was incredibly smart.
"Since this all started... I've been losing to you. Midoriya." Iida said slowly. Nova tilted her head slightly.
Then she realized... This whole time Iida hadn't even looked her way. He'd been paying close attention to Midoriya, ignoring her completely...
She was wrong. This rejection.... Had nothing to do with her.
"Please don't take this as an insult. You're a great friend, but if I continue to follow you... I'll never get stronger." He continued. Iida was rejecting their offer...
Because of Midoriya. Not Nova.
"Bakugou and Todoroki have challenged you already... But they're not the only ones who see you as a rival." Iida said. He pushed up his glasses with a determined and serious look. Nova watched him carefully... She'd never seen him like this before. Not even when the villains attacked. Then he had been serious... But also fearful.
Now... He looked as confident and determined as ever... Nova's heart beat just a little fast at the sincere look on his face.
"Midoriya... I'll try my best to defeat you." He said. Before turning and walking away.
Before he did though... He cast a single glance at Nova. It wasn't quite a glare, but it was nowhere close to friendly. It was almost like in a single look...
He was saying, he meant the same thing for her.
He'd try his best to defeat her.
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"Haha! Oh perfect... Your team isn't full yet..."
Nova and Midoriya turned to look at the voice behind them.
"And you're the star..." She whispered. Nova realized it was that one girl, the one with the pink hair that jumped into the chasm during the obstacle course.
"TEAM UP WITH ME! PERSON IN FIRST PLACE!" She yelled, jumping up and smiling hugely. She was now about three inches from Midoriya's face. Her eyes covered in weird goggles... In fact all of her body was covered in various gadgets.
"Ah! W-who are you?" Midoriya asked, stepping back.
"I'm Mei Hatsume! From the support course! And I want to use your current temporary fame to my own personal advantage!" She declared with a smiled, moving her goggles to show an odd pair of yellow eyes.
"That's straight forward-"
"IF I TEAM UP WITH YOU EVERYONE WILL BE WATCHING ME! THANKS TO THAT BiG TEN MILLION POINTS! THAT WAY ILL BE ABLE TO SHOW OFF ALL MY PRECIOUS BABIES!" She said, getting in his face again.
Nova and Uraraka glanced at each other as Hatsume kept talking to Midoriya. Ignoring them both completely.
She might be crazy... But it looked like she was their only remaining option.
"Hey Hatsume..." Midoriya mumbled, holding up one of her inventions.
"Hah?" She asked him. Giddy at the prospect of being on his team and getting attention on her inventions from it.
"...do you... Have any scrap metal?"
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