"Sana, the next time you do this, I swear to god, I will put you to sleep like I did with Hana." Shinso muttered as he arrived on the other side of the Fall. He shot a glance back at the other kids who were still stuck on the other side, and those who were struggling to get pass the wires. "At least warn me before doing so."
"What? Are you afraid of heights? Are you?" Sana laughed.
"Not being afraid of heights does not mean I enjoy the feel of plummeting down sixty meters in pitch black darkness and hitting my face on a pile of floating sand."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Sana rolled her eyes.
"…" Shinso took a deep breath. #Iwannabitchslaphersobad #Imustcalmdown #livelaughlove "Sana, is Nana listening to this conversation inside your head right now?"
"She is," Sana raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why?"
He walked up to her with a poker face and placed his hands onto her shoulders. "Nana…"
"I'm Sana."
"I know, I'm not talking to you―Nana, if you are listening right now, I have one favor to ask you," Shinso stared right into her eyes. "Please keep Sana away from the television and internet from now on."
"Ahaha" Nana smiled awkwardly and looked away with a slight blush as Sana shoved her the control. "I'll see what I can do…"
Shinso released her. "Okay."
"I'm sorry that she's bothering you."
"It's inevitable." He patted her shoulder. "Let's go."
"Sure."
"THE PLAYERS IN THE LEAD ARE SEPERATED FROM THOSE BUNCHED UP BEHIND! BUT I WON'T SAY HOW MANY ARE PULLING AHEAD, SO DON'T GET COMPLACENT AND KEEP GOING FORWARD!" Present Mic hollered. "AND NOW WE HAVE COME TO THE HIDDEN FINAL BARRIER, ITS TRUE FORM IS NONE OTHER THAN…THE MINE FIELD RIGHT OUT OF RAMBO 3!"
What is Rambo 3? Nana was puzzled.
Rambo 3 Rambo is a 1988 American action adventure film directed by Peter MacDonald. The film depicts fictional events during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. Sana answered.
Hina snickered. You know, Sana, maybe Shinso has a point. We should keep you away from the TV from now on.
Aw hell no!
"THIS MINE FIELD IS SET UP SO THAT IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE LANDMINES ARE PLACED! STRAIN YOUR EYES AND FEET! IN ANY CASE, THEY'RE LANDMINES, THEY'RE NOT OVERLY LETHAL, BUT THEY BANG BIG AND BRIGHT, SO YOU'LL DEFINITELY KNOCK A STOOL OR TWO LOOSE!"
"I see…" Shinso muttered. "So this obstacle is designed to be disadvantageous to the kids in the lead."
"It doesn't matter to me!" Sana chirped cheerfully as she switched back. "Hey, what place are we in right now?"
"Probably around thirty-ish, give or take three places." He glanced at her. "What are you planning to do now? Dig out all of the landmines?"
"Nah…" She smirked at the people behind them. "That's exactly what those people who can't get pass the landmines on their own want me to do; there's no way that I'm gonna give them a ride."
"So what is that that you―"
"AAAND THE LEAD HAS BEEN UPSET! REJOICE, MASS MEDIA! THIS IS JUST THE SORT OF DEVELOPMENT YOU CRAVE!"
"What the!?" Sana gasped as she saw that it was Bakugou who had caught up to the leading player Todoroki. "It's him!?"
"WHY, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE TRAILING BEHIND ARE PUTTING ON SPURTS! HOWEVER, WHILE THEY'RE PULLING EACH OTHER BACK, WE EFFECTIVELY HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE LEAD!? BAKUGOU AND TODOROKI ARE NECK AND NECK! LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT TO PASS THROUGH THE FINAL GATE!"
"Oh no he's not!" Sana snarled and slammed her hands onto the ground again; Hitoshi recognized it as the same move that she had used to create and activate the quicksands back at the Robot-Inferno. "Bring it on, dips―"
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
"Ack!" Sana was lost her balance by the rumble of the sudden explosion; Shinso caught her and pulled her back.
"Why they hell would you get blown away by your own move!?" He snapped.
"I didn't do that!" She protested indignantly.
"It wasn't you?"
"No!"
"Then who―"
"A GIANT EXPLOSION OCCURRED NEAR THE ENTRANCE! WHY WAS THE BANG SO BIG!? WAS IT HIS PLAN OR SHEER COINCIDENCE!? CLASS 1-A'S MIDORIYA MOUNTS HIS CHARGE USING SHOCKWAVES! HE OVERTOOK THEM! HE OVERTOOK THEM! THE TWO WHO WERE FORMERLY IN THE LEAD HAVE STOPPED TRIPPING EACH OTHER UP AND BEGUN TO BOLT AFTER MIDORIYA!"
"There's no way that I'm gonna let that arrogant motherfucker win this game!" Sana snarled and stomped her foot on the ground. At once, a mountain of sand rose from beneath her and levitated off. "Hold it right there!" She screamed as she nyoomed away.
Shinso stared as her slim silhouette distanced away. He facepalmed and looked back at the mine field. Well, that Todoroki guy did open up a path for those in the back, so I don't need her help to cross this mine field. Compared to the others, I have more energy left as well…Guess I'll finish this on my own.
As he jogged forwards, he tapped a few random kids on the shoulder and brainwashed them just in case. "Hey, stay here and stand still for a while, would you? Thanks."
"WHOO-EY! WHO COULD'VE PREDICTED THIS OUTCOME WHEN THE TRIALS FIRST BEGAN? THE MAN WHO HAS RETURNED TO THE STADIUM IN TRIUMPH IS NONE OTHER THAN…MIDORIYA IZUKU! AND NOW THE REST ARE STEADILY CROSSING THE FINISH LINE, ONE AFTER THE OTHER! WE'LL COMPILE THE RESULTS SOON, SO FOR THE TIME BEING, ENJOY YOUR BREATHER!"
Shinso looked around. Where's Nana? He wondered. Or Sana, whichever one she is right now… He strode through the people who have also arrived back at the stadium, until he saw her leaning against the wall, hiding under the limited shade.
Never mind, it's Nina. He realized and walked over to her. "How did you do?"
Nina looked up with her usual apathetic gaze, and then she jerked her thumb towards the big monitor that had started to display the results. Shinso's eyes followed the direction she had pointed to.
#1 Class 1-A Midoriya Izuku
#2 Class 1-A Todoroki Shouto
#3 Class 1-A Bakugou Katsuki
#4 Class 1-B Shiozaki Ibara
#5 Class 1-B Honenuki Juuzou
#6 Class 1-A Iida Tenya
#7 Class 1-A Tokoyami Fumikage
#8 Class 1-A Sero Hanta
#9 Class 1-A Kirishima Eijirou
#10 Class 1-B Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
#11 Class 1-A Ojiro Mashirao
#12 Class 1-B Awase Yousetsu
#13 Class 1-A Asui Tsuyu
#14 Class 1-A Shouji Mezou
#15 Class 1-A Satou Rikidou
#16 Class 1-A Uraraka Ochako
#17 Class 1-A Yaoyorozu Momo
#18 Class 1-A Mineta Minoru
#19 Class 1-A Ashido Mina
#20 Class 1-A Koda Koji
#21 Class 1-A Jirou Kyoka
#22 Class 1-B Kaibara Sen
#23 Class 1-B Tsuburaba Kosei
#24 Class 1-A Kaminari Denki
#25 Class 1-B Bondo Kojiro
#26 Class 1-B Yanagi Reiko
#27 Class 1-C Shinso Hitoshi
#28 Class 1-B Kendo Itsuka
#29 Class 1-B Shishida Jurota
#30 Class 1-B Kuroiro Shihai
#31 Class 1-B Kodai Yui
#32 Class 1-B Hiryu Rin
#33 Class 1-C Nanashima Nana
#34 Class 1-B Komiri Kinoko
#35 Class 1-B Kamakiri Togaru
#36 Class 1-B Monoma Neito
#37 Class 1-B Tsunotori Pony
#38 Class 1-A Hagakure Tooru
#39 Class 1-B Tokage Setsuna
#40 Class 1-B Fukudashi Manga
#41 Class 1-H Hatsume Mei
#42 Class 1-A Aoyama Yuga
"…You're six places lower than me?" Shinso frowned at her. "What happened to Sana? Didn't she go after that Bakugou guy?"
Nina shrugged nonchalantly. "Sana did come quite close to the tops, but personally, I do not like the idea of placing high. Being flashy is not my style. And like what you've discussed before, it will likely give you a handicap; Sana may not care, but I care. Nana would rather have a place close to yours anyways, so she wasn't in favor of Sana's rampage either. Therefore, I took over the control at the last moment before Sana crossed the finish line, and counted thirty people before I actually stepped over the line."
Seven Minutes Ago
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE YOU FUCKING BLASTY MCSPLODE!" Sana snarled as she shoved aside a boy that resembled a skeleton, and a pretty girl who had vines for hair. "I'M GONNA TEACH YOU A FUCKING LESSON!"
"Wha―!?" Bakugou was barely listening, for he was already (too) occupied with the matters (Todoroki & Midoriya) and hand. They've already entered the tunnel that leads back into the stadium. The finish line was only a few meters away.
"That's right! I'm gonna show you who is better―ME―and correct that arrogant attitude of y―!"
Sana, you know what? That's enough. Nina muttered and kicked her off the control.
Shinso frowned. "Wouldn't Sana be mad if you did that?"
"She's outraged; she's throwing a tantrum in here right now." Nina tapped the side of her head with her forefinger. "But honestly, who cares?"
NINA I HATE YOU.
"Fair enough."
Midnight cleared her throat to grab their attention. "These forty-two at the top have earned their rights to advance!" She announced cheerfully. "I'm sorry for the kids who failed, but take heart! This festival's showstopper is still being prepared! And now, for the post-preliminaries final selection, from here on out, even the press corps will teem in a white heat of excitement, so go all out! Now then, onto today's heart-pounding second event! I already know what it will be, but the suspense is killing me!"
"Well I'm not excited, whatever it is," Nina muttered. "Call me if you need me, peace out."
"Bye."
"What could it be?" Midnight chuckled. "Well, I'll tell you! Behold―the HUMAN CAVALRY BATTLE!"
"Human cavalry?" Nana frowned slightly. "That's not a game designed for single players, how will it work?"
"You can all form two to four person teams freely and form a horseback configuration." Midnight explained. "Basically, it's the same rules as a normal human cavalry battle: swipe enemy rider's headbands and guard your own, except for one thing; everyone will receive points based on their performance in the previous event! Which means that the value point of each human warhorse will change based on who's in it! The number of points you get will be five if you place 42nd, and add five to that with every place you go up with the exception of the first place, whose head is worth TEN MILLION POINTS!"
As soon as they head the announcement, they whirled around to locate the person who had placed first. It was a boy from 1-A with messy dark hair with green highlights. Some freckles were sprinkled across his cheeks, and he was rather short compared to most other boys of their age. To be quite honest, he did not seem particularly strong or intimidating as people would've expected; did he really place first in the obstacle race?
Ten million points, huh… Shinso thought.
"If I were you, I'd aim for the guy who placed first." Midnight licked her lips and laughed. "This is the chance for the low to supplant the high! Welcome to our survival game! Those who reach the top merely encounter fresh new hardships, and the kids who have enrolled here will hear it countless times: Plus Ultra! The time limit is fifteen minutes. The point values of each group's headband is worth the total points accumulation of each of the warhorse's members, and the one to wear the headband will be the warhorse's rider! Until the time is up, you will all be fighting and stealing as many of each other's headbands as you can! And the most important aspect of our Human Cavalry game, is that even if you lose your headband or crumble as your horse configuration, you're still not out of the game!"
So that means, with forty-two players, there will be roughly ten to twelve teams on the field the entire time? Sana asked. So in other words, there's no need to get antsy if your group's headband is taken once?
Yes, but if you don't have your eyes on the breakup of the points everyone is gaining and losing, you won't be able to judge properly. Hina told her.
I'm fairly certain that there's gonna be a team ranking chart up at some point, so others (the audience) can keep track of the points. Itsuna said. I'd be surprised if they don't put a chart like that up, actually.
Midnight continued to explain the rules. "Quirks are of course, allowed, so I want to see some fine brutality out there! That being said, this is still just a human cavalry battle game! If you attack any other group with the malicious aim of breaking them apart, that's a red card and you'll be forced out the rest of the game!"
Well then, I guess that leaves Sana out. Mina snickered. She's definitely going to target that Bakugou dude's team with ill intent.
I wo―Sana started to protest, but then realized that Mina was right and became quiet. …Hmph!
"Alright! You all have fifteen minutes until then! Start negotiating your teams!"
Nana nodded to herself after she thought Midnight's words through. Ah, I see… She poked Shinso's shoulder with a small smile. "Hitoshi-kun, do you want to be in a team together? It's only us from the General Department that made it to the second round anyways. I'll be the horse. You can be the rider."
Shinso nodded. "Sure, but," He scanned her up and down. "How much do you weigh?"
"Eh? Oh, um..." Nana thought long and hard about it. "I think I'm roughly—"
"No, sorry, forget I asked." Shinso shook his head. Nana did not go through the phase where body weight became a sensitive topic for girls, so she was oblivious and innocent to the matter. He somehow felt a surge of guilt for asking.
"It's no problem, but why though?"
"I'm worried that you'd be unable to support my weight." He pointed at her skinny arms (and lack of muscle on her body in general). "In terms of weight, you should be the rider."
"Oh." Nana looked down at herself. "I don't want to be rider though; I'm not suited for important positions like that."
"I won't make you be the rider if you don't want to." Shinso told her.
Well I wouldn't mind being the rider. Mina piped up cheerfully.
Mina, shut up.
"But then again, to be honest, I think that convenience of Quirks shouldn't be a concern for our team, right?" Nana frowned. "I mean, it's almost certain that we will continue to the next round because you got Brainwash. It doesn't matter if Sana or Hina or Nina helped or not, right?"
"That is true," Shinso agreed. "Okay, I'll just brainwash two other random guys (that is probably strong enough support my weight) to join us then."
"You sound like a villain."
"You know, you're honestly the last person I want to hear that from."
"Ahahaha…" She chuckled awkwardly. Hey, Nina?
What?
Just in case if anything happens, can I rely on you for this one?
… Nina sighed. Fine, I guess that it's the only way anyways…It will be bad if Sana continues to be in control.
I'm not done pulverizing people yet! Why can't I continue to shine!? Sana groaned. Oh my god, this is so irritating!
Sana, it's inevitable, stop complaining. Itsuna hissed. You can't and shouldn't blame anyone for this.
Yeah, yeah, I get it, we all get it. Sana interrupted Itsuna's explanation exasperatedly. Fine, I'll sit this Human Calvary Battle out (for the sake of our collective health), but don't expect me to stay put during the next event!
Do whatever you please; I'm just stating the obvious. Besides, if you continue, you'll hinder Hina's performance as well―
Nana sweatdropped at their argument; Shinso noticed her expression and frowned. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong." She shook her head hastily. "Who are you planning to brainwash?"
"Yeah, well, let's see…" He quickly scanned the crowd for people who haven't made a team yet. "It doesn't really matter which class they're from, or what Quirk they have, people who is still alone and haven't made a team yet…so probably…those two."
"Who?" Nana's gaze followed the direction he was pointing to.
"The Monkey and that Rose of Versailles guy."
"Don't just go around calling a person you don't know nicknames! That's rude!"
"Meh…" Shinso stuck his hands into his pockets and walked away.
Y'know, I think that he has bigger problems than his Quirk to worry about. Hina said. His attitude is not very heroic, you get what I mean?
Hina, that's rude.
But it's true though, you can't deny that. Also, doesn't this completely defeat the purpose of the sports fes?
How so?
The purpose of the sports fes―asides from leaking info of future Heroes to current/potential Villains via mass media―is all about preparing you for your future career and such. It's a simulation of the competition you'll face when you step out into the real world of Heroes. Right?
I guess…
If a Hero gets lost in the shuffle, then there goes any means of making a living. Don't you think that the obstacle race was the perfect representation of the need to sometimes kick down others to show yourself off?
Sometimes? Sana scoffed. I'd rather ALL THE TIME.
Sana, shut up―But on the other hand, you'll have cases where you have to cooperate with your business rivals as well; the Human Cavalry Battle is a good representation of that. A victory for yourself becomes victory for your entire team. It takes mutual compatibility and a grasp of how best to use each teammate's Quirk.
Ooh, I see. Nina mused. By over-relying on his brainwashing Quirk, it is limiting him from understanding others? Being able to understand is indeed an important characteristic that a person aiming to become a Hero should have.
If that's the case, then I think that we're doing a great job. Mina said cheerfully.
We?
Yeah, I mean, forget Hana for now, alright? Mina continued. There's six of us, and we're all cooperating efficiently (although Itsuna and I are sitting out of this) to get you (Nana) a good result in the sports fes! We're combining our strengths together, aren't we? Mutual compatibility and a grasp of how best to use each teammate's Quirk? Isn't that talking about us?
Ooh, I like how you're phrasing this. Sana laughed. But yeah, we are cooperating pretty well.
(Are you sure that you're in the position to say that?) Nana, Hina, Nina, and Itsuna thought collectively.
Sana was not aware of their thoughts. But honestly though…What a pity, right Hina? To think that our Quirks favor each other so much, but the drawbacks of our cooperation though!
True. Hina agreed slowly. I can't go right after you, unless time was given for us to adjust…after all, Quirks are just another one of our physical functions…
Alright! So some inquiries regarding the settings of this fic has been brought to my attention, so I'm gonna answer them here. This is SUPER LONG, but feel free to skip and ignore it!
Question 1: Seven identities don't mean seven Quirks or seven souls, it's still one body and she's still one person after all, she's just a schizophrenic.
Answer: Alright, I get what you mean. I'm certain that many people think the same thing as well. I agree, it is pretty illogical for one body to have seven Quirks, regardless of seven identities or not but listen. DON'T WORRY; I have everything planned out, if you would just give me the time to reveal the secrets of its mechanism at the right moment ahhhhh! Please be patient and thank you!
Also, (this is super important so I'm going to make an emphasis on this) there is a DIFFERENCE between Schizophrenia and the Dissociative Identity Disorder! It really surprised me how many people were unable to tell these two apart but oh well! It's my job to explain! What Nana has is the Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and NOT Schizophrenia! Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to understand what is real. Common symptoms include false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, hearing voices that others do not hear (pretty sure this one is what got people confused), reduced social engagement and emotional expression, and a lack of motivation. The Dissociative identity disorder (DID), also known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), is a mental disorder characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities or dissociated personality states. These states alternately show in a person's behavior, accompanied by memory impairment for important information not explained by ordinary forgetfulness. These symptoms are not accounted for by substance abuse, seizures, or other medical conditions, nor by imaginative play in children.
Question 2: Since Nana was locked away all those years, when would she have had the opportunity to watch or even reference Indiana Jones?
Answer: Well, if you think about it, Indiana Jones has been out for quite a while, right? The Last Crusade came out in 1989; and as we all know, My Hero Academia is actually set at least half a century into the future (roughly judging from All For One's age); I can probably reference the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and it wouldn't be a problem; because in MHA's universe, it has already happened!
Anyways, my point is, it wouldn't have been unnatural if Nana has had the chance to watch Indiana Jones (and remembered it) before she was kidnapped at the age of seven. Take myself for example; I can still recall the plot of Final Destination 2 (2003), and the movie Van Helsing (2004), (because they traumatized me), which I both watched on TV along with my older cousins before I entered elementary. Even if Nana didn't watch Indiana Jones before she was kidnapped, can we be certain that Hiyama wasn't generous enough to give her a TV during her stay in the basement? No, we can't. (I haven't described the basement in detail yet, because the description of it will be a key point in how I'll maneuver the plot later on, and I wanna give myself some space to write; but I kinda imagined it to be somewhat similar to the book/movie Room, so there's that.) Let's say that Nana didn't watch Indiana Jones before or after she was kidnapped; but it has been quite a while since she escaped the basement. Perhaps Hana had the luxury of time to browse through the selection of movies the Villain Alliance had on their Netflix during her stay with them? Maybe there is a TV installed in Nana's room inside U.A.? Considering the fact which Nana's parents had bought her a phone, could she have watched the movie online during her free time as well? There are many possibilities to consider! :D
Okay, so I'm gonna give another great thank you to everyone who has bothered to read this humble little fic of mine up to now, and if there are any other inquiries, please do not hesitate to ask me! (The answers I can give you may be a bit limited if it considers future plot twists and/or spoilers tho) (And for those asking for longer chapters...I'm writing these chapters at a length which I'm comfortable with for weekly updates, if you want longer chapters...It may become a monthly update? Your choice) Also, I'm really glad that you guys enjoyed Sana so much! But please don't forget that Nana's the main character QAQ Nana needs your love and affection too!
Anyways, would anyone like to have a guess on what the drawbacks of Sana's (and maybe Hina/Nina's) Quirk is? (Like how Todoroki can't stand using his ice side for too long because it'll give him frostbites?) (Yep, there are limitations to the #prettymuchinvincible Sana's Quirk too lol)