Momo Yaoyorozu stared at her reflection in the locker room mirror, methodically securing her hair into its signature spiky ponytail.
The announcement for her match against Mina Ashido had come minutes ago, leaving her alone with her thoughts and the distant roar of the crowd filtering through concrete walls.
She'd watched Todoroki's match from the monitor—that overwhelming display of power that had transformed the stadium into a winter landscape. Raw, elemental force that had left spectators in awe.
Momo didn't have that kind of quirk. Creation wasn't flashy. It required knowledge, planning, precision. But today she needed to show it could be just as effective.
Her fingers paused mid-motion as the conversation she'd had with Camie yesterday replayed in her mind.
"You can't be a burden on Izuku."
The words had struck deeper than she cared to admit. Not because she harbored very strong feelings for Izuku—though she did—but because they touched on her deepest fear: being someone others couldn't rely on when it mattered.
Being a burden.
She thought back to the USJ incident. How she'd frozen. How Camie had needed to push her into action. How Midoriya had fought that horrifying creature to protect them all while she'd been in the mountain zone.
"Not today," she whispered to her reflection. Today she would prove—to herself more than anyone—that she deserved her place at UA.
The memory of last week's training session surfaced, clear and vivid...
"You're overthinking again," Midoriya said, his voice gentle but firm as they stood in Gym Gamma's reinforced training area.
Momo lowered her arm, the half-formed staff dissolving back into her skin. "I'm trying to calculate the optimal density for—"
"That's exactly the problem." Midoriya stepped closer. "You're calculating when you should be feeling."
"My quirk requires precise molecular knowledge," she countered, frustration edging into her voice. "It's not like your martial arts where I can just—"
"Actually, it's exactly like that." His green eyes held hers steadily. "When I throw a punch, I'm not consciously calculating angle, force, or momentum. My body knows."
Momo shook her head. "That's different. You've trained your muscle memory."
"And you've trained your mind." He tapped his temple. "You know these molecular structures. You don't need to recalculate them every time."
From her position near the entrance, Midnight checked her watch. "You two have fifteen more minutes. I have a date tonight, so don't make me late."
"Yes, Midnight-sensei," they answered in unison.
When the pro hero returned to scrolling through her phone, Midoriya lowered his voice. "Try something for me?"
Momo nodded, willing to try anything at this point.
"Close your eyes," he instructed.
She complied, feeling oddly vulnerable.
"Now, don't think about creating a staff. Feel it. Feel the weight of it in your hand. The texture. The balance."
"That's not how my quirk—"
"Just try," he said softly. "Trust yourself."
Momo took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs completely before releasing it slowly. She pushed aside the equations and molecular diagrams that usually preceded her creations. Instead, she focused on sensation—the weight of a perfectly balanced bo staff, the smooth texture of polished wood against her palm, the solid reliability of it.
A strange warmth spread through her right arm, different from the usual heat of creation. This felt... natural. Effortless.
"Open your eyes," Midoriya whispered.
Momo looked down to find a perfect bo staff in her hand—exactly as she'd imagined it. Not calculated it. Imagined it.
"I..." she stared at the weapon in disbelief. "How did you know that would work?"
Midoriya smiled. "Because you already know everything you need to know. You just need to trust yourself."
He reached out, his hand hovering near her arm. "May I?"
She nodded, and his fingers closed around her wrist, adjusting her grip on the staff.
"Here," he said, positioning her hands. "Feel that balance point?"
The contact sent a jolt through her that had nothing to do with combat training. His touch was both gentle and confident, his calloused fingers warm against her skin.
"Now," he continued, oblivious to her reaction, "let's work on your stance."
He moved behind her, his hands lightly touching her shoulders to adjust their position. "Lower your center of gravity," he instructed, one hand moving to her waist to demonstrate.
Momo's breath caught. His proximity made it difficult to focus on the technical aspects of what he was teaching. She was acutely aware of his scent—a clean, subtle combination of soap and something uniquely him. The solid presence of his chest just inches from her back. The careful precision of his hands as they guided her into proper form.
"There," he said, stepping back to observe her stance. "Now you're ready to move."
For the next ten minutes, he walked her through basic staff techniques, focusing on flow rather than force. Momo found herself relaxing into the movements, letting the knowledge she'd accumulated about leverage and momentum guide her instead of second-guessing every action.
"That's it," Midoriya encouraged as she completed a complex sequence without hesitation. "You're a natural."
The praise warmed her more than it should have. Not because it came from him specifically—though that certainly amplified it—but because it acknowledged something she rarely heard: that she had natural talent, not just book learning.
"Time's up, lovebirds," Midnight called from the entrance, smirking as she slipped her phone into her pocket. "Unless you want to buy me dinner to make up for my missed date."
Momo felt heat rush to her face. "We're just training, sensei."
"Mmhmm," Midnight's knowing smile suggested she thought otherwise. "Well, training's over. Wrap it up."
As they walked toward the exit, Midoriya gave her a sideways glance. "You know, you're going to be amazing in the festival."
"You think so?"
"I know so." His expression turned serious. "Your quirk is incredible, Yaoyorozu. And more importantly, so are you. You just need to trust that."
The simple certainty in his voice made something bloom in her chest—something warm and bright and frighteningly fragile.
In that moment, looking at his earnest expression, Momo felt like the most precious person in the world.
The memory faded as the five-minute warning blared through the speakers. Momo finished securing her ponytail with a sharp tug.
"Trust yourself," she whispered, echoing Midoriya's words.
She left the locker room, spine straight, mind clear. The roar of the crowd grew louder as she approached the tunnel leading to the arena. She could hear Present Mic's enthusiastic commentary, though the words were indistinct through the concrete walls.
At the tunnel's mouth, she paused, taking one final deep breath.
This wasn't about impressing Midoriya. It wasn't even about proving herself to Camie or anyone else. This was about becoming the hero she wanted to be—someone others could depend on in a crisis. Someone who didn't freeze when faced with danger.
Someone worthy of standing beside people like Midoriya, who gave everything to protect others.
The stadium erupted in cheers as Present Mic announced her entrance. "FROM CLASS 1-A, THE EVERYTHING HERO WITH THE MIND OF A GENIUS—YAOYOROZU MOMO!"
Across the concrete platform, Mina Ashido bounced on her toes, her pink skin vibrant against the blue sky, her black-and-gold eyes glittering with excitement.
"AND HER OPPONENT, ALSO FROM CLASS 1-A, THE GIRL WITH MOVES THAT WILL MELT YOUR HEART—AND POSSIBLY EVERYTHING ELSE—ASHIDO MINA!"
Mina waved enthusiastically to the crowd, her energy infectious. Several audience members responded with matching waves and cheers.
Momo took her position, her mind already racing through potential strategies. Ashido was agile, unpredictable, and her acid posed a serious threat to any physical creation. Direct confrontation would be risky.
"READYYY?" Midnight raised her whip, looking between the two contestants. "BEGIN!"
Mina didn't waste a second. She slid forward on a stream of acid, covering the distance between them with alarming speed.
"Sorry, Yaomomo!" she called, acid forming around her fist. "Nothing personal!"
Momo's right arm glowed as she created a shield, bringing it up just in time to block Mina's acid-enhanced punch. The shield sizzled where the acid made contact, already beginning to dissolve.
First lesson: direct defense won't work for long.
Momo abandoned the damaged shield, leaping backward while simultaneously creating a smoke bomb from her left palm. She threw it down, enveloping herself in thick gray smoke.
"Sneaky!" Mina's voice called from beyond the smoke cloud. "But I can still find you!"
Momo didn't doubt it. This wasn't about hiding—it was about buying time. Within the smoke's cover, she created her next items: a pair of insulated rubber boots and gloves, followed by a long metal pole.
The smoke began to clear, revealing Mina circling cautiously at the edge of the dissipating cloud.
"There you are!" Mina grinned, immediately sliding forward again on her acid trail.
Momo planted the metal pole firmly into the concrete, using it to vault over Mina's charging form. She landed behind her classmate, her rubber boots protecting her from the acid trail on the ground.
"Whoa!" Mina spun around, clearly impressed by the maneuver. "Nice moves, Yaomomo!"
Rather than respond, Momo created a series of small glass spheres, tossing them in Mina's path. They shattered on impact with the ground, releasing a slick oil across the concrete.
Mina's acid slide hit the oil slick, causing her to lose control. She wobbled precariously, arms pinwheeling as she tried to maintain balance.
"That's playing dirty!" Mina laughed even as she struggled to stay upright.
Momo didn't waste the opportunity. She created a capture net, throwing it toward her off-balance opponent.
Mina recovered faster than expected, secreting a burst of particularly potent acid that dissolved the net before it could ensnare her. "Too slow!"
Second lesson: Ashido's reflexes are exceptional.
Momo needed to change tactics. Creating objects to directly capture or attack Mina wasn't working—the acid user was too quick, too adaptable. She needed something less predictable.
As Mina prepared another sliding attack, Momo created a small remote-controlled device and tossed it to the side of the arena. Mina's eyes tracked the movement briefly before refocusing on Momo.
"Distraction won't work on me!" She launched forward, acid coating both hands now.
Instead of retreating again, Momo stood her ground, creating a thick steel staff that extended into a bo staff. She spun it expertly—just as Midoriya had taught her—deflecting Mina's acid-coated hands without making direct contact.
For several seconds, they engaged in close combat—Mina attacking with acid-enhanced strikes, Momo defending with precise staff movements that kept the acid from making contact.
"Since when can you fight like this?" Mina asked between strikes, genuine surprise in her voice.
Momo didn't answer, focused on maintaining her defense while waiting for the right moment. She allowed herself to be pushed back gradually toward the edge of the ring, making it appear as though Mina was gaining the advantage.
"Almost got you!" Mina grinned, increasing the pressure of her attacks.
Just as they neared the boundary line, Momo pressed a small button concealed in her palm. The remote device she'd tossed aside earlier activated, projecting a blinding flash of light from behind Mina.
The pink-skinned girl instinctively turned her head toward the sudden light, momentarily distracted.
In that split second, Momo ripped open her top, dropped her staff and created her trump card—a pneumatic cannon that formed directly from her abdomen. Before Mina could recover, the cannon fired a specialized projectile: a capsule containing a rapidly-hardening polymer designed to be acid-resistant.
The capsule struck Mina squarely in the torso, bursting on impact. The polymer expanded instantly, encasing her arms and torso in a hardening foam that restricted her movement.
"What the—!" Mina struggled against the rapidly solidifying substance. "No fair!"
Momo didn't give her time to adapt. She rushed forward, creating a final item—a simple push broom. With one firm sweep, she pushed the immobilized Mina over the boundary line.
"OUT OF BOUNDS!" Midnight declared, raising her whip. "YAOYOROZU ADVANCES TO THE NEXT ROUND!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, many standing to applaud the tactical display they'd just witnessed.
"WHAT AN INCREDIBLE MATCH!" Present Mic's voice boomed throughout the stadium. "YAOYOROZU USED STRATEGY AND PRECISION TO OVERCOME ASHIDO'S RAW POWER AND SPEED!"
Momo released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She'd done it. Not with overwhelming power like Todoroki, but with planning, adaptability, and precise execution.
She approached Mina, who was still struggling with the hardening polymer. "Let me help," she offered, creating a solvent that would break down the substance without reacting with Mina's acid.
"That was amazing, Yaomomo!" Mina said as the polymer began to dissolve. "Where did you learn to fight like that with a staff?"
Momo felt heat rise to her cheeks. "I've been... getting some extra training."
"With Midoriya, right? I've seen you two at Gym Gamma."
Before Momo could respond, Mina was free of the polymer and bouncing to her feet. She threw an arm around Momo's shoulders. "No wonder you've gotten so good! That boy knows his stuff."
Together they walked toward the exit tunnel, Mina chattering enthusiastically about the match while Momo nodded politely, her mind already turning to her next challenge.
If she was right, and if Camie won her match against Kendo, they would face each other in the next round. The thought sent a complicated mix of emotions through her—determination, anxiety, and a strange sort of anticipation.
This would be her chance to prove once and for all. To show that she wasn't a burden—that she was someone others could depend on.
That Midoriya could depend on.
She had her mind. Her quirk. Her adaptability.
And for the first time since entering UA, Momo Yaoyorozu truly believed that might be enough.