Everyone is examining the bracket.

Fatal: That’s quite the lineup; most of the matches seem pretty even on paper.

Walker: Well, except one.

Fatal: Silver and Hayze?

Walker: Yeah, that one could be over in a few short minutes. It’s unfortunate for Hayze, but it’s probably better for the school this way; there are probably people in the stands today that are here just to see Silver in action. Watching him annihilate his opponent will probably make them salivate.

Colossus: You really have no faith in your student? Isn’t he the one that gave me a “challenge” during the training exercises a few days ago? He seemed pretty intuitive.

Walker: It’s not that I have no faith, Hayze can be resourceful, but Silver is in another league; his quirk could give some low-ranking pros trouble. Your son is the only one I could see beating him. Some of the other students could put up a fight, but Hayze’s goal will probably have to be surviving long enough to impress a scout or two.

Some of the crowd members are discussing.

Crowd Member 1: Wait, did she say deadly force? So these kids are gonna try and kill each other?

Crowd Member 2: Not exactly; the school nurse is called Recovery Girl. She’s one of the best medical heroes in the country. Her power can bring people back from the brink of death. So they let their students and teachers go all out, hold nothing back in battle? That’s how U.A. has developed some of the greatest heroes of all time, including Colossus. When these kids are heroes facing villains, their lives will be on the line; U.A. wants the students to feel that pressure during their training.

Crowd Member 1: Jesus, that’s sick.

Crowd Member 2: They may be kids, but legally they’re adults; not everyone agrees with U.A.’s method, but they got their rep as the best hero school in the country for a reason; it works.

Crowd Member 1: Yeah, I guess you’re right.

Back down to the students.

Madame Mummy: Alright, has everyone memorized their matchup? Good. The first match is between Blair Maddox and Tara Blackwell, so you two stay here with me. As for the rest of you, head into the stands and sit in the remaining competitors' section. You'll get a front-row seat to see your competition in action.

Everyone except Blair and Tara heads through the tunnel.

Madame Mummy: Alright, you two, face each other in the center of the arena.

Blair and Tara do as told; Madame Mummy is off to the side by a few yards.

Madame Mummy: Alright, now for the environment you’ll be battling in.

A forest manifests around them from the virtual reality machines. There is a clearing in the center of the arena where they’re standing.

Up in the stands, the other 18 competitors take their seats. 1-B sits with one another, Silver and Justus sit by themselves, the girls sit together, and the rest of the guys sit next to each other.

Zach: Woah, so we’ll be fighting in a forest?

Jace: Dang, I guess the battles are designed to be a bit more tactical.

Aaron: Yeah, but the center area is a flatland for more simple combat, the best of both worlds.

Angel: So, who do you think has the edge in this match?

Gus: They’re both female, so they’ll probably both lose.

Aaron: Probably Blair; she’s got a mean left knee.

Wes: Are we not gonna comment on what Gus just said?

Zach: Hayze, you know this Tara girl. What do you think Blair’s chances are?

Hayze: Honestly, I don’t know much about her, other than she’s weird and likes gadgets. I don’t even know what her quirk is exactly, but Tara knows what Blair’s is and how she uses it, which puts Blair at a considerable disadvantage and, to make things worse… Tara knows Blair’s biggest weakness.

In the center with Tara and Blair.

Blair: Alright, listen here, chick, you’re going down! That’s a promise!

Tara laughs.

Tara: Big talk coming from a “small” girl.

Blair: Nice try, but it will take more than that to get under my skin!

Tara: I know that’s a lie; I spent days watching hours upon hours of footage from hero exercises your class has completed over the last month. I know that you’re a hothead with a short fuse, and I’m gonna light it.

Blair: *frustrated grunt* Okay, so what if I have a short fuse! I’ll just channel my anger into knocking you out!

Blair forms a magma fist.

Blair: This won’t take long.

Tara: It’s adorable that you think acting tough will cover up the massive insecurities you’re trying to ignore.

Blair: What did you just say!

Tara: Oh, come on, it’s pretty obvious that you had some sort of traumatic experience in your childhood that caused you to become highly self-conscious and lack self-esteem. Then when your body didn’t develop the way the other girl’s bodies were, those feelings were heightened even further. So now, since you have no idea how to handle your insecurities, you respond with violence every time they’re even mentioned. Am I close?

The whole stadium is silent.

Wes: Damn…

Aaron: Gonna need a whole freezer after that burn…

Hayze: Did I mention she’s kind of intelligent...

Blair is visibly frustrated, Tara laughs.

Tara: Didn’t you say like a second ago that you wouldn’t let me get under your skin? Where did that go?

Blair takes a deep breath, attempting to calm herself.

Blair: (She’s trying to annoy me and get me off balance, I just have to tune her out.)

Madame Mummy puts her hand in the air.

Madame Mummy: You two are aware of the rules at this point; the match will end when I declare a winner. Any attempt to harm your opponent after that will result in immediate disqualification. Understood?

Blair: Yes!

Tara: *giggles* Mhm…

Madame Mummy: (I have a feeling this one could get brutal.) Okay… Begin!

Madame Mummy leaps back about 20 yards to stay out of the girls’ way.

Blair: I’m a hero course student; I’ll defeat you no problem!

Blair charges at Tara.

Tara: (I like this girl; she amuses me.)

Blair tries to uppercut Tara, but Tara files into the air and begins hovering.

Tara: Jet propulsion boots, baby! All a part of the genius work of Tara Blackwell!

Tara pulls out the blueprints for the jet boots.

Tara: I call them the Jetbootsu, and they would be an excellent purchase for any of you wealthy investors out there!

Blair stares at Tara, dumbfounded.

Blair: (Is she… advertising… IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MATCH!) GET BACK DOWN HERE BITCH!

Tara: The only one who should be concerned with down right now… is you.

Blair: (Huh? What is she-)

Blair hears a beeping noise.

Blair: (Oh no…)

Tara: Have fun!

Blair looks down to see a disc at her feet. It blows up, making a fart noise and leaving a giant cold of brown gas around Blair.

Blair: *coughing* OH GOD, WHAT IS THAT SMELL!

Tara lands and sits on a tree branch laughing.

Tara: Hope you like my patented stink bomb! *whispers* Patent pending.

Blair runs out of the stink cloud, gagging from the noxious odor.

Tara: Now the trash smells like trash!

Blair is dead silent. Tara puts a clothespin on her nose.

Tara: What, no angry remark this time?

Blair: Do you ever SHUT UP!

Tara: No.

Blair: You think humiliating me is gonna make it easier to beat me, huh? Well, bitch, I'm gonna destroy you for that one!

Tara: OH, I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT!

Blair: SHUT. UP!

Blair charges towards the tree Tara is in.

Tara: Oh god, this clothespin is not working. Maybe I added too many used gym socks in the concoction?

Blair begins punching the tree with her magma armor fists, slowly knocking away the lumber.

Blair: Get down from there!

Tara: Um… I feel like you’re forgetting something…

Blair: WHAT!

Tara flies over to a different tree.

Blair: *frustrated yell*

All of Blair’s classmates are watching intently.

Wes: God, Blair is terrifying…

Zach: Yeah… but I think this Tara girl is freaking me out more. She’s laughing at Blair right now…

Jace: I can’t tell if she knows what Blair will do if she gets her hands on her.

Gus: Maybe she does, and that’s why she’s laughing…

Wes, Zach, and Jace gulp.

Hayze: (This isn’t good, Blair’s letting her emotions control her, she’s not thinking straight.)

Tara pulls out another stink bomb.

Tara: I was gonna hit you with another one, but I think I’d end up winning you the whole tournament. Everyone will just pass out from smelling you.

Blair’s hyperventilating from anger.

Tara: Uh oh… looks like I’m in trouble.

Blair: THIS ISN’T FUNNY!

Tara: I think it is.

Blair: IT’S NOT!

Tara: Tragedy plus time equals comedy. It’s a pretty famous formula, you know.

Blair: What! That doesn’t make sense!

Tara: Of course it does! The tragedy is that I, a lowly support course student, am gonna defeat a full-fledged hero student IN THE FIRST ROUND! And we get closer to that reality with each passing second…

Blair: LIKE I’D EVER LET THAT HAPPEN!

Tara: Oh… really? What are you gonna do?

Blair: Watch!

Blair removes her magma gauntlets and puts her hands together. A new variant of her magma armor begins forming around them, in the shape of a cannon.

Tara: Oh?

Blair: Yeah… you’re going down!

The girls of 1-A are shocked.

Karma: She’s using her ultimate attack this early? What is she thinking?

Alexis: I don’t think she’s thinking…

Blair points the cannon upward, a lava blast begins forming inside it.

Blair: NAPALM ANNIHILATION!

Blair launches a giant sphere of lava into the air that goes about 100 feet in the air. Then it bursts into a rainstorm of lava particles.

Blair: EAT IT, BITCH!

Tara: Oh, this is perfect for showing off my invention!

Tara grabs an item from her toolbelt and presses the button on it; it extends into a metal umbrella. The lava rainstorm hits the forest, setting fires all throughout it. Madame Mummy jumps into the stands to protect herself. Tara uses her jet boots to fly into the air again.

Tara: WEEE!

The lava hits Tara's umbrella and simply slides off of it.

Blair: What!

Tara: Man, you’re doing a great job helping me showcase my cool gadgets!

Blair: What is that thing made out of!

Tara: It’s made of tungsten, an element with a melting point about three times the heat of your lava. And if anyone would like to purchase it, call me!

Blair falls to her knees with a look of anguish on her face.

Blair: But that was… my… my best move...

Tara: Oh man, then you’re gonna need to work on some new moves!

Blair: Shut up!

Tara: Get it! I said man because-

Blair: *frustrated yell*

Blair grabs her lava pistols and starts blasting nonstop lava shots at Tara. Tara simply moves the umbrella down facing Blair; it absorbs all of the shots.

Tara: Are you done with your temper tantrum yet? Because I have like 3 or 4 more gadgets, I want to show them off, which is kind of hard to do if you’re interrupting me.

Blair is dead silent, just looking down at the ground with a look of defeat on her face.

Tara: Okay, then thank you!

Madame Mummy leaps back into the arena.

Madame Mummy: (It’s not often we see a hero student lose to a non-hero in the Sports Festival. But this girl is ruthless; it only took her a short amount of time interacting with Blair to figure out how to push her buttons perfectly. And now, with the look in Blair’s eyes… she might have already won this match.)

Blair falls to her knees with tears rolling down her face. Tara begins showcasing various gadgets to the audience, causing the crowd to boo.

Crowd Member 1: KEEP FIGHTING!

Crowd Member 2: WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID GADGETS!

Tara: SHUT THE FUCK UP!

The girls of 1-A watch their friend with concern.

Ash: Poor Blair…

Alexis: That’s what happens when you’re prideful… you’re fragile.

Lilith: She can still win, though, right?

Karma: Of course, but Blair needs to believe that before she can start turning the tide of this battle.

Lilith: I hope she does…

Ash: Come on, Blair...

Blair is completely paralyzed.

Blair: (Why is this chick who isn't even in the hero course making me look like such a weakling! I promised myself I'd never let anyone walk all over me again; I want to be strong….)

Flashes of Blair’s time in Middle and High School go through her head.

Blair: (My quirk was nothing but a shield for me; I felt so pitiful, I never wanted to feel that way again, and now here I am, balling my eyes out in front of all my friends, a crowd of thousands, and a national audience on TV. I wanted the Sports Festival to be my way of showing off how tough I really am, to prove everyone who has ever doubted me wrong, but no, I can't hide from what I really am… a weak girl who hides her pain behind her anger. Tara was right about me…)

Blair flashes back to her youth, dreaming of being a U.A. Student and subsequently a hero.

Blair: (I want to be a hero because it means I'm strong, and I can finally shake this feeling that I've always had lingering over me once and for all. Getting into U.A. was awesome because I beat out so many other people to get one of the 36 spots. But on the first day, Mr. Walker asked us if we thought we could injure him, and I hesitated… then I couldn't beat Silver. I was just a sacrifice for Justus to get away; that’s all I was worth. Then during the training exercise two days ago, I was humiliated in front of everyone; I was worthless again. Isaiah and Alden made fun of me just because of something I can’t control; all guys are just jerks who judge women purely based on looks. Everything’s been a disaster, and this is the cherry on top...)

“ Hayze: Not all of us guys are like that. “ - Chapter 12

“ Hayze: Listen, Blair's a very nice girl. You shouldn’t make fun of her; come on, be friends! “ - Chapter 14

Blair: (Well, at least Hayze tried to make me feel better. Actually, thinking of Hayze… He can’t even fully control his quirk, yet he made Colossus sweat; he’s weak, but he didn’t need to be strong; he put his team in situations where they can be most useful, like what he did with Ash in the second round to get Aaron’s headband. What was it he said when Colossus got crushed by Lilith?)

“ Hayze: First rule of strategy: The first move is always a fake. “ - Chapter 9

Blair: (You know what... maybe I need to take a page out of his book. I promised myself I’d never let anyone walk all over me again… and I’m not gonna break that promise.)

Blair slowly gets up and wipes off her face.

Zach: Hey guys, look! Blair’s up!

Gus: She’s probably just gonna get knocked down again.

Hayze: No… she’s got a different look in her eyes… She's got something planned.

Tara is on the ground in the middle of the arena showing off her invented pair of gloves.

Tara: YOU SEE THEY MELT ALL FABRICS; I CALL THEM THE GROPE GLOVES, PERFECT FOR MEN AGE 30 AND UP!

Tara notices Blair running at her.

Tara: Well, these are useless against her. So, are you finally ready to admit defeat stenchy?

Tara uses her boots to jump into the air, just like last time Blair ran at her. But this time, Blair stops and starts shooting her lava pistols at Tara.

Tara: Oh, so you’ve learned, huh!

Tara deploys her tungsten umbrella again and points it at Blair. Blair begins backing up while still firing; Tara adjusts the umbrella’s angle to continue blocking the shots.

Tara: (I wonder what she’s up to?)

Blair starts moving forward.

Tara: (Oh, I see… she’s trying to keep me on my toes and see if I slip up and create an opening. Well, that’s not happening!)

Tara begins backing up to keep her distance from Blair.

Tara: (Man, this walking cutting board is persistent, I LIKE THAT! Unfortunately for her and what’s left of her dignity though, I’ve got one more invention to show off… the or-)

Tara backs into the thick cloud of smoke over the forest, which obstructs her view of Blair.

Tara: (Oh no! I forgot about the fire she started with her napalm attack!)

Because Tara plugged her nose with a clothespin, she starts choking profusely on the smoke.

Tara: (Crap, I can’t stay here. Otherwise, I’ll pass out and lose!)

Tara takes off the clothespin and flies out of the smoke; Blair throws a piece of volcanic rock at her the second she comes into her view. This takes Tara by surprise, the rock hits her, and she falls onto the ground. Blair starts running at her. Tara sees this and gets up quickly.

Tara: We’ve already been over this twice, Flat Stanley!

Tara starts to get ready to jump in the air before Blair can reach her, but this time something is different; Tara takes one whiff of the foul odor coming from Blair and gags.

Tara: (OH GOD! DEFINITELY TOO MANY GYM SOCKS!)

Blair: FUCK! YOU!

Blair forms magma armor around her leg and kicks Tara right in the crotch, shattering her pelvis. Tara falls to the ground writhing in pain, her eyes watering from the putrid smell. She starts laughing hysterically.

Tara: Oh, I like you! You tricked me into flying into the smoke, knowing I’d have to take my nose plug off to breathe; then, once you got within smelling distance of me… it was over.

Blair: I fucking hate you…

Tara: You’re welcome!

Blair: *sighs* What even is your quirk?

Tara: I have an IQ of 200, but I’m a sociopath!

Blair looks at her with a dumbfounded look on her face.

Tara: Anyways, I think I’m done...

Madame Mummy walks over to the girls.

Madame Mummy: Are you conceding defeat?

Tara: Well, I can’t feel my waist area, and I think I just pissed and shit myself, so yeah, I’m done.

Madame Mummy: Okay, the winner is Blair Maddox.

The crowd cheers for Blair in her victory. Silver immediately gets up and leaves the competitors section.

Hayze: (Good for Blair, she overcame her emotions and won the match.)

Alexis: Leave it to Blair to defeat her opponent with a swift kick to the nether region.

Karma: Apparently, it does work on girls.

Wes: (Thank god we’re not on the same side of the bracket...)

Killian: *to Sydney* Might wanna get some metal underwear.

Sydney: Very funny, she doesn’t scare me.

Aaron: Well, that was an entertaining start. Guess you’re up next, eh Hayze?

Hayze: Yeah, I am.

Zach: Do your best, man.

Gus: Yeah, you got this.

Hayze gets up and leaves.

Gus: 50 Bucks on Silver!

Wes: Ha, 60 on Silver!

Aaron: I’ll put 1 dollar on Hayze.

Wes: Worthless bet.

Aaron: Always bet something when the payout is big.

The virtual forest resets, Tara is taken away on a stretcher. Blair looks up at the cheering crowd.

Blair: (I… did it. I didn’t let my anger get the better of me… thank god… but I can’t celebrate yet. I’m technically not even out of the first round yet.)

Blair looks into the competitor’s section and locks eyes with Sydney.

Blair: (You’re next!)

Hayze walks down the hallway to enter the arena. Tara’s stretcher is being rolled past Hayze.

Tara: Wait, stop.

The doctors stop her next to Hayze.

Hayze: So, you finally got what was coming to you for making fun of Blair, huh?

Tara: Yeah, but it’s SO MUCH FUN TO MAKE FUN OF HER!

Hayze laughs.

Hayze: So, what do you want to talk to me about?

Tara: You’re fighting that guy Silver, right?

Hayze: Yeah.

Tara: You’ve got your work cut out for you; I watched him a bunch while I was developing the EMILY. I don’t think you can win.

Hayze: Thanks…

Tara: There is one thing, though…

Hayze: Hm?

Tara: He relies on that silver dust of his so much… I wonder what would happen if he lost it.

Hayze: Is that a suggestion or a statement?

Tara: A statement.

Hayze: Well, his dust is a formidable offense and defense, so I don’t blame him. But if I’m gonna beat him, I have to figure out his weakness.

Tara: Good luck!

The doctors wheel Tara away.

Hayze: (She’s a whack job, but I think she means well. After all, she did help Blair if you think about it-)

Hayze gags.

Hayze: (Oh god, what is that?)

Hayze turns to see Blair walking towards him.

Hayze: (What the hell did Tara make that stink bomb out of!)

Blair: Hey Hayze, good luck with your match.

Hayze: Uh, yeah, thanks, Blair.

Blair: By the way... thank you for letting me be on your team earlier; I didn’t thank you, so I thought I would now.

Hayze: Oh… it’s nothing… You were a big help.

Blair smiles at Hayze.

Blair: Go and win your match so that we can face each other in the second round!

Hayze: (FUCK.)

Blair: Bye now.

Blair walks off towards the viewing area. Once her smell leaves, Hayze falls to his knees, thankful to have survived.

Hayze: (You know, when she isn’t trying to castrate people with her knees, she’s kind of cute…)

Inside the arena, Silver stands in the center with Madame Mummy.

Colossus: Well, let’s see how this goes.

Walker: This could be over in a hurry. Let’s just hope Silver makes it merciful.

Fatal: (I wanna stay hopeful, but it’s hard to… when he’s up against this…)

Hayze walks out of the tunnel and into the center of the arena, facing Silver.

Silver: Hayze, I’m sorry you drew the short straw on this one; I would have liked to have seen how far you could have gone if you were matched against someone else.

Hayze looks down at Silver’s belt and counts 6 silver dust canisters.

Hayze: That's a lot of silver; you sure you're actually that confident?

Silver: Pfft, trying to rattle me won’t work, I have a goal of being the number 1 hero, and you are a stepping stone in my path towards that goal; I refuse to lose to anyone in this tournament, especially not you.

Hayze: You know, it was funny seeing you and Justus form your teams before the second competition. You both kept looking over at each other; it was like you were playing chess, making moves in response to one another. You both think it’s you two at the top, and the rest of us are pawns or, in your words, stepping stones. I may not be the strongest person here, but it’s time someone taught you two a lesson about overlooking your competition.

Silver laughs.

Silver: I respect you, Hayze, but what’s a guy who’s only had his quirk for a few months gonna do against me?

Hayze smiles.

Hayze: Beat you.