The final event was beginning, and after her own dreadful performance in the rest of the exams, Takagi was ecstatic to take part in an event that played to her advantage. That dismembered girl's prank and Yuu's own comment in regards to her had cut down her morale severely, but now was the time for her to excel. Of course, she couldn't go all out—there wasn't a need to kill or cripple anyone here, after all. Still, she'd be capable of so much more here than before. Really, so terrible that Yuutsu thought she had to be holding back...
Once again, Takagi hung her head in despair before giving her cheek a light slap. Just as he had said, she just had to show what she was capable of when it really mattered.
As the groups were organized and given time to strategize, her own didn't take the time to develop a plan. Rather, a few simply stated whether they would center on defense or offense. With a smirk, Takagi voiced her own position as well.
"I'm going on the offensive," She stated to her team, looking over the opposition. Takagi wanted to not only win in her assault, but to win against one of the more prodigious students. The ones that took the spotlight and excelled in the tests thus far. Yuutsu was on the enemy team, which was unfortunate. He was strong, certainly, but fighting and beating him wouldn't exactly make her feel better from her pitiful performance thus far. Misoka as well, and as much as getting the prankster back for earlier sounded ever so satisfying in her mind, Takagi wanted to aim higher. Setting her eyes on Shouya, she grinned. The other recommendation. He would be a perfect target.
As the signal flare shot up, the attackers on both teams charged, Takagi included. Charging passed the enemy attackers, it was clear since the beginning who her target was. She held a smirk throughout her advance, though no obvious change made itself apparent. By now it was obvious that Takagi's quirk was subtle, either that or impossible to make use of in the prior exams, but for someone who had performed with such mediocrity before, she certainly seemed much more confident.
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Eight out of the nine tests were done, and both teachers brought the students to a different location. Here, it was revealed that both classes were to be divided into two teams. They would have to work together in order to grab the flag of the opposing team. Once the explanation was over and done with, they were all given ten minutes to strategize and form a plan against their opponents.
While some were eager to go on the offensive, Shouya decided it would probably be for the best if he stayed behind and made sure no one would snatch the flag from their own base.
"I'll stay behind and defend our flag." Ten minutes passed by in a flash, and the battle between the both teams had begun.
At this rate, it was a given that for Shouya and a bunch of others, their Quirks would be revealed and put to test. It was interesting in his mind, and he was wondering who would make it to the base and eventually end up facing him. At some point he was hoping it would be Yoshio, but other than him, there were others who he was curious about as well.
Unfortunately, Yuutsu was on his team. Paying it no mind no more, he simply stood at his respective position, with his radio on. Misoka was already on her way to get the flag, and with her Quirk, it would perhaps be an easy feat.
A serious expression was plastered on Shouya's face. Battles around the area had already begun. People were already fighting one another in order to win. Yoshio had unfortunately stumbled upon Reika, but while that was happening, Takagi came rushing in, towards him, towards Shouya.
Nonetheless, he was prepared. He began exhaling and inhaling slowly. Focused on his opponent ahead, the temperature around him decreased. If anything, one could literally see him breathing. Below his right feet, the ground had become ice, but in the color of pure white.
The wind was almost if not howling, whereas his white hair fluttered ever so slightly. The ice below his feet extended, and literally moved like a snake towards Takagi. Shouya was hoping she would step on it, allowing him to freeze her entire body, or up to her neck, if he ever so wished for.
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Her opponent faced her, obviously prepared. Unlike her own expression, Shouya's was serious and professional. Takagi could spot foggy breath as he exhaling paired with a chilling temperature. Frost began to materialize on the ground around him. He was preparing to use his ice, that much she could surmise. What would be hard to tell is how he would use it. The quirk was versatile, and his personality differed greatly from the two that controlled flame. Very cautious and tactical. While likely capable of simply flooding the area in a glacier, chances are he would prefer attacks more subtle and precise.
Suddenly, the frost covering the ground he stood on shot out across the flooring and directly towards her. Catering to her image of him, it seemed Shouya wouldn't give her a chance to get close. The attack was fast and low to the ground, but still was rather direct and simple to evade. The fact that neither he nor anyone else knew her quirk gave her an advantage. If Takagi had an accurate picture of her adversary, he was likely to play it safe and compensate for attacks and openings that Takagi wasn't actually able to make use of. It gave her time to test out exactly how much control Shouya had, or so she thought.
As Takagi sidestepped the incoming streak of ice it curved and chased after her, catching a few feet further. The moment the frost touched her heel, it shot upwards, encasing her completely save for the neck up. Grimacing, the freezing cold was more than enough to wipe the cocky expression off her face. As she began to struggle, it was obvious that she was incapable of breaking free. This looked to be a quick win for Shouya and another pitiful loss for Takagi.
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His ice moved in a beeline, yet his opponent, Takagi was sure to evade it, which she did. However his ice was unique and different. He could do so much more with it. It too, turned in the direction of his fellow student, eventually catching up, and encasing her body with ice.
Shouya's mind was calm and collected. He could see from a distant that Takagi was struggling against it, let alone, surprised by what his Quirk could do. His crimson red eyes squinted ever so slightly, knowing that it couldn't be this easy.
He was never the type to underestimate his opponent no matter who he or she was, or what they were capable of doing. If anything, he was strategic and would always observe and stay one step ahead of his opponents. Surely someone who enrolled into the U.A. Academy through a recommendation could do more than to fall for his first move.
Standing there, Shouya eventually took one or two steps to the side, keeping his gaze fixated towards Takagi. There were no words to be shared from his point of view.
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Struggling for a few moments more, Takagi had hoped that she could at least get him to take a few steps forward, but Shouya was much too cautious for that. With a sigh, her smirk returned suddenly as her hair begin to sway.
"D-Don't want to get closer...? My... so paranoid of a girl stuck in a rock of ice..." She chimed at him, not that she expected him to lose his cool at a simple comment, but Takagi wouldn't be Takagi without taunting and teasing those around her.
Suddenly, Takagi's hair rose on its own, curved downwards and shot into the ice, shattering her encasing to pieces. Fighting against the crippling cold, groupings of strands gripped several larger blocks of ice and used the frosty debris as projectiles to be sent at Shouya. Despite the possibility of gaining hypothermia, his attack at least worked to her advantage in giving her supplies to close the distance. Then again, now that he saw what she could do, next time he tried to freeze her it was doubtful that he would stop at the neck.
As the ice blocks shot at Shouya, Takagi once again charged forward, albeit this time subtle changes appeared about her person. The skin on her hands and lower arms began to tense and harden while the nails on her fingers elongated and sharpened. It was unfortunate, but there wasn't much of a possibility of her incapacitating him without roughing him up a bit. Still, this wasn't an actual fight, so Takagi would make sure to avoid using her claws on him rather than as tools to cut his ice.
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Her taunt did not change his demeanor, especially when he noticed how her hair moved and penetrated the ice encasing her body like a drill. Once she was no longer incapacitated, she used his own ice against him.
Shouya's eyes were fixated on her hair, but had to focus on the projectiles coming his way. Raising his hand towards them, he simply balled his hand into a fist, shattering the ice projectiles in the air. One thing was pretty clear. Shouya's ability to manipulate ice was much more advanced than to that of the famous Shota Todoroki.
Nevertheless, this allowed for Takagi to get closer. The projectiles were more or less a distraction, or so he felt. He could clearly see that her body had gone through a change. It was likely because of her Quirk.
Even if he could fight her in close combat, he knew that because of her Quirk, it would be difficult, and her sharpened nails could do some serious damage unless prepared.
"How long can your body stay like that?" He simply asked a question he didn't expect an answer to.
During that moment, he simply placed his hand on the surface beneath him. Only a few seconds later, a circle of ice had formed around him. The ground basically opened up before rocks of ice blasted through it. As if the surface had exploded around him.
"I'll return the favor." He added, before he tilted his head up from the surface, looking back at Takagi. Ice, in the shape of spears were going straight for his opponent, but not all of them were directly aimed at her, some were likely going to pass by her, and that was intentional.
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Watching the projectiles explode, it seemed his level of control far surpassed that of what Takagi expected of him. It seemed as though he didn't need to touch his ice in order to manipulate it. That would be an issue. If she wanted to beat him, she would either have to wear him down, which she wasn't sure she could do, or go on the offensive in close quarters. Getting within arms-length however is what was proving to be an issue.
Hearing a remark from him, Takagi let a grin grace her lips.
"I wonder... Let's just say you won't be beating me in a match of endurance."
After her counter-remark, Takagi noted Shouya preparing for another attack, though she was ill-prepared for what exactly it was. An explosion resonated surrounding her opponent with flying spears of ice following it. With a click of her tongue, images of the first exam flashed in her mind. Somehow, he managed to boost the ball via some manner of explosion. If he could make use of his ice to mimic grenades and shrapnel...
As the spears closed the distance, Takagi ducked low to evade the one which would have hit her otherwise, which stunted her charge for a short while, however she continued to run as soon as she recovered. Once again her hair began still and straighten along her back. It was the most she could do to create a shield for her in the case that he was planning what she assumed him to be. She couldn't afford to halt. If he managed to pin her for even a moment, he could take her out for good.
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As expected, Takagi dodged his attack, but that didn't mean she was safe. Not at all. Balling his hand into a fist once more, the spears made out of ice exploded behind her, though she was able to withstand the impact. It also pushed her closer to Shouya himself.
His focus unchanged, it looked like they were going to end up in close combat with one another. Shouya could have obviously done a lot more with his Quirk to keep her away, or incapacitate her in many ways. The only thing he had to be careful of, was her changed body, and lets not forget that hair.
If it could harden itself, then perhaps her body did the same, other than turning her slightly into an animal if anything.
"Heh.." A smirk was plastered on his face. She was already underestimating him. Moments before they were about to clash, Shouya had already thought of a few things he could do.
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Takagi survived the impact and was just short of getting Shouya right where she wanted her. His quirk was powerful and his control impressive, but she prided herself on her ability in close quarters combat. If she could put him on the defensive for once and keep him from using any finishing moves, she could wear him down and win.
As she closed the gap, a smirk made itself apparent on his face. It was a strange look on the thus far serious student. Did he have something planned? Was he underestimating her? It was odd on someone who rarely used such an expression.
"Hoh? I almost thought you were stuck scowling for life."
Dashing within arms reach, Takagi launched a knuckled assault on Shouya, throwing quick, precise jabs paired with swipes from groupings of her hair. Utilizing her hair like an extra set of limbs, strikes from flesh would complement cleaves from her main. Like how a boxer would leave them self open when throwing a punch, Takagi seemed aware of chinks in her armor and as such always made sure she had something covering her in the case of a counter.
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Shouya was slightly surprised by how crafty she was in Close Combat. Using her fists in combination with her hair, he was able to dodge her jabs, fists and what may come in the beginning but something always got through.
His clothes were slightly thorn, and visible scratches were on his arm, his chest, and his left shoulder. Takagi was definetely someone who enjoyed fighting someone up close. Shouya wasn't one to let her throw a punch or always go on the offensive.
A small opening occured, giving him the opportunity to hopefully land a punch, but instead he grabbed her arm, but quickly let it go from the pressure emanating from Takagi. There were many moments where he merely just grabbed her arm, or touched her abdomen.
A mere second later, a jab was coming straight for his face. It was something he couldn't dodge, but thanks to his Quirk he could stop it, or slow it. The floor beneath his feets turned into ice, before an arc-shaped wall of ice came forth, right between both Takagi and Shouya.
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At first glance, her plan was working. Shouya was effectively put on defense, only being allowed few opportunities to so much as lightly touch her. Still, though he didn't seem skilled when it came to hand to hand like her, his reflexes were still admirable. Regardless, some of her strikes still managed to hit, tearing his clothes or bruising his body.
Grinning, she spotted another opening, square in the middle of his face. Sending a strong right hook at him, a wall of ice intercepted the attack, and though her arm smashes through, it embedded itself within the ice. With a huff, her hair lifted over her head and whipped down at the ice, smashing and cracking what held her arm in place.
As the wall crumbled and Takagi regained her stance, she once more charged with a left hook, fully intending to miss. However, she momentum would be used to follow with a clockwise spin and a back kick with her right leg. With hope the sudden switch of attack would catch him off guard. If she could land a good, solid hit and stun him...
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The wall did its trick, but she was able to penetrate through it with the force behind her punch. Shouya knew now that she could harden her body as well, just like her hair, and next time, his ice would be a lot harder to punch through.
However, once the wall was gone, his opponent continued her assault, coming in with a right hook. Thats where she was overconfident in her skill. There was a reason for why Shouya had rather grabbed her arm, or touched her on the abdomen and so on.
Shouya could control his ice, and decrease and increase how fast it would spread. At this point, it was nothing but a mere dot on her arm, or on her abdomen. Though over time, the dot was no longer that. It had become bigger, but still unnoticable. It was all thanks to how focused Takagi was in her fight against him.
Her left hook was no longer fast, it was slow, and that arm was now frozen. The ice on her abdomen had spread like wildfire, covering her legs and all the way up to her neck. Takagi obviously used her hair once more to remove the ice that was about to encase her entire body.
Increasing the speed of the ice, and manipulating it, her hair was encased in ice as well, only leaving her mouth, nose and eyes visible to the public. Shouya could see that Takagi was surprised. Did she have another trick up her sleeve?
Shouya was not eager to find it out. He'd rather the test be finished. Static noise came from the radio, before Misoka's voice could be heard. She had taken Team 2's flag and was on her way back. The tower next to them was obliterated by the fight between Reika and Yoshio, whereas the latter had lost.
Or so he had noticed. It was almost if not time for his own fight with Takagi to end as well.
"It looks like your team is losing." Shouya abundantly made it clear, before approaching her frozen body.
The woman before her was basically incapacitated.
"Just to be safe." He added, before touching the floor beneath her, creating a rather huge Glacier that too, became one with Takagi's frozen body.
Standing before her, with his hands pocketed, he simply looked away towards Reika and Yoshio, before moving his attention back at Takagi.
"I wanted you to come up close and fight me. Thank you for being reckless with your actions."
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Just as her hook had shot at him, suddenly her limb became an unbearable weight encased in a block of ice. The frost spread across her completely in seconds. Not only her arm, but her legs and torso, even going so far as to travel up the back of her neck and encase her hair too. All but her face was left trapped, and aside from the pain from frozen temperature touching skin, the injury to her pride was just as decimating.
Gritting her teeth, Takagi began to futily struggle, though it was clear this time that there wasn't anything the girl could do to break free. Pulling, pushing and rocking what little she could, her casing didn't even budge or chip. So focused on breaking free, somehow, she almost missed what he had said. "What?"
Glancing over at the area around them, what he said was true. Her team was losing, though that didn't matter as much to her. The point was that she lost. Through every single exam, she failed miserably. She could've tried to comfort herself, telling herself that she was holding back and couldn't fight as brutally as she would've due to them not actually being enemies, but chances were that Shouya was holding back as well.
Standing before her, the man was nonchalant as ever. Fully sure of himself. It was as if he predicted an outcome no different from this one. Scowling at him and his remark, obviously she was displeased with this.
"...I haven't lost yet," Takagi stated stubbornly, which sounded rather ridiculous coming from someone in an icy coffin.
She was stuck and unable to move. Her team was faltering and most certainly Takagi had failed in every exam up till the current one. It certainly appeared as though she had more than lost. However, what she referred to was her declaration in the classroom. To her, this was a battle, not the entire war. Though she was sure plenty looked upon her like some sort of princess, she wasn't so spoiled. Any losses or failures she took hard and seriously. If she wasn't fast enough to dodge, she needed to become faster. If she wasn't strong enough to break through a barrier, she needed to become stronger. She wasn't going to cry about how she lost, she would do everything in her power to make sure next time, she won.
Though for now, it was a matter of waiting for the mock battle to end. The victors were all but decided, simply the instructors were required to call it.
[spoili]
