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Chapter Text

Third POV

"Katsuki Bakugou is out of bounds!" Midnight declared as soon and quickly as she could recompose herself. "The Winner is Izuku Midoriya!"

The crowd roared in cheers so deafening that Present Mic could barely be heard. "H-He's Done It!" Present Mic exclaimed while Izuku stood triumphant on the field. "With a mighty backhand, Izuku Midoriya has won it all and become the undisputed SPORTS FESTIVAL CHAMPION!"

"Midoriya knew to use Bakugou's pride and temper against him to leave his opponent unstable, yet exploitable," Aizawa joined in, nodding satisfied with Midoriya's victory, hoping this would be what the boy needed to overcome his past and work to be a better Hero in the future.

"Though not the most elegant or flashy a victory, I'll say," Mic admitted.

Aizawa knew that being flashy was not what Midoriya was aiming for. He could tell that he wanted to send a message to Bakugou. Ensuring the final hit was as disrespectful as possible was a selfish, yet admittingly tame and justified response. "Elegance and flare must come last to efficiency," Aizawa gave his two cents.

"That's our Underground grump of a Hero, for you, ladies and germs," Mic chuckled.

Meanwhile, while Mineta jumped and fist-pumped for the verdant-haired teen, Shinsou clapped for Midoriya, grinning happily that Midoriya kept to his promise to win. Shinsou acknowledged that his reasons for winning were likely more prevalent in his mind. Still, after witnessing Midoriya's compassionate and thoughtful personality, he knew that a small part of the victory was to honor that small, unnecessary promise.

In the Support Course, Mei exclaimed and cheered louder than any of her classmates ever saw of her. She smiled brilliantly at Midoriya. 'Now, for the next stage of my plans: Get closer to Muscles, be Muscle's exclusive Support Item Inventor, graduate U.A. with high honors, launch my own Support Item Company, and marry Muscles.'

The students of the Business Course were more focused on determining what this fight would mean to both Midoriya's and Bakugou's stock, arguing that while Midoriya would definitely see an increase in popularity and Hero Agencies wish to take him on, Bakugou's easily exploitable temper and anger will be a detriment for Hero Agencies to take in. Any possible points he might garner for his looks would take a massive hit with Midoriya's final taunt. It didn't matter if Midoriya was honest or not, the mere rumor and perception that Bakugou was lacking in manhood would be a deterrent for any possible fans to be interested romantically in the boy, as if his angry looks, temper, and bad personality weren't enough of a deterrent.

In Recovery Girl's room, while the old nurse sighed, relieved that Midoriya had managed to end the fight not breaking a finger or any kind of major injury, Todoroki and his Pokémon watched the fight unfold, escalate, and end in his green-haired savior's favor. Vulpix had been rooting for him the most blatantly whereas the others held mostly silent support. Todoroki couldn't catch whether Vulpix's reasons for cheering were something intentional or unaware out of gratitude to the boy, but Todoroki felt an awful sting in his chest that wasn't anything like frostbite or a burn. Todoroki wondered if this was what Midoriya felt when Yaoyorozu teamed up with him. The scarred boy wondered if this was what jealousy felt.

At the thought of the two people he had hurt the most in the Festival, Todoroki's mind pondered on his so-called engagement. When looking at the boy who risked everything for those he cared for, Todoroki remembered the boy's declaration to find a way to break the engagement and save Yaoyorozu. Todoroki turned away from the screen, his eyes pensive and thoughtful.

"HAHAHAHA! Now that was awesome!" Setsuna cackled. "A Nut Shot and Pimp Slap to win the day! A victory has never tasted sweeter!"

"While I question how honorable that was, I can't lie and say that wasn't satisfying to see," Itsuka admitted, not forgetting what Bakugou did to Ashido, unlike the crowd.

"Blah, screw honor in this case! That asshole deserved every ounce of pain he got and more," Setsuna replied, her ear floating and reattaching back to her head.

Yui's eyes caught the sight. "You listened in to what they were saying," Yui finally spoke, her tone dull and blunt.

"Yep," Setsuna grinned. "Trust me, girls, however much of an asshole we thought that prick was nothing to what I heard firsthand."

"So, you gonna grace us with the 'deets', oh glorious, Gossip Queen?" Itsuka rolled her eyes and asked.

Setsuna looked contemplative and hesitant for a moment, before smirking, smugly. "Actually, I think I'm feeling generous and won't divulge Greenie's past without his consent," Setsuna replied. "Respect his privacy and whatnot."

Itsuka smiled, approvingly. "Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks," Itsuka said.

"Hey! Who are you calling dog?!" Setsuna yelled with a faux offense. "I'm a Lizard Queen, a Reptile through and through!"

"Damn, that has to be the most disrespectful way someone has ever won the Sports Festival," Mirio chuckled. "And hilarious."

"While his inner light can be as blinding as yours, Mirio, I could tell there was a darkness weighing heavily on Midoriya, especially during the final moments of the fight," Tamaki noted.

"Your powers of observation and insight are as remarkable as ever, bro," Mirio patted Tamaki's back hard, causing the teen to stagger in his seat. "Yeah, the kid has some dark side in him alright, but who doesn't? Maybe Sir can send him an internship and help ease it out."

Mirio did not know that this comment would be enough to stop Sir Nighteye's ranting and wrecking of his office by sneezing. Right on his limited edition All Might poster, which got him to start raging and cursing Midoriya once more.

"Yes, now that's a good pose," Alexa muttered as she took pictures of several angles of Midoriya's thumbs up. "I'm sure Cyn would love these shots, and Flint will get a kick out of that nut punch. I know I sure did."

From afar, others cheered for Midoriya's victory, from the Asui family to Inko's Mr. Mime to even Himawari, who stared starry-eyed at Midoriya defeating Bakugou in her apartment.

Cynthia hummed in acknowledgment of Midoriya's win and noted that he didn't show any use, at least outwardly, of that legendary power. It seemed he could only use it during the 2nd Event and his first match, the latter quite noticeably. His subsequent fights had little evidence of using that power, his fight with Ingenium's younger brother was over too quickly to notice and his battle against Endeavor's son was too destructive for the Pokémon Champion of Japan to see, especially the explosive finale to the match that even cut the live feed of the Festival for a short while.

'He perhaps only had limited knowledge or training with such power,' Cynthia deduced. "Even yet, if I'm right, does he even know the kind of power he has?"

Over with Riley, while Riolu cheered as enthusiastically as he always did regarding Midoriya, he and Lucario narrowed their eyes at the fight's climax. 'You saw it too, didn't you, old friend,' Riley mentally communicated with his partner.

Lucario gave a stern nod in confirmation.

Riley's frown deepened. 'That was no ordinary psychic interference,' Riley thought. Any other Pokémon, even strong Psychic types, wouldn't be capable of producing the same level of telepathic miasma that he saw surrounding Midoriya briefly. No, it was something beyond the reach of ordinary Pokémon. That level of power could only come from something Legendary.

"Are you sure about what just happened, Master Taishi?" Nejire looked to the silver-haired Professor.

"I am. It would appear that Lake Verity's Guardian spirit has left her mark on the boy, and a friend of his," Taishi nodded, gazing back down to the 1-A stands to look at Tsuyu Asui. "And it isn't just them, it appears the Spirit of Lake Acuity has also done her work to a couple of his classmates."

"But why?" Nejire questioned, confused and worried. "Did they mean to hurt them?"

"The intentions of the Legendary Pokémon are too vague and incomprehensible to identify their intentions fully," Nezu responded. "What could be construed as debilitating could be their way of lending aid."

"While Guardians they may be, their appearances and powers are frightening," Taishi nodded. "At times, they are seen with fear and caution as much as they are revered."

"And what it wanted from Midoriya?" Nejire asked further.

"Unclear," Taishi sighed. "For all we know thus far, she could have wanted to strengthen Midoriya's emotions and thus left his more negative emotions to spiral into overdrive, or it could have tried to ease his inner pain and instead amplified them. Whatever the reason, the Spirits do not act without purpose, and I hope that its true intentions were done in Midoriya's favor."

"Hope, eh?" Nezu smirked. "It sounds like Mr. Midoriya's words are taking root in you, old friend."

"I mean, why wouldn't he?! He's so cool!" Nejire gushed, cheeks blushing. "I can't wait to meet and train with him!"

"Patience, Pupil Hado. Your time will come," Taishi patted her shoulder. "The time for him to see the truth is nigh, but he has certain few tasks he has yet to complete."

At the civilian stands, Inko and the Bakugou parents sighed in relief.

"Thank God, it didn't go too far," Mitsuki sighed, slumping in her seat.

"Well, unless you don't count making our boy an honorary eunuch," Masaru pointed out.

"Like he ever was going to use that thing or please whatever unlucky hussy he got into bed," Mitsuki rolled her eyes. "At least this could finally shape himself up."

Inko didn't have as much hope as her best friend and her husband had in that regard. For as optimistic as they were, their son had more chances to grow worse from a dose of humiliation and humbling than he did improve, and being humiliatingly beaten in a one-on-one fight against his former victim in front of the entire viewing world was something that she feared could push Bakugou over the edge rather than save him. 'If he wasn't already flying over it,' Inko thought but kept to herself.

No, Inko was more worried and focused on her son's feelings.

As he cheered, Pikachu smirked down at Bakugou. 'That is where a piece of shit like you belongs!' Pikachu thought, staring at Bakugou, remembering everything he saw the asshole do to Izuku over the years, all the injustices the boy had gotten away with, all the harm he and his Quillava inflicted on his Trainer and Eevee. 'Revenge has never tasted sweeter!'

'Not revenge, justice,' Froakie replied through their mental link. 'Our Master is beyond such pettiness to want something as selfish as revenge. Any enjoyment from this is one of justice for Mistress Ashido and Mister Kirishima.'

'Well said,' Combusken agreed, smiling proudly at her Trainer. 'I am proud to know that he learned as much from us as we did from him. He truly has come a long way.'

'Yeah, I can't argue with the both of you on that,' Pikachu admitted, smiling at his Trainer too.

Eevee stared happily at his Trainer as he finally stood victorious against Bakugou. Arguably, he already did in their Battle Training Exercise, but that was a team effort with himself, Uraraka, and her Minior, and even though Midoriya had knocked Bakugou out, he was in rough shape and passed out not long afterward. In his Trainer's mind, that would be seen more as a draw than anything else. But here, he did it. No broken bones, no vast exhaustion or passing out, no help whatsoever from him or a friend, he beat Bakugou, fairly and square. He delivered as much retribution and payback as possible toward his childhood bully, hopefully surpassing his need for Bakugou as part of his life.

And yet, Eevee could tell that there was something more that his Trainer was feeling, something almost bitter about this ending to his bullied past. Eevee just hoped that it didn't affect Izuku too negatively.

In the teacher's stands, All Might did his best to keep his cheering and clapping to a minimum, not wanting to seem overtly biased, yet his shit-eating grin wasn't exactly working on that front. All Might was proud, insanely proud. He felt guilty asking so much of his successor during this Festival. Toshinori wanted Izuku to win the Sports Festival so that his rise to becoming a Hero and the next Symbol of Peace would be easier, to show a powerful figure who can stand against anything no matter the odds so that when it came time, All Might could pass that torch onto Young Midoriya without the societal unrest that would come, sooner or later. When the Festival started becoming more dangerous and personal, All Might even wanted Midoriya to take a dive and spare himself unnecessary pain.

But Midoriya, as he tends to do, exceeded his expectations. He came out on top in all three events, overcame great odds without one complaint, and rose above the most powerful of his peers while remaining the same kind and compassionate soul. He even tried to save a couple of his opponents from their personal traumas. Midoriya even advanced in using One For All and his Aura powers in ways that stunned both him and Taishi. Toshinori couldn't speak about what kind of progress he gained with Aura; however, he had wanted to save Midoriya's training by generating shockwaves of air till he reached at least 10% of One For All's power. Still, he managed a less powerful blast without breaking his fingers just fine, and all on his own.

Now, he stands as the undisputed, undefeated winner of the Festival, and finally overcame his childhood bully with no help whatsoever. However, as All Might stared down his young protege, a worry began to form in his mind. 'You are at your core a very selfless, honorable, and compassionate person, Young Midoriya,' All Might thought. 'You help others before yourself, put their pain and misery ahead of yours, and even treat your foes and enemies as people worthy of respect and consideration. Even if it is Bakugou, I wonder how you feel about acting so against your very nature.'

Down at the field, Izuku was numb to the crowd's cheering or whatever Present Mic or Aizawa-sensei said. His focus was solely on his friends and Pokémon in the stands, especially Serena and Momo, as he did his best to convey he was alright, that he beat Bakugou, and that he fulfilled his promise to Momo, he won the Festival in her favor, and helped ensure the first steps to saving her from her blasted Quirk Marriage engagement. Seeing their smiles and tearful eyes was the best reward he could have ever asked for.

Then he heard his groaning. Izuku's gaze lowered to where Bakugou was on his hands and knees, his body shaking. If Izuku didn't know Katsuki Bakugou well enough, he would say he was crying, even whimpering, but no, he wasn't. At least, not outwardly. Izuku even spotted blood leaking down Bakugou's cheek from a cut on his burn scar, where he delivered the final smack.

At that moment, a certain bit of shame and bitterness welled in Izuku, recalling his prior actions in humiliating Bakugou in front of millions worldwide. He couldn't ignore the vindictive pleasure he felt in repaying all that Bakugou did to him, the satisfaction of bringing his most personal and even hated foe down low, but then he couldn't hide how much of it was against who he was. How much some of what he did was acting just like the boy on his hands and his knees did to him.

'Did I act no better humiliating him in front of everybody, like he did to me in Aldera? Was it not selfish of me to want to settle the score and repay him for the cruelty he had done to me? I thought I wasn't as cruel or angry as him, but I guess I wasn't,' Izuku thought with self-demoralizing shame.

"The best of your class and you come rushing at me like that thoughtless Primeape you call a classmate," Izuku remembered Shinsou's taunt while he was brainwashed in their fight.

'I guess we are more alike than I wanted to admit,' Izuku thought, addressing this sentiment to Shinsou, Todoroki, and Bakugou since he acted no different in how bitter, spiteful, and vindictive as the three of them.

"WOOHOOO! YOU DID IT, IZUKU!" Izuku heard and looked up to see Hagakure cheering, smiling alongside the others. "WE KNOW YOU COULD DO IT!"

"Yeah, Man! That was awesome!" Kaminari cheered while fake crying. "I'm so blessed to have as cool a Pika Bro as you!"

"You showed that bully who's boss!" Mina cheered, one hand holding her sore stomach. "And with no broken bones this time!"

"Way to go, Izuku!" Ochaco cheered, pumping her fists into the air. "Way to show him you aren't the Deku he thought you were!"

Seeing their smiles and cheers, a wave of comfort began to build and push back the shame. 'That's right. Where they had no one and fought only for themselves, I didn't, did I?' Izuku realized.

"Just because you were bullied or mistreated doesn't give you the right to be the Bully Yourself!" He recalled his words to Shinsou while covered in those blue flames and aura, fighting to avenge Serena, Ojiro, and Aoyama for his actions. "You Could Prove Them Wrong! Take that pain and Grow from It! Work to make a Future You Want! But not at the Expense of Others! Not By Turning into the very Thing You Hate! But Be Better!"

"This isn't about your father, it's about you!" The words he yelled at Todoroki returned to him while he berated him for the pain he caused his Pokémon, especially Vulpix, his friends, especially Momo, and Todoroki himself. "All the stupid decisions you made, all the people and Pokémon you've hurt, how you're destroying yourself by adhering to this stupid revenge story of yours! You're destroying yourself, all because you're letting your father mess with your head and hold you back. If you want to reject him so badly, then fine, do it! But you don't have the right to be here, the right to be Number 1 if you aren't going to use everything you got!"

'They fought for themselves, while I fought for them. For my friends, all the people they hurt, even themselves,' Izuku thought about the recent fight with Bakugou and all he did. 'I fought against him and everything he stood for, but I didn't become him because I didn't fight and humiliate him for myself. I did it for them.' He saw Mina and Kirishima, bandaged and hurt because of Bakugou, especially the former. 'I rejected him and all he did to me, but I didn't let him mess with my head or become like him, because I care for my friends, with all I had, and he doesn't.' Izuku remembered his friends rooting for him in the waiting room, overcoming that mental obstruction from before, and not falling for Bakugou's provocations.

Izuku looked down at Bakugou as he spotted how his teeth gritted together, spying the hate-filled, crazed look in his eyes. Eyes he never wanted to copy, eyes that will never be his. He stared past Bakugou and all their shared history, from the bullying to their mutual respect and admiration of All Might, to even the times they had as toddlers playing with their All Might action figures. He replayed how that smiling kid who wanted to be like All Might became the furthest from him, twisted and warped by his pride and insecurities, and none of them were on Izuku. Izuku vowed never to be like the monster that boy was now.

"Goodbye, Kacchan," Izuku whispered one last farewell to the boy he once admired, the boy he wanted desperately to return, but never will. "I always thought you would be one of the greatest."

Izuku didn't know if Bakugou had heard that, but he didn't care, it wasn't for him. Izuku began to walk past Bakugou, heading toward the tunnel to prepare for the award ceremony.

Meanwhile, Bakugou continued shaking and spasming on the floor. His left hand throbbed as he placed it on the ground to keep himself up, but the pain was barely noticeable compared to the rage he felt. 'How? How did he do this? How could he win against me? Me?!' I'm supposed to be the Best! The one to surpass All Might!' Bakugou raged as he tried to deny the reality he was living in as fact.

"All Might believed in me," Bakugou stilled as he processed what Deku said beforehand. "After the Sludge Villain, after you left, he came to me and told me that I could be a Hero."

'All Might,' Bakugou thought with a flash of clarity realizing the one answer that made sense to how any of this was possible. Deku and All Might were connected somehow. Shitty Deku somehow got a Quirk and managed to get into U.A., and the same year, All Might is suddenly a teacher. Back in the Battle Training Exercise, he was about to wipe Deku off the face of the planet with his gauntlets and All Might stopped him, threatening to fail him if he used them again. Deku even produced punches with the same power as one of All Might's punches, remembering Deku blasting a hole through the building with but a punch like All Might could create a mini hurricane.

"But you got All Might in your corner, helping you out," He remembered Todoroki mentioning before the Sports Festival started.

Bakugou didn't know what Todoroki meant by that at first and only growled with anger and jealousy at the thought that somehow their shared idol was rooting for the damned nerd, not him. Bakugou worshipped All Might too. He looked up to him like Deku did, he embodied All Might's strength more than weak-ass Deku. So why? Why?

Then he heard Deku. It was a whisper, probably not meant for him to hear it, but he did. Bakugou's right hand clawed at the ground. His mind thought back to that day in the river, Deku reaching out his hand for him to take, looking at him like a weakling. 'Deku! Why?!'

"WHY?!" Bakugou roared, jealous tears flying from his eyes, as he shot up from the ground and ran toward Deku. The nerd had turned in time to notice his approach, eyes widening. Bakugou reared his right hand to unleash an explosion, packing all his humiliation, jealousy, and anger into it. He wanted to wipe Deku off his path once and for all!

Then a purple mist enveloped them both. Suddenly, his eyes felt incredibly heavy, his mind dizzy and numb, and the explosion in his hand died out. "D-Deku, why...?" Bakugou managed to growl out before darkness took him and he collapsed on the ground.

Izuku had turned when he realized the shock and fear that came upon his Pokémon's eyes, pointing at him to turn around. He did, in time, witness Bakugou racing after him to attack. Izuku felt stupid to take his eyes off the volatile blonde. Izuku had just activated Full Cowling when the purple mist encased them both. Bakugou went down first, probably because he was the most injured. Maybe it was because Full Cowling kept him awake longer, but Izuku barely heard what Bakugou growled out before he collapsed. Izuku didn't know what he meant by that, but he had little time to think about it before wooziness started to take him too.

Izuku felt the flow of Full Cowling leave him as he fell to the ground, yet unlike Bakugou falling face-first, he landed on someone's lap. A soft, warm lap. He even felt something squishy and round pressing on his face. Izuku's brain worked out who it was and would have blushed like a madman if sleep hadn't felt so enticing.

"Aizawa was right, you are quite the problem child, huh, Midoriya?" Midnight's soothing voice only made his eyes close further.

"Thank...you...soft..." Izuku whispered before he too fell to sleep.

Midnight chuckled, slightly blushing at the last word Midoriya whispered while she brushed his soft green hair. She had walked over originally to snap Bakugou out of his tirade so that they could proceed to the award ceremony sooner, yet when he launched after Midoriya, she responded in turn, ripping a hole in her sleeves and blasting out her Quirk to knock the boy out before he attacked the Sports Festival Champion behind his back. If anything, Bakugou was more of a problem child than Midoriya, she thought, but she guessed that Eraser meant that trouble and problems always seemed to find Midoriya more than anything. From what she witnessed of this tournament, that title was accurate.

The R-Rated Pro looked up to see most of the girls of Class 1-A were giving her the stink eye, she could only guess with Hagakure, and even Jiro was blushing and frowning in displeasure. Midnight chuckled to herself. 'Oh, Midoriya, you sly dog, you. Formed a little harem of loving girls already, and it has barely been a month since the school year began,' Midnight cooed at the romance and drama to unfold from this. 'Oh, if only I were a little younger.'

Midnight teased the girls by winking at them while brushing Midoriya's soft cheek. The reaction she got almost made her break her demeanor and burst out laughing.

Afterward, the sleeping Midoriya and Bakugou were taken to Recovery Girl to heal them before the Awards ceremony. Midnight had informed Nezu and Power Loader to restrain Bakugou on his podium. They didn't want a repeat of his actions, especially during the crowning of the Festival's 1st-Year Champion.

The unofficially named Dekusquad had planned to move out to see Midoriya, and potentially protect him if Bakugou woke up first. Yet Iida and Momo had to step away for a call.

"Hello, mother," Iida spoke in an empty hall. "I'm sorry to inform you, but I lost."

"No, son, I'm not calling about that," Iida's mother, Aoi Iida, responded, surprising her youngest son with how serious she sounded. "I mean, I'm sorry to hear that, but Tenya, please listen carefully. It's your brother." Iida's eyes began to widen. "A Villain got Tensei."

Iida's mouth dropped while horror filled his eyes.

Meanwhile, Momo also stood in an empty, dark hallway, as she finally responded to her call.

"Father," Momo addressed, her tone cold and curt.

"Ah, daughter, I was wondering when you would respond to our calls," Her father's low tone played over her phone.

"I have been rather busy supporting my friends," Momo replied, eyes narrowing. "I care for them greatly, and they in turn care for me."

"Must we make this any more troublesome, daughter," Her father sighed, tiredly. "Remember our agreement? You lost. So, I expect to hear no more complaints about your arrangement, correct?"

Momo's frown rose to smirk, her eyes cold and defiant. "Unfortunately, Father, there has been a change in plans," Momo replied, her tone cheerful as it was chilling. "You see, I did honor our agreement, but I believe you may find the results more in my favor than yours."

Her father was silent for a few seconds, most likely realizing what she meant. "...I see," Her father said lowly.

"Be sure to expect company in the coming days, and to prepare your apologies to Endeavor in advance," Momo spat out straightforwardly. "I'll be home soon and give my best regards to Mother. Goodbye."

Momo hung up the call before her father could get another word in; she knew how much it irked him not to have the last word. The heiress leaned against the wall of the alleyway, the strength she built up to speak up against her father had run dry, leaving her panting with exhaustion and petty satisfaction.

Half an hour later...

"The 1st Year Students have completed all of the events for the U.A. Sports Festival," Midnight announced. "Now it is time to relax and enjoy the Award Ceremony!"

Victorious trumpets played on the speakers while fireworks flew and burst in the air in vibrant colors, the explosions almost as loud as the crowd's cheers.

The R-Rated Hero stood in front of all the 1st-year students and a crowd of reporters, cameramen, and photographers, separated from the kids by fences. Among the crowd of media was Alexa, upfront and taking pictures like a madwoman. In the crowd of students, all but four of Class 1-A stood there looking toward Midnight and a notable section of the grass beside her that seemed different from the rest.

Mirio and Tamaki clapped with the rest of the crowd. "Hey Hey!" The two heard and turned to see Nejire walking toward them. "I didn't miss anything, did I?!"

"Nah, you're right on time, Nejire," Mirio reassured her. "They just started."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Nejire sighed, relieved as she sat between her two closest friends.

"W-Where were you, Nejire," Tamaki stuttered out, cringing at the sound of another firework. "You didn't show back up for Midoriya's final fight."

"Oh, I saw it with Master Taishi," Nejire waved off the concern, friendly. "Oh! Midoriya was so cool in that fight, wasn't he?!"

"Sure was," Mirio grinned. "Got to say that finale was quite the Slap! Huh?"

Nejire and Tamaki gazed deadpanning at him, silent.

"Wow! That was so not funny!" Mirio laughed, rubbing the back of his head, his grin never losing its shine.

"Ever since you started interning under Sir Nighteye, your jokes have been getting less and less funny, Mirio," Nejire admitted, while Tamaki nodded in agreement.

"Oh, come on, guys!" Mirio whined, still smiling. "Sir's got a great sense of humor."

"That guy looks more dead inside than Aizawa-sensei," Nejire consoled her friend, patting his shoulder.

"H-His tickle machine and what he did to Bubble Girl still gives me nightmares," Tamaki shuddered, horrified at the memory.

Mirio's smile twitched and waned. "Okay, yeah, I admit his work conduct can be a bit questionable," Mirio admitted, failing to notice the 'For real' type looks on his friends. "But he's a good guy at heart. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him."

"Whatever you say, Mirio," Tamaki said, ceasing the conversation before Nejire could turn it into an argument. Looking back at the field, he pointed. "They're starting."

Midnight had raised her hand and the field behind her exploded in smoke and confetti. Three podiums of different heights were raised automatically, though as the people on the stand were fully revealed, one, in particular, got raised eyebrows and nervous looks.

"What the heck?" Jiro muttered, disturbed.

"He's been going nuts since he woke up," Kirishima revealed.

Four people stood on the podiums as the top four of the Sports Festival. Todoroki and Tokoyami stood side by side in the 3rd place podium, the former spotless while the latter still had bandages wrapped around his forearms. On the tallest podium, 1st Place, Midoriya stood there with his necklace containing Pikachu's Pokeball wrapped around his neck. He would have stood proudly and confidently if what was happening at the podium to his right didn't put him on edge.

Bakugou was on the 2nd Place podium, his body chained around a slab of concrete with his hands bound in a steel trap and his mouth in a metal gag. The explosive blonde thrashed against his bindings; his roars silenced by his muzzle.

"Man, Bakugou, pull yourself together," Sero groaned, his hand covering where his peripheral would catch Bakugou, trying to seem like he wasn't at all in league with the bastard during the 2nd event.

"How uncouth," Momo muttered behind her mouth over her mouth.

"Well, adding that to the list of Baka-hoe insults," Serena wrote on an imaginary pad while Mina and Hagakure nearly giggled loudly at the name.

"He's acting like a feral animal," Tokoyami muttered, ashamed that he had to lose to this kind of person.

Todoroki nodded, agreeing with his fellow Third-place contender. His gaze shifted to Midoriya, seeing how the boy did his best to inch away from their raging classmate. He noticed Midoriya staring at the students and waving at them with a bright smile. When Todoroki followed the gaze, finding the green-haired teen's friends, he also noticed Yaoyorozu. His 'fiancé' seemed to notice his apologetic stare, yet her face grew cold, and she turned away from him before it warmed back up to smile lovingly at Midoriya. Todoroki flinched, finding that he did deserve that, but he didn't know that such an act would still sting.

"Todoroki and Tokoyami both share the 3rd place award," Midnight informed the crowd. "Sorry if it's a little cramped up there, boys." Midnight placed a wink and kissy face at the cameras.

"She's quite the media darling," Tokoyami sweatdropped.

Todoroki nodded, giving a quiet hum in response. His mind was too focused on memories, specifically the one he had before the Final matchup.

Flashback...

"What's the matter? Not going to tell me to get lost?"

Todoroki turned his cold gaze at his father, standing by the foot of his bed, arms crossed and with a smug grin on his face.

Shortly after Present Mic called for Midoriya and Bakugou to head to the field, Endeavor showed up in the infirmary, asking for a moment alone with his son. Recovery Girl noticed the friction in the room with his arrival, but accepted the request, informing Shoto to press the buzzer by his bed if he needed her. With that, she left to get some food, leaving father and son alone.

Well, mostly alone. Todoroki's Pokémon formed a wall between the two, their gazes cold and antagonistic toward the abusive father and pro. Even Vulpix, which Todoroki hoped was a sign that his faithful Pokémon still cared for him, even during this new silent treatment between them. Regardless of what Todoroki did to him and his conflict with them, they were still his Pokémon, and they knew the kind of man his father was, and wouldn't let the man an inch closer to their Trainer.

"I can see that Midoriya talked some sense into you given your behavior toward Vulpix," Endeavor continued, noting how the Fox Pokémon wasn't in his Pokeball and could even sit on the same bed as his son without any reaction. "He finally told you the truth about who gave him and Ninetales to you, did he?"

Todoroki, sitting up on the bed, remained silent, but Endeavor knew he was right on the money.

"Good. It would be bad in the future if you were discovered guilty of Pokémon abuse," Endeavor said. "Even if it were discovered now, you could be easily exonerated under the guise of your youth and your special circumstances."

'You would know about the crimes of abuse, wouldn't you,' Todoroki thought, bitterly, yet kept the word to his head.

"And then there is the matter of your Quirk," Endeavor continued without any evidence of the irony and hypocrisy he spouted. "You need to learn to control your left side. It's dangerous to unleash all that power. It could leave you vulnerable, as you have discovered. While you may have lost, the fact that you have finally put an end to this childish pursuit of yours is the true victory. Now, we can get back to what is really important."

Endeavor stuck out his hand, only stopping when he heard Ninetails growl at him. Endeavor flinched at the sight of her, and what she represented, yet still held his hand out for his son to take. "After you graduate, you'll work by my side," Endeavor declared, grinning wide and ambitiously. "I'll lead you down the path of the mighty, Shoto."

"You're wrong," Shoto finally spoke.

"Huh?" Endeavor said. Shoto's Pokémon turned to look at him, with Vulpix the only one still looking away from him.

"If there is anything that you are right about is Midoriya knocking some sense into me," Todoroki clarified, his gaze down to his hands. "He told me the truth about who gave me both Vulpix and Ninetales. I finally was able to remember the past, all of it. I could see how foolish I was with how I acted about myself, and how I behaved toward my Pokémon." Todoroki looked up to Vulpix, still facing away. "If the public discovers what I did, then so be it. I won't plead innocent and I'll accept whatever I deserve. I won't reveal it myself only to honor my mother's wishes, and my Pokémon's choice whether they wish to stay or go."

Looking at the others, Ninetales, Drizzile, and Darmanitan didn't move away. They stayed beside him and nodded, confirming their desire to stay. Shoto looked back to Vulpix, he saw the Fox Pokémon giving the barest of nods; a spark of hope lit in Todoroki's chest.

"However, if you think my feelings regarding you could be so easily reversed, then you are dead wrong," Todoroki continued, raising and staring at his left hand. He remembered how it felt. He remembered how he felt at the last minute of his fight with Midoriya. As well as Midoriya's words.

"If you want to reject him so badly, then fine, do it! But you don't have the right to be here, the right to be Number 1 if you aren't going to use everything you got!"

Todoroki clenched his fist lightly. "Instead, out there, for that one moment, I forgot all about you," Todoroki revealed.

Endeavor let out a light gasp, eyes wide in surprise.

"Whether that is good or bad, whether it's the right thing to do, I don't know," Todoroki turned his head away from his father. "I won't refute myself, but I still won't become you."

Flashback over...

Todoroki still wondered if he was right in what he said. Midoriya was right, it wasn't wrong of him not to want to become like his father, but the methods he took to do so only made him become just like him. He treated Vulpix like an unwanted handout, no better than how his father treated his siblings, especially Touya. He treated his classmates, future comrades and colleagues, as pawns to be moved at his whim against Midoriya like his father wanted him to be in his pursuit to surpass All Might. He treated Momo like an accessory to his goals, a slave to his will, just like his father did to his mother.

Todoroki would no longer forsake his left side, nor his Pokémon, but he still felt lost to what he needed to do now. When he asked Midoriya if he could help him with that, if he could become the friend he may need to guide him down the right path, he refused at first but didn't say that the possibility was nonexistent.

"But, prove me wrong," Midoriya had said.

'But how can I start? How can I climb up the icy slope I slid myself down?' Todoroki asked himself.

Tokoyami side-glanced Todoroki, noticing that his fellow 3rd-place winner had his head stuck to his thoughts. "You appear lost in thought," Tokoyami spoke up, garnering Todoroki's attention. "I assume it is because of your recent troubles throughout the tournament. About your confrontation with Midoriya, correct?"

Todoroki didn't answer, yet he nodded.

Tokoyami noticed and continued. "It is not my place to intrude on this delicate matter, and I know not what it is that plagues your soul, yet if I were to give any advice, it is to follow your heart and fix what you had broken."

"And what if what I thought was right was what led me to this point?" Todoroki asked.

"But there lies the distinction," Tokoyami sagely pointed out, Todoroki fully looking at him with surprise. "What you thought. You followed what your mind believed was the right course, yet our minds are often clouded and led astray by what we assume is the truth. To know what the right thing to do is, if you follow your heart, you will find your path."

Todoroki blinked, weighing the wisdom of Tokoyami's words and finding them true. "Thank you," Todoroki said.

Tokoyami nodded. "It is the goodwill of a classmate to help guide each other, and the duty of a Hero to lend aid to those in need" Tokoyami replied. "What you do next is up to you to decide. One can only hope for a good outcome."

'Hope, huh,' Todoroki repeated the word, glancing up at Midoriya and back toward Yaoyorozu. And in that moment, he followed his heart and felt it. Todoroki knew what he must do.

Izuku stared and smiled at his friends as they clapped and cheered for him. Hagakure was practically bouncing up and down in joy. Mina was eased by Ochaco and Asui beside her, all three smiling at him in their own way, Mina cheekily, Ochaco brightly, and Asui adorably. Kaminari smiled like a goof with his thumbs up, Kirishima, Jiro, and Ojiro clapped and nodded respectfully, and Aoyama smilingly posed like normal. Izuku even spotted those of the other classes and courses showing him congratulations, from Mineta, who Shoji let ride the back of his neck to see over the crowd, Shinsou, smiling and giving a nod of respect, Mei who was grinning wide, bright, and excited -something that gave Izuku equal amounts of worry, knowing what makes her excited- and those of Class 1-B, including Setsuna, Tetsutetsu, Pony, and surprisingly, Monoma. The last one, Izuku theorized, was because of how Bakugou currently was, if the shift to smugness in his smile whenever he looked at the angry blonde was any indication.

Still, the best smiles he got were from Serena and Momo, the former copying his thumbs-up routine while the latter stared at him like a knight in shining armor mixed with worry. Izuku remembered their talk after he had awoken to see her by his bedside. She was so happy if there weren't other people around, Izuku would have guessed she would have kissed him, which Izuku strangely wouldn't have minded -you know, after he had managed to restart his brain. That mood dampened when he asked what was next in their goal to free Momo of her engagement. She admitted that he would likely have to face her parents and discuss with them.

Izuku wasn't a stranger to talking with parents, he had a whole fishing trip with the Asui's, and he had met Mr. and Mrs. Yaoyorozu before, both at the dinner where he met Momo and at times when he was invited over to her manor before U.A., but this was different. Now, he had to face the wealthiest, most influential people he had ever met and tell them, order them if he had to, to free Momo of her engagement, and if Momo led the negotiations then he would gladly follow and support her, but he knew it wouldn't be easy. The Yaoyorozu parents were the textbook definition of refined and graceful members of society's most elite; you could likely find a photo of them and have it as a picture beside the word. It was always nerve-racking talking to them, from Mr. Yaoyorozu's class and stoicism to Mrs. Yaoyorozu's stunning beauty and cold sweetness, but he had thought of them as good people. It was what made their decision to marry Yaomomo all the more heartbreaking and terrible for Izuku to hear.

'But if I have to face them to end this charade, so be it,' Izuku thought with firm determination, almost eager for the day Momo told him to come to her house.

His Pokémon weren't out in person but in their Pokeballs, though Izuku still could hear them.

"Urgh! I was done with staying in this Death Trap?!" Pikachu's voice echoed in his mind, squirming inside his Pokeball.

"It is only for the ceremony," Eevee tried to assuage the Electric Mouse Pokémon. "Just wait till it's over, get back inside, and you can come out for as long as you want."

"Which if he has his way would be forever," Froakie noted.

"Damn right!" Pikachu exclaimed. "But why couldn't I just stay inside? Iida didn't have to be here."

"Pikachu!" Combusken said, admonishingly.

Izuku flinched.

"Oh, shit," Pikachu cringed. "S-Sorry, Boss."

'No, it's okay, Pikachu. You didn't mean anything by it,' Izuku waved away.

Looking back to his friends, the only one who wasn't among them was Tenya Iida. Back when he had woken up, Iida arrived shortly to inform everyone that he had to leave the Sports Festival to go to the hospital.

Flashback...

"Midoriya, everyone. I know that this is sudden, but I have to leave now," Iida informed them. "A Villain got my older brother."

"What?" Kaminari gasped, shocked.

"No way," Kirishima muttered, eyes wide. "You mean your brother, the Hero Ingenium?!"

"That is correct," Iida nodded, head drooped down, and eyes closed.

"Oh, Iida," Momo muttered, concerned and worried. She knew of Ingenium by reputation but knew he was an exceptional Hero.

"Did they say he was going to be okay?" Ochaco asked, eyes concerned for Iida's sake.

"I don't know many details yet, that's why I have to go right away," Iida bowed slightly in apology. "I'm sorry I cannot be there to celebrate your victory, Midoriya."

Flashback over...

'You didn't have to apologize,' Izuku repeated what he had said, but Iida left before Izuku knew his friend knew he meant it. Izuku knew how much his older brother meant to Iida, remembering how Iida claimed his reason for being a Hero was to be just like his big brother. 'Ingenium. Please be okay. For Iida's sake, you have to be.'

"Now, let's bring out the hardware!" Midnight announced, gesturing to the top of the stadium. "Of course, there's only one Hero worthy of distributing the award!"

"HAHAHAHA!" A boisterous, loud, and familiar laugh echoed from the top, his iconic figure stepping up to the stadium's edge.

The crowd's cheers reached a fever pitch, smiles growing to their widest and eyes alight with hope and awe. "ALL MIGHT'S UP THERE!" One guy from the crowd voiced what all knew.

Izuku's worries were temporarily dismissed as he smiled brightly like the rest of the crowd.

"CITIZENS!" The Symbol of Peace exclaimed loudly, leaping off the top of the stadium, heroically. I AM HERE TO-" "ALL MIGHT THE NUMBER ONE HERO!" Midnight announced at the same time as All Might spoke and landed in front of her and the podium.

An awkward silence stretched at the conjoined introductions. "Ruined that, didn't I?" Midnight muttered, hands together apologetically, while a dark, awkward cloud settled comically over All Might at his botched appearance.

"Revelry in the Dark," Tokoyami muttered, earning a side-glance from Todoroki while Midoriya nervously chuckled and scratched his cheek.

"Oh, great! Now I missed the big oaf making a fool of himself?!" Pikachu cried out. "Will my torment never end?!

"Are you fixated on making fun of him because you're Still mad about what he said to our Trainer on this rooftop where they first met?" Combusken questioned exasperated.

"...Partially," Pikachu admitted. "Mostly because he's a big oaf and it's funny to see him slip up."

Izuku rolled his eyes at Pikachu's words and slight grudge toward his mentor and idol.

While the crowd muttered their thoughts on how lucky the 1st Year students were, Midnight continued, "So, now that you're here, All Might, why don't you start the presentation?" Midnight offered the Symbol of Peace a plate with four medals in red and white ribbons, two with a bronze coin, one in silver, and the final in gold, all with the U.A. logo. The final object on the plate was a small black box with the U.A. logo imprinted in gold at the top.

"Haha, very well," All Might took the first of the bronze medals. "Young Tokoyami, congratulations." The bird-headed boy bowed for All Might to place the metal over him. "You showed great strength out there, and impressive unity with your rare and sentient Quirk."

"Your words humble me, sir," Tokoyami nodded, looking up at the towering figure of the Symbol of Peace.

"However," All Might continued, wrapping Tokoyami in a hug, patting the boy's back, supportively. "You still have much training to do if you want to be able to fight against different kinds of Villains, especially ones who hold an advantage over you. You won't be able to rely on your Quirk at every battle you face."

All Might broke the hug and stepped back, allowing Tokoyami to hold up his bronze medal, staring at his reflection in contemplative thought, recalling his defeat from Bakugou and his advantageous Quirk. "Yes, sir," The teen said.

Grabbing the next medal, the other bronze, All Might turned to Shoto Todoroki. "Young Todoroki, congratulations," All Might said. Todoroki bowed and accepted the medal, silently. "I'm assuming there is a reason you weren't using your left side till the climax of your last battle, even though it would have given you the advantage against Young Mariella?"

"Midoriya opened my eyes during our match, made me see the error of my ways, but I started to doubt myself," Todoroki explained. "I understand now why you are so interested in him, despite the obvious."

'Obvious?' All Might thought, confused.

"I want to be the kind of Hero you are, but my path isn't as clear as I thought it was. I have a lot to think about," Todoroki continued, looking up at All Might. "And there are still things I need to settle with, with a lot of people, and soon."

All Might gave an understanding nod. "I've never seen this sort of look on your face before," All Might said, hugging and patting the boy. "I won't ask for details. Trust yourself, I'm sure you will work things out."

"Right," Todoroki leaned into the hug, feeling warm and light in the man's embrace. Shoto wondered, as he remembered clearly those times he sat on his mother's lap and watched the Pro before him on T.V. if this is what having a supporting father felt like.

Speaking of which...

"Also," All Might perked before he broke the hug as Todoroki whispered. "You can't fool me, All Might. I will reveal the details and truth that Midoriya is your secret love child."

"..." All Might froze still, and Todoroki assumed it was because he was right, but that was not quite it. 'T-That's what you meant by the obvious?!' Toshinori exclaimed in his mind, embarrassed. The embarrassment and awkwardness of what Todoroki said was only made more apparent given that he was dating the boy's mother and saw Midoriya as the son he never had. Still, having someone say that Midoriya was his secret love child was embarrassing and mortifying. 'Still, I have to keep up appearances, or he might start to believe in this crazy theory.'

"HAHAHHAHA!" All Might broke the hug and laughed out loud, patting Todoroki's shoulder. "I have to say if there is one thing that distinguishes you from your father, you have a great sense of humor!"

While the Pro Hero left to get the next medal, Todoroki comically stood still and serious, muttering, "But I wasn't joking."

"Ah, Young Bakugou," All Might paused in what to say given the person he knew the boy was. He felt conflicted in giving the boy this medal, and felt in the most bitter and darkest part of him, that this is where the boy belonged for all he did. But he couldn't appear biased in front of so many people or reveal Bakugou's past, not without Midoriya's permission, and he felt that there may be a chance now with this defeat that the boy could change.

"This is a little much," All Might reached to remove Bakugou's muzzle. "Well, you certainly showed great strength, skill, and determination to get where you are at." All Might finally took off the muzzle. "You're quite the prodigy."

"All Might..." All Might stilled at the dangerous growl coming from the ash-blonde teen. "THIS ISN'T ENOUGH!" Bakugou's face twisted into its most demented and angriest growl ever seen. "THE FIGHT WASN'T WON FAIR AND SQUARE! SHITTY DEKU DIDN'T US THE FULL WEIGHT OF HIS STRENGTH ON ME LIKE ICY HOT OR EVEN THAT GENERAL COURSE REJECT! I WON'T ACCEPT DEFEAT UNTIL HE FIGHTS ME AT HIS BEST! YOU HEAR ME, DEKU?!" Bakugou turned to look at Midoriya, only to see that the green-haired boy wasn't looking his way at all. That only made Bakugou angrier. "LOOK AT ME AND FIGHT ME!"

'Look at that face!' All Might shivered in fright and disgust at the look. While Midnight only rolled her eyes at the boy's tantrum. "Ahem, in a world where we are constantly compared to one another, very few can be focused on the top spot. You're one of them!" All Might gave the best and most charitable praise that he could provide to Young Midoriya's former bully. Unfortunately, it was like nothing he said got through to him, or if it did, it just went out the other ear without paying attention. 'Okay, maybe I was too charitable in thinking he could change.' The Symbol of Peace presented the silver medal to Bakugou. "Please, accept this medal. Even if you have to think of it as a scar, something you will never forget."

More unfortunately, conflating the medal to a scar, was perhaps the wrong choice of words not to further Bakugou's anger. Feeling the phantom burn on the new scar on his cheek and the sting of the cut Deku gave him, Bakugou's growling grew worse. "I DON'T WANT THAT PIECE OF GARBAGE!" Bakugou yelled out.

"Come now," All Might muttered as he tried to put the medal over Bakugou, only for Bakugou to lean back onto the cement pillar he was bound to, keeping All Might from bringing the medal over his head and only over his nose.

"GET THAT TRASH AWAY FROM ME, YOU IDIOT!" Bakugou whined.

Over at the stands, Mitsuki and Masaru face-palmed and groaned, respectively, at their son's still abhorrent attitude, while Inko deadpanned.

"There You Go!" All Might said, the medal was now on Bakugou...specifically his mouth.

"Can we put the muzzle back on?" Serena muttered. Hagakure and Mina had to hold back their giggles behind their mouths, lest Momo make muzzles for the both of them.

"And now," All Might walked up to the first-place podium, his smile at its widest and proudest. "Young Midoriya."

Izuku nodded in greeting, his eyes growing wet as the reality of this moment finally set in.

"What words can I use that can accurately describe your performance?" All Might questioned. "Marvelous. Spectacular. Amazing!"

'Okay, too much. You're getting carried away, Toshi,' Toshinori heard Cinderace speaking in his mind. 'Reel it back.'

"Ahem! But I can say that you were right," All Might continued. "So often are we blinded by the great deeds of Pros, that very few can have the objective look to see past the feats of one's Quirk. The past has often shown us that a Quirk can be either the greatest of gifts or the most terrible of curses. But throughout, you have proved that it is not the strength of a Quirk, nor whether a Quirk looks flashy, heroic, or Villainous, or if even you have a Quirk at all, what matters the most is in here!" All Might placed his fist over Midoriya's heart. "A person's intent, purpose, heart, these define a person's character, where their true strength lies, and what makes one Hero or a Villain."

Bakugou stopped trying to spit out the medal's ribbon from his mouth as he heard this all, freezing in place as the Symbol of Peace, his idol, agreed with Deku's words and views. 'No, not him, anyone but him,' Bakugou tried to deny that All Might was saying this nonsense.

"You have great challenges, setbacks, and adversity, yet you smashed through these barriers with your mind, your ceaseless determination, and a selfless, heroic heart that outshines even my own," All Might stated, placing the medal over Midoriya while the world listened with wide eyes at the level of praise he was giving the boy, saying he shined brighter than even the Symbol of Peace. "You have proved worthy of this achievement, worthy to stand among the best of the best, and my-"

Al Might paused as he stared at Midoriya's pleading eyes. Suddenly, he was taken back to their earlier conversation.

"Why, Young Midoriya? Why not?"

Flashback...

"Why won't you let me introduce you to the world as my successor?"

The two were alone in Midoriya's waiting room, minutes away from the award ceremony to begin. All Might had shown up, in his true form, to personally congratulate his successor in private and ensure that he was okay, both in body and mind, to which Toshinori was relieved that he was. All Might had broken down how the award ceremony would go and his intentions to honor the goal he revealed to Midoriya weeks before the Sports Festival: his decision to announce to the world that Izuku Midoriya was All Might's chosen successor.

Only for Midoriya to ask All Might not to do so.

"Please, All Might, i-it just wouldn't be right," Izuku stuttered, head lowered.

"Wouldn't be right? But you won, Young Midoriya!" Toshinori stated again. "This was why I wanted you to win the whole Festival. My time is shortening, and more Villain will realize this, not just the League. The people will need a new symbol to look up to, to Hope in, and with your outstanding victory in all the events, this would be the perfect jumping-off point as my protege to the public. This would be incredibly beneficial to your future career as a Pro. So, why not?"

"B-Because...that's not the kind of message I want to send," Midoriya revealed.

All Might blinked in surprise. "What?" Toshinori asked.

"Let me explain," Izuku raised his hands for him to wait. "Yes, I understand what your endorsement would mean for me, and I get this would be a great opportunity and all that, but it would send the wrong kind of message. If you were to reveal that you have been training, people would start to think that I only won because of you, people would presume that I had won because it was obvious All Might's successor won. All the victories and words of Izuku Midoriya would just become the words of All Might's successor."

Toshinori blinked again, looking down contemplatively. "Huh, I suppose, I didn't see it that way," Toshinori admitted.

"I know this might come off as selfish and maybe prideful, but I want for everything that I did, everything that I achieved because I worked for it," Izuku continued. "I want the people to feel like anyone could reach this point if they worked hard enough, that a random nobody can rise to become a Champion, that in everyone there is the capacity to become a Hero, a Symbol of Hope. I want to be seen as more than just your successor, All Might." Izuku looked up with pleading, yet determined eyes. "I want to be seen as your equal, your rival, the one to surpass you!"

All Might was silent as he digested Izuku's words, staring into his eyes as they held strong against the hero's neutral look, never wavering, never yielding, his ideals brought to bear against the Symbol of Peace.

And Symbol smiled back.

"Well, with those kinds of words and aspirations, Young Midoriya, how can I not accept?"

Flashback over...

"And My Greatest Proof to the words that I say to all that wish to take on the mantle of a Hero for the good of others," All Might said as he placed a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "I said this before, and I will repeat it, and as many times as I need to for you to see."

"Young Midoriya, you too can become a Hero," All Might declared to the crowd's roar. All Might hugged Midoriya and the boy he saw like a son hugged back. Switching off his mic, All Might whispered. "I am so proud of you, my boy. You have earned this."

Midoriya could not keep the Midoriya-level tears from spilling out. "Thank you, All Might. For everything," Izuku cried out.

"Ah, shucks, quit your blubbering," All Might sniffled. "You're gonna make this old fool cry too."

As they hugged, Izuku's Pokémon smiled from within their Pokeballs.

"Are you still angry with him, now?" Eevee smirkingly asked.

"*Sniff* M-Maybe *Sniff*. Maybe not as much," Pikachu sniffled.

"W-Wait, Pikachu, are you crying?!" Eevee questioned.

"It's just very dusty in here!" Pikachu yelled.

"What are you even spouting?" Froakie inquired, confused. "A Pokeball's insides never get dusty-"

"SHUT UP!" Pikachu cried.

Meanwhile, Inko couldn't stop the tears from flowing, even if she tried. To see her son acknowledged by the man he looked up to most in the world, to affirm his words and declare that he shines brighter than even the Symbol of Peace, a mother couldn't be prouder, she couldn't be prouder of the man her baby boy had become.

"Now, ahem," All Might broke the hug and subtly wiped the tears threatening to spill. "There is more to your reward than just a medal and some words from little old me." Izuku raised an eyebrow, while All Might gestured for Midnight to approach. As she did, she lifted the plate with the last item on it, the small, black box. Turning back to Midoriya, All Might continued. "Every Sports Festival Champion receives a reward such as this. You may find it quite similar to the rewards for those who scored the top three in the Entrance Exam." Izuku's eyes widened. "Remember what I taught you, Young Midoriya, there is a difference between being lucky and deserving -one an accident, the other a reward. Never get the two confused! So, take this, my boy, you've earned it."

Izuku took the black box, staring at it with apprehension, and finally, opened it. Inside, in a small red cushion, was a Pokeball with a brown top half and a yellow U. "A-An Ultra Ball?!" Izuku questioned.

"Not just the Ultra Ball," All Might chuckled. "The Pokémon that lays inside belongs to you now." All Might leaned in and whispered. "This was how I got my Dragonite, by the way." The Symbol of Peace knew how much his successor was a fanboy of his, and loved any new piece of All Might trivia.

Izuku's eyes widened, and he took the Ultra Ball into his. Instantly, he could feel a connection build between him and the Pokémon inside, much like how he felt with the others.

"Go ahead, Young Midoriya," All Might gestured, stepping back. "Show us what's inside."

With the pressure and expectation of everyone looking to him to do as Number 1 Pro said, Izuku had no choice but to do so. "Alright, Come on out!" Izuku yelled as he tossed the ball into the air. The Ultra Ball snapped open, and the subsequent river of light shined out and blasted onto the ground, the light taking shape before it sparkled away to reveal the Pokémon fully.

The Pokémon stood about as tall as Combusken, even on all fours, though its roundish body shape made it wider than hers. Its legs were a dark color with the inner side a dark orange, and were stubby and short compared to the rest of its body. Its round body was like a green shell an overtly large green volleyball with legs, upper right and left sides containing protruding ridges. The front and back of the Pokémon opened up to reveal what lay inside. The back and the front were the same color as its legs, but the front glared at him with large yellow eyes.

"SHELGON!" The Shiny Shelgon cried out its name.

"AHAHAHA! Oh, Young Midoriya, your face is like the one I had when I first got Dratini!" All Might laughed at Midoriya's slack-jawed face.

"Woah, that's a Shelgon!" One of the General Course students exclaimed.

"A Pseudo-Legendary? And a shiny one at that? How lucky!" Another student exclaimed.

Bakugou glared at all this with a jealous hatred that burned hotter than a star. 'No. No! That was supposed to be mine! I should have gotten a Pseudo-Legendary! I should be getting All Might's admiration! Not Deku! He's Nothing!' The boy jealously whined like a spoiled brat.

Serena brought out her Pokedex and scanned the new Pokémon. "Shelgon, the Endurance Pokémon, and the evolved form of Bagon. Inside Shelgon's armor-like shell, cells are in the midst of transformation to create an entirely new body. This Pokémon's shell is extremely heavy, making its movements sluggish."

"Endurance Pokémon," Kirishima repeated the line, before crying crocodile tears. "Oh, man! I'm so jealous! That sounds like it would be perfect for me!"

"Dammit! I want to call him lucky, but All Might said otherwise!" Tetsutetsu whined and faux cried.

"Shel," Shelgon noticed Midoriya and sensed a connection with him, blinking its eyes.

Snapping out of his confusion, Midoriya knelt before the Pokémon, lowering his face to be on the same level as the Dragon Type. "Hey, my name is Izuku Midoriya, and I guess I'm your new Trainer," Izuku introduced himself to the Pokémon, raising a hand slowly till he brushed and pressed his palm gently onto Shelgon's head. Instantly, Izuku could feel the connection forming between them solidify, and where once was a wispy line of gas now was a firm line connecting them. "Welcome to the team!" Izuku smiled brightly.

Shelgon was silent and unmoving as he inspected Midoriya. And then, out of nowhere, Shelgon struck and butted its front to Izuku's forehead, a comical clang sounding as it headbutted its new Trainer.

"Izu!" Serena exclaimed in shock.

Izuku groaned weakly as he comically fell backward onto his back, while Shelgon huffed pridefully.

"BAHAHAHAHA!" All Might burst out laughing. "Ah, Young Midoriya, I didn't think it would take this long for you two to start butting heads! HAHAHAHA!"

"Ow," Izuku groaned, getting back up and rubbing his head.

"Hmph, so you are supposed to be my Trainer?" Izuku could hear a gruff, unfamiliar voice in his mind that Izuku could only pinpoint as Shelgon's, the Pokémon himself staring at him, unamused. "I must say I'm unimpressed."

Izuku lightly flinched. "Y-Yeah, I suppose I'm that intimidating or cool, right?" Izuku spoke mentally back to his new Pokémon.

Shelgon blinked in surprise, tilting its body and head to the side. "I-I can hear you in my mind," Shelgon muttered. "You understand me?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Izuku replied. "Shelgon, the rest of my Pokémon. Guys, Shelgon."

"Greetings, I am Froakie," Froakie spoke, earning a slight jump in surprise from Shelgon. "While I understand your Type's habit of being prideful, I must say that if you strike our Trainer again, you will have to confront me."

"For once, I agree with you, Bubble Scarf," Pikachu jumped in, ignoring the sounds of affront by the Bubble Frog Pokémon. "Name's Pikachu and I'm the boss among the Pokémon around here! Headbutt, the Big Boss again, and we'll have problems."

"Firstly, you are not the boss of us, only Izuku is," Combusken spoke up. "And secondly, welcome. I am Combusken, and it is nice to meet your acquaintance. Though I do stress not to strike our Trainer if you wish for a productive partnership."

"And I'm Eevee," Eevee finished the introduction. "Hope that we can get along well!"

Shelgon stared at his Trainer, blinking and gazing at him analytically. Izuku blinked, almost seeing himself in those analytical eyes. "Hmm, very well, you have piqued my interest," Shelgon said. "I suppose that I may give you another chance. Pray that I may find you worthy soon enough."

Izuku was surprised at how Shelgon acted and his choice of words, but instead of feeling insulted, he smiled and stared back challengingly. "Welcome to the Team," Izuku repeated his greeting. "Let's grow strong together."

Afterward, All Might and Midnight announced the end of the 1st-Year Sports Festival and the students were reported to head to their homerooms for instructions. Class 1-A had gathered and sat in their class with Aizawa waiting for them, and he helped ensure that Bakugou sat in his seat without provoking any kind of confrontation with Midoriya, something that grated on Bakugou nerves as he still had the 2nd place metal on his teeth.

Aizawa informed the class that they would have the next few days off to recuperate. Before he dismissed the class, the insomniac teacher specifically called out for a few students to stay behind for a talk with a member of the U.A. staff. Aizawa called Bakugou to stay behind in the classroom to talk with him personally, while Mina was asked to go to Recovery Girl's room for a last-minute check-up on her injuries. Todoroki was asked to wait by the principal's office, but, surprisingly enough, so were Midoriya and Hagakure. When the students asked why, Aizawa just activated his Quirk to give them a stern glare to stop asking questions.

So, the students got up and prepared to leave for the rest of the day. Izuku said goodbye to his friends, insisting Serena to go home and rest, and promised to call Momo later for their plans. And as Izuku left with Hagakure and Todoroki, the former two giving a clear wider birth to the candy cane-haired teen, Izuku spied Iida's empty seat, wondering how both he and Ingenium were doing.

Meanwhile...

Iida walked to the greeting desk of Hosu General Hospital's Emergency Room wing, talking to the receptionist. After getting the information he needed, Iida took off as fast as his legs could carry him without his Quirk, ignoring the receptionist yelling at him not to run. Running up the stairs and corridors, Iida finally reached the hall he was looking for to see his mom sitting by a chair at the end of the hall.

"MOM!" Iida yelled out as he ran to her.

"Oh, Tenya," Aoid Iida spoke, walking up to her youngest son as he arrived.

"How is Tensei doing?" Iida asked, but the words that followed from his mother the youngest Iida son couldn't recall as he walked past her and swung open the sliding door that separated him from his brother. "BROTHER!"

"Tenya! Keep your voice down!" Aoi whispered to her son, a white mask over her mouth. "And put on a mask."

Tenya did not hear what his mother said as the sight before him froze him to the bone, his eyes and mouth agape in horror.

Tensei lay on the hospital bed his lower half covered by the sheets while his upper half remained bare. Bandages littered his elder brother's body, wires, so many tubes and wires, connected to Ingenium's broken body. The largest bandage was on his brother's abdomen and covered the entire area. The top of his brother's head was entirely covered in bandages, likely shaved, and a respirator mask was clasped over his brother's mouth and nose, fogging at times as his brother breathed steadily.

The doctor or nurse, Tenya couldn't care less, was surprised at his arrival but sighed and explained the situation to the U.A. student. "The anesthesia's worn out but he's still in and out," The doctor explained. "If the surgery had happened any later, I don't think he would have made it. His Pokémon are being worked on too and most will recover...but from what it's looking, some have sustained permanent, debilitating injuries."

On time, Tensei's eyes groggily opened. "Little Brother," Tensei whispered, his voice raspy and tired. "Is that you?"

Tenya strode over to his brother's bedside while their mother collapsed by the doorway in grief and tears. "Tensei, you're going to be fine!" Tenya stated, but he didn't know if he was reassuring his brother or himself.

"Sorry," Tensei rasped out. "I'm someone you're supposed to look up to and respect...but look at me."

Tenya's eyes welled up with tears, the memory of his younger self playing in his head, looking up to Tensei in his Hero suit, his helmet at his hip, and his brother's smile grinning down at him.

"Tenya...Little Brother..." Tensei whispered as tears began to roll down Tenya's distraught eyes, his mouth whimpering. "I'm sorry...I've failed you..."

"TENSEI!"

The Next Day...

"Alright, well, I'm glad to hear he's gonna make it," Izuku spoke on the phone as he walked down the sidewalk. The green-haired teen was wearing his best formally casual suit of a dark green and black checkered dress shirt with black jeans. Pikachu hung on his shoulder while his Trainer talked, overhearing the conversation, his ear tilted down in sadness. "Listen, call me if you need anything. The others and I will be glad to help in any way we can. Yeah, yeah, okay. Take care, Iida."

Izuku hung up the phone, sighing tiredly. "Iida," Izuku muttered, concerned.

After the Sports Festival, Izuku and the others didn't have much luxury for celebration. The whole group waited desperately for news on Ingenium's status and how their friend, Iida, was taking the event. The news was still focusing on the Sports Festival, but it wouldn't take long for them to get ahold of the news regarding Ingenium. All Iida could tell them was a Villain had attacked his brother, leaving the man nearly for dead, and his Pokémon were grievously injured. Currently, Tensei Iida and his Pokémon were expected to live, but it was still hit or miss what kind of condition he would be in, and the Hero was still blinking in and out of consciousness.

Izuku and Eevee offered to use the latter's Heal Pulse on Tensei, to ease the man's pain if anything else; however, Iida declined, saying that his brother was out of the worst of it for now, and, while he appreciated the offer, he didn't want for anything to disturb his brother's healing process. When asked about Ingenium's Pokémon, Iida's tone only turned grimmer. Most of Tensie's Iida Pokémon only sustained injuries from major bruises to some blood loss, but others like Ingenium's Corviknight and Beedrill suffered worse fates. The Raven Pokémon lost a few of his metal plumage and had a busted wing and it was too soon to know if he would ever fly again, and the Poison Bee Pokémon was in even worse shape, losing an entire wing altogether. Izuku felt sick hearing that, wondering who could do such a thing to a Pokémon, but then he remembered what the League did to make that Nomu, what they did to that Machamp. A righteous fire burned in Izuku's chest, but Izuku cooled it down before it could get the better of him.

With that recent phone call, Izuku offered his best wishes to Iida and his family, but the green-haired boy couldn't help but still feel useless in all this.

"Hey, enough of that," Eevee mentally said. "There isn't anything you could have done. You aren't a pro yet and we had no idea this would happen."

"I know that," Izuku replied. "But we could have helped ease his brother's pain. It's the least he deserves after helping so many people."

"If Tenya believes our help is unneeded, then it is not our place to interfere in such a delicate affair," Combusken offered her peace.

Izuku made a grumbling noise, unhappy at hearing that despite how fair it sounded.

"If I may, this Ingenium sounds like a strong and capable warrior, such a person will pull through alright," Shelgon jumped in. "It is useless for us to worry about agendas we are incapable of supporting, especially when one must focus on the task at hand."

"That...that is right," Izuku nodded. "Thanks, Shelgon."

"Huh, surprising to hear something so helpful from Mr. Headbutt," Pikachu snarked.

"If this partnership between us is to work, I must assist as much as you must assist me in my pursuit of Evolution," Shelgon continued, ignoring Pikachu's dig at him.

"That is a fair compromise," Froakie said. "And he is right, Master Izuku. You must focus on the task at hand."

Izuku nodded. Within a few seconds, he stopped, finally reaching his destination. A large gate, spanning miles across, separated Izuku from the driveway leading up to Yaoyorozu's estate. One of the brick pillars of the entrance had a plaque with the kanji of Yaoyorozu inscribed on it. The area he could see was full of tall trees, but Izuku knew that all across the area there were secret traps and hired bodyguards lurking in the shadows. Midoriya got on the wrong foot of one group when he arrived for the first time before they confirmed that Yaomomo had invited him. Izuku had to give it to the guards, they were true to their jobs and held their young lady's safety as their utmost duty.

However, the manor at the end of the driveway always took Midoriya's breath away. It was three stories tall and definitely held a sophisticated, old, wealthy family vibe that felt almost designed to make Midoriya seem like a peasant in front of royalty. The area had a lush garden and open field, perfect for Momo to train her Quirk, or, as she and Izuku used it for when he visited, training their Pokémon. Izuku knew that if he hadn't gotten Yaomomo's help training Torchic, alongside her Squirtle, it would have taken longer for her to evolve into Combusken.

Back then, he felt like an honored guest of this prestigious and wealthy family, now he felt like he was some heroic knight striding up to a castle to save the princess. It felt honestly cheesy, but whether or not this whole situation was a bit cliche meant nothing compared to Momo's freedom.

Izuku pressed on the intercom's buzzer. Izuku didn't have to wait long for a response. "Ah, Mr. Midoriya. The Yaoyorozu's have been expecting you," A voice spoke on the intercom before the gates opened, allowing Izuku to continue his march toward the manor.

As he got to the manor and knocked on the door, a butler welcomed him in and directed him through the nice and clean manor till they reached Momo standing by a window in a red dress, overlooking the outside. The worry and anxiousness in her beautiful face made her look like a princess overlooking the outside from a caged window. Izuku lightly shook his head. 'I got to stop with these stupid metaphors,' He thought to himself.

"Mr. Izuku Midoriya, Lady Momo," The butler announced their arrival.

Momo noticed him and smiled, before returning her face to a neutral, trained aristocratic look. "Thank you. Leave us," Momo ordered. The butler bowed and left at once, leaving the two alone in the hall. With them alone, Momo dropped the look and smiled beautifully at him. "You came."

Izuku blushed, the light of the window only made Yaoyorozu's smile look like it belonged on an angel, yet the green-haired teen composed himself. "Was there ever any doubt?" Izuku asked with a smirk.

It was Momo's turn to blush. "At times, but not from me," Momo replied, walking up to him and taking his hand in hers. The both of them blushed scarlet at each other's touch, yet Momo held strong and brushed her delicate fingers over Midoriya's crooked fingers and scars. "If you don't wish to go forward with this, I'll more than understand-"

"My friend needs help. You're my friend, Momo," Izuku cut her off, smiling softly. "Nothing can keep me away if they tried."

Momo's eyes watered, forcing herself to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest. Sniffling, Momo schooled herself and nodded, a serious frown taking root. "Then let us end this charade," Momo declared.

Izuku nodded, likewise serious. "Lead the way, Deputy Rep," Izuku replied.

Momo gave a small smirk to that response before turning and leading him down the hall to two red doors, guarded by two bodyguards who greeted Momo with respectful nods. Momo nodded to one of the guards, who nodded back. The guard proceeded to knock on the door in a set pattern, Izuku noticed. A familiar voice spoke from the other side of the doors. "Enter."

The guard opened the door for Momo. She looked back at him and raised her hand, silently telling him to wait on her call. Izuku nodded and watched as Momo went inside. "Ah, daughter," The voice, muffled by the doors, said.

"Father, Mother," Momo's muffled voice replied.

"Is he here?" The man asked.

"He has a name," Momo's voice growled defensively. Izuku smiled at the gesture.

"Yes, quite," The man replied, his voice sounding unamused. "Well, send him in."

The guards opened the door and Izuku went to go through the doors. Only to be stopped by one of the guards, who pointed at Pikachu on his shoulder. "The Pokémon stays outside or in his Pokeball," The guard said, a hardness that made it clear that this was non-negotiable.

Izuku huffed, looking at Pikachu who was glaring at the guard. "It's alright, buddy," Izuku whispered. "You stay out here. I got this."

Pikachu was hesitant to obey but leaped off Izuku's shoulder and remained standing in front of the guards, continuing to glare suspiciously at them. With that settled, Izuku was allowed entry, and so he went inside.

Inside the room, the lowermost walls were lined with shelves full of books, reaching to the ceiling. Among them included classical literature and tomes that were nearly lost during the cultural chaos of Dawning of Quirks. On the upper left and right corners were different types of artifacts and items on glass shelves. From what Izuku could make out, they ranged from Pokémon Fossils, signed trinkets, and Support Items from past Heroes that got his inner fanboy tickling with interest, and even what looked like a Mega Stone, the Mega Evolution Symbol twisting yellow, brown, and orange inside the white orb.

There was one item among the lineup that drew Izuku's interest more than the rest: a stone tablet. It was simple, only a lime green rectangle, laying on a tilted stand, but it looked old, ancient, yet still pristine and untouched by the age of time, paradoxically. Izuku felt a draw to something every time he came to the Yaoyorozu estate, and it always came from this one room, the room Yaomomo said was her father's office. Now, Izuku knew what was drawing him in. Looking at it, a tablet felt like less of an accurate description or name of the object. 'More like a Plate, really,' Izuku thought.

Yet, Izuku tore his gaze away from the Plate and toward the two people that Izuku was dreading yet hoping to face. Standing off to the side was one of the most beautiful women Izuku had ever seen and where Momo clearly got most of her looks from. Manami Yaoyorozu stood at 5'6" and a mahogany-colored dress that hugged her voluptuous figure like a glove, yet she held no visible discomfort, the dress ended just above her ankles in a slight slit, showing her creamy, flawless legs ending in her golden, open-toed heels. A sash of the same color wrapped around her slender waist while her hips jutted out enticingly, the sleeves of her dress ended just above her forearms, and her collar was exposed and traveled down to a V-neck, revealing a modest amount of cleavage. Golden loose bracelets were on her right wrist, a golden watch on the left, a diamond ring, and a wedding ring on her finger. Her dark brown hair reached down to her back, curled at the ends and framing her beautiful face, light lipstick on her lips, onyx-black eyes like her daughter, eyelashes curled, and golden rings for earrings. The woman was like a goddamn supermodel and if she was any indication of what Momo would grow up to be...Izuku stopped himself before his face turned as red as a tomato.

Standing behind the main desk, near the window overlooking the yard, was the man himself, Mr. Yutaka Yaoyorozu. The man stood at 6 feet, wearing a fancy black vest with golden buttons over a simple white dress shirt and mahogany tie, the vest and shirt framing his respectful frame enough to show that he was more than just money and class, that muscle and strength was waiting in need to defend himself. He wore sleek black dress pants and coffee-brown dress shoes. His spiky, raven-black hair was combed back, except for a tuft of hair curling down and shortly framing his left side in a masculine reverse to Momo's style. The hair ended below his golden amber eyes that held an intimidating glare to them, only furthered by his rectangular, upside-down, black-rimmed glasses. Where his wife's face was perfectly symmetrical, his was chiseled and hard. In another light, he could have been seen as a caring businessman of a father, but here, with his cold glare, he looked like a dangerous mafioso, an intimidating head of the Yaoyorozu family.

"Father, Mother, you remember my dear friend, Izuku Midoriya," Momo introduced him.

"Yes, of course, hello again, Mr. Midoriya," Mr. Yaoyorozu greeted with a curt nod.

"Mr. Yaoyorozu, Mrs. Yaoyorozu," Izuku greeted, nodding back as effectively, his emerald eyes cold and hard.

Manami Yaoyorozu stiffened slightly. "Midoriya," Manami greeted back. "It seems I must remind you again to not be so formal and to call me by my first name."

"With all due respect, ma'am, this conversation requires a degree of formality and objective honesty," Izuku replied, coldly. "You will have to forgive me if I find calling you by your first name quite inappropriate and undeserving."

Manami flinched at the response, picking up on the subtle dig that he was very unhappy with certain events and held her just as accountable as her husband. She couldn't blame or fault the boy given how right he was.

Yutaka's frown deepened at the subtle lack of respect for his wife's wishes but then it appears whatever goodwill there was between them and the boy was all but ruined. "Please, take a seat," Mr. Yaoyorozu gestured to regal chairs placed in front of his desk.

Izuku and Momo complied and sat down as the latter's father sat in his chair, the mother elected to stay standing off to the side.

A tense and quiet standstill came about between the room's occupants. Izuku and Momo stared unflinchingly while Mr. Yaoyorozu stared back, his fingers joined together below his chin. Momo had warned him that this was a common business tactic, that whoever speaks last holds a stronger position in the negotiations, and it was clear that Mr. Yaoyorozu believed Midoriya to be a novice of such. Granted he was, but Momo wasn't.

"Hmm," Mr. Yaoyorozu hummed, with a slightly impressed gleam in his eyes. "So, Mr. Midoriya, you are here to discuss about my daughter's recent engagement to Mr. Todoroki, correct?"

"That is correct, Mr. Yaoyorozu," Izuku nodded, keeping his cold gaze while anger briefly flashed in his eyes.

Mr. Yaoyorozu frowned. "And you are aware of the conditions and requirements of my deal with my daughter regarding this engagement?" The man asked further.

"Momo made them perfectly clear," Midoriya nodded again, ceasing his stare down with the girl's father. "To break free of the engagement she needs one of two conditions. The first option was for her to win the Sports Festival herself, while the second was for any person with her favor winning the Sports Festival."

"And you claim to have given him your favor, Daughter?" Yutaka questioned his daughter.

"Yes, Father," Momo curtly replied. "Ever since he found out about the arrangement before the 3rd event. It was Izuku who had volunteered to win for my sake and I accepted his request."

Mr. Yaoyorozu hummed again, his right pointer finger making a show of tapping his hand. "And what did you request of my daughter for this act of service, Mr. Midoriya?" Yutaka asked, with an air of suspicion. "Money? An expensive item? Her hand in marriage?"

Izuku's eyes narrowed. "I asked for nothing in return," Izuku replied, his voice in a low growl. "Save for her freedom from this engagement."

"Ah, so, an act of chivalry, is it?" Mr. Yaoyorozu inferred. "A desperate act of love, perhaps?"

"Momo is my friend, my Deputy Rep in class, and a person in need of help," Izuku responded, yet he failed to keep one of his eyes from twitching slightly. "I had no further incentive to offer my aid."

He didn't see Momo flinching at his response.

Mr. Yaoyorozu gave a low, amused chuckle. "You'll have to forgive me for believing something so cliche to be the sole reason for your vested interest in my daughter's love life," Momo's father replied.

"Then you presume too much, and know me non-too well," Izuku rebuttal. "Or did you perhaps forget my first encounter with your family?"

"No, I did not," Yutaka replied, narrowing his eyes. "Your act in helping my daughter then was appreciated, but I'm sure you can understand how suspicious it was that you would not accept any reward and spent the next month growing close to my daughter, heir to the Yaoyorozu fortune."

"Even if she was heir to the richest family on Earth, I would have acted the same," Izuku's narrowed eyes gleamed with a dangerous green glow. "Not everyone is as greedy and lacking moral character as yourself."

Momo's sharp and quick gasp was the only noise that followed into an even more tense and heavy atmosphere.

"Strong, harsh words from a guest, boy," Mr. Yaoyorozu growled lowly.

"I tend to not feel inclined to show respect to someone that I found isn't deserving," Izuku retorted, carelessly. "You can ask Endeavor."

The head of the Yaoyorozu family's fingers tightened painfully. "I can forgive such careless words given your recent upstart in notoriety, but I must remind you of your place, Mr. Midoriya," Yutaka Yaoyorozu growled, dangerously. "You are but a regular civilian, a simple commoner in all tenets of the word. You have no idea of the games and risks that we of high station must deal with."

"Father!" Momo gasped, affronted on Izuku's behalf, and even Mrs. Yaoyorozu looked at her husband with disapproval.

"I am not interested in playing games," Izuku's eyes glowed and sparked with One For All gleaming just beneath the surface. "Maybe your time spent so high above us commoners has made you ignorant of seeing the simple things."

"Then please, boy, share with me what simple wisdom you possess," Yutaka waved to Midoriya, gesturing for him to continue as anger brimmed in the man's eyes.

"Gladly," Izuku spat. "For one, you thrust your daughter, your heir, into a Quirk Marriage engagement, a practice that has not been looked favorably since the years after the Dawning of Quirks. When she expressed her displeasure and refusal, you denied her and continued with this absurd arrangement without her consent. And when she continued to refute you on this matter, instead of adhering to and respecting your daughter's choices, you bribed her with a deal that cost her unnecessary hardship and heartache. At most, these are grounds for parental abuse and abuse of authority; at the least, it just makes the both of you bad parents."

A few moments of silence followed from Izuku's accusations. Manami Yaoyorozu turned away from the three, her face hidden behind her hair. Yutaka Yaoyorozu had adopted a new stance, a hand over enough, with the lower hand now clenching and cracking under the weight of his grip.

"Everything I do is for my daughter's safety," Yutaku muttered firmly.

"What you would call 'safety', I see imprisonment," Izuku spat out, angrily. "Slavery. Sabotage."

Momo whirled her gaze at Izuku with surprise and confusion.

"Sabotage?" Yutaka raised an eyebrow, likewise, as lost as his daughter.

"Your deal with Momo caused her unnecessary heartache and pressure, remember?" Izuku raised an eyebrow back at Yutaka, gazing at him like he was an idiot. "That pressure, uneasiness, and distress affected her state of mind to where she was cracking at the seams. It made her unable to think as effectively as she could and where she ultimately lost her match. Had she not had to deal with this engagement over her head, she would have defeated her opponent and advanced further in the tournament. I'm confident to believe she would have been able to defeat me."

Momo gazed at Izuku with shock at such words, such confident, honest words. As hard as she could possibly imagine, she could not believe she would have stood a chance against the boy with the level of power and destruction he was capable of, how fast he could move, and how adaptive and intelligent Midoriya was in his own right. But Izuku spoke with such confidence in her abilities, her intelligence, and strength, that it was hard to refute him. It took Momo everything not to break down in grateful tears.

"Instead, the results of your decisions clouded her judgment, and she lost," Izuku continued, heatedly. "You cost your daughter the chance to proceed in the tournament and robbed her of the ability to attract further attention from the Pros. And because you seem to have lost how to think 'simply', I'll break it down to you in a language you understand: Business." Yutaka's knuckles seemed to crack under another slight. "What you sabotaged was the chance for your daughter to gain the approval of more Pro Heroes, approval that would generate interest in her prowess and abilities, interest that would garner her support and attention of the media, and when our time for internships comes, she would have received more offers, with the more offers she gets, the more interest and want of her talents greatens. Hell, she could have even got offers from most if not all of the Top 10 pros if she went far enough. And those offers would have further greaten her skills and strengths, such attributes that she could show off in the next Sports Festival, which would lead to a greater rise among the ranks, which means more enticing offers, offers that would have extended into sidekick propositions, only further enhancing her career and strengthening her chances against a powerful and dangerous Villain."

"To put it simply again, you did everything But ensure your daughter's safety," Izuku finished. "Sabotage."

...

'DDDaaaaaammmmnnn,' Pikachu replied mentally, overhearing everything alongside the others.

Momo and Manami stared at Izuku with surprise at such a detailed explanation, finding themselves impressed with the boy's talent for analysis. Yutaka's stare down of Midoriya was still as narrowed as before, but even a glimmer of respect shined from his hardened eyes.

"It would appear I underestimated you, Izuku Midoriya," Yutaka Yaoyorozu admitted. "You speak wisely, yet fail to realize an important factor in your analysis."

"And what factor is that?" Izuku questioned.

"Her competence and ability to succeed," Yutaka answered bluntly, earning the hurt look of his daughter, the surprised one of his wife, and the glare of Midoriya's. "You believe her capable of defeating your classmate and more if she was of sounder mind and judgment, but if she is as strong and capable as you say, she would have never allowed herself to be defeated, even so easily to her opponent, or barely advance through the 2nd event without Todoroki's abilities. As far as my daughter has demonstrated, it would be to her betterment if she had Shoto Todoroki as a husband to defend her."

Izuku rose swiftly from his seat, the rise so fast that the chair fell to the ground. The guards from outside burst from the doorway and aimed their guns at Midoriya's backside as he loomed menacingly over Yutaka Yaoyorozu and his desk, the green bioelectricity of Full Cowling sparking dangerously around him. Everyone was at a standstill, from Momo and Manami frozen in place to Pikachu sparking electricity from his cheeks at the guards, ready to defend his Trainer. Yutaka kept his hard gaze on Midoriya but raised his palm outwardly to the guards, silently ordering them to stand down. Ultimately, the guards would comply, sheathing their sidearms and re-closing the door, Pikachu likewise standing down from a mental command from Izuku.

"Momo Yaoyorozu is the most competent, talented, and strong person that I have ever met," Izuku declared, boldly. "Among our class, she is the one with the highest grades and holds the respect of nearly everybody in the class. When the Villains attacked us in the USJ, we were separated by a Villain with a Warping Quirk. She was separated with two other students, and she led to them defeat the Villains and save their lives. If she was as weak as you think she is, you would have been burying a daughter rather than welcoming her home. Those classmates of ours, their parents would have been burying and mourning over their children if it weren't for her."

Momo's tearful eyes widened as she saw that Izuku was repeating what he said to her after her defeat from Tokoyami, only now he was tossing this onto her father's face, showing more support and belief in her than her own father.

"In the 1st Event, she easily destroyed robots and Zero Pointers that those in the regular Entrance Exam had to deal with, showing she could have succeeded even without the Recommendation Exam," Izuku continued, planting his hardened fist slowly onto Mr. Yaoyorozu's desk. "I have a friend who took the Recommendation Exam, too. You may have heard of her: Serena Mariella, the one who fought and nearly defeated Shoto Todoroki. She passed the Exam too, but she only got Third Place while your daughter won First. Your daughter bested someone capable of trouncing your intended son-in-law and only lost because she forfeited, and she forfeited because her opponent was too much of a disgrace who was too blinded by his personal traumas. Traumas that he would have inflicted on your daughter."

Manami blinked in confusion as to what Izuku had meant by Todoroki's traumas, and even Yutaka seemed curious, and concerned by the implications.

"Todoroki was not the one who won the 2nd event for her. It was Momo that won the 2nd event for him," Izuku corrected the man, pressing his fist harder into the desk. "She was the one who grabbed their team's flag back while I kicked Todoroki away. It was she who stood as the biggest threat to my team whereas Todoroki was nothing but a self-sabotaging coward. And it is your daughter who gave me the strength and encouragement to defeat Todoroki. She is anything but weak. She is strong, intelligent, and capable of anything she can set her mind on."

Momo couldn't take it and covered her mouth with her hands, her tears running down like a river. Manami rushed to her daughter to try and comfort her, but the moment she laid her hand on her daughter's shoulder, the girl smacked it away. Manami looked shocked and then distraught by such an action. Yutaka saw this out of the corner of his eye and flinched painfully.

"I am done playing nice to proud, self-centered, scum like you," Izuku growled, dangerously, as he was reminded of Shoto's actions in the Festival and Bakugou's bullying and misdeeds. "I made a promise to Shoto Todoroki when I found out about this situation. I promised that I would do whatever it took to save Momo from this engagement, even if I had to defeat him, his father, and now-" Izuku's fists crashed through and made a hole in Mr. Yaoyorozu's desk. "-You."

"So, here is how this is going to go down," Izuku growled out, threateningly. "You are going to honor your deal with your daughter and break off this engagement. You are going to stay away from your daughter's love life and give her the freedom to choose whomever She wants to marry. And if you try to weasel your way out of this, if you try to threaten or sabotage your daughter's life again, no matter what you do, no matter who you sick on me, even if you make the whole world my enemy, I will do whatever it takes to tear down and take everything you hold dear and burn it in front of you for spite." Yutaka's jaw tightened at Midoriya's serious threat, realizing that the boy wasn't bluffing. "To put this 'simply'," Izuku's eyes flashed sea green. "Get on board or Get. Out. Of. The. Way."

Silence weighed down on everyone in the room as if the weight of the world had crashed upon them. Both Yaoyorozu women stared at the loves of their lives with uncertain and worried eyes, while Midoriya and Mr. Yaoyorozu glared so deeply at each, lightning seemed to spark through their gazes.

Suddenly, the silence was cut by a knock on the door.

"What is it?" Yutaka Yaoyorozu yelled out, never breaking eye contact with Midoriya.

"You have a visitor out here, sir," One of the guards answered.

"I am bust at the moment," Yutaka responded.

"It is Shoto Todoroki," The guard revealed.

Momo whirled her gaze toward the door and even Midoriya's glare shook in surprise.

A moment of contemplation flashed in Yutaka's eyes before he gave a response. "Send him in," The man said.

The guard complied and the door opened to reveal Shoto Todoroki, who walked into the room. The scarred boy was dressed in an open navy blue dress shirt and white undershirt, black jeans, white and light green sneakers, and a bag slung around him, the strap going diagonally across his chest. Midoriya and Yutaka mutually broke off their stand-off to stare at Todoroki.

"Forgive my interruption, but I'm here for important reasons," Shoto said.

"Todoroki? What are you doing here?" Momo cautiously asked, rising from her seat.

Shoto looked at her, his gaze softening to an apologetic gaze. He shifted his attention to Midoriya. "To make things right," Shoto revealed, shifting over to Yutaka. "I'm here to plead for an end to my engagement to your daughter."

The silence was so thick now that one could hear a pin drop. Izuku, Momo, and Manami stared at Todoroki with eyes and agape mouths, completely shocked. Yutaka stared neutrally at Todoroki.

"This is quite the surprise," Yutaka responded, glancing at his daughter and Midoriya. "Tell me, are there any reasons for this brazen decision?"

"If you believe that your daughter or Midoriya had something to do with this, then, respectfully, sir, you're wrong," Shoto stepped closer. "In simple terms, we are incompatible. My father made this arrangement without my approval either, but I only allowed it to continue because I wanted to use your daughter as a weapon to harm Midoriya." Yutaka and Manami blinked in surprise, the former finally showing emotion. "My intentions were selfish and cruel, and not at all what your daughter deserves in a partner. My resolve to fight Midoriya was born out of pride and ambition. I have done nothing to protect or keep your daughter safe, only bring her pain and sadness. It took someone to selflessly destroy their own body for the sake of your daughter to make me see the truth, but I was too late to take back what I had done to your daughter and myself. But others have told me that while I cannot change the past, I can move on and make things right for the future."

Shoto bowed low toward Yutaka Yaoyorozu. "I deeply apologize if this comes as a shameful act against your family, but please, I wish to no longer be your daughter's tormentor," Shoto finished.

"Todoroki," Izuku gasped, surprised, gazing at the boy who was once his enemy with amazement.

Yutaka Yaoyorozu sat silently, his gaze hidden behind his glasses, in deep contemplative thought.

Finally, Yutaka leaned back into his chair and said, "Your request has been heard and your honesty appreciated, however, it comes but a moment too late. My decision is final." All parties stared at Mr. Yaoyorozu in surprise. "I will contact your father to inform him of this development and see that his betrothal gift is fairly compensated back."

Momo's eyes widened, her mind connecting the dots. "Y-You mean-"

"Your engagement is canceled," Yutaka Yaoyorozu declared. "You, my daughter, are free to choose whomever it is that you desire."

The tears returned to Yaoyorozu's eyes, her shoulder slumping as if a huge weight was lifted from her shoulder. Instantly, she tackled Midoriya into a bone-crushing hug, pressing her face into his eyes, her tears staining his shirt. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The joyful heiress cried and repeated, though no one knew if she was talking to her father or Midoriya.

"YES! HALLELUJAH!" Pikachu cried out from outside, but Izuku understood while everyone just heard the Pokémon cry out his name.

"Hmm, I must admit, I'm impressed," Shelgon admitted, impressed with the display of confidence and strength he displayed over this socially powerful man.

"Well done, to all of you," Combusken congratulated Midoriya. "Please, convey my thanks to Yaoyorozu and hug her back already!"

"What she said," Eevee and Froakie both said.

Izuku's stunned face morphed into a small smile and pleased, tired, wetting eyes. Midoriya wrapped his arms around Yaoyorozu, patting and stroking the back of her head gently. "It's okay, Momo. Just let it all out," Izuku whispered comfortably. "That's why I am here, after all."

Momo hummed and nodded in response, unable to convey words at the moment.

"Thank you for accepting, sir," Todoroki bowed again.

"You're welcome but make no mistake, this had nothing to do with what you said, Mr. Todoroki," Yutaka replied, looking to Midoriya. "My mind was mind up before we even knew you were here."

"I-I see," Todoroki muttered, disappointed. "Then I apologize for wasting your time."

"On the contrary, your words only cemented my decision and proved that my recent choices have brought much shame and hardship for all of us," Yutaka rose from his seat, fixing his tie. The head of the Yaoyorozu family gave a small smile. "Take heart, Mr. Todoroki, your words were appreciated and received."

"I-I see," Todoroki muttered, again, not quite as disappointed, but relieved.

"I also did not lie when I said that everything I did was for my daughter's sake, Mr. Midoriya," Yutaka continued, Momo and Izuku breaking free of their hug to stare at the former's father. "It is only to my shame that a boy showed more faith and support to my daughter than I myself did." Yutaka bowed his head. "I am truly sorry my daughter for the pain that I caused you. It is something no father should ever bring upon their child, and it is something that I should have never inflicted on the one that I care for the most."

Momo stared at her father surprised, yet with an uncertain and questioning look in her eyes. "I-I accept your apology, Father," Momo replied, nodding back, yet her mouth remained a firm line. "But nothing has been forgiven. You and Mother, both, are not forgiven, not for what I know you both had a hand in."

Manami's hopeful look fell into accepting sadness and shame. Yutaka sighed reluctantly. "I understand," Yutaka accepted. "Well, if this is all that you need of us, then please leave at your pleasure. Dinner will be taken to your room at your request, Daughter."

Momo nodded, grabbing Izuku's hand and leading him out the doors of her father's office, Pikachu following along. Todoroki bowed once more before too taking his leave in chase of his two classmates, leaving Manami and Yutaka behind in the latter's office.

Outside the Yaoyorozu manor, Momo had tackled Izuku into another grateful hug, muttering multiple 'Thank yous' and other grateful platitudes while trying to squeeze the life out of Izuku's body.

Finally, though, they turned to acknowledge Todoroki, who by now was awkwardly standing there, waiting on them.

"While I appreciate your attempts to make things right, Todoroki, nothing has changed between us either," Momo announced. "Nothing is yet forgotten or forgiven."

"I accept that, and expected it," Todoroki nodded, eyes to the ground. "That also doesn't change that I'll continue to try and make it up to both of you, as well as the rest of our class."

Izuku realized that Todoroki must be seriously taking to his challenge to prove him wrong, that the two of them could be friends if Todoroki atoned for all he did. A bitter part of Izuku wanted to squash Todoroki's hope for that outcome, but then he wouldn't be himself if he did that. Even if this hope appeared heedless and uncertain, even to himself, Izuku would still give Todoroki the chance to prove himself.

"Thank you for trying to help, Todoroki, but I still have a question," Izuku spoke. "How did you know that we were going to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Yaoyorozu today? I only told the others that I would be busy today."

"In truth, I didn't," Todoroki answered. "I was coming here, regardless, after my visit."

"Your visit?" Izuku repeated, confused.

"My mother," Todoroki revealed, surprising Izuku and Momo. "Before I came here, I visited my mother in her mental hospital for the first time."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Momo asked, confused.

"It's a long story and only something that Todoroki can share," Izuku replied, his hand on her shoulder. Izuku looked at Todoroki and gave a small nod. No matter what he did, Todoroki's secrets and his past are his own to share with, just like his decision to share the past with his friends only yesterday.

Todoroki nodded back, gratefully, before continuing. "Ever since that day, I thought the sight of my left side would bring her nothing but pain, so I never visited," Todoroki explained, memories of earlier in the day replaying vividly. "But me and her, we will always be bound together, by blood and our past with my father." Todoroki lifted his left hand, staring at it while he thought of the nervousness he felt when looking at the door to his mother's room. "So, if am I going to truly give it my all like you said I should, if I'm ever going to be the Hero I want to be, I needed to see her. I need to talk to her."

Izuku could see just how meaningful that moment and decision was to Todoroki. "How was she?" Izuku asked.

"She...she was beautiful," Todoroki breathed out, remembering his mother's snow-white hair, her surprised and happy eyes, her loving smile. "We talked and we both apologized to each other, me for what I did to Vulpix and in her name, and her for what she did to me." Shoto clenched his fist. "She said she saw me on T.V., at the Festival, and she wanted to thank you for getting my head on straight." Shoto looked up to both Izuku and Momo. "I'm going to make things right to everyone. To you both, to our class, to Vulpix, and her. I won't rest until I free her from that place."

Izuku gave a small smile and nod to Todoroki, happy to see that he truly did help save this lost and broken boy back to the light. "I'll look forward to it," Izuku said.

Todoroki nodded and turned to leave, before stopping. "Oh, and Midoriya," Todoroki looked back. "Professor Taishi said to gather at Tatooin Station with our gear tomorrow at 7 sharp. He'll meet us there."

Izuku nodded, and with that, Todoroki left.

"What was that about Professor Taishi?" Momo asked, confused. "Does it have to do with why you, he, and Hagakure went to the Principal's office?"

"Yeah," Izuku sighed, tiredly. "I'll tell you about it later, but I think we should call the others and tell them the good news."

"Okay," Momo nodded, looking down and contemplatively for a moment while Izuku brought out his phone. "H-Hey, 'Zuku?"

"Yeah, Mo-" That was as far as Izuku got before Momo dove in and planted a kiss on his cheek, stunning the greenette into silence.

Momo broke away, giving Izuku with dazzling, beautiful, loving eyes. "Thank you, 'Zuku," Momo whispered. "My Hero."

Izuku could not respond as he was too busy being as red as a tomato while muttering incoherently to answer. Momo burst out into giggles.

"You aren't going to tell them the full reason why you did it?"

Yutaka Yaoyorozu sighed as continued staring out the window, his wife by his side. "What would be the point?" Yutaka asked back to his wife. "They wouldn't hate me any less than I deserve, and it would only make Momo worry even harder."

"I suppose you are right about that," Manami sighed. "Though that still leaves us with our original problem."

"When our daughter's engagement is revealed to be null, they will start hounding us again," Yutaka nodded. "Himura, Hanabata, they'll bid for either one of them for Momo's hand...and our allegiance."

"Is reporting them to the Heroes so out of the question?" Manami questioned further.

"We have no proof but our word and even then it is not enough to go against them and their conjoined influence," Yutaka answered, grimly. "Besides, I fear what we might start if we reveal the truth of their return, or what they might do in retaliation."

Manami lowered her head, knowing exactly where his mind went too. "So, are we to engage her to Midoriya then?" Manami proposed. "You see it as clear as day, their love for each other. Even if they don't realize it yet, such a union she wouldn't be so against."

"Perhaps," Yutaka agreed. "But then we wouldn't have learned our lesson and be right back to engaging our daughter without permission, and I do not want to push her away any further than we have."

"Then let's do anything official," Manami suggested, garning her husband's attentive gaze. "When asked, we will say that we found a new match for her. We won't say any names, we won't say it's official, but it will be enough to push them back until those two confess, and then we will tell them."

Yutaka smiled, pleased with the suggestion. "You always know just the right answer, my love," Yutaka wrapped one arm around his wife.

"Just like you said, 'Taka," Manami smiled, looking out the window to see Midoriya and Momo video-calling their friends, likely to tell them the news. "Everything we do is for our daughter."

As they continued staring out and watching over their daughter, none in the room, now and before, noticed what was happening off the side. Ever since Midoriya's eyes glowed sea green, the inscription on the Plate began to glow.

Later at night...

In a rundown, abandoned apartment in Hosu City, the man with the bandana sat on a couch, watching a rerun of the Sports Festival, while his Bisharp and Gallade rest in the corner. The man divided his attention to staring at the T.V. screen and sharpening his katana.

The man witnessed much and found a lot that he found unpleasant. The Bakugou boy was nothing but a savage, and he growled and cursed hatefully when the crowd so easily forgot about his brutal actions against that girl and started to cheer for the boy later on. He normally doesn't target children, they still have years before they can learn the error of their ways, but that boy was beyond redeemable. He decided, if he saw him, face-to-face, he'd make an exception.

The Todoroki boy was not too different. The son of Endeavor, the most unheroic Fake of them all, and he appeared to act no differently than his father. He was surprised when he saw that he could use a Fire Quirk the whole time and that resolve on his face made him reconsider. Perhaps there was hope for him yet, but he wouldn't hold his breath. The boy was still Endeavor's blood, and blood ran thick.

He even balked at the pink-haired girl, Hatsume he believed, and the other blonde one, Kaminari, for making a mockery of the Sports Festival. The boy was weak and unprepared for the true dangers of this warped society, and in his mind, he guessed he was just another fame-hungry kid who would go on to be another Fake. Then there was that girl who turned what should have been a battle of honor to decide who was strongest and turned it into a goddamn commercial for her Support Items. It seems even the Support Item department is riddled with fame-hungry parasites. He wondered if he should expand his clientele.

There were bright spots though, he supposed. The Mariella girl showed promise, she could have defeated the Todoroki boy and been done with it, like Fake desperate to win and have all the glory, but she stopped at the last moment and quit. He saw that she was looking at Todoroki with something equivalent to disgust and pity. Then she walked out, gave up the win and the glory, she threw it all away like it mattered not to her. Maybe she was someone who thought the same as him, who can see the Fakes and flaws of their society?

But none he was more attentive to than that one boy, the green one: Izuku Midoriya. He rewatched his speech multiple times and he smiled and growled at what he heard. When the boy laid his past to the world, he growled and raged that such corruption seemed to have spread to such schools and how they poison youthful minds with such hateful ideals. He resolved to find out which school the boy went to, so that he could pay that school, the city, and its Fake Heroes a visit.

But then the boy spoke more hopefully, revealed his intentions for being a Hero, and it checked every one of his boxes. Not the kind where he would make him his next prey, no, but the kind of Hero he could say was not false. He showed great promise, and as he continued through the Sports Festival, his promise only grew. When he spoke in that loud voice about the concept of Villainous Quirks as ridiculous, he was pleased with the message. The only bump in the road was when he gave that hypothetical question about All Might if he were a Villain, that one got to his nerves, but he supposed the boy had a point. In the end, the boy won the Festival and All Might's praise of the boy solidified his resolve to ensure that this boy must be protected, nurtured, and further strengthened. This boy, this future Symbol of Hope, was a Hope for a brighter future of true Heroes, just like All Might.

"You see it, don't you?" The Hero Killer growled as he paused on the boy's smiling face, a smile so similar to All Might's. "This warped society mired by hypocrisy, vanity, and greed? Good, that's good. Grow in strength, Izuku Midoriya. Show the others the path to a brighter future, while I work my magic out here. Soon, we will both open their eyes. We will show these so-called Heroes the face of this society they created."

The Hero Killer paused before whirling his katana toward the figure that appeared to his right, his blade going through the smoking purple mist of his stalker.

"Please, remain calm. We are of the same mind."

The Hero Killer gazed at the new arrival with suspicion. "I have been searching for you for quite a bit," Kurogiri explained, his yellow eyes meeting the blade-wielding killer. "I heard of your exploits and wanted to meet you in person."

The Villain's bloodshot eyes continued glaring with suspicion but also intrigue.

"I think you'll be interested in what I have to offer, Hero Killer Stain."

Izuku Midoriya: Update

-Moves: Florida Smash: Rapid Style, Air Force: Delaware Smash

Pokémon:

5. Shelgon:

-Gender: Male

-Type: Dragon

-Ability: Rock Head

-Moves: Headbutt, Protect, Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Crunch, Scary Face

Denki Kaminari

-Height: 5'6"

-Age: 15

-Birthday: June 29

-Quirk: Electrification

-Moves: Indiscriminate Shock: 1.3 Million Volts

Pokémon:

1. Pikachu: aka Sparky

-Gender: Female

-Type: Electric

-Ability: Static

-Moves: Thunderbolt, Double Team, Discharge, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Sweet Kiss

2. Elekid:

-Gender: Male

-Type: Electric

-Ability: Vital Spirit

-Moves: Brick Break, Discharge, Thunder Punch, Shock Wave, Charge, Thunder Wave

3. Blitzle:

-Gender: Female

-Type: Electric

-Ability: Motor Drive

-Moves: Shock Wave, Charge, Flame Charge, Quick Attack, Spark

4. Toxel: (Amped)

-Gender: Male

-Type: Electric/Poison

-Ability: Rattled

-Moves: Acid, Nuzzle, Tearful Look, Flail, Growl