"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment you have all been waiting for!", Present Mic announced.

The spectators at the Yuuei sports festival lent the energy of their enthusiastic cheers to the beaten and battered rivals below. Bakugou and Midoriya had both become fan favorites for more or less the same reason. Few would admit it, but they were not preferred because of their combat prowess, their leadership or their stellar personalities. No, their reverence was from a more base sensation: The Drama!

Who other than those two could provide such spectacle? Who other than Bakugou could, would, take first place in the obstacle course and terrorize all in the cavalry battle, only to suffer such grievous pain in his first match against Reiko Yanagi and continue fighting onwards, hardly taking a scratch beyond that?

Who other than Midoriya would take it apon himself to single-handedly obliterate a 0-Pointer robot, display a brilliant, ruthless side of himself in the cavalry battle, and defeat every single one of his opponents, who possessed the most powerful quirks in the entire tournament, including his very own?

The crowd didn't love Deku and Kacchan, the rival childhood friends. They loved Midoriya and Bakugou, the heart-stopping, titanic powerhouses of class 1-A, who were about to face off against each other. They loved how Midoriya could weather any attack, from kick to flame, and get back up from anything. They loved the way Bakugou brought terror to his opponents, and if they held no fear, defeat. They weren't just watching students fight, they were watching characters, people who were there for nothing but their cruel amusement. Or so they thought.

The roar of the crowd was louder than ever, many of them forming opposing teams dependent on their preferred favorites, with Midoriya's name being chanted only slightly louder than Bakugou's. The former was pleasantly surprised, taking in the much needed praise he had been accustomed to since he received his quirk. As for the latter...

Bakugou felt unusual and out of his element. He had always been regarded as equal to or surpassing his rival, but now he was an underdog against Deku, and he didn't know how to feel. Scratch that, he was too tired to feel, wasn't he? He had been fighting to keep his dominance for so long, but now Deku was...

Bakugou shook his head vigorously.

Pathetic! One ghost girl gets the better of me and now I can barely keep my head in the game! Deku has another thing coming if he thinks he's winning...

His fury faded, leaving only dulled irritation. Recovery Girl informed him of the fractured ribs, but he ignored it and got healed anyways. While he knew in the end it would be them fighting, this wasn't how he imagined it. What he imagined was both of them at their best, putting on a show that would put emo canadian flag-face to shame, but the crowd would have to settle for a pair of cripples, not nearly as fast or strong as they were before. He would forever curse himself for Yanagi, and as for Deku...

Didn't think Glasses had it in him to fuck up anything other than a date, he half-heartedly joked.

He emptied his mind, stared at Deku from across the field, and took a fucking breath, reminding himself of what really mattered.

The fight. Not the crowd, or the injuries, or anyone else. Just me, and the poor bastard who's gonna lose. We're both a little fucked up at the moment? Fine, that's not gonna stop me.

Izuku Midoriya has had a stressful day. He could admit that to himself. From getting melted and kicked around to inadvertently traumatizing another student, he had been faced with difficult situations. It wouldn't be completely unjustified to quit the match before it started and layed down in a bed. Still, he wouldn't do that. Oddly enough, he didn't even feel the urge too. He was giddy, in fact. Maybe it was because of his opponent. He always felt a tingling sensation in his stomach whenever he fought Kacchan. Sure, there was the fact that he was in danger, and that tingling fear sharpened his already honed reactions to a razor's edge, but there was something else too. Something he couldn't help but be confused about.

I'm hurt.

That was it. He was hurt. He was...desperate? No. He was at risk. That's it. But why? He had never really been at much risk before of anything. Augmentation gave him an easy life, he'd admit that. His memory and calculator-like brain gave him a huge boost in intelligence. His augmented muscles were almost unsurpassed for his entire life. His quirk was flashy and looked amazing, so people naturally liked him. He has made few mistakes so far, and outside of training with Kacchan, he never really messed anything up. There was never any risk of negative influence. He had been so sheltered by his quirk until he came to Yuuei...

Is...is that why?

He was now at risk. Just like at the villain's attack on USJ, when his arm was cut off and he was transported to a lake by Kurogiri, the warp villain. He was in a desperate situation, and would be doomed to drown there if another villain didn't get too bloodthirsty for their own good. He remembered clinging onto him, holding a blade to his throat as he carried him to shore. It wasn't just a danger to him, but to the villain as well. What if he had sliced open his throat as soon as he reached safety? Obviously, he wouldn't...but there was a risk of him doing so. There was a risk of negotiations not going well, and if the villains didn't buy into his bluff...he certainly would have died. It wasn't just an issue of morality or self-preservation either, if he had killed a villain, would he even be allowed to stay in Yuuei? That was a huge risk to take, holding the blade so close.

He recalled his flirtatious behavior with Mina Ashido, and was almost ashamed at the way he flirted with her so many times. From joking to downright sexual, he had risked an extreme negative reaction from her in the pursuit of winning or keeping up socially. He almost kissed her to call her bluff, for crying out loud! An action like that with Jirou or Uraraka would completely destroy their relationship. Yet, he wasn't ashamed. Mina seemed to reward his risky behaviour, and so he kept it up. He...liked it.

His duel with Yaoyorozu...she poured acid onto his face and shot him in the side of his head with a shotgun. If he had remained under that acid for a few seconds more...or if the gun was real, even if it was a small, low-caliber pistol...

She could've killed me! I just...I comforted her...I rewarded her for it. Was it because I really sympathized with her and compared her to Kacchan or...did I just enjoy how she was willing to risk everything for a silly title?

It wasn't healthy. His mom would say it, his classmates would say it, All Might would...probably say it...?

No, he figured, All Might would encourage anyone to take chances! No matter the risks or who or with what quirks, he would say "Anyone can be a hero!"

Emboldened by his perception of All Might and his own personal realization, Izuku Midoriya stared right back at Bakugou, daring the boy to attack. His heart beat louder than ever, the blood flowing and invigorating him. The tingling in his stomach grew, and his internal injuries seemed to flare up, but not in pain. Excitement. Izuku Midoriya was at risk of losing another body part, and Deku was more than okay with it.

Alright Kacchan. No holding back!

"ALL RIGHT! THIS IS IT FOLKS! PLACE YOUR BETS (NON FINANCIAL, OF COURSE) AND CHOOSE A SIDE, BECAUSE THIS C-C-CRAZYYYY SPORTS FESTIVAL IS ABOUT TO COME TO AN END! IZUKU MIDORIYA VERSUS KATSUKI BAKUGOU, PREPARE YOURSELVES!"

Neither of the two moved an inch.

"This is for the gold, big boys~, give it your all! START!", concluded the sultry domanatrix with a crack! of her whip.

Bakugou intended to start off strong and with great speed, but that plan was shattered by the absolute ferocity in the eyes of his opponent. The normally cautious Midoriya rushed at him and jumped high, his boot seeking a skull to crush. What was once a cool and methodical inky black scalara became overshadowed by a raging hot, yet chillingly unthinking golden shine from the iris. A pair of animalistic eyes that were approaching him far faster than he was comfortable with! Bakugou blasted himself just barely out of Izuku's drop zone, avoiding a painfully telegraphed stomp that shattered the concrete.

Bakugou punished the reckless opening with an explosive smack to the head, which brought Izuku to a staggered squat, but did not break his balance. Bakugou predicted the following counter-attacks: a leg sweep or an arm grab, though considering how ballsy he was being right now, a tackle was the more likely follow. He prepared for the attack that would never come, as Izuku instead pulled back his fist and let it fly.

Bakugou's instincts acted for him. Instincts that held surprising finesse, but were moreso brutal. He did not move his head in response to the incoming iron missle, no. What he did do was stand his ground and tuck in his chin, instead focusing on his already outstretched arms. He activated his quirk while bringing his palms together, focusing the blast directly onto Izuku's midsection. The punch landed and easily broke his nose, but he fucking rolled with it, goddamnit.

"SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR RIBS, DEKU! DIE!"

He put everything he had into the two-handed blast, and the results showed. Even with the crystalline armor, Deku was launched backwards a fair distance, simply overpowered by the raw concussive force of his explosion. Bakugou tried to close the distance to beat him down while he could, but only a few steps in his knees buckled and an overwhelming dizziness assulted his head. He should've known better than to think he would be able to take that punch in his state. The blood continued to stream down his chin and drip onto the concrete.

"God...damnit...", he cursed, having no choice but to recompose himself. Still, his eyes never left his opponent, who...hadn't gotten up yet.

Deku groaned, and then made a sound that drove spikes of fear into his heart. It was a sound he had heard before, at the attack on USJ when that shitstain warp bastard sliced his arm off. It was more than that though...he had heard the sound from Deku when they were young. Very young. Since before he got that quirk that turned him into a force to be reckoned with...when he hurt him for the hell of it.

Not to train or get better...just because I...

He shut the memories out, not wanting to be reminded of them ever again. It didn't matter, Deku wasn't a weakling anymore. He proved it too, because despite those bone chilling sounds and howls that one often associates with extreme pain, he got right back up as always.

Izuku's entire body was on fire, and it wasn't just skin deep. His muscles...even some bones...were coated in white-hot liquid, running through his veins and reminding him just how human he was. The pain suppressant drugs that his body kept in reserve have faded, being used completely to keep him relatively comfortable through his fights so far. Now he felt it all. The mangled leg, the fractured collarbone, and a few broken ribs, previously weakened by Iida. The illusion that he was invincible had faded from himself, and he was left to face the same reality everyone else faced every day.

Pain.

"So...", Izuku whispered, to nobody in particular, "This is what it means to be human?"

Kacchan was on his way to give him an answer, and Izuku realized standing still wasn't the best option.

Standing still means more pain!

He dove to the ground to avoid a fly by, but the quick movement only added more fuel to the fire that was his agony. He gasped and got himself up, almost overwhelmed by the horrible sensations. The tingling in his stomach returned again. The thought of losing everything wasn't just a fantasy or some hypothetical scenario to give into, it was real and he felt it now. This was it, damnit! He was in excruciating agony, his childhood friend was about to kick his ass, his body was about to become even further destroyed, and it was all going down on national television. It...

"It has never felt so real until this moment."

Izuku gave in, and Deku took center stage once again. His opponent was coming in for another aerial attack, so why wait for him? Fighting through the agony in every step, Deku used every fiber of his superhuman strength to catapult himself in a crash collision course with the bomber. He made a desperate grab for the other boy, who evaded just out of his reach. He braced himself for the fall, and fall he did. Gravity was a cruel mistress, and she ensured that his legs felt every ache and pain magnified when he reached the ground, prompting another painful sound from him. If his enemy felt any sympathy, it wasn't shown, as he came down to punish once again.

Bakugou had been in enough fights to know the sound of a person shattered by pain. He knew that tone from multiple individuals, either his victims, rivals, or in exceedingly rare occasions, his equals. While he knew that Deku was careful above all else, he has been the exact opposite for this fight, as well as being new to the sensations of overwhelming agony. A part of him was urged to hold back, to play it safe, but playing it safe while the enemy is broken is how you lose. While he usually would have not given into his predatory instincts...

He just couldn't help it. How often was Deku like this? How often could he actually feel the weight of his attacks? Until now, he had always attacked his body, not his spirit. It was time to break away at the impenetrable mountain before him. Bakugou transformed from a bomber to a hellish missle, with his target sitting still. Deku was incapacitated from his pain, and so he would attack him. It was truly a solid plan until he was punched out of his dive.

Indeed, Deku hadn't just fought his pain, but embraced it as if it was pink and spouted horns. The scream that erupted from his core wasn't out of cold calculation, nor was his punch, which missed it's mark and instead landed on his left shoulder. Bakugou cursed but didn't let his gambit go to waste, and unleashed an explosion onto Deku's no-longer-pretty face, repaying him in full for the broken nose. The attack launched him away and to his knees.

"H...How...How's the..."

Bakugou was too busy taking in air to make his taunt, but both of them knew damn well what the message was.

How's the nose, bitch?

The question was answered quickly, as Deku got up from his concrete mattress and looked him directly in the eyes. The pinnacle of evolution brought his hand to his out-of-place jaw and cheekbone, pushing the dislocated mouthpiece back into place. His eyes never faltered, instead continuing their unusual golden glow, outshining the golden blood dripping from his broken nose. The pain changed, but the ferocity never did, staring him down as if it could kill him...wait, he wasn't staring at him. He was staring at something on him. Bakugou followed his eyes, which settled on his left. He only now noticed the lack of cooperation from the once reliable appendage.

Shit. SHIT.

The fight was lost. Judging from the distance between them, it would take Deku one, maybe one and three quarters of a second to close the distance and knock him out or grab his arm and push him out of bounds. He was tired as fuck, couldn't move his dislocated shoulder, and could barely move everything else. What should've been a big fight was reduced to their usual warm up because of Ghost Bitch, Copycat, Ice Dumbass, and Glasses. Any pros looking must've been fucking repulsed by how pathetic this showdown was. Still...

No fucking reason to give up!

Deku was staring at him like a total dumbass, which meant he was essentially giving up the win for whatever reason. Bakugou shifted onto his legs and grabbed his left wrist with his right hand. Deku stared, stupidly waiting instead of claiming the win. Bakugou bit onto the front of his gym uniform.

Now for the fun.

He knew from experience that the swift yank was bullshit. As if it would be that easy. No. What he had to do was tighten his grip around his wrist and...

Bakugou steadily pulled his limb away from him and straight, careful to apply the same amount of pressure throughout in order to avoid fucking up anything else. The ball of his arm bone was agonizingly guided back into it's socket and Bakugou let up immediately. His scream was muffled by the uniform, and a memory returned.

They were still pretty young, and it was one of their first matchups against each other. Deku came at him and tried to grab his arm, but the hand landed a bit high. He grabbed, hard, and pulled him onto his ass. Back as a kid, he could've sworn it didn't hurt as much...no, the real pain was how Deku immediately broke into tears and kept it going for almost an entire year before he gave into their training again. Ever since then...

You've always fucking held back.

Bakugou curled his fingers and formed a fist. Without full usage of both his arms, he would never be able to use the Howitzer Impact in combat. He'd practiced it a few times, in secret of course. It was one of those techniques that Deku would be able to counter after a single viewing. No, he would have to improvise. But how?

What would Deku do?

The fact that the thought even occured to him almost made him vomit, though that might have just been the headache. He couldn't believe how natural it felt. How right it seemed. What would Deku do in this situation? He would adapt to his new circumstances, anticipate the behavior of his enemy, and plan around that. Shit, he did it against Iida, using Pinkie's limbo move to stay in the game. He was a shameless copycat.

It did win him the match though, he thought begrudgingly.

Shivers of electricity danced across his skin and into every nerve. It did win him the match, didn't it? That was...that was what mattered, wasn't it? Winning. That was the core value that mattered most. His pride mattered, but when actually fighting a villain...

I've been holding myself back.

The weight of Deku's glare was instantly lessened. The mountain of threat could now be climbed. The augmented hero smiled and spoke to him, his cool demeanor now downright vicious.

"Finally ready to fight, Kacchan? Ready to get your spot as number one? TRY IT! I'll never stay down, even without the suppressors I'll never stay down! I...I'm not just a quirk, Shinso."

Imhuman strength, superior reflexes, and an unsurpassed mind.

"I am INVINCIBLE."

Bakugou smiled. It's a good thing he was throwing the last one out the window.

It doesn't matter who you are, Deku. What matters is the win.

Both the boys picked up speed, both of them initiating the fight at once. Something Bakugou had noticed was integral to his improvised technique, and that was the utter lack of augmented abilities from his opponent. It could be Deku being stupid, nostalgic, or downright prideful, but Bakugou knew a little better. His opponent was exhausted. Using those abilities risked cutting the fight early, which meant he was now more vulnerable than ever. Without his crystalline armor, Deku would be easy to launch around with explosions.

Oh you're gonna get launched alright.

Bakugou broke the distance and jumped, bringing his uninjured arm down as if to bring an explosion from above, but it was a fluke! He just needed his opponent to commit to a counter-attack. Deku obliged him, as he changed his footing and brought his arms out. A tackle! Bakugou then started his risky, improvised maneuver. Using his recently dislocated arm that no sane person (or perhaps, an extremely sane person) would use, he blasted himself away and downwards from the tackle, ending up with a hell of a bruise on right shoulder, and directly below Deku. He used both his legs to kick Deku's most damaged looking one, the one that had been injured by Monoma and Todoroki. His gambit payed off, as the boy's footing was lost. He was about to have the equivalent of a small car fall directly onto him, and Bakugou had never been happier.

"NOW FOR THE FUN PART!"

Already knowing he would twist around to keep him in his sights, Bakugou prepared a stun grenade in his injured hand, and primed his other for raw power. He unleashed hell the moment he saw the voids of his eyes. Blind and deaf, Deku was launched into the air, and at the apex of his launch, when the sensation of gravity began to hold him in it's chilling grip, Bakugou launched himself upwards and unleashed a two-handed attack, blasting the boy even further than before. It wasn't until Bakugou unleashed yet another explosion that Deku realized exactly what was happening.

A larger, near-impervious, and incredibly strong opponent with no other options for mobility, being thrown into the air where they had no control whatsoever, as they are beaten by another...

Kacchan...I never thought you'd be the type to use someone else's technique, Izuku thought.

Katsuki Bakugou, with every muscle left available to him, gripped onto his opponents wrist and rocketed upwards as high as he could, almost the height of the stadium itself, and heaved Izuku Midoriya over his shoulder and down to Earth. Despite Izuku's increased weight, Katsuki easily caught up to his mid-air descent, quickly swiped the sweat from his face, and pointed both his palms towards his friend for the last time today.

Izuku was smiling.

"HOWITZERRR SMAAAAAAAASH!"

The explosion birthed a wave of light and sound comparable to sun and storm. The shockwaves from the cataclysm reverberated in the bones of those in the stadium, causing the old wounds of a certain few to ache. A large cloud of smoke obscured everyone's view, save for one man in the arena. He was a towering figure that seemed to stand out, with two vague shapes over his massive shoulders. Dressed in his iconic costume, he jumped upwards, easily clearing twice the height of the stadium, and blew the smoke away before he landed again.

"Well well well, folks! Look at who decided to step in! Can't resist showing off, eh All Might?"

The one man standing lifted his head and showed off a multi-prize winning smile and laughed iconically, lifting the spirits of all who heard it.

"Nonsense, dear friend! I simply couldn't allow these two spirited young men to come to further harm!"

Everyone screamed and went wild for the legendary hero's grand entrance, as he gently placed both of them down and investigated their injuries. While he wasn't medically specialized, the symbol of peace had seen enough death to last a hundred lifetimes. The two boys would survive. The more lively of the two, Katsuki Bakugou, struggled to move his limbs. As for the other...

Young Midoriya...rest well. I pray you haven't pushed yourself too far.

All Might looked at Midnight and gestured to the boys. She smiled coyly at him, conveying an answer to the question he hasn't asked yet. She threw her whip over to him, which seemed small in his hands.

Ahh, Midnight. Am I so easily readable?

"Do you wish to stand, young Bakugou?", he whispered.

The boy obviously couldn't, but that wasn't the question. The question was, Would you let me help you stand? Bakugou nodded, even if it wasn't needed. He already answered that question in battle. All Might gently propped Bakugou on his feet with with on arm, and with the other he cracked Midnight's whip with such force it was heard from miles away. The boy forgone his attempts to stand, relying fully on All Might, and poured his remaining energy into raising his fist in victory.

"By Midnight's decree, Izuku Midoriya has been incapacitated, so that makes KATSUKI BAKUGOU THE WINNER OF THE YUUEI SPORT'S FESTIVAL!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

15 minutes. They give him 15 fucking minutes to try and "make himself presentable" for the winners podium. That was 15 minutes of stuffing energy bars down his gullet and refusing treatment from that grandma nurse just to stay awake for the ceremony. 15 minutes of having to listen to everyone congratulate him about how he almost broke his arms and quip about him "stealing All Might's moves", while completely ignoring how Deku did the same thing. 15 Minutes of robot dumbass and alien queen being completely absent, with people occasionally leaving to check up on said dumbass. At least Todoroki wasn't being an asshole right now.

Actually, make that three people missing. Where the fuck is Glasses? He was just about to ask when Midnight swung around and did so for him.

"Students of 1-A!", she announced authoritatively, keeping her gimmick up even outside of the camera's view, "Mina Ashido and Tenya Iida are tied for 3rd place, and will both be present for the ceremony alongside Katsuki Bakugou. Judging from Izuku Midoriya's current state, he won't wake up in time."

She eyed the students shamelessly, occasionally stopping to glare more intensely at certain students (much to their mixed emotions).

"Where's Iida?", she asked. This prompted a solemn cough from the usually bubbly Uraraka, though Bakugou just referred to her as Bubbles, or Round Face if he was in a bad mood.

Round Face replied, "He...he left."

Midnight frowned. "He left? He came 3rd place in the Yuuei sports festival, what do you mean he..."

Crap, nice job, Femdom.

Bubbles was now on the verge of crying in front of the entire class. Midnight quickly ushered for her to follow, eager for an explanation away from everyone else. Uraraka and Midnight entered the hall, where she would nearly break down telling her that Iida pulled her aside during Midoriya's fight and informed her of a villain attack on his brother, the already established pro hero Ingenium. He left immediately to see his brother in the hospital. However, nobody in 1-A aside from Uraraka knows this yet, so don't tell them, okay?

Ahem. Change scene.

"Ashido. He's not going to wake up", Recovery Girl huffed impatiently. She was already stressed from having to explain to the boy's hysterical mother that he was in stable condition. While she was thankful for the advice Ashido had given in regards to Midoriya's photosynthetic batteries aiding his internal repair system, she was overstaying her patient visit. She also tried to ruffle the boy's hair, despite her many warnings against making physical contant with her patient.

"I...I want him to be there. He's earned this! I don't think he's ever exhausted himself like this before...before we met. He did it so he-"

"He did it because he's a man, a reckless, sacrificial, overenduring fanboy who's quirk enables him to hold himself to impossible ideals! He did not do this with any intentions in mind, it's just Midoriya's nature. This is not something to be encouraged, dear", she cut off. Ashido sniffled and used another tissue in response.

"I dunno if I want to go up there while he's like this. Can't you turn on a buncha lamps and shine them on him so he has more energy t-"

"The rate at which he receives energy is not the concern. His internal construction can only repair the damage done at so quickly a rate, and judging from the last time he was damaged like this, an excess of energy does not permit overproduction beyond normal levels. He is receiving more than enough to continue his repairs just from having his face exposed to the sun...", Recovery Girl glared at Ashiso without the slightest hint of mercy, "If you were to leave, I could expose more of his body to the sun, allowing for more energy, despite how unnecessary it would be. However, I cannot do that in the presence of a student, barring an emergency."

Mina blushed at the implication of a fully sun exposed Izuku. She was mature enough for such thoughts, she liked to think. That being said...

I don't think I've EVER thought about him like that before today. At least...not seriously...what would it even look li-

The now-purple girl squeaked quietly, surprised by her own tenacity around such a subject. She hadn't even seen him shirtless and now she was imagining...

Shirtless, huh?

Mina looked at Izuku. It was strange, wasn't it? He could draw energy from the sun, but only his face and neck were fully exposed to it. Even if she wasn't a medical professional, wouldn't it be...safe enough to at least take his shirt off? More skin, more sun, more energy. That made sense.

So...why didn't she?

Mina reached out for the hem of his Yuuei gym uniform, before she was punished with a wicked smack! from Recovery Girl's cane. She pulled her hand back at a speed faster than Izuku's punch, which is the writer's speech for "really, really fast".

"OW!", she exclaimed.

"Did I say you could touch my patient, miss Ashido? This is exactly why I had those two boys treated at different locations! You heroics students never know when to quit butting your heads into other's personal affairs!"

"Why won't you let me take his shirt off?", Ashido voiced her concern with unusual severity. While it would be easy to misinterpret her meaning as perverted or as a joke, she was legitimately curious and worried for the well being of her friend. That put Recovery Girl into a difficult position.

"I...I am not at liability to disclose personal information about my patient. The shirt stays on because he explicitly requested it to. Whatever conclusions you may derive from that are your own."

Mina's head became filled with possibilities, but not before the old medical practitioner lost her patience.

"Now...get out of my office."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Alright kids, you're about to go up there. You don't gotta prep any speeches but All Might is gonna give you a medal, say some words to you and he'll expect a few back, so don't freak out like the last years did, okay? Heh, that was honestly too cute. Imagine making it to the top three only to pass out when the symbol of peace talks to you! Hah!"

Midnight tried to lighten the mood, but it had the opposite effect for Mina. Given a medal by All Might and being able to talk to him? Izu would kill for something like that! He wouldn't be able to stop nerding out for a week! She could already envision it. So cute!

"Ceremony is about to start! Step on the podiums, they'll rise up through the ground and I'll announce the big guy! You both earned this!"

With those last words, Midnight rushed up several flights of stairs to prepare the crowds. Mina felt so strange, standing on the 3rd place podium while Bakugou was in a wheelchair in first. A temporary solution, they said, until Bakugou got the strength back to reliably stand up on his own. Every second she could feel the temperature in the room increase, fueled by silent tension.

So...this is the cost of victory?

"Hey...can you get me up?", Bakugou asked, almost causing Mina to faint.

He sounds so polite? Was he about to say please?

Deciding not to test his humility, Mina obliged. She grabbed Bakugou and steadied him as he wobbled on his knees. Once he stood straight up she let go. In hindsight, that wasn't the best idea. He fell back down immediately.

"Oh my god I'm so-"

"It's fine."

The reply was anything but rude. It was downright nonchalant, as if he actually was okay with not being able to stand up on his own. Mina's heart raced from fear. Who was she sharing the room with, and what had they done with Katsuki Bakugou? She assisted him back into the chair. Still feeling uncomfortable, she tried to lighten the mood.

"You gave as good as you got. You gave better, actually. Last time he was hurt like that was from a 0-Pointer robot."

"He'll fully heal in a day. Don't kid yourself."

He didn't sound even slightly upset with that statement. She couldn't take it anymore.

"How can you be so relaxed?!? Are you in shock or something? Did you forget what had just happened between you and Izu? You can barely move and you're okay with it!"

"Of course I'm not okay with it!", he snapped, but he held in his rage, because he...he..., "But I won, damnit! I beat him. I did what mattered the most to me, and I'm gonna do it again next time too! This chair, these energy bars, everything!?! It's just preparation, because right now there's no fight, so it doesn't matter! I'm happy damnit! So just relax, Pinky!"

The circular winner's podium starting hissing in preparation. It was time to face the crowd. Mina steeled her nerves as the sound of the crowd grew louder and the vibrations grew stronger. A triumphant fanfare grew moreso by the second until the three podiums were fully exposed to the crowd, with one of them absent. She took in a breath and gave her best smile, because even though it had been a hell of a day, she thoroughly enjoyed the Yuuei sports festival experience.

"In addition to Mina Ashido, 3rd place also belongs to Tenya Iida, who left early for family reasons. 2nd place belongs to Izuku Midoriya, who is still in recovery from his spectacular match! Thank you all for your understanding." Midnight finished off her introduction by blowing a kiss to the camera.

"Next, we will award the medals. The one awarding the medals is a man you have all seen before due to him being a show-off, ahem...the presentation will be done by..."

A soaring, familiar, and all too triumphant laugh boomed throughout the building, once again driving the crowd into a frenzy. He jumped over the stadium and landed perfectly onto the area before the winner's podiums, announcing himself as he did.

"I am here, with the medals!"

"Our very own hero, All Might!"

Unfortunately, Midnight also announced him at the same time, creating a slightly awkward cutoff between the two dominant figures. A silent apology was issued between the two pros, accepted before it was issued.

"A-Ahem, All Might, please present the medals."

The pillar of justice collected the medals, pocketing the silver one for a personal visit. He presented the bronze to Mina, careful to avoid another awkward situation involving her horns snagging the medal. She enthusiastically accepted.

"Congratulations Mina Ashido! Your creative application of your quirk and superior flexibility will save many lives over, including your own. I suggest further training your body to capitalize on your greatest strengths."

All Might then did something unexpected and hugged her. Initially shocked, she gleefully returned the gesture, surprised by how uncomfortable it was to hug someone so massive. She couldn't even reach his back! The psychological impact far exceeded the physical, however.

Like hugging a literal pillar...a warm pillar. Oh my god, Izu will be so jealous.

All Might then approached Bakugou's podium, gold medal shining for all to see. He held his arm before him for a mere second before recalling it. The message was clear. Do you want me to help you stand up? Bakugou didn't feel the need to stand. He had already won. All Might handed the medal to Bakugou, who placed it on himself.

"Katsuki Bakugou, your exceptional combat prowess, quirk usage, and ability to withstand pressure have won you this tournament, but it is my belief that your overwhelming presence is what will dictate your legacy as a hero. The ability to be decisive and aggressive in itself is a deterrent to evil deeds! I am proud to announce you as the winner of this year's Sports Festival!"

Bakugou nodded at the legend, having had no more to say. All Might took this as his que. "But listen here!"

"Anyone here could have ended up on these podiums! It is just as you saw, competing, improving each other and climbing further! The next generation of heroes is sprouting here!"

"And so, I just have one more thing to say! Everyone say it with me!"

The crowd, Mina, the students, even Bakugou (internally of course) readied themselves for the iconic catchphrase that defined an entire generation. The phrase that was, undoubtedly, the single best possible way to send off a crowd of such magnitude. This legendary hero was too charismatic, too intelligent, too experienced to possibly mess this up.

"Ready, Go!"

"PLUS ULTRAAA!"

"Thank you for your hard wor-"

The crowd was silenced in shock, which quickly turned to exasperation directed at their beloved hero. Many of them even booed the social blunder. "You were supposed to say 'Plus Ultra!"'

"I-I just thought everyone worked really hard, is all...", he said sheepishly, allowing his kind nature to get the better of him.

After the ceremony, the students were escorted to several makeshift "game rooms" to soothe their nerves and wait until the attendees cleared out, as well as any pesky reporters who were looking for a scoop. Yuuei staff began the process of cleaning the stadium, a feat worthy of heroism in itself, and if it weren't for the boisterous laughs and commotion of the game rooms, the entire stadium would have been silent. Yet for 1-A...

"Ashido...Midoriya...Iida...now even Todoroki is gone! We won the tournament only for the stars to disappear on us! Nobody wants to talk to the guy who lost to the dude that controls wind! So embarrassing!", Kaminari complained.

A few members of 1-B snickered at hearing that. Bakugou glared at Kaminari, who completely ignored the biggest winner in the entire room. Just as he was about to politely inform him of his error, he caught sight of ghost bitch, Reiko Yanagi, staring at him from across the room. Her visable eye seemed to linger on the chair he was in. He glared at her halfheartedly, but didn't think much until she starting walking towards him. This caught the attention of both 1-B and 1-A, who nervously kept their eyes on the pair. Bakugou redoubled his efforts to stand, resorting to leaning on the chair to maintain his height over her. Kirishima tried to butt in and stop what was happening before it happened.

"Woah guys, let's just relax, okay? You both made it to the finals and tha-"

"You've changed."

He raised his brow in response, a clear request to explain whatever the fuck she meant by a vague ass You've changed. She didn't bother with an elaboration, instead returning to her place on the other side of the room. Both classes sighed and resumed their recreation, admittedly quieter than before. Bakugou fell back into his seat, thinking on the phrase.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mina rushed through the halls at a brisk pace. Technically she was supposed to stay in the game room with 1-B and 1-A, but she couldn't help it. She was restless. With Uraraka crying earlier and Iida leaving early...she needed to make sure, is all. She faked a confidence that could probably get her into a villain's lair if she bluffed hard enough. Any staff that caught wind of her simply assumed she was sent out deliberately, as well as not wishing to be the one to deliver bad news to Aizawa.

Shit. He's definitely going to find out I left.

That wasn't a pleasant thought, but it only emboldened her further. She was already in trouble, why not cross the line further while she was at it? Mina picked up her pace, and as she rounded a corner, nearly reaching her destination, she heard him.

No, not him. Todoroki and Endeavor. She hadn't recalled ever hearing Ice Dude so loud though.

Hm...I guess he's not just Ice Dude anymore. I'm gonna have to make a new nickname.

She hid herself out of sight and listened.

"What you did was sabotage."

Icy cool tone, but still pissed off. That was Todoroki.

A rumbling, angry voice returned fire. That had to be Endeavor.

"There are no rules preventing hero visits to the contestants! I would see him, we have matters to discuss!"

"NO! I'm not talking about now! I'm talking about before the match. Our match. You offered him something, didn't you?"

"I will not be questioned by a rebellious child who has to be forced into their full potential! I did it so you would grow!"

"YOU DID IT FOR YOURSELF!"

This was going to take awhile, she realized. Moving carefully, she took an alternative route. She found herself, finally, in front of the door which held Izu. She sighed and quietly opened the door, walking in once she confirmed no one but Recovery Girl was there.

Unfortunately, that last statement was to be taken literally. Izuku wasn't there. The nurse stared at her with a hint of dissapointment. "I knew you would make your way back here. I had him moved once he woke up. Yes, he's awake and yes, he's fine. He's talking with a staff member at the moment."

"All Might?"

"No."

Mina caught that. Nobody responded that quickly unless they were angry or they were lying. Still, she didn't know where he was, and there was no way she'd get that information any time soon. Mina sat down and sighed.

Where are you, Midori?

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Izuku Midoriya always enjoyed rooftops. While not fond of heights, he loved the feeling of the wind in his hair and the view they offered. This rooftop was expecially tranquil now that everyone had left. The relative silence soothed his soul. Then, a door opened some distance behind him. Judging from the sound the footsteps made...

Mina?

"Hello, young Midoriya. Are you recovering well?", came a kind, hollow voice from a man with a medal in his pocket. The lesser known form of All Might walked towards the young hero. Izuku was shocked that he was so comfortably exposing himself like this...shocked and flattered that he held so much of the hero's trust.

"Y-Yes I am, All...", he really wasn't sure what to call him.

"We are alone, don't worry about it!", he laughed. All Might looked at the view, the pinnacle of civilization that he gifted to mankind with his lifetime of good deeds. Yet, he wasn't a man of pride. All he could think was how beautiful it was. He took in the view and moved on. As always, he was here on a mission. All Might took the silver medal in his bony hands.

"Izuku Midoriya, you have demonstrated creative strategy, excellent application of force, and the unsurpassed ability to roll with the punches, no matter how hard you get hit. It is my honor to present you with with the second place medal. I know you will be one of the world's greatest heroes one day. Just keep doing what you're doing, young man!"

The thin form of All Might hugged Izuku's mighty frame, who hugged back as hard as safety possible. If he could cry, he'd be crying right now. Izuku made sure to record the memory so he could come back to it later. There was still something he needed from the man though...he trusted him enough to ask.

"Um...All Might?"

"Yes, my boy?"

Even though he was far more comfortable with his feelings than he was before today, the question was still difficult to ask.

"Have you...ever been on a date?"

All Might almost keeled over in laughter.

"Ahaha! Oh I'm sorry for laughing, my boy. It was just an unexpected question. I hardly have time for romance nowadays, but I do have some stories from my youth. I will answer any question you have."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

It was difficult and tedious, but Mina managed to persuade Recovery Girl to tell her about the whereabouts of her friend. The roof was a strange place to recover, but she didn't question it, barrelling out of the door and past the angry father and son, much to their confusion. She should've looked at a map before she left, but Mina Ashido would never be defeated by a lack of direction. Confusion was where she thrived! She wandered until she found a set of stairs that led to the roof.

Opening the door, she found a strange sight. A really skinny guy with awesome hair in a yellow suit that looked a bit big for him was smiling and chatting with a tall student with metal hands and fluffy green h-

"IZU!", with only a warning shout, Mina charged the recovering student and attacked with a hugging uppercut; a huggercut, if you will. Izuku braced himself in time and absorbed the blow, gleefully retaliating with a hug of his own. Hugging someone only to be hugged even tighter in return was more than enough to lift Mina's spirits. There was a weird thing poking her though, and it was bit too high for it to be what she thought it was...

Bad. Bad thoughts.

She saw it, the silver medal that All Might pocketed during the ceremony was now wrapped around Izuku's chest. She narrowed her eyes in thought and her social instincts took over, looking at Izu and then at the strange man. The former had a smile, with a strange tightness at edge of his lip, as if he was thinking up an excuse, while the latter...

She couldn't get a read on him, his face was shaped too differently from the others to make comparisons. He did seem familiar though. Those blue eyes held such an intense focus...

"What were you guys talking about?", she asked innocently.

"Mister Toshinori came here to give me the second place medal, and some words from All Might", Izuku cooly said.

"I-Indeed, All Might was called over to an emergency. A hero's work is never done", Toshinori said.

There were red flags flying in Mina's head, but they were discarded for war banners. All Might just left? His biggest fan made second place, and he just left? She got to hug All Might and he didn't! Couldn't he just send another hero? Could he seriously not stick around for a half hour to congratulate just one more student?

"So he didn't even bother to see you?", she commented coldly, directing her anger towards Toshinori, who almost cried from the amount of pure irony stuffed into this situation. He looked at Izuku apologetically for upsetting her.

"Mina, it's alright! We have him in one of our classes remember? I'm sure he wouldn't have gone if he wasn't needed."

"Indeed, I assure you he was needed elsewhere. Midoriya, congratulations."

With that, the lanky man left the two teenagers unsupervised and to their own devices.

Hm, perhaps I should have ensured they came back inside first.

Izuku felt his heart race once All Might left him alone with Mina. He wasn't nervous as much as he was excited, he was about to ask her out on a date! He was trying to hold back his smile, but his social enhancement augmentation prevented him from doing so. Mina smiled right back.

"What are you so happy about? Are you...into the whole almost dying thing?"

"N-No!"

"Hey, I'm not judging!"

"I'm not! I just...I really enjoyed the sports festival. I always saw it on TV but I never thought it'd be like this. I really enjoyed today..."

Pft. I almost forgot how much he must be nerding out today.

"...mainly the parts w-with you in them", he bravely admitted. Mina briefly paused before she focused her full attention on his face.

"Oh...so now you're starting our little game this time? Hehehe, okay! Let's see how long you can hold out...", mistaking this for their previous high-stakes game of nerves masquerading as flirtation, Mina grabbed each of Izuku's hands and held them apart, while also nudging his feet away from each other. When she was done, they were both like starfish, held together by their interlocked fingers. Initially confused, Izuku beath hitched and heart rate soared when Mina pressed her body against his heavier frame, partially relying on every part of him to not fall over. He felt her toned calves against his, her considerable bust against his chest, and her soft hands in his own. The worst part was her face, which couldn't quite match his due to a difference in height. Instead, it rested against his neck, which felt every one of her warm breaths. This was a game he knew he wasn't going to win, but there was something else as well.

She...she isn't taking me seriously. She doesn't think I'm ACTUALLY trying to ask her out! It's not just a game this time, Mina! I mean it. I really mean it!

Struggling to keep himself from doing something he'd regret, Izuku continued their stance and spoke softly, doing his best to sound non-competitive and fully open up...to allow himself to be vulnerable.

"I...I wasn't joking, Mina. You were the best part of my day...you made me feel like I could do anything."

Mina grunted in response and nervously laughed, "Awww, thanks, but I'm not gonna fall for something so sappy!"

Izuku shivered as she let go of his hands in favor of playing with them instead. She was still treating this like a competition of nerves.

"I really m-mean it! You're amazing Mina. I didn't see your first fight, but you were so good against Yaoyorozu. I have never been so impressed with anyone like that before."

"F-Flattery? C'mon Izu-chan, you can do better than that. I thought you wanted to win."

Mina upped her game by standing on her toes and nuzzling his cheek, careful to position herself as to not gouge him with her horns. Izuku felt as if his heart was about to explode, but aside from another hitch in breath, he kept himself composed.

"I...I want to take you out somewhere. Just the two of us, alone. I want to have something special with you."

Mina wasn't ready for that. Her blush reached critical levels and her heart filled with fear. Fear that, just like before, this was another tactic to win their game, and that this moment would suddenly end. Mina leaned in fully, relying completely on Izuku to support her, and whispered softly in his ear.

"Do you really mean it?"

There was no hint of playfulness in that question. He didn't know if she was setting him up for a joke or was actually serious, but it didn't matter. He had to tell her, every emotion in his body demanded it.

"Yes. I mean it. I want...I want to be your boyfriend, Mina!"

Mina broke their starfish and laughed in pure joy. She never thought she'd find the right time to ask him herself, especially not right after this crazy day! Who knew her cute little Midori would ever be so brave? She never thought she'd consider a rooftop as heaven, but here she was! She lunged at Izuku for the last time, taking in his smiling, fragile face as it slowly turned to pure joy, realizing that she accepted. She may not have augmentations, but she didn't need them to remember this moment in exact detail.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Author's Notes: I swear I'm not trying to make such long ass chapters, it just feels incomplete otherwise. Gah!

Characterizing Bakugou was more difficult than I anticipated. Sure, it's easy to say "Oh look, he's not NEEDLESSLY CRUEL now! How deep and insightful!! Please plow me and mentally abuse me Baku-kun~~", but I want him to have a REASON, MOTIVATION, and REALISTIC kind of growth. Where Izuku is regressing into his primal risk and reward mentality from being sheltered by his quirk, Bakugou is advancing beyond his self-centered pride, as he focuses on the win as opposed to himself and the praise he's received his entire life.

Also, having to write a variation of "Bakugou unleashed his two-handed explosion over Deku's freckled face" with some kinda professionalism was really, REALLY difficult.

Thanks for your reviews and input everyone! Not only am I a bit of a...shameless pleasurer for them, but they provide me some insight and alternative ideas to use in my stories! Easily a nice boost of motivation when I read one, even the critical ones make me think about and justify my reasons, which only cements the story and increases quality.

Also, how about that new episode? I know it's more or less a recap, but it's cool to see new MHA regardless, especially as an anime-only writer. That journalist guy was cool. It kinda does shame me that I started this story last year and wasn't able to catch up by the time a new season started but ahhh, such is the life of a lazy person who lacks discipline.

Amadeus Amadeus: While the injuries are definitely more severe in Augmented Hero, very very few instances were even close to being lethal, with Yaoyorozu's desperate attack being the closest one. My decision to have the characters inflict more punishment stems from two reasons.

The first, to deliver a "fuck you" to this anime (and every other anime tbh) that treats blunt force or alternative damage (flames, acid, etc) as minor injuries that hardly matter next scene. Someone gets slashed across the chest? Damn they dead. MC gets hit the in temple by a mace swung by a 250 pound soldier? You already know he's gonna get back up at some point. In this case, that hardly matters to Izuku because he's a fucking beast, but when used against other characters who don't have his durability, bad shit can happen (Bakugou being injured, Yaoyorozu in the infirmary for her hand, Todoroki asking if Mina's acid will scar him). Remember when Stain was fucking incinerated by Todoroki's flames and died? Me neither, he fell over from internal bleeding by Midoriya and Iida, despite the fact that even ONE of Iida's Recipro Burst kicks would have done the same thing when you consider how fast that mf can go.

The second, to emphasize Izuku's power. If he's going to be so damn powerful, I can't have the other students hold back in the slightest. Tension needs to be maintained. Izuku winning a fight is assumed, so I need to buff everyone else with him (particularly Bakugou) to maintain a balance, because I am NOT smart enough to make an entertaining story with an overpowered hero. He's easily stronger than everyone else at all times, so fuck it, why SHOULDN'T Iida have a buffed Recipro Burst?Why would anyone hold back? Not a lot of people can take a beating like he can, so having those key moments when someone gets the better of him via sheer ruthlessness (Yaoyorozu, Iida, Bakugou), they stand out and are remembered.

A potato: Yes, I AM still working on this. I like creating content and I'm pretty decent at writing.

YukiNikki: I have no idea why you're getting Kaguya-Sama references, My Hero is pretty much the only anime I've fully watched. (Though I will confess, that new Demon Slayer looks kinda nice.)

Up next, a date and the start of the internship arc! -Delusional777