A/N: And now, the aftermath of that epic fight from the last chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or My Hero Academia. They belong to Monty Oum, Kohei Horikoshi, and their respective publishing companies. Please support the official releases.

I do not own the cover image

Chapter 36: Turning Point

The reaction was almost instantaneous, Shoto rushing to the edge and jumping over it without a care for the potential harm to himself, only concerned about whether or not his friend was alright. The hilts of Jotunheim and Muspelheim lay abandoned on the ground above, something that he was reminded of when he landed, the sheaths briefly giving a hollow clack against the ground.

When he finally got to Izuku, the green haired inheritor's face was scrunched up in pain, and Shoto finally saw just how badly his left arm and right leg had been broken. He kneeled down and used his right side to try and make casts out of what ice he had left, which was thankfully enough to bind both of the limbs. The paramedics arrived soon after, taking Izuku off to Peach's office to properly heal his injuries.

Shoto slowly exited the arena, and as he stared at the ground, the echo of his boots reverberating throughout the hall, he spoke up.

"You did well out there, Shoto. And you've finally accepted your purpose as well. I'll have to step up your training when we go back to Atlas. Releasing that much energy in a single match was rather reckless of you. We can't have that if you're going to take my place. By the time you properly graduate, you'll be able to defeat All Might without breaking a sweat. I will lead you down the path of the mighty, Shoto," Endeavor said, his hulking frame leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his face having abandoned his normal scowl and settling for an unsettling, unnatural smile. By Oum, it disgusted him to no end.

"I've accepted nothing. You're truly foolish if you think my feelings about this could be undone so easily. I'm not some tool for your ego, not anymore. And when I used my left, for just that short minute... I'd forgotten all about you. I'm still not sure how to feel about this. I don't know if it's good or bad. Maybe..." Shoto said as he glared at his father, not with hostility, but with an uncompromised amount of certainty behind his eyes. "... maybe I just don't need you."

The silence was uncomfortable, and Endeavor, his smile quickly fading, was actually quite shocked. When Shoto began walking down the hallway once again, he didn't even think to stop him.

(two hours later, Peach's office, Izuku's POV)

"You damn idiot," the brightly haired nurse scolded Izuku, who was currently wearing casts on his left arm and right leg, bound tightly and thick. "You're lucky that the damage wasn't more severe than it already is. That was a close Oumdamned call."

"Sorry," Izuku managed to squeeze out, only reawakening just a few minutes prior. The limbs he broke were certainly hurting, as was evidenced by the initial pins and needles esque pain he'd felt when he woke up, but he was alive and not paralyzed. All the little things, he supposed, and what pain was there was already fading. Peach was really, really good at her job.

"So am I. I shouldn't have encouraged you to be this reckless, especially against an opponent like Shoto," Toshinori said with his head bowed in his normal, gangly form.

Peach simply sighed at this, briefly rubbing her forehead with the ball of her hand. "You'd be getting a lot more of a lecture if the old hag was still here instead of me. Especially because of the surgery. You'll be needing those casts for the next couple days so I can properly heal you. You should be able to walk, but I'd recommend using a crutch until tomorrow.

"Also," she pointed to the markings on his limbs, the ones that had appeared after he'd channeled so much Aura, "The scarring might not be as bad as it could've been, but this isn't the kind of thing that you can just walk away from either. Those marks you've got are practically part of your skin now. Let that serve as a reminder of what you do to yourself when you use too much of your own power. And you should know...

"If you ever break your limbs that recklessly ever again, I will not heal you. The method is too self-destructive to be viable in a real fight, especially out in the wilds. You need to commit to Full Cowl if you want any chance at becoming a huntsman."

This was not a recommendation. This was not a suggestion. This wasn't even a bargain. It was an ultimatum. Peach's eyes said it all. They were hard, unmoving. This was a bad, self-destructive habit, and if Izuku didn't break it soon it could have disastrous consequences on his body, or worse, his mental state. He couldn't help anyone if he wasn't able to even stand up straight. It was harsh, but the freckled inheritor also knew that Peach said what she said with the best of intentions. And she wouldn't be around to help him forever. He couldn't keep relying on her.

"Well, now that we've got the depressing stuff out of the way, I think it's time you had some visitors," Peach said as her signature smirk returned to her face, flipping her lab coat onto her shoulders as she exited the room, saying, "Go on in. Only four at a time though. Don't overwhelm him," to people outside the room.

Almost immediately after she said this, and once All Might shifted into his power form before flashing Izuku a brief look of 'good luck' and followed Peach out, a streak of red bolted through the doorframe and straight into Izuku's torso, a pair of dainty arms wrapping themselves tightly around his shoulders. The same rose themed reaper was also causing Izuku a great deal of discomfort, seeing as his casted arm was being pressed uncomfortably against his torso.

"AGH! Ruby! Arm! Arm! Broken!" was all Izuku managed to get out as he grit his teeth together, trying not to cry out in pain.

Almost instantly, Ruby separated herself from her brother figure, giving a bit of a sheepish look before scratching the back of her head, saying "Sorry. I'm just so glad you're alright!"

"As are we," Weiss said as she lead Tenya and Blake into the room. "Those injuries looked fairly painful. I mean, we know that you've gone through this kind of thing before, but still."

"You're not wrong," Izuku admitted with a sheepish look that was actually quite similar to Ruby's. "It did hurt. A lot."

Seriously, how were they not related?!

"While that battle was certainly an exciting one, that was rather foolish of you," Tenya scolded his teammate lightly, though this didn't continue since Peach had done the same just a minute prior. "Still, you fought valiantly. I don't believe I could've lasted for so long against our leader at my peak, let alone with a broken arm."

"Don't sell yourself short, Tenya. You're a great fighter in your own right. You're certainly a lot more accurate than Ruby is with a sniper rifle," Weiss reassured the spectacled boy, playfully scolding her leader in the process.

"I will neither confirm nor deny this! But I'll resent that comment anyway!" Ruby yelled, temporarily going into what looked to be a chibi-esque state with Weiss smirking all the while. How was this possible? It shouldn't have been, but screw logic!

"Is no one else going to ask about those weird marks he's got on his arm?" Blake asked, having looked at those marks on Izuku's only visible limb for a bit and becoming quite curious as to their nature.

"Erm... I don't really know much about them myself. Peach said they're basically a part of my skin now, so I guess they're permanent?" Izuku half asked to himself, still quite confused about it all.

"That is... quite strange," Weiss cupped her chin with her left hand as she looked at the markings on his good arm, obviously theorizing as to what they might be for. Then, she and Tenya both flinched simultaneously, then turning back to Izuku and synching, "'They?' As in multiple?"

"... yeah... on all my limbs."

It was at that moment that Ruby rushed up beside Weiss and began to examine Izuku's arms herself, muttering a "So cool," under her breath as she did so, her eyes filling with an excited light.

"Well, I think we've taken up enough of your time, Izuku. Come on, let's let the others have their turn," Tenya said, beckoning the group to the exit. Though she looked reluctant to do so, Ruby left with the others.

Then, it was Sun who lead in the next group, consisting of Nora, Ren, and Bakugo, the latter of whom held a surprisingly neutral expression in his eye while the former three looked positively giddy to see him. Well, Sun and Nora did, Ren just had his usual, calm smirk.

"Dude, that was a kickass fight! First it was all SHING! BLAM! And then the swords came out and-" Sun was then interrupted by Nora, who yelled, "THAT WAS THE GREATEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN! OH MY OUM, I'M GONNA BE TELLING STORIES ABOUT THIS!"

Sun actually had to cover his ears in order to avoid going deaf from the bubbly girl's sheer volume, as did Izuku and Bakugo especially, almost looking like he was in pain from the sound. When it finally ended, the direwolf's head snapped towards Ren as he asked, "How the fuck have you not gone deaf around this girl?"

"You sorta get used to it after a while," Ren said with the same small smirk on his face, having become so numb to Nora's volume that he didn't even cover his ears.

Sun then seemed to remember something. "Oh! CVFY, TAKT, and the rest of SSSN send their regards. They'd be here themselves, but something came up with Coco's family, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu are going on an arcade crawl to celebrate your fight; the others went to keep them from wrecking everything; and Scarlet's 'hunting' for something or other. Hmm... wait a damn minute! Is he gonna do it again?!"

"You couldn't tell? Sheesh, your gaydar is way off, Gunchucks," Bakugo said in his usual, still rather jaded manner.

"No, I knew he was gay, but that's not the point! He's an incessant flirt! It always either ends with him in detention or the team in detention. And it might be worse than that if I don't find him within the next hour or so," Sun said as he opened the window. "Don't mind me! Just taking a shortcut!"

He then leapt through the window and continued to make his way through Beacon's grounds with all the dexterity and acrobatic proficiency as... well, a monkey.

"... so... that just happened," Nora said, causing everyone else in the room to nod along with her.

Bakugo then turned back to Izuku, then giving his full-toothed, slightly intimidating grin and saying, "Once this festival's over, we've gotta have a rematch. Back at Torino's. Fair and square. Then I'm kicking' Shoto's ass."

For the first time, it seemed like Bakugo was actually being friendly. In his own angry way of course. Izuku was unsure as to how truthful this actually was, but something had changed. Sure, he was still the same grumpy, overly annoyed, ill-tempered, battle-obsessed guy that he'd always been, but he also seemed less hostile than he remembered. Though he was cautious of the implications, Izuku gave his rival a smile and responded, "Yeah. Don't think I'll go easy on you, though."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Deku!" the ashen blonde yelled over his shoulder as he left the room, followed by Ren with a currently hypered out Nora being dragged behind him. The next ones to come in were a concerned, and now relieved, Yang, a kind smiled Jaune, and an ever so awkward Pyrrha.

"Hey Greenie," Yang said a bit breathlessly. How worried had she been? "How's the arm? Besides, ya know, being broken and all."

"Well, I'm not constantly screaming in pain, so I think it's fine, for now," Izuku said, smiling all the while. Though she did hesitate a little bit, Yang pulled the green haired boy into a tight hug, though this one wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as Ruby's surprise hug. He hugged back, his face now buried into her shoulder as her chin perched itself atop the crown of his head, the silence between the two surprisingly relaxed and rather calming.

...

Would it be creepy to say that she smells nice? It probably would. It definitely would. I'm just gonna keep that to myself.

"Ahem!" Jaune loudly cleared his throat, causing the two to slowly loosen their hug and look in his and Pyrrha's direction. With a sheepish look on his face, and scratching the back of his head for emphasis, he said, "Sorry as I am to interrupt this little moment you two are having, we do have a few questions for you."

"Sorry. We really shouldn't be here for this," Pyrrha half bowed her head as she apologized.

Yang sighed, remembering what they'd agreed to ask him outside, and, after giving him a bit of a squeeze around the shoulders, reluctantly let him go and backed up a bit as Jaune began with the questions, pertaining to the marks on his limbs and how he was able to control his Aura to the point that his arms actually glowed. Izuku answered the first question as he did for the first group, with almost the exact same explanation.

"And... well, I actually have no idea how I managed to do that. It was pretty instinctual. And I wouldn't recommend trying it. I could actually feel my own Aura through the adrenaline. It was... fairly intense, to say the least. I probably would've been screaming in pain if I could've actually felt how hurt I was."

The white helmet of Lancelot, for the first time in a very long while, then materialized itself beside his master, saying, "I am relieved to see you well and recovering, Midoriya. And Master Jaune, I'll warn you now, while you might have more Aura than Midoriya does, you'd need a great deal of control in order to even attempt what he was lucky enough to pull off."

"Man, that is weird," Yang whispered to herself, not having seen Lancelot's helmet materialize before. It was fairly strange, to be fair.

"And I wouldn't recommend trying to do something like that again, Midoriya," the helmet turned as he addressed the currently incapacitated inheritor. "At the very least, have a greater control over your power before you attempt... well, what you did was honestly beyond my knowledge."

"Well, I also have a question." Pyrrha raised her hand politely as she could. "What was that last attack you used against Shoto? I don't think you've ever used it before."

"It was a bit of an experiment. Do you guys remember that one Omnislash move I did way back when?" Izuku asked back to everyone present, and they all nodded in response. "Well... I kinda used it as a basis for a stronger attack, and it was actually part of what helped me develop Cyclone Grove back when we were at Torino's. I-I don't actually have a name for it, though."

"... maybe Sword Storm?" Jaune suggested.

"Or something epic, like Emerald Dance," Yang said with passionate fire, though this idea was quickly shot down by Jaune.

"W-well, they're both nice names, but I'm not sure which is better," the green-haired inheritor admitted to them.

The two blondes then continued to bicker, playfully, over what the move ought to be called, and the two were finally interrupted by Lancelot, who said, "I do believe that Miss Nikos has a recommendation."

"Erm... yes! But it's a bit odd," Pyrrha admitted with a bit of an embarrassed red to her face.

"Don't worry about it. Mine wasn't exactly grade-A quality," Jaune reassured her.

"Yeah. No matter what it is, it can't be any worse than ours," the blonde brawler said, playfully giving Pyrrha's shoulder a light tap with her non-dominant knuckle. With that encouragement, Pyrrha raised her head and said, "I was thinking... since your other move was called 'Cyclone Grove,' but it was in scythe form, and this one was made in blade form... maybe this one could be called... Cyclone Blade?"

.

..

…

"... it's perfect..." all three of them somehow managed to synch, causing Pyrrha to suddenly flinch at the strangeness of it all.

"R-r-really?"

"Oh, hell yeah! Why didn't I think of that? It's just so good!" Yang exclaimed with a gigantic grin on her face.

"It's also pretty appropriate. It's basically Izuku's second strongest technique, so having the Cyclone in the name is actually a pretty good way of keeping track of just how powerful it is." Jaune said, cupping his hand under his chin as he continued, "There's actually no better name for it."

"Yeah. I mean, the others weren't bad, but that's definitely the one I'm going with," Izuku said as he gained a similar grin to Yang's.

"You see? Have a bit more confidence in your social skills. I promise, you'll be fine," Lancelot said before he turned to Jaune, saying, "Well, I do believe that's about all the time we have, for now. Come. We have to prepare for tomorrow."

The blonde knight sighed as Lancelot's helmet dissipated, knowing that he was indeed correct. "Well, I guess that's our cue. C'mon."

Pyrrha followed her leader out of the room, giving Izuku a small wave as they left, the door still open behind them. He and Yang were the only two left in the room now.

"Well... I hope you get better soon, Izuku. And please don't go worrying us like that again, okay? Seriously, I was scared you had permanent damage." Yang had a serious look in her eye as she said that. She wasn't joking around: she'd actually been worried.

"I won't. Sorry for worrying you," Izuku said with a bit of shame in his voice, his gaze trailing down to the sheets that covered his lower body and his currently casted right leg. After a second of silence, he felt a firm yet gentle hand gripping his shoulder and something soft pressing itself against the side of his forehead. Something very, very soft.

And then, as quickly as he'd felt it, the pleasant pressure was gone again, and the hand released from his shoulder. Izuku turned to Yang, who was still at his bedside, as the brawler continued, "I know. Just... please be careful, alright?"

All Izuku could do was nod, and as Yang turned and left the room, he felt heat rush to his face en masse, his mind currently unable to rid itself of the thought of what Yang had done to comfort him.

Why am I feeling this lightheaded? And giddy? I know I really, really like her, but it was only a... a...

DAMNIT, NOW I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!

(around the same time, just outside Peach's office, Yang's POV)

Oh Oum, I think my heart's gonna explode! Yang thought to herself as she exited the room, sighing in relief as she did so. It's alright, Yang. All you did was kiss a guy on the forehead. No big deal. He's just really, really cute and nice and you've had a huge crush on him for the last few months.

…

And now I can't stop thinking about it. Yay me.

When Yang pulled herself from these thoughts, she saw Shoto across the way, sitting down in a cheap plastic chair, still in his half-destroyed hunter's outfit, staring down at his hands, a blank yet worried look donning his features as he stared at them intently. Was he still feeling guilty over what had happened in the ring? Yang wasn't about to blame him if he was. She'd be feeling the same way in his shoes, what with everything that had gone down.

Still, she wasn't about to let the guy wallow in his own misery if she could help it.

"You going inside?" she asked, causing the half and half leader to slowly turn his gaze up to her, his blank look from before now replaced by a guilty one.

"He's not bitter about anything, if that's what you're worried about," the blonde tried to reassure him.

"... I don't know if I can even look at him," Shoto finally said. "His arm... his leg... those weird marks from earlier... those are all my fault. He did that because it was the only way to fight me when I was going all out. No matter how I look at it, I just... I can't help but-"

"Hey!" Yang slapped him on the shoulder, getting his attention and interrupting his monologue. "What happened out there wasn't your fault. Izuku made the choice to break his limbs. And while I'd rather he have thought of another way to fight you, what's done is done. And you guys really need to talk. Besides, you're friends, right?"

"... yeah."

Yang smiled, the turning and following the others down the same hallway they exited from, briefly saying over her shoulder, "Then talk to him already. It'll be fine."

(Shoto's POV)

… well, if nothing else, Yang certainly knows how to motivate people. Shoto thought as he stood. Here goes.

He stepped through the doorway, finding Peach's office as it had been the previous two times he'd been there. The same lazy desk, the same sterile white sheets, the same kinda uncomfortable looking beds. And in one of those said uncomfortable beds, with a cast tightly bound to his left arm and right leg, still in the same clothes he'd fought in just a few hours prior, was Izuku.

The green haired boy beamed at the sight of his partner, greeting him as he came in, "Hey! You doing alright?"

…

"That's what I'm supposed to be asking you."

"I know. But seriously though, you alright?"

"... I guess so," Shoto said as he sat down next to the bed, a smile unknowingly edging its way onto his face. "I mean, my limbs aren't broken, so that's a plus."

"Yeah, I wouldn't recommend it," Izuku said with an even wider grin, the two chuckling to each other soon after. It was surprisingly comforting. Why had he been so afraid to just talk to his friend? It was so easy.

The two talked for a long while, gradually becoming more and more comfortable and laughing harder and harder. It was nice. But, there came the inevitable topic. The one that Shoto, while he was still uncomfortable with it, had to own up to.

"I know this might be uncomfortable to answer, but... your left side. Are you..."

Izuku didn't finish the question, but he didn't have to either. Shoto knew what he was asking.

"I'm not sure. A few hours ago, I actually had a run in with Endeavor. I told him 'I've accepted nothing,' but... when I used my left side, I wasn't thinking of him at all. And I felt whole. As if I could finally like who I am, and not let the things that my father has done weigh me down. But I'm scared. I want to be who I am, I want to use my power to help people, but I don't know what that'll cost. I'm scared that if I use my left side again too soon, I could hurt someone. I don't want to do that. I just... I need to know what my left side is fully capable of. I don't think I'll ever be fully confident using it if I don't."

Izuku listened intently, never interrupting him or objecting to any of his points. Shoto was a troubled person, and using his left side after so long was a huge shift for him. He'd broken a promise he'd kept to himself for over ten years. That wasn't something he was going to get over very easily, or anytime soon for that matter.

But he could help him start.

"Well, I'm not really sure how to say this," Izuku began as Shoto had finished, a few seconds of silence having passed between them. "But if nothing else, you've proved to everyone else that you're willing to give your all to be the best. If you feel like you can't use it until you have more control or you're more comfortable with it, then that's fine. You said before that you weren't thinking of Endeavor in the slightest when you used your power, right?"

"Yeah."

"So... well, I'm not sure if it'll work or not, but maybe... try not to focus on him. Like I said before, that power is yours. Not his, not mine, yours. It's your call what you do with it. I'll give you advice if I can, but in the end, it's all up to you."

Shoto stayed silent for a while, staring down at his left hand once again as he did so. He knew that he wouldn't lead with this power: he still didn't want to use it. Not fully. But maybe if he could just keep Endeavor off his mind...

It could help me start.

The half and half leader then stood from his chair and took a deep, longwinded sigh. "I'll... need some time to think about this. But thank you, Izuku," Shoto said as he turned to his partner, with a full smile on his face for the first time in a long while. "Actually, I was thinking about going somewhere after the Vytal Festival is over."

"Really? Well, are you going to anywhere specific?"

"I'm... gonna head to Mistral. See my mom. She was put in a hospital over there by my dad almost a decade ago. I want... no, I need to see her again. If I'm going to keep using my left side, I... I need to at least see her. One last time."

Izuku said nothing, instead only giving Shoto an understanding nod. While he knew that it was hard to live up to legacy, especially one you didn't really know about or quite understand fully. He loved Ryuji and Makoto to death, but he'd always felt unworthy in their presence. If he could talk to his dad, he'd certainly do it in a heartbeat.

"That'll do you some good. I mean, I hope it does."

"You could come with me, ya know. I wouldn't mind the company," Shoto offered.

"Sorry. I've gotta keep up to snuff with my training. I mean, I made it pretty far in the tournament, but that was really because you backed me up and I decided to go ballistic. I've got a really long way to go before I'm anywhere near your level."

"Well, to each their own, I suppose," Shoto said as he walked towards the door, stopping briefly as he continued over his shoulder, "And Izuku? You gave one hell of a fight."

(a few minutes later, Izuku's POV)

The green haired inheritor had been given some time to think before Toshinori returned in his deflated form. About the marks and One for All specifically. What did they mean? Were they connected in some way? And after that came the questions of his self-worth, and... dammit, he'd just managed to gain some confidence, why the hell was he questioning it now?! But...

Why did he choose me? It could've been anyone. It could've been Shoto. It could've been Hitoshi; hell, it probably should've been Pyrrha. What... just what makes me so special?

It was at that time that Toshinori stepped into the room with a look of worry on his face, but one that soon receded as he tried to make himself look more confident. He had a crutch in his hand, which he handed to his successor as he asked, "You feeling good enough to walk?"

"Yeah," Izuku stood from the bed, the crutch underneath his good arm as he placed some comfortable weight onto his casted right leg, following his mentor out of Peach's office and down the surprisingly empty hall.

"Hey, All Might? Do you remember why you came to Beacon in the first place?"

"Yeah?" Toshinori stopped mid-stride, the hall still empty of people.

"I put everything I had into this tournament. I know I did. But there are people who've been fighting a whole lot harder than I have. So... I don't know. Maybe..."

"You're thinking it might've been better for someone else to be my successor, right?"

Izuku, taking a deep, shaky breath, answered the gangly man, "Yes."

"Well, you aren't wrong, in terms of power. This place is full of those with an incredible amount of potential. And One for All is something that enhances other powers, in addition to the physical strength boost. For example, if Shoto had inherited it, the strength that it would've added on top of the enhancements to both of his semblances would've likely made him nearly undefeatable."

"Then... why-"

"But, you know," Toshinori continued, preventing Izuku from doubting himself any more than he already was, "I was Fractured too, when I was a kid."

"... huh?" Izuku's eyes visibly widened at that, looking up at his mentor who now held a bony smirk on his face.

"Back then, it had really only just started to show up, so it wasn't quite as well-known of. But yeah, I didn't have a semblance either. My master entrusted One for All to me, and with Torino's help, I eventually got to where I am now.

"I guess I saw a bit of the old me in you, way back then. And I certainly don't regret choosing you as my successor. Like I've said, you've got the mindset to be a great huntsman. You've already gone above and beyond so many of my expectations, and I know that once you graduate, you're going to do amazing things with One for All.

"Well, you oughta get going now. I think you and Miss Nikos have a few things to discuss," Toshinori patted Izuku on the back as he said that. Izuku flashed him a brief smile before he continued on, saying, "You got it!" over his shoulder as he continued towards where the redheaded amazon was likely to be located.

(about an hour later, the usual spot, Pyrrha's POV)

Lancelot was proving to be quite the opponent, especially since he was so large. And, though his size did impede him somewhat, his swordplay was incredibly graceful. Maybe this is what Jaune might be fully capable of someday?

But, of course, Paladin Mode did have one huge weakness. Get to the person controlling the Fable, in this case, Jaune...

"~Gotcha~," Pyrrha said in a singsong voice, Milo playfully held about two inches away from his throat, with a satisfied smile on her face.

"Ah! Man!" Jaune said to himself as Paladin Mode dispersed, leaving Lancelot's helmet floating in the air as Pyrrha removed Milo and offered him a hand up. "I almost had you that time!"

"True. And you lasted longer than I'd expected you to," Pyrrha said as she pulled Jaune to his feet, quite easily, then holding up her Scroll for him to see, with a prideful, supportive grin on her face. "A whole thirty seconds longer than last time! That's amazing!"

"Whoa, really?!" Jaune said as he looked at her Scroll with wide eyes, then turning and jumping excitedly into the air. "Yes!" He then landed, turned back to the redheaded amazon, and gave her one of the tightest hugs that Pyrrha had ever been given in her entire life. "Thank you so much! I couldn't have done any of this without your help!"

"D-don't mention it!" she replied with a visibly darkening of her cheeks. Oh Oum. He's hugging me. He's hugging me really, really tight. Would it be creepy to say that this feels nice?

Before she could think on this further, they heard someone audibly clear their throat from the entrance to their training spot. The two quickly separated, turning to find Izuku standing there with a crutch under his right shoulder and his limbs still heavily casted with a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry to interrupt your training, but could I talk to Pyrrha for a few minutes? It'll take about ten at the most."

Jaune raised his eyebrow at this, though a shoulder tap from Pyrrha quickly got him out of his mindset. "It's only ten minutes. I'll be back before you know it. Besides, you need a break anyway."

"I... yeah, I do," Jaune admitted.

"Okay. See you in a bit!" Pyrrha said with a smile over her shoulder, joining Izuku as he walked, though a tad bit slowly, towards a spare bench in the empty hallway, closing the door to the rooftop behind her.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" she asked, seeing how difficult it was for him to walk properly.

"Yeah. If I don't put any weight on my foot, it won't heal properly. The crutch just makes it look worse than it is," Izuku explained, sitting himself down on the bench. Pyrrha sat down as he asked his first question, "So, why aren't you guys over at the Coliseum? Weren't there supposed to be a bunch of more matches today?"

"There was, but I'm afraid the fight between you and Shoto damaged it to the point that they had to put the rest of the matches on hold in order to properly repair it."

"Ah. Sorry about that," Izuku apologized with yet another sheepish look donning his features.

"No need. That was a rather intense battle. I'm not sure I could've fought someone like that without causing at least that much damage. Unintentionally, of course!" Pyrrha quickly added.

"Y-yeah!" Izuku said. There was then a silence between them, both knowing of the inevitable subject that would have to come up.

"So... the Fall Maiden, huh?" Izuku awkwardly tried to start.

Pyrrha picked up on this quickly. "Yes. I still can't believe all of those old stories are true. The prospect is rather tempting but..."

She didn't have to finish. This way different than inheriting One for All had been. While it had taken him a very, very long time, and took him almost a year, he'd earned his power. Pyrrha... if she accepted this, she could lose herself. That was incredibly serious.

The redhead in question quickly changed to subject. "Erm... All Might... he said you were his apprentice. Is that really true?"

Izuku nodded firmly.

"Well, I was wondering... how did the two of you meet, exactly? I mean you seem close, so it must've been a long time ago."

This was where Izuku hesitated. He hadn't really told anyone about how he'd met All Might, or the fact that he was a Fractured. While the subject had come up a few times in the past, people usually learned about it through someone else, or they already knew about it. He'd never actually told anyone outright that he was a Fractured in a long time; ever since he'd met All Might, really. Bakugo hadn't brought the subject up in months, and the people on Ozpin's council already knew. He hadn't even told Yang or Shoto, the two people who were closest to him, about the fact. But still, if Pyrrha was going to take this risk with the Fall Maiden powers, then he might as well tell her what little he knew. It wouldn't be fair to her if he didn't.

"I haven't really told anyone about this. Please don't tell anyone else. I don't think I'm ready for them to know yet."

"Of course," Pyrrha promised, with honest attention in her eyes. She knew that this was going to be important.

And so, after a full second of silence, he told her everything. About how he met All Might, the fact that he was a Fractured, how he inherited One for All, what he knew of All for One, the Inclined; everything he could think of so that they were both on the same page. He was putting a great deal of trust in her silence, but something told him that it wasn't misplaced. It took about five minutes of straight talking, but eventually, Izuku had told her what he knew.

"That's... wow. That is a lot to take in. And... my Oum, Izuku, I'm so sorry," Pyrrha said, visibly slumping back into the bench as Izuku finished.

"You don't need to apologize. You didn't know. Besides, this was my choice. I'm gonna stick by it till the end. I know that this is all pretty overwhelming, on top of everything else."

"No, no. I'm just glad that you were willing to share that much information with me to begin with. And... you're a Fractured as well."

"... yeah."

"I don't mean to sound offensive or anything, but... well, I've actually never met a Fractured before. I mean, I've heard of them, but there weren't really any in lower Anima. So... who else knows about that? Besides Bakugo."

"Just Ozpin's council, Torino, and now you."

"And that odd vision you had, back when you soloing at Torino's place... do you think it might've meant the marks you have on your skin now? The whole 'Warden's Brand' fiasco?"

"I... didn't actually think about that possibility. Maybe. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"... okay." Pyrrha visibly straightened herself as she said that. "I won't tell anyone about any of this. Not unless you want me to, that is."

"Thank you." Izuku audibly sighed with this, signifying his relief. Then, a bit of wonder popped into his head. "Hey, Pyrrha? What's it like? In lower Anima, I mean."

"Well, I suppose you did trust me with a lot. It's the least I could do. Other than the Grimm that sometimes plague the area, it's a rather lovely place. The people are very welcoming, especially compared to how discriminatory the northern parts of Anima can be. And the fish... oh my Oum I miss the fish..." Pyrrha said as her stomach audibly growled, causing her to cover her lower torso quickly with both arms and gain a sheepish look to her features. "Sorry. Got a little homesick there.

"It's home to the largest pantheon church on Remnant, though I'm sure that's fairly common knowledge by now. Most fighters who grow up there either become world trotting warriors or wandering hunters. Like what we're trying to become. Tournaments there are fairly common, though thankfully they're not nearly as brutal as certain aspects of the media make them out to be. As to my own childhood... well, after my father died, it mostly training and school. I didn't really get to be what most would call a 'normal kid.' But I know that my mother never stopped caring about me. She wouldn't have pushed for me to improve so much if she didn't."

"Sounds hard," Izuku said.

"It was. But I never hated it. If anything, it gave me a reason to push myself further, and do better by the people who helped me. Oh! It looks like our ten minutes are up," Pyrrha said as she stood from the bench, stretching her arms over her head as he did so. Izuku then left the bench as well, the two standing next to each other before Pyrrha said, "Thank you for trusting me. I promise, it hasn't been misplaced."

"You as well," Izuku held out his hand, which Pyrrha immediately took and gave a firm shake. A final symbol of trust between the two friends. They then went their separate ways, with their own concerns and responsibilities now weighing on each of them once more.

(the next day, dusk, Amity Coliseum, Izuku's POV)

"Welcome, one and all, to the part of the tournament you've all been waiting for! The one on one finals!" Port announced to the crowd, who now cheered with untamed excitement and anticipation. Izuku was among some of the more non-vocal spectators, but he was no less excited. Whether it was Yang, Shoto, Pyrrha, or Sun fighting, he knew that this was going to be an exciting match.

"Are you sure you're even allowed to be out here right now, Izuku? Those injuries still look kinda bad," Ruby said with a concerned tone. The rest of her team sat to her left while the other two members of STIK sat to his right, with JNR right in front of them and SSN in the row above them, most of whom were concentrating on the spectacle in front of them. Izuku's casts, while they had been significantly thinned, were still a cause for concern for worrywarts like Ruby.

"I wanted to see that rest of the matches myself. I could get some really good notes out of them. That and I really want to support the others if they end up fighting."

"Can't argue with that," Ruby admitted defeat, then holding out a white and red striped paper box to him. "Popcorn?"

"Yes please," Izuku accepted the offer, biting into the handful he'd pulled out as he and Ruby continued to share the box.

"Now then, let's begin the randomization process!" Oobleck said as the ballots began to spin for several seconds first landing on Mercury Black of Team CDEM, and then, after a few more seconds, landing on Yang. The two were hand to hand specialists, but in very different ways. The stage was soon cleared of everyone but the two of them, shifting into their fighting stances as they inched ever closer to each other, the countdown to the match echoing in the background as they did so.

"Three!"

Another step.

"Two!"

Another.

"One!"

Their leading hands were now practically touching, their eyes giving away nothing except their determination to fight.

"Begin!"

A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter! Seriously you guys, thank you all so much for making this possible! You're all awesome! If you have any questions or concerns, please either PM me or ask me via the reviews! That and it's actually really nice talking with you guys.

Next Chapter: Aug. 5th

Seeya in the next one!