A/N: Nearly at the end of this season, then I can take a short break (My hands need it). Well, Review Time!

To Murtaito: Always wanted to have Yuki have a small heart-to-heart with Bakugo, especially about the toxic bond he has with Izuku. As for the Sword and Shield reference that was actually a spur-of-the-moment, I was blasting Valstrax's theme while writing the fight and it kinda snuck in XD

To imaginationcreationer: I guess we'll find out very shortly ;)

Enjoy.


Chapter 31 - Pride in all its Imperfections

When Yuki woke up she nearly fell out of bed due to her absentmindedly propping herself up without a right hand, or atleast the hand itself. She blew her hair and sat up on the edge to inspect the damage, her mask was completely fixed and still placed over her face, but her missing appendage was merely a few wires strung to a skinny, metal skeleton as the red nanomachines worked to rebuild the lost limb.

"Oh crap, I missed it!" Jutting out from the bed, Yuki spotted Kirishima and Sato sleeping on their own beds, clearly conked out from overexerting themselves

"You've only been asleep for a few of the matches," Recovery Girl stopped her like a record, head craned down to the old lady. "If you hurry you can catch the seventh round." Yuki bowed her head, then felt the cane slap to her knee painfully. "You and your mother need to learn restraint! You were both lucky you have such impressive Quirks but that doesn't give you an excuse to pull off such a reckless move!"

Immediately she apologized, bowing her head to the scary lady before her. With another note of thanks, she darted from the room, leaving Recovery Girl to slowly follow suit with a sigh. "These kids are always pushed to their limits, but I suppose they can't be ready for a brutal world without a few scars along the way."

"Y-Yuki!?" Izuku jumped as he was shoved aside by the blue-haired mute as she leaned closer to the monitors, SIVA working to recover the recorded footage for later observations, those that spectated themselves saw the screens flash with SIVA's logo before Yuki stepped back shakily, falling into Izuku's arms as he tried to keep her upright. "W-what did you - Are you okay?"

What have you done? | You should warn me when you attempt something like this | And after recently waking up while I'm still making repairs

With a weak gaze, she held up her thumb, then waved lazily to Iida, Asui, and Yaomomo. 'Man that was a rush... kinda forgot data mining makes me loopy, hehehe' The panic of missing the fights drew her to copy the data from the fights without properly evaluating the software she was invading, thereby causing the firewalls to trigger a strange sense of delirium for her. 'Sorry, Zuzu, I feels wobbly'

The group were shocked as she pushed herself up against his side, slinking an arm over his shoulders while keeping herself very close to the fanboy, his face hotter than the surface of the sun while shaking on the spot, keeping both himself and the loopy Yuki standing.

"Yuki, you shouldn't be so inappropriate in public like this!" Iida's hand shot down at the slumped girl, her lazy eyes turning off as she pulled her mask to the side of her head, revealing the almost drunken state she was in, a few lines of code shimmering across her irises with a faint blush

"I don't think she can properly understand us, it's like she's become intoxicated?" Yaomomo suggested judging by the girl's next actions

She lifted a hand to his robotic swing as she silently giggled as it was pulled along in his arm's motion. 'Up and down, up and down...' Without realizing it she had angled her body to sit more comfortably against the warm wall that was Izuku, her chest pressed to his side causing his embarrassment to soar

"She's like a totally different person after doing that strange activation on the screens." Asui stared at the scene with interest

"I-I, um, i-it's no, um, no pro-problem, y-y-your fight, uh, w-was g-great!" He was a stuttering mess by the time Recovery Girl returned, this time it was Ashido and Kaminari against the Principle and so far they were running around like rats in a maze, rather ironic given their attacker

'Hehehe, they gonna fall into his traaaaap~' Her sloppy note wiggled between her fingers, drawing a few questionable eyes toward her. 'Super-duper smart, he can cause chain reactions with what he breaks and stuff' She poked her boyfriend's face with her finger, his blush somewhat under control for the moment

"This foolish girl's antics aside, she's right," Recovery Girl answered slash berated. Just then, the duo found themselves being cornered by metal debris, cutting off their routes. "If they keep panicking without a forward plan this may be a very straightforward round."

"Incredible, he's two steps ahead..." Izuku adjusted Yuki against his side, admiring the versatility of the Principle's Quirk as he looked... really happy to be letting out his anarchic side

"And they don't how to attack him without knowing where to find him, what an impressive brain," Asui added. What started off as a slow and somewhat distracting round due to Yuki's strange behavior had completely turned against Mina and Kaminari before the spectators


As time went on, Yuki's sense of reality slowly returned to her as the last inklings of coding vanished from her eyes, and SIVA berated her reckless actions both from the exam and for inadvertently poisoning her mind with a firewall, though it was child's play compared to SIVA's technological advantage.

The eighth round was a close one with Jiro unable to get in close to overpower President Mic's overwhelming sound compared to her heartbeats, even with the modifications given to her by Akio and Viral. It was Koda that brought them the win as he forced Mic to pass out from fright of bugs and insects crawling up his body from below.

Next was Hagakure and Akio against the sharpshooter, Snipe. To those that watched, anticipating a stalemate between the expert eyes of the hero and the odd pairing of students, the match was won within minutes, they outplayed the man who could hit any target using smoke and mirror tactics.

The round against Midnight was a close one, Sero was almost knocked out in the beginning if not for Shoji's quick-thinking. To combat her sleep-inducing gas they tapped their mouths shut, forcing Midnight to play offensively which in the end was her downfall as the boys managed to outmaneuver and escape before her impressive skill with a whip could subdue them.

"Hey, Deku, isn't - Huh?" By the time anyone realized it, Izuku had vanished without a trace, say for Yuki strolling back into the observation chamber with her arms crossed, a warm smile stuck to her lips as she rejoined her friends. Ocha smiled. "I guess you gave him a pep-talk, huh?"

'You could say that...' Yuki winked.

Just a few minutes before the tenth match would end, Izuku took off down the halls to make it to the grand stage that would be him and Bakugo against All Might, his idol. It seemed impossible to compare his strength or Bakugo's to the Symbol of Peace, he had the mind of a true hero, the intuition and cunning to expertly out-play anything they did as a counteroffensive. To Izuku, there was no discernable way to win other than to run. It was convincing his old bully of this factor.

A hand quickly yanked his hood back, almost dropping him as Izuku spun to face Yuki, her eyes hardened with a frown. "Sorry, I have to-" She put her fingers over his lips, sighing with what he could only describe as... disappointment, that was enough to finally slow his nerves down

'Remember what I told you, back before the Festival about you copying All Might?' To her question he nodded, then it changed. 'I understand how you feel, Izuku. To me, he's... this light that could never be snuffed out, who, by his own hands reshaped what it meant to be a hero far and wide, his power, his smile, the very spirit that ignited a nation is indomitable, that alone makes villains fear him, as you do now'

"What?" He didn't understand what she meant by that, or did he? Subconsciously was it how felt when he faced down Stain, his ambitions and emotional focus toward a society he carved through blood was so paralyzing that it froze even Pros like Endeavor to a crawl. Did All Might have that effect on him too?

'You and Bakugo aren't friends, rather, your relationship is so messed up and toxic that you can barely speak to one another anymore, I didn't feel it was my place to say, it still isn't' Yuki put a hand to her heart, then extended it to poke at his own sharply. 'You're the Ninth Holder, that indomitable fire rages inside you now but only you can bring it out. One day... All Might won't be here to save us, so prove to him now that you have the means to light that spark yourself, not like he would but as Izuku Midoriya, as Deku!'

Her words struck his heart directly. The sense of obligation and truth in her words dug through a part of him he couldn't quite see for himself. All Might was his hero, the one that told him he could be a hero, everyday Izuku strived to be more than just an imitation, it was scary but it broadened his outlook on his potential, His Power. And now he had to make that clear, even if it meant working with a person that hated him so much, they had to try.

To break the rather intense stare on his freckled face, Yuki kissed his cheek gently, tapping his nose before she held her hand out with a grin. Slowly, his lips curled with the firey confidence she saw that day they met, no longer lingering in self-doubt and contemplation. Both their hands slapped off the other, and the pair parted ways.

Hugging her arms closer to her chest, Yuki let her worries wash away, replacing it with all the confidence she had for the duo and even her teacher. "Good luck, Deku."


[Team Bakugo and Midoriya]

"Sero, Shoji, good job, I'll do my best to be a hero too," Izuku ran up to the final stage, slowing his approach as he lost his smile to the sight of the blond with a venomous glare. "I promise, Yuki, I won't fail this time!"

~TEAM MIDORIYA AND BAKUGO. PRACTICAL EXAM. READY? GO!~

The doors soon closed behind them, but the tension was almost unbearable. Bakugo said nothing, his scarlet eyes unwavered to the road ahead, Izuku took the time to nervously keep his distance but he shook his head, knowing this can't continue as it was less they fail. But his words back then still lingered like a bad habit.

"Deku, I don't know what's up with your power," His hand shot up between him and Yuki as they mulled over their recently completed exams. "But I saw the way you're using it and you should know... it's seriously pissing me off."

As the words echoed in his mind, he felt the furious glare lock to his eyes, twitching, scowling with animosity. I won't have another half-assed win like the festival, we'll be getting individual scores in the upcoming finals. New Rankings. Bakugo took the lead, leaving Izuku behind at the gate. So we'll all know exactly where we're standing! I'll show just how much better I am!

Izuku watched Bakugo's back anxiously. "We have to talk about this, I know he'll probably snap, we're no team but we can cooperate without the need for communication," His mind reflected The Gauntlet, how they nearly cost their friends the round but in the end found a way to work indirectly together. "We can win this, but I need to choose my words carefully." Biting his lip, Izuku ran to catch up with the unstable blond

"Kacchan, listen, in this exam, we're the heroes and our teacher is the villain, and while I'd normally say we should analyze the enemy and plan to either fight or run, it's obvious neither option will work independently," Bakugo kept walking, so Izuku took a long breath, then continued. "The only way to win is to attack All Might head-on!"

That brought the blond's movements down a peg, but he still refused to look at the fanboy as he continued. "All Might is the strongest hero there is, beating him through direct confrontation is the last thing he'd expect, we can use that..." He was going to hate saying this, but if it worked, if he got Bakugo to listen it could mean the difference between today's outcome. "To crush him, I'm not asking you to work with me, but to just consider that with two of us All Might would have a difficult time trying to understand our motives if we worked independently!"

Bakugo peered from out the corner of his eye, the sheer suggestion of working with Deku was pissing him off further than he could imagine. "That damn Mute and her fucking notes!" Yet he didn't stop moving, opening his hand to reveal the crumpled message he hadn't burnt to ashes by now. Just the red text alone made his blood boil. "Dammit! If refusing to work with this nerd and his useless power meant I'd lose, so be it!"

"I can't keep worrying about upsetting him just because he's got a problem with me." Steeling his nerves again Izuku ran back to Bakugo's side. "Kacchan, think about this, you know what All Might can do! Even with those handicap weights, it's impossible to win alone against him-!" That word snapped his train of thought as Izuku's cheek bled from the sharp backhand of Bakugo's gauntlet, knocking him to the ground

"I don't want to hear another word!" His expression was darker than an abyss. "Just because you're getting stronger, doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do! I'd rather lose than work with a runt like you!"

While Bakugo left him on the ground, Izuku punched the ground, glancing up at a hidden camera for a moment before nodding his head, wiping the blood off his face. "Would you just listen to me for once in our lives!?" He yelled, pushing off the ground. "I've never forced you to do what I say, I never wanted to, you think I like working with someone who hates me!?" Izuku twisted the fabric of his hero costume to hold back his anger. "I'm just trying to get us through this and the only way to do that is to shove everything between us aside and just fight together, even if we never say a thing-!"

"I told you, we don't need your dumb power to pass, I can win this all by myself!" He yelled back, explosions going off in his hands. Izuku stopped before words could exit his mouth, there wasn't a word he could say except one action

*Bam!*

Bakugo's world immediately spun after he looked away for a second, pain shot through his cheek to his nose, a crackling zap of energy resonating from the fist making contact with his face before the cold hard ground took its place. "You want to lose that's fine! But if it were real lives on the line, other heroes, innocent civilians, would you just let them die because you didn't want to work with me!? With Yuki!? With anyone other than yourself!?"

Before the blonde could make any retaliation, even just a meager breath, a torrent of debris and wind pressure expelled itself across the street, tearing apart the buildings and roads, decimating all that was between the boys and the villain responsible for the first strike. The road was practically shaved from the earth, and the layers of dust in the air made it hard to say what was in front of them, only the strong, chilling footsteps masked by falling rubble and the groan of steel.

"Who really cares if I destroy this city!?" All Might declared through the plumes of dust.

Izuku stumbled through the dust, heading deeper between the buildings with his eyes pierced to the dust. "What? When did he get...?"

Bakugo stood his ground, teeth knitted for a crocodile grin, his ablaze. "What? How is he...?"

"...so intimidating?" Their thoughts for once echoed as one before the Symbol of Peace, a trademark grin lost in a new wave of unpleasant ferocity, the way he carried himself was in a new stage of confidence, his power no longer reserved to protect, there was no reason to hold back at all

With a single stomp of his boot the dust vanished, leaving Bakugo the only one standing to face All Might, Izuku was nowhere to be found. "If you think of this as an exam and not a real fight you'll be sorry." His voice was proud, but a single, unshackled eye gleamed in his left socket, pure unstoppable power crackling within. "I'm a villain now heroes, remember that. You better come at me with everything you got, I won't pull my punches!"

All Might then paused. "Young Midoriya seems to be missing, has he run for the exit?" His head turned back but found no sign of his green costume. "I spent all that time preparing that intimidating line and he runs off."

"How about a stun grenade!" Without warning Bakugo locked his hand to his right wrist, pinpointing his energy for a blinding flash of light. While the Symbol was blinded Bakugo leapt high, reading both arms with explosive sweat. "You want everything I got, All Might, like that wasn't my plan!"

"I never - Grah, hwld bck dammt!" A large hand clamped his face together before he could make a single detonation, All Might having predicted this would be Bakugo's play, what he didn't expect were the multitude of explosions to sting his face

Contemplating Bakugo's insane drive to beat him, All Might pulled his arm away, twisting by the left foot to raised and slam Bakugo headfirst into the ground, pinning him as he gasped.


"This is bad, Deku ran away...? And Bakugo..." Ocha gasped with worry for the two, but no camera picked up on the emerald-haired fanboy, it was like he disappeared without a trace

"This doesn't look like Midoriya's M.O," From the doorway, Akio strolled in with a wave to the few that watched. "Then again, working with Bakugo sounds like a deathwish."

"It is true, neither have a similar goal in mind," Yaomomo sighed. "One wants to win, the other to flee, and both have never gotten along since the beginning."

"What do you think Midoriya is planning, Yuki?" Iida inquired, raising a brow to the girl who remained as still as a statue, her hand to her heart as a smile slowly crossed her lips. "Yuki?" She glanced up at Iida, then curved her hand into a thumbs-up


"Your rapid-fire blasts were weak, barely even a sting," All Might mused, standing quickly to assess that fact Izuku may have made a dash for the exit, which was completely unlike his drive to save people, even if that person was Bakugo. "Now then, where did you run off to Young Midoriya?"

"Dammit..." The low growl under the hero drew his eyes back, seeing Bakugo pushing up with his elbows, eyes shaken and somewhat misty as pain and wounded pride trickled across his face. "It was anyone else this wouldn't happen, but I will win this on my own terms, that's... what it means to be a hero! You hear me, you Mute Bastaaaaaaard!?"

That didn't resonate to All Might then, and that was his fatal move. Windows left with shattered remains were pulled apart under a great deal of force that flew between their jagged fragments. All Might spun around in time to see conviction and fear, but also courage as it brought a fist up across his chest and connected with his chin.

"Maine Smash!" Izuku made the connection with his low-bearing strike, the ten percent wasn't alot against the man with nine times that margin, but the earth and wind pressure more than made its place as the Symbol was knocked back, giving Bakugo the space he needed to twirl into a sharp corkscrew, a blinding tornado of fire and explosive sweat kicked up while Izuku hoisted himself up the side of a building

"Detonation Storm!" Bakugo spun his hands down from left to right, sending the unstable tornado of fire toward the Symbol, he readied his body, firing off a Detroit Smash as the wind-pressure dissipated the towering inferno, with a single stride he brought his bare fist against Bakugo's stomach, forcing him to vomit up his lunch as he was tossed to the ground like a sack of bricks

"The only way forward..." Izuku pivoted off the building, drawing back for a Detriot Smash of his own, All Might's grin twitched wider at that, but he was far faster, catching the boy's fist and driving him up into the air, smacking his body into the sudden recovery of Bakugo as the two boys fell to the floor, Bakugo shoving the fanboy aside to level his hands up at All Might

"The only way to win..." Bakugo forced the Symbol back, propelling his body with a series of explosions to gauge a blindspot, All Might brought his foot down but found only a green blur as Izuku angled his waist, his left leg folded behind him with a series of bolts between his back and shin

"Is to beat you!" Their moves were played, much to All Might's surprise as he noticed how Izuku strived to attack, eyes buzzing with green bolts

"Perfected Divide!" His horizontal snap-kick was grabbed, the powerful arms swinging him around to bat Bakugo from the sky but it ultimately was what he expected. Latching one arm around Izuku's wrist he fired off a powerful backblast into All Might's face, freeing Izuku as he spun the boy up high

"DIE!" Using a series of explosions he gained enough momentum to forcefully throw the nerd away, granting Izuku the velocity he needed for a Detroit Smash to All Might's forearms. The kinetic energy shattered the ground under them, creating a concussive sound wave as the Symbol found himself shifted back a few meters, but his hand ultimately tossed Izuku into the side of a lamppost, bending it sharply while forcefully putting the brakes on the speedy Izuku. "Useless Deku!"

"Hello, Young Bakugo!" All Might appeared beside him, bringing a sharp hand-chop down on the boy's back, embedding him into the dirt once more. "They actually worked together? No, this isn't cooperation, it's more of a truce and a shambly one at that." "While that was an unexpected plan, if you think you can beat me with some mere punches I'm sad to say that you won't survive."

"We're not done, yet! Get up already, Kacchan!" Out of nowhere, Izuku swept in and pulled the blonde off his knees, both vanishing into an alleyway before All Might could move, leaving him all alone in the decimated street

"I didn't expect Young Midoriya to swoop in like that, I let my guard down," He rubbed one of his wrists with the weights, tsking. "Man, did they have to make these so heavy?"


In one of the alleyways not far from All Might's location, Bakugo knocked Izuku down to get him to drop him. Both put their backs to the walls, taking in the first breath since engaging All Might, so far, they hadn't made a dent. Even by Bakugo's standards, it was impossible, his attacks gauged his endurance and it was clear the only way to win, was to attack him with everything they had and put distance between them.

"That Mute Bastard is just as annoying as you," Bakugo's growl made Izuku flinch, he remembered Bakugo saying her name before they attacked, did she talk to him? What exactly did she say to even remotely convince his old bully? "I hate it, working with someone who shouldn't even be here makes my insides turn!"

The words again sunk into his mind like a disease, but he'd be lying if even a shred of him didn't find some kind of distorted slither of gratitude for her blunt note. She didn't try to be his friend or make this about Deku or something pointless, it was just all directed at him, and what he chose to make of her words. It was blinding him with rage.

"There's only one way to beat All Might..." Izuku sighed, taking his back off the wall while rubbing his wrist, sharpening his eyes to the boiling emotions gouging out his pupils. "...We can win this."


All Might took off running in a rather ridiculous manner, trying to gauge where the two would appear next. His head was still trying to wrap around just what they said to each other to work in such a cobbled way, from what he knew neither had a good childhood, many complicated feelings and ideals made it that they could barely have a decent conversation.

"Nothing I can resolve in a single exam, but it's a start. Just how is it you two are working together now? Perhaps..." His thoughts would have to wait under the pitch of an explosion behind him

"You're going the wrong way!" Bakugo snarled from behind, one of his gauntlets missing

"Is that supposed to be a sneak attack?" All Might caught on to the missing gauntlet, even so, he kept up the frontal assault, ensuring the Symbol didn't budge

"DEKU!" He screamed, and he came crashing through one of the buildings, locking the gauntlet to All Might's side while he turned gradually. "Do it now!" Just as Bakugo propelled himself high enough for All Might's reach, Izuku pulled the pin

"I'm sorry All Might." His face said otherwise before fire and wind enveloped the hero, the backlash fracturing something in his shoulder that caused him to almost fall over. "Ack, you actually use this thing?"

"Run, you idiot!" The explosive above roared as it passed by, Izuku immediately gave chase as they left the Symbol of Peace recoiling from the explosion. Both had kept the damage contained to just the destroyed areas, something even All Might realized they had learned all the way back to their first combat lesson

In time, the two could see the exit, rather flamboyant but if they made it through it was over, the issue was, both knew it wouldn't be so easy. Izuku was planning as they moved along, there was a chance given the detail to the city landscape, and if his hunch was right from when he and Akio fought Valstrax it may prove to be the best option to winning.

"Keep moving! There's no way that attack KOed him, when he catches up it'll be my turn to blast him point-blank with a gauntlet!" Bakugo sneered, then quickly put his foot down to bounce right while Izuku did the same to his left, All Might having appeared between them.

"Interesting, when what will you do?" Bakugo shot high before All Might could land a solid jab to the gauntlet, though Izuku was unlucky, his reaction time being off. "Hahaha, alright heroes, it's time for you to die!" His knee shot high, cracking Bakugo in the chin and tossing him skyward through a building

"Kacchan!" Before his student could run to aid his partner, All Might snagged Izuku off the ground by his wrist, pulling him off his feet as he panicked

"That's my line!" Bakugo stormed from the building then collided with Izuku as he was slung down atop him like a wet rag, breaking the road and revealing more of the inner workings below, a hiss from broken vents whistled in their ears

"Isn't that wonderful boys!" Izuku was hung by the wrist, and Bakugo pinned under a boot, unable to withstand All Might and his overwhelming power. "You cooperated, however reluctantly, and faced me together. Sadly, that's not enough." It was over, All Might had them pinned, and Izuku couldn't break All Might hold on him. "Cooperation wasn't a requirement but a prerequisite."

"He's got overwhelming strength, with speed and stamina I can't hope to match," Bakugo's world paled to blue, he was shaking, either from the strain or out of the sheer hopelessness that started to crawl in. "He's not just powerful, he is power! I realize that more now that I've faced him myself. This man is the most unstoppable force in the world! He's the greatest hero on Earth!"

'You want to win more than anyone, to be the greatest hero, the one that is unbeatable yet you're facing an indomitable enemy? Then stop fucking around and start looking in the mirror because the only person you're going to lose to is yourself, not to me, not to Izuku, not to All Might but yourself!'

"What kind of face is that, Young Midoriya?" It wasn't fear or anguish, rather, he left he lost his spark as All Might tossed him across the ground dismissively. "You planned to get away from me using maximum firepower then make a run for the exit, it wasn't a terrible strategy all things considered, but with just one gauntlet and Young Bakugo pinned you've lost the advantage you once had."

"You're helpless, this is over." The final curtain call was made, and that finally brought out the final strand in Bakugo's fury. Much as he hated to think of it, it was a good thing Deku got his gauntlet used up first because now he had the edge to make this stupid plan work

"Did you forget... WHERE WE'RE STANDING!?" Bakugo bellowed like a monster unleashed from its cage, yanking the pin with his teeth while plunging the gauntlet into the ground, the energy stored within releasing into the earth, the cracks and webbed earth reacting like an active volcano, erupting in a tsunami of fire and brimstone under All Might and Bakugo

'You're the Ninth Holder, that indomitable fire rages inside you now but only you can bring it out. One day... All Might won't be here to save us, so prove to him now that you have the means to light that spark yourself, not like he would but as Izuku Midoriya, as Deku!'

Izuku didn't hold back his ten percent punch while embers stung his eyes and burnt his hair, he just gave All Might a smile to compensate for his flaring terror. "Stay down... All Might!" With a glint in his eyes, he drew the fist across his teacher's face, twisting the skin and pushing the Symbol to his knees before an arm backhanded him away, almost breaking his arm in the process as he collided with a bus, cutting off his wail with blood spitting from a large gash across the right forearm. "Argh, Kacchan, win this!"

"Shut up, you nerd, and make yourself useful!" He snarled, propelling himself at the perfect angle

Bakugo shot himself back once more, his arm burnt like his costume and his muscle fibers tore as the energy built without the limitation of his gauntlets, it hurt like hell, but they had All Might where they wanted him. His veins bulged and more muscle fibers snapped, "The gauntlets were only so I can use maximum firepower with no risks. But now I see that was stupid, if I don't take any risks there's no way I can beat you, right, All Might!?"

With the expression that would make the Devil shiver he ushered forth two massive plumes of explosive shockwaves, igniting the gas rising from a series of pipes they had inevitably exposed with the gauntlet

It was far too late for the Symbol to move before another series of volcanic eruptions split the road apart, the shockwaves and flames too much as they tossed him to the ground in turn, providing both students the opportunity they needed to make their mad dash for the exit. Both were bleeding, burnt, and had fractured bones or torn muscles.

"Nice try!" Bakugo spun around, drawing his hands up to blast All Might back into the fires only he moved at the last second, ignoring Izuku and grabbing Bakugo by the face, twisting his body away from the road as he slammed him back into the ground with enough force to knock him out cold. "It's time to go to sleep, Young Bakugo, I'm sorry-"

"No, Kacchan..." Izuku froze meters from the exit, his body was in shambles and he could make it, but he saw it, Bakugo's hand twitched, he wasn't out even after taking a solid impact to the ground

"I may be a villain but I'm still your teacher, and it pains me to see you destroy your body so recklessly," All Might remembered what Yuki and Izuku put themselves through for him, and the scolding from Recovery Girl rather well, even seeing Yuki hospitalized after the Hosu Incident was fresh. He'd refuse to let any of his students do that again. Suddenly, a small puff of fire spat from Bakugo's hand against his wrist. "What the-!"

"H-hurry... go, y-you damn... nerd," He let out another puff of dying explosives, eye shaken and screaming against the pain as he pushed his face back against the hand. "I'll keep fighting... I-I'll break myself, e-even if there's... nothing l-left of m-me... I will win the way I want to!" He vowed through grit teeth, biting All Might's hand. "I'll destroy myself before I accept defeat at your hands! You got that!?"

"Kacchan..." Izuku closed his eyes, hiding them under his locks as they clung to his face. His power sputtered and raised itself higher, going beyond what he promised. His heart was burning, when Iida begged him to run. As Yuki bled and broke her body. As Kacchan vowed to win. His heart was on fire...

"Don't tell me-!" Again, surprise and the ability to not move a muscle coursed over the Symbol, like a mirror, he saw a Quirkless boy rush in to save his friend with tears in his eyes, panic in his face. Now, he saw a smile, triumphant and without a single drop

"I told you before... Move All Might!" He brought his right hook across the Hero's face, for the sake of all those that were willing to die for their dreams, he'd ensure they'd get there in one piece. "I know I promised to keep from breaking my body, but if I can save someone I don't care! SMAAASH!" With fifteen percent, he managed to throw his teacher aside, picking up the unconscious Bakugo and make a break for the exit in record time

"He's unconscious... I'm sorry Kacchan-" He faced forward as he pulled his rival through the gate a second later. "-This is just who I am!"


Inside the observation room, Asui and Ocha cheered while jumping, Iida and Yaomomo were pleased themselves while Akio crossed his arms with a confident smile and nod, his shadow doing the same while noted that Yuki had surprisingly stood firm through it all, her soul a flutter of emotions while she wiped away her misty eyes, holding onto a brighter smile than before.

"You've been this way since we met, you save people even if they'll scorn you, even if they don't reach out their hand you still take theirs," Her hand tightened around her heart, feeling an overwhelming emotion swell inside her body. "In times like that, be it an unstoppable or immovable object, your pride as a hero overcomes it all,"

"I probably sound like an idiot, but that makes you the hero you are... the stupid-smart, dorky, sweet, green-haired fanboy that I... I," Her cheeks turned pink with a touched smile as she saw them both collapse to the ground, fatigue taking them over yet he was still smiling. "...love."

~TEAM MIDORIYA AND BAKUGO HAVE PASSED THE EXAM. ALL MATCHES FOR THE PRACTICAL COURSE OF CLASS 1-A FINALS HAVE NOW BEEN COMPLETED~

To Be Continued...


This was a tough one. Trying to make the fight different but the same, it's why I had Yuki say what she wrote to Bakugo previously, to drill into his skull that he can't always win alone but that doesn't mean he has to become best friends with someone he hates. I also made Izuku realize that idolizing All Might was bad as it would have made him glue his resolve in running away, with that excluded the duo actually fought together through most of the Exam.

In the end, they walked away with less serious injuries, least on Izuku's part, and it helps to make a bigger stride towards improving their attitudes around one another, I love their chemistry in the show/manga, I just had Yuki bump things along. I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support, and seeya in the next chapter, Plus Ultra!

Next Chapter: Our Paths Too Perfectly Cross

Izuku: While hanging at the mall I get an unexpected visitor

Shigaraki: Tell me, what's the difference between me and the Hero Killer?

Yuki: *Pales* Umm, how did you get in here?

Kovik: I hope you don't mind if I ask my own questions too, Thief?

Shigaraki: *Sneers* Oh great, you're here too...

Izuku: N-Next time! Our Paths Too Perfectly Cross!

Yuki: Go Beyond - Shut it, both of you!

Izuku/Yuki: Plus Ultra!