In the midst of the drama near the dorms, Peter had been travelling the streets near Shiketsu High, still on the lookout for Camie. "Where could that girl be?" He turned on his radio, "Anyone have a lead?"
"Not yet," Twilight said, checking near the girl's address, "No one's seen her since this morning."
"Little lost myself," Gohan said, scanning the skies above. "Wish I knew what her ki felt like."
"Just try to sense if you find anything waning," Peter said. "Hurry, it's getting late and I'd rather not delay this until tomorrow morning. I will not get any sleep tonight unless I know that girl is safe."
"Is anyone checking her address," Bobby asked.
"Logan's on it," Peter said. "I mean, I'd be surprised if she was simply just home, if she's gone-"
"She's here!" Logan said, surprising everyone. "Everyone, come meet me at the address!"
"No way...we're coming!" Peter said. "Everyone get that?"
"Sure did," Twilight said.
"I'm on it," Gohan said.
"Let's get to it," Bobby said.
Everyone was quick to rush to where Camie had been spotted, hoping that the girl was alright and unharmed.
Meanwhile, it was a tense situation between the three UA students. Bakugo brought Izuku to Ground Beta for answers, Mayday secretly tagged along due to her mistrust of Bakugo, and now, a battle would possibly be underway.
"Mayday! Why are you here!? I told you to let me handle this!" Izuku said.
"I did let you handle it, but now he wants to throw fists, just like I thought he would," Mayday said.
"I can take care of myself! Go back to the dorms!" Izuku instructed.
"If you could take care of yourself, you would have done it long ago and told Katsuki to shove off," Mayday said."But, you didn't, you kept him nearby."
"This is between us! Besides we're not fighting anyway so you don't need to be here," Izuku said.
"No, we are fighting Deku, we need to settle this, right now," Bakugo said.
"How is that going to help? We're not even supposed to be out here alone!" Izuku said. "If you really need to spar though, we can just arrange a training room."
"If we fight for real at the school, we'll be stopped," Bakugo said. "I want to see for myself why All Might gave his power to a loser like you. Is it because you looked up to him more than I did? If that's the case, does that mean everything I've done to be like him is wrong?" He then gestured to Mayday. "Or did Spider-Man put in a good word for you because you saved his little girl?"
"My dad didn't know about One for All at the time, and neither did I for that matter," Mayday said.
"One for All?" Bakugo asked.
Mayday immediately flinched, figuring she gave away more than she needed to. Even if Bakugo knew that All Might passed down his power, he still doesn't know everything about the reason, "Never mind that. Right now you're mad because All Might chose Izuku over you, but why are you surprised? Growing up, you had a quirk, Izuku did not. So why wouldn't All Might give his powers to a boy who wants to be a hero?"
Bakugo seemed a bit annoyed, recalling Izuku's old desires from their childhood, how he always admired All Might, all the times Izuku followed him and his friends. "Tch."
"It's common sense really, and not hard to figure out," Mayday said. "You didn't need the quirk, Izuku did. What you hate is knowing that this boy you called a loser has been proving you wrong all year, just like my dad pointed out. Why don't you tell me this Katsuki, what's a hero to you?"
"What's a hero to me?" Bakugo asked. "Getting philosophical Web Girl?"
"Just answer the fucking question Katsuki, what's a hero to you?" Mayday asked.
"A hero is someone who's strong, who always wins in the face of evil, that to me is a hero," Bakugo said.
"Is that you? Can you see yourself being that hero?" Mayday asked.
"Of course I can, I'm here aren't I?" Bakugo asked. "How about you Web Girl, what's a hero to you?"
"Someone who protects the weak from bullies," Mayday said.
"Like you're doing with Deku?" Bakugo asked. "Is that why you're here?"
"Yes, I don't like bullies, especially those who bully my friend," Mayday said.
"So what you're saying is, you think Deku is too weak to protect himself, is that right?" Bakugo asked.
Mayday's eyes widened in shock, the girl immediately shaking her head in denial, "I never said that!"
"You want to protect Deku from everyone and everything, even though he tells you that he can take care of himself," Bakugo said.
"Oh so now you think he's tough enough to do so?" Mayday asked.
"Don't try turning this back on me, you're the one who constantly goes on about how strong he is," Bakugo said. "Despite your claims though, you want to be five feet away from him, because deep down, you don't think he has what it takes to protect himself."
"That's not true, Katsuki! I think Izuku's very strong! He beat that villain back at the camp where you got kidnapped! On I-Island, he was fighting the main bad guy while you were sitting on the sidelines! He's the one who went against Gang Orca earlier on and proved that he has what it takes to be a hero!" Mayday said.
"Yet despite all that, you can't let him do anything for himself!" Bakugo said.
"I'm trying to be his friend! If there's one thing my mom taught me is that you always stay by your friend's side, no matter what!" Mayday said. "Izuku saved my life without even knowing who I was, why wouldn't I want someone like him as a friend? Why wouldn't I be loyal to him? Why wouldn't I stay by his side in case he needed me? So I can do for him what he did for me!"
"Huh?" Izuku turned to the web girl, amazed by what he had just heard. "Mayday, is that why you're always quick to try and protect me? Do you think you have to pay me back for saving you?"
Once again, Mayday worried she said more than she should have, awkwardly turning away, "I mean...I just like being with you, that's all."
"Mayday, I hope you don't think that you owe me for helping you back then, all I care is that you're safe, that's good enough for me," Izuku said.
"No, I owe you everything Izuku," Mayday said. "You're the one who gets me through a school day, among a class that absolutely hates my guts despite everything I try to do to be what they expect me to be."
"What they expect you to be?" Izuku asked. "Like your father or something?"
"Trying to live up to your daddy's reputation?" Bakugo asked.
"You have no idea how weird it is that everyone loves my dad, yet I'm enemy number one in their eyes," Mayday said. "Meanwhile, you Katsuki, can do whatever the hell you want and they just kiss your ass all day long. It pisses me off that you want to act like this victim when you victimize Izuku, and no one gives a damn but me. Yet somehow I'm the villain for protecting my friend! And you know what, if they want to call me a villain, let them. All I care about is Izuku."
"I've been wondering for a while, do you have a crush on this nerd?" Bakugo asked. "Is that another reason you seem so loyal to him?"
Mayday began to blush, not sure if she really wants to confess how she truly feels about Izuku to Bakugo, but she didn't want to deny it either. "Well, lets say that I did have a crush on him, what difference does it make?
"That's quite the hypothetical question," Bakugo said. "I mean, if you did have feelings for Deku, I honestly wouldn't care. It's not my business who you want to be your lover. Though, I guess this probably sucks for Uraraka."
"Wow, surprised you called her by name," Mayday said.
"Wait, what does Uraraka have to do with this?" Izuku asked.
"Right, you're dense as hell when it comes to girls," Bakugo said. "Probably makes it harder for Web-Girl here."
"Look, can we move on from this?" Izuku said.
"Hey, if it makes you feel better, I'm all for you two getting together," Bakugo said. "One loser deserves another."
"You're one to talk, you lost at The Sports Festival and you couldn't get your license," Mayday said. "It's amazing just how bitter you can be, even when you clearly get a dose of reality it's just that hard for you to accept facts."
"I'll accept them once I see solid proof," Bakugo said. "That's why I'm out here."
"Look, enough arguing right now, it's late, we need to get back to the dorms," Izuku said.
"Not without our fight!" Bakugo said. "I'm not leaving unti things have been settled between us."
"Katsuki, if you want to fight someone, fight me! Izuku has nothing to prove!" Mayday said.
"Hey if you really want to go, I'll take you on later!" Bakugo said, focusing on Izuku. "For now, it's you and me!"
"Wait, let's think about this for a second!" Izuku said.
"If you don't want to get hurt, punch back," Bakugo said, stretching. "Or kick, that's your new thing now, right?"
"Wait up!" Izuku said, and in a flash, Bakugo lunged in to attack. "Is he going for a right hook? No, he wouldn't make that mistake again after last time! Which means-"
"Watch out!" Mayday rushed in to pull Izuku out of the way of Katsuki's left hook. "Wow, basically no warning!"
"Damn nerd, stop overthinking things!" Bakugo said. "But it looks like our fight's gonna have to wait until I knock this little girl out!"
"You lost once, you'll lose again!" Mayday rushed in to attack, but Bakugo blasted down to propel himself upwards. Mayday moved quickly to try and catch Katsuki with a blow, but Izuku charged in to pull Mayday out the way before a blow could be struck.
"Huh?" Bakugo looked to see that this time Izuku had played the hero. "This is how it's gonna be? Taking turns saving each other?"
"Izuku, I had him!" Mayday said.
"Listen, this has gone far enough!" Izuku said. "None of us should be-"
"Watch out!" Both of them jumped out the way when Bakugo sent another large blast, this fight being noticed by a surveillance robot.
"Students breaking curfew, notifying homeroom teacher," within seconds, it had gone to Aizawa's room. "Eraser Head, three of your students are fighting at Ground Beta."
"Are you kidding me?" Aizawa said, getting up and leaving. "Who would be stupid enough to be fighting this late?" As he stepped out, he saw a mysterious person blocking his path, gesturing him to wait.
Back at the fight, Bakugo was still trying to go after Izuku, the boy evading his opponent's attacks, "Wait up! We don't need to fight!" He put some distance between the two, "Lets just talk this out! You were right to look up to All Might, but-" Bakugo attacked again, Izuku jumping aside, "Hey, I said to wait!"
"Just shut up and fight!" Bakugo lunged to attack, but Mayday blocked his path.
"I'm your opponent!" Mayday blocked a strike and reeled back to punch, but Izuku grabbed her arm.
"Come on! Enough of this!" Izuku insisted.
"Not until I knock him out, now get off!" Mayday yanked away and shoved Izuku aside, focusing back on Bakugo. "Seriously! Why do you hate Izuku so much, Katsuki!? You were friends as kids, weren't you!?"
"No we weren't!" Bakugo shouted. "He was a stupid, annoying kid who always followed me around no matter what I did to get rid of him!"
"He just wanted to be your friend! He's loyal! Why can't you respect that!?" Mayday shouted.
"Shut up!" Bakugo ran in about to attack, then immediately sidestepped to confuse Mayday and blasted her to knock her aside as he immediately went for Izuku. "TELL ME WHY, DEKU!"
"Why what!?" Izuku asked, quickly dodging a strike.
"You know why! Tell me!" Bakugo shouted, sending another attack that Izuku ducked. "Why did he pick you!? TELL ME NOW!"
He went to blast again but Izuku did a backflip kick that knocked Bakugo off balance and falling to the ground. "Kacchan!" He went to help him up. "Are you alright?"
Bakugo had a flashback to a moment when they were kids, Izuku helping him up after he tripped, even when he didn't want that help. In his reaction, Bakugo immediately slapped Izuku's hand away, "Don't fucking worry about me! Just fight back!"
"Katsuki!" Mayday was about to attack again, but Izuku rushed over and in one quick movement, kneed Mayday hard in the stomach, completely taking her by surprise and then punching her to the ground.
Even Bakugo couldn't believe what he just saw, even in the midst of his own frustration, seeing Izuku strike Mayday took even him by surprise. What irritated him was the idea that Izuku had to protect him from Mayday, once again trying to play his hero, further frustrating the young teen.
Izuku huffed in annoyance, though he wasn't without regret. Looking down, he could see from the look on Mayday's face that she wasn't expecting him to actually strike her, but he needed to calm the situation, even if by force. "Mayday! Stop fighting for one second!"
A rare moment of intimidation for her, Mayday nodded her head, not wanting to risk angering Izuku as he turned to Bakugo. "Now can we-" Bakugo rushed to attack again, but Izuku parried, leaping aside. "What's with you!?"
"JUST FIGHT ME! WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT BACK!?" Bakugo shouted, but instead of his usual angry tone, Izuku could make out some sadness in his voice. "Why do I now have to chase after someone who was always so far behind me!? How did a weakling like you get so strong!? How did you end up the sidekick to the Number One Hero!? His favorite!? You got so much better, and I destroyed All Might!"
"Destroyed All Might?" Truth be told, this was a surprise for Mayday, rarely does she see Bakugo look so sad, on the verge of tears even.
"I admired him so much! But it's because of me that he ended up losing his power!" Bakugo painfully admitted, the boy tugging at his shirt in agony. "If I had only been stronger! If I hadn't been kidnapped by villains, then it never would have happened! All Might knows it's my fault, but he won't say anything! I know the others hate me for it! I know Spider-Man hates me! Why wouldn't he? It was because of me that he nearly got beaten to death! That his wife got her jaw broken! His cousin, his best friends, Superman, all of them hurt because of me! It's stuck in my head like a loop!" Bakugo started tearing up from the guilt, "JUST WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?"
"Does he actually think this?" Mayday tapped her chin in curiosity. "Could it be true though? No, it couldn't be, my dad wouldn't hate anyone, and neither would his friends. At least, I don't think they would. Could they?"
"He's been carrying this guilt with him this whole time? Even more than me?" Izuku pitied his classmate, all these years and he knows Bakugo almost never gets emotional unless its something that really bothers him. "To think he would spend all this time blaming himself."
Bakugo readied to fight again, ready to physically vent his frustrations. Izuku noticed Mayday standing up nearby as well, the girl still conflicted on what to do.
"Mayday!" Izuku said, getting her attention. "I appreciate all you do to help me, but I need to prove myself. If you still doubt my abilities, then I have no problems showing you my progress as well."
"Wait, is this a challenge?" Mayday asked. "You want to fight me?"
"I'll fight both of you! I won't hold back either!" Izuku said. "Mayday, I'm not a weakling who needs to be coddled. Kacchan, I am not your punching bag, I will fight back!"
Mayday couldn't believe that Izuku actually wanted to fight her. Deep down she has always wanted to test her strength against his, though she hoped he would master One for All before he did that. Bakugo was very satisfied with this decision, not only could he fight Izuku, but he gets another crack at Mayday.
"Let's see what you got then," Bakugo said, readying his blasts. "Parker, if you want to fight me too, then bring it on! I'm more than eager for the chance to take you both down!"
Mayday was not ready to fight Izuku, and truth be told, she had second thoughts about fighting Bakugo. But she also remembered that the last time he got emotional about something, it wasn't long before he snapped back to his cruel self, and she would not allow that to happen again.
"Fine, if need be, I'm going to kick both your asses!" Mayday said. "Izuku! Kastuki! Get ready!"
Bakugo went for Izuku first, the boy fighting back with a kick to the face of the explosions user. Mayday then immediately kicked Bakugo aside, then focused on Izuku, her crush wasting no time going for another kick. This strike however, Mayday blocked as she immediately tripped him up and went for a spin kick that caught Izuku in the sides, knocking him down.
"That didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Is she holding back?" Izuku leapt back to his feet, ready to fight more. Bakugo blasted in and delivered a strong punch to Mayday that sent her flying , focusing back on Izuku as the boy charged up again. "At the very least I can practice more of my shoot style, see if it works against Kacchan. Weird, all these years I've known him, this is probably the first time we really connected. It's like a whole new Kacchan."
Bakugo immediately rushed in to attack but fired himself overhead and landed down with an attack that Izuku barely dodged.
"That was close...wait! He's still coming!" Bakugo was closing in hot, about to strike but Izuku had narrowly dodged. Though this was a feint as Bakugo used his blasts to accelerate himself behind Izuku and punched him hard in the ribs, knocking him against a fence.
Mayday dashed in, trying to throw a punch, but did so slower than normal, something even Bakugo picked up on. He took the moment to blast her against the side of a building.
"You better not be holding back!" Bakugo shouted, unleashing with a blast to Mayday, destroying the building she was against.
"Gotta take this opportunity!" Izuku rushed to strike, but Bakugo parried and sent Izuku crashing against another building. Before he could move, Bakugo was in front of him, grabbing Izuku and sending him flying with an explosive throw. "What insane reaction time!"
"Come on! I thought you weren't going to be my punching bag!" Bakugo shouted.
"I'm not!" Izuku dashed in.
"Got some sort of plan up your sleeve!?" Bakugo asked, using his powers to create a blinding light to punch Izuku. "I can never tell what you're thinking! I beat you up and you keep coming back! You seriously think you're better than me? I bet you've been looking down on me all this time!" He then blasted Izuku again, sending flying back. "Even with your new power, you will never be better than me, Deku!"
Some webs then latched onto him as Mayday sent the explosive boy flying through a window, "Turn the freaking volume down, will ya!?" She focused her attention on Izuku, "Hey! If you're going to show me how strong you are!" She dashed in to strike, "Now's your chance!"
"She's fast!" Izuku put his hands up to block the strike, though the force still send him sliding back. Mayday rushed in again and hit Izuku with a knee to his sides, then an uppercut under his chin, stumbling him back. "Her punches hurt but they still feel less impactful than before!"
"Take it easy May, don't hurt Izuku, do what daddy would do," Mayday then webbed Izuku and sent him flying towards where Bakugo was, the explosive boy blasting Izuku aside and dashing in to attack. "Oh shit!"
Bakugo blasted her point blank in the face, then grabbed her arm, using his explosions to maneuver around at a higher speed and slammed her against a wall. He then grabbed her by the head and used his speed against to slam her face first against another wall. He did the same trick again, throwing her back first against a third wall, then blasted her through it for good measure
"I know you have more than that!" Bakugo blasted her relentlessly. "Don't you underestimate me! Bring that fight you did at the Sports Festival! Beating you means nothing if you're not fighting at your best!"
"Kacchan!" Izuku rushed in with a kick to Bakugo's back, knocking him away from Mayday. "Tell me, do you honestly believe I consider myself better than you? If that were true, I wouldn't want anything more to do with you, but I'm still here!" Mayday pulled herself out of the wall, coughing a bit as Izuku continued to talk. "I will admit, there's a lot of things I hate about you, but I always thought you were amazing! You had so much that I didn't have!" Izuku rushed in to attack. "All Might was my hero, but you were actually in my life!"
Izuku began his planned attack, ready to kick, something Bakugo noticed right away, "Too fast to dodge, I gotta block!"
"I didn't realize just how much stronger my body has gotten thanks to my training, I was so focused on the five percent I was used to, I didn't realize I could go a bit higher! My Full Cowling!" Izuku landed the kick, skidding Bakugo back, injuring his arm. "Is now at eight percent!"
"Izuku seems a bit faster than before...huh, wonder how much stronger he's gotten with all this training?" Mayday cracked her knuckles a bit. "Izuku! Katuski!"
"Nearly forgot about Mayday!" The moment Izuku turned around, Mayday was already there, kicking him into the air. While flying up, Mayday zipped in front of Bakugo.
"Not again!" Bakugo hoped to parry Mayday's blow, which he somewhat did, but not without numbing his arm. "She's going all out! Good, makes it more satisfying when I win!"
Before Mayday could strike again, Izuku had landed and rushed in to kick Mayday across the jaw, "That all you got, Mayday!?"
"That's my line!" Bakugo went for a blast but Izuku knocked his hand away so that the blast didn't have as much impact. "How is his damn speed so high!?"
"I will admit, sometimes when I'm in a fight, my desire to win outweighs my desire to save someone, in a way, I end up a bit like Kacchan, and almost like how Mayday is too," Izuku leapt up to rebound against a building, "You're both going down!"
"The hell I am!" Bakugo put up his arms to block another kick.
"I would never admit this out loud, but in a way, despite how mean Kacchan and Mayday can be, my imagine of victory is tied to their personality," Izuku went to strike again, but this time he switched it up, throwing a punch instead to surprise Bakugo. "My shoot style is to reduce how much I use my arms! Not eliminate use entirely!"
Before Bakugo could find a way to recover, Mayday had kicked him out of the way, focusing her attention to Izuku. "Now it's my turn!"
Mayday threw a punch that Izuku narrowly dodged, getting in low enough to punch her in the stomach, stumbling her back. Izuku rushed in to throw several more punches, Mayday instinctively blocking each strike.
"She's fast, a lot faster than me," Izuku threw a kick at her head that she immediately blocked. "Even more than that, she's reacting almost instantaneously...just like her dad!"
"You're too slow!" Mayday threw another punch but Izuku managed to parry it, taking Mayday by surprise.
"Fast as she is, even she lets her guard down when she thinks she has the win," Izuku hit a strong punch to her face. "Sorry Mayday, but I can't lose to you either!"
"I'm not losing to either one of you!" Bakugo rushed in with such a massive explosion he took Izuku by surprise while Mayday got knocked back.
When the smoke from the explosion cleared, Bakugo, despite his injuries, was standing overhead over a beaten Izuku, the boy having been blindsided by the attack, losing most of his stamina. With Izuku down, he turned his attention to Mayday, the girl putting her hands up in surrender.
"I'm done...you can have this one," Mayday said.
Bakugo grumbled in annoyance, this surrender ticking him off even more, "Like I care about your damn pity win. It's not the results that matter to me, it's how I earn them. But whatever, I'm not in the mood to continue anyway, if you want to back down, be my guest." Despite his win, Bakugo did not feel satisfied, if anything he felt even more frustrated. This win felt like a fluke in his mind. "Deku, you have All Might's power, yet you still lost. How could you even lose with an advantage like that?"
"Power isn't everything Katsuki, you should be happy you can beat someone strong, that takes skill," Mayday said.
"You say that, yet clearly you're the strongest in class," Bakugo said. "It pisses me off too, did you even work for that power? Or were you as lucky as Deku? Getting something passed down, only through your genes."
Mayday had to give Bakugo that one, mostly. While she trains and practices on occasion, she was indeed born to be strong, despite the fact that she's nowhere near her own father, so even she has hills to climb.
"I know I seem giftedly strong but, even then it can be a burden," Mayday said. "Guys like you, Izuku and even warriors like Goku have to work to build up your power. Guys like my dad, Wolverine and even Superman were basically born with these amazing powers, but had to learn to control them."
"Learning to control strength is tough, I give your dad credit for figuring out something like that," Izuku said.
"It's something I need to do as well, to know when to hold back," Mayday said.
"Hold back? When you fight Parker, it should always be at your best," Bakugo said, looking ready to go at it again. "You know what, I take back what I said. I still got some fight left in me, and I know you have fight too. So let's finish this!"
"Alright, that's enough, all of you," came the voice of All Might.
"All Might?" Bakugo said in surprise.
"When did you get here?" Izuku asked.
"Wow, I didn't even see him coming," Mayday said.
"I stopped by awhile ago, I saw your fight," All Might said. "As your teacher, I should have stopped it, but...I knew you three needed to get it out of your system."
"Very lenient of you," Mayday said.
" I overheard you earlier. I'm sorry, young Bakugo, I should have noticed before," All Might said.
"Eh, too late now," Bakugo replied.
"Hey, while I get why you didn't interrupt us, are you sure letting us fight was a good idea?" Mayday asked. "Mr. Aizawa's not gonna like that."
"You let me worry about Aizawa," All Might said. "But I really should get you kids back to your dorms."
"Just tell me one thing first. Tell me why you picked Deku," Bakugo said. "Was it because he saved Parker from the sludge villain? Was it Spider-Man's idea? Why him?"
"Simple, he was powerless, despite that he also displayed great bravery," All Might said. "You're strong too, you already have the power to fight, just like young Mayday. So I decided that Young Midoriya should be able to stand alongside you two."
"Called it," Mayday mentally boasted.
"But now you know I'm weak too," Bakugo said. "I looked up to you too, and I wanted to be as strong as possible! Look what I did to you in the end though."
"It's not your fault, young Bakugo, I was always going to lose my power, nothing you did changed that. You are strong, but I forgot there's more to this than strength," All Might pulled Bakugo into a hug. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like you caused this. It's easy for me to forget that you're all children, some burdens you should not bear." Bakugo immediately pulled away, not wanting to be coddled. "In my years as a hero, you learn a few things. Striving to be the best, like you Young Bakugo. Being confident in yourself, like you Young Mayday. And caring deeply about others, like you Young Midoriya. Those are key qualities to being a hero, to fight for justice. That's why you admire each other for your strength, and why you wish to be proud of yourself. But there's always that fear of heart and spirit. Young Midoriya, Young Bakugo, you've both laid your feelings on the table, and perhaps this is your chance to build off that, to help each other get stronger. You'll become the ultimate heroes, winning and saving people at the same time. "
"Dammit...not what I wanted to hear," Bakugo said, falling back and sitting. "Deku! You have one of the strongest guys in the world laying the groundwork for you. Don't you dare lose again."
"I'll work harder, so that I can beat you," Izuku said.
"You better work harder, not that I'll just let you beat me..." Bakugo said. "Parker, you better shape up too. Next time we fight, don't pull back. I can handle your strength. I've done so before."
"Last time everyone hated me," Mayday said. "Even now they hate me, because I'm the only one who stands up to you."
"They don't hate you," Izuku said.
"They do!" Mayday angrily insisted. "After Katsuki laid his challenge down, and after you went to prepare Izuku, I got chewed out by the class. Eijiro, Ochako, Tenya, Momo, Kyoka, Shoto! Only Tsuyu seemed to care! Aside from Flurry at least, but she's family, of course she's by my side. No matter what I do, I'm the villain in their eyes! All because I basically snitched to stop your rescue of Katsuki."
"You snitched?" Katsuki asked. "You're the last person I expected to do that."
"When you got kidnapped, Izuku and his friends went to rescue you, but of course you remember," Mayday said. "I was against it, because truthfully, I didn't think you were worth them throwing their chance at heroism away, knowing that you wouldn't even be thankful. Plus, my dad was going to rescue you anyway, along with his friends, Izuku and the others would have just gotten in the way. I called Deadpool and Pinkie Pie to round them up and bring them back, instead they helped Izuku with his rescue plan. I know because I followed them in secret, and when my plan was failing, I thought to get you the hell out of there as soon as I could so my dad and All Might could get shit done."
"You did the right thing, Mayday, I know it was a hard choice to tell someone, your classmates should not look down on you for that," All Might said.
"But they do! And because I was 'mean' to Katsuki, the biggest bully in class," Mayday said. "Sorry to say Katsuki, but you're really just terrible sometimes, especially to Izuku. I know it feels like I'm coddling the weak in yours eyes but I can't help but want to look after a boy who tried his hardest to save my life."
"I don't blame you, someone's gotta look after Deku, I guess," Bakugo said.
"Mayday, this sounds serious, if you feel like you're being outcasted, maybe I can say something," All Might said.
"Don't, they'll just treat me like a snitch again," Mayday said. "I can't win with them."
"You have to keep trying," Izuku said. "With all due respect, no one's gonna forgive you that easily, forgiveness needs to be earned."
"Not something I'm used to. See, back in my mom's country, people were generally forgiving," Mayday said. "Though according to Trixie Lulamoon, my mom's self-proclaimed rival, they still judge you in secret so I guess I should be happy that Class A is being honest. I still think it's bullshit that they seem to trust me less than Katsuki. I mean he's revered by them, even if he acts like a jerk."
"It pisses me off honestly, it reminds me way too much of when Deku wouldn't stop trying to hang out with me and my friends," Bakugo said.
"I still may not let this slide Young Mayday as a teacher it is my responsibility to make sure none of my students are treated this way. I know I let a lot slide with Midoriya and Bakugo, which I know I shouldn't do, but this seems bigger than a rivalry between peers," All Might said. "But, I will keep it as discreet as possible if I need to say something, or better yet, I can have Aizawa say something."
"Aizawa doesn't care, he probably thinks I'm annoying too, I know he'd love to get rid of me so he wouldn't have to deal with my dad," Mayday said.
"That's a bit harsh," Izuku said.
"It's how I feel," Mayday said. "I just feel like I don't even belong in UA sometimes."
"Don't tell me you're letting some hurt feelings make you feel that way, come on, toughen up will ya?" Bakugo said. "For someone who won't let Deku feel like shit, you sure worry about other people's feelings way too much."
"That's enough now, clearly this is bothering Young Mayday, and as a teacher, I will make sure it gets resolved," All Might said. "A class divided will fall."
"I'll help too, however I can," Izuku said.
"Thanks...and I'm sorry if you think I'm too protective Izuku," Mayday said.
"That's fine, I'm sorry I had to punch you earlier," Izuku said.
"Eh, don't be, something about that just makes me like you more," Mayday said. "I like a man who stands his ground."
"Uh...that's nice Young Mayday," All Might said. "I hope you know the difference between someone stern and someone cruel."
"I do. Izuku's not cruel, he punches because he cares," Mayday teased, giving All Might some Harley Quinn vibes, which was not a comfortable thought for the old hero.
"Ugh, come on Mayday," an embarrassed Izuku said.
"Only a Parker would make a joke in a situation like this," All Might said, trying to alleviate some awkwardness. "It's amazing how much you remind me of your father, Young Mayday."
"I'll take that as a compliment, because there's no hero cooler than my dad," Mayday said. "Call me biased, I couldn't care less."
"I'm glad you're proud of your father, he's a good man," All Might said.
"Speaking of which, Katsuki," Mayday said, getting his attention. "My dad does not hate you, just letting you know now. You might annoy him but he holds nothing against you for what happened at Kamino Ward. If my dad has the sense to save not only villains, but his own bullies, he would have saved you regardless of the danger he'd be in, that's just the type of person he is."
"Yeah whatever..." Bakugo said. He wouldn't admit it, but he was actually a lot more relieved than he let on. "Anyway, who else knows about this power transfer thing with Deku and All Might?"
"Recovery Girl and Principal Nezu do. Spider-Man knows as well, along with Wolverine, Captain America and Superman," All Might said. "As far as students go, you and Parker are the only ones who are aware."
"And let me guess, you don't want this getting out," Bakugo said. "I'll keep your secret. Unlike Deku I can keep my mouth shut."
"Harsh dude," Mayday said.
"Well you know, clearly he went and told you," Bakugo said.
"Actually, I found out when you did, I overheard you two talking that day, then I overheard All Might talking about it with Izuku," Mayday said. "I may have eavesdropped on them on occasion."
"Alright, even I think that's a bit creepy, you gotta give Deku some space," Bakugo said. "Then again, he's a bit of a stalker himself, so he gets a taste of his own medicine."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration," Izuku said. "But thanks for keeping this secret."
"Honestly, I should be begging you to keep this secret, I appreciate you being so considerate young Bakugo," All Might said.
"I'm not doing this for you, I'm just trying to make sure shit doesn't hit the fan," Bakugo said.
"I can only imagine what the villains would do if they knew...unless," Mayday turned to All Might. "All for One obviously knows about the quirk, but do you think he told his henchmen? I mean from what I heard, Izuku was on their list of who to kill."
"I can't say for sure if they know, but I also wouldn't be surprised if All for One had those he trusted with the secret," All Might said.
"All for One? You mean that boss villain?" Bakugo asked.
"Right, there's a lot you need to know, Young Bakugo. I guess it's only fair that explain what happened between me and Young Midoriya," All Might said.
Meanwhile back at the dorm, Flurry was in the kitchen, looking for a snack and thinking over everything that had happened earlier on. While things usually did get heated when it came to Mayday and Bakugo, she couldn't help but worry that now things have taken a bad turn with the class.
"Flurry?" she heard the voice of Mineta say. She turned and spotted not only him but Tsuyu as well.
"What are you two doing up? It's late," Flurry said. "If Tenya knew you were up, he'd flip out."
"I couldn't sleep very well, not after what happened earlier on," Tsuyu said.
"Same, well not for the same reason, I was just a bit hungry," Mineta said.
"Good luck finding anything in the fridge, I think Denki and Eijiro cleaned out most of the good stuff," Flurry said.
"Knew those two ate too much," Mineta lamented, checking the fridge himself. "Nothing here but vegetables."
"Well that might be a good snack to eat before sleeping, less calories," Tsuyu said. "Eating midnight snacks isn't the best for your health."
"I know it isn't but, I can't help it, I just like sneaking in food when I can, mostly sweets," Flurry said. "My dad told me once that even when I was a baby, I would sneak into the kitchen for a jar of cookies. Still do from time to time."
"What kind?" Mineta asked.
"Usually chocolate chip, but I'm not picky with cookies," Flurry said. "Honestly my favorite type of cookies are the ones from Sugar Cube Corner, especially if Pinkie Pie made them. One day I gotta ask her to bring in a bunch of those sweets, the only thing she likes more than eating sugary snacks is baking them. Plus it could help Rikido out with his quirk."
"Wonder how she and Deadpool are doing given their license suspension?" Tsuyu wondered.
"They'll be fine, they know how to stay occupied," Flurry said. "Last I heard, Pinkie opened up a Party Planner business for the time being. She loves parties after all, and so does Deadpool...though he tends to act weird during parties, weirder than normal at least."
"Gotta say, for a girl that eats sweets regularly, Pinkie Pie sure has a great figure," Mineta said, his heart racing as he thought back to the girl, especially her assets. "She's even got those childbearing hips."
"Well she's had two kids so that helps," Flurry said. "But given how much she eats in sweets, sometimes I'm surprised she isn't chubby. I mean, she has a bit of flab, not that she minds, and neither does Deadpool for that matter."
"She should watch out, in Japan, even a bit of flab on a woman is considered strange," Mineta said.
"I mean, what could anyone do? In the end she's a superhero who saves their lives, plus she's married to someone who won't care," Flurry said. "Deadpool says he's lucky he got to marry Pinkie Pie because of how gorgeous she is. Deadpool doesn't like to admit it, but he is not attractive. He can't even take his mask off in public because of how he looks."
"What, does he have battle scars and stuff?" Mineta asked.
"Well his face is just..." Flurry couldn't think of a nice enough word. "It's just not appealing, I'll leave it at that. I don't know why exactly, he said it had to do with his quirk but there's things about Uncle Peter's friends that I don't know the full story on. Fact is, he's basically ugly and doesn't know why Pinkie Pie married him."
"Sounds like she liked him for who he is," Tsuyu said.
"Even that surprised him, since he wasn't the nicest guy at one point," Flurry said. "He eventually lightened up because he really wanted to be a hero. He worked hard to achieve that too."
"Probably why Pinkie Pie liked him, his past shouldn't define his future," Tsuyu said.
"Maybe one day we can say that for Katsuki Bakugo," Flurry said.
"That might take a while," Mineta said. "I have never seen such a bad attitude from one person. Honestly, I can't even fault Parker for sticking up for Midoriya. But I also don't blame Midoriya for not saying much, I mean what do you say to a guy like Bakugo who's ready to blast you the moment you tick him off?"
"I gotta figure something out, I don't want Mayday to be an outcast," Flurry said. "But, it seems like everyone already wrote her off."
"Don't give up, even if they seemed mad, they'll get over it," Tsuyu said. "Who knows, maybe they feel bad for making her upset, and Mayday feels bad for getting upset. I personally like that she's quick to defend Midoriya, shows she's a good friend. She just needs to vocalize her worries better."
"How close is she with Midoriya...are they dating?" Mineta asked, still looking for food.
"No, they're not dating," Flurry said. "And please don't bug Izuku about that like you did with that Shiketsu girl."
"Hey when I hear a guy was with a naked girl, I want answers," Mineta said. "And that girl had a super nice body."
"She was also an imposter," Tsuyu said.
"Yeah, it sounded like she had shapeshifting abilities," Flurry said. "For all you know, she could have really been a guy."
Mineta's face turned blue, "Oh God...I didn't think of that. Ugh, I hate traps."
"I hope Spider-Man found the real girl," Tsuyu said.
"Me too, but I trust Uncle Peter, he's got a good squad with him," Flurry said.
"Oh score!" Mineta said, digging through the cabinet. "I found some popcorn. We just need some butter and salt and we're good."
"It might be too late to make popcorn, the sound might wake everyone up," Tsuyu said.
"It'll be fine," Mineta said. "Plus I doubt this could get their attention."
"I am pretty hungry, let's take the chance," Flurry said.
"Sounds good, but lets try not to go to sleep too late either, we have a big day coming up," Tsuyu said.
"I can't wait to see Frankie and Rina, I hope they passed," Flurry said.
"Right, Franklin..." Tsuyu said, a slight blush on her face. "I can't wait to see him either."
"I can't wait to see Rina," Mineta said, barely paying mind to Tsuyu's blush. "You know, she'd probably make for an excellent girlfriend."
"You would say that," Flurry teased. "Hurry up with that popcorn."
"Yes, my Princess," Mineta jokingly said as he went to work.
At the training ground, and one explanation later, Bakugo was caught up about One for All and how it was passed down, plus his injury that limited his strength. While Mayday knows this story herself, this was the first time she was fully present without having to hide somewhere.
"If word got out, it would lead to confusion about the power," Bakugo said. "Deku you idiot, what were you thinking telling me this stuff? If Parker overheard you, who knows who else could have."
"Go easy on him Katsuki, people make mistakes," Mayday said.
"Even I made a similar mistake," All Might said. "That's how Wolverine found out about it. It's my fault, I forgot about his enhanced hearing, but he's a good man so I trust him with the secret."
"Lots of people forget Wolverine's other powers, they think it's just his claws," Mayday said.
"That's why I try to take notes, so I don't miss anything," Izuku said.
"How did the other heroes find out?" Bakugo asked. "Like Superman, Spider-Man and Captain America?"
"Well Superman and Captain America are two of my closest friends, so of course they know," All Might said. "I actually told Spider-Man very recently, I thought I was going to die when fighting All for One, so I intended for him to be the one to train Young Midoriya should that happen."
"You wanted Spider-Man to train me?" Izuku asked.
"Honestly, I think he's the perfect mentor for you," All Might said. "I hoped he would have trained you that one week with the internships, but he went with Young Uraraka instead. That's fine, she was able to benefit from the training quite well."
"Sure seemed like it," Bakugo said. "She came out with a new vigor, I almost respect that."
"Anyway, I know I said this before, but I will repeat myself," All Might began. "Young Bakugo, me losing my power was not your fault. I made my choice."
"Sure, whatever, doesn't change my goals though," Bakugo said, recalling his claim to be Number One Hero.
"You're right about that," All Might said.
"Things won't be the same though Deku," Bakugo continued. "You've been watching me and everyone around you as you try to get stronger. I can do that too, I will go higher than even you chosen one, and you too daddy's girl."
"You know calling me a daddy's girl is a compliment to me," Mayday said. "I have no shame of how much I love and admire my father."
"Fine by me, still gonna surpass you Parker," Bakugo said. "You and your daddy. Right after I leave Deku in the dust."
"That's fine, if you're going to surpass me, then I just have to be better than I am now," Izuku said.
"I'm sorry, what?" Bakugo asked.
"It means I will just have to go higher than you," Izuku said.
"Dammit nerd !I said I would be the one to surpass you!" Bakugo shouted.
"I know, and I said I'm gonna go beyond that level!" Izuku confidently said.
"You what!?" Bakugo shouted.
"Worried Katsuki? Looks like Izuku isn't backing down, he'll surpass you for sure," Mayday said. "I know he can get stronger than he is."
"I'm glad you think that Mayday, because I'm going to surpass you too," Izuku said.
Mayday raised her eyebrow to the boy, "Don't go talking crazy, I'm clearly the strongest here."
"But you can be surpassed, I mean you're strong but we both know your strength is not the ceiling, I'm going to go beyond and be a better hero than even you," Izuku said.
"Fat chance, I'm staying higher than both of you!" Mayday said.
"Don't count on it!" Bakugo said.
"Too late, I already see the numbers, they're in my favor," Mayday said. "Number One is in my future, but I will gladly let Izuku by my Number 2."
"Oh no, that's not happening. When I'm done, I'm gonna send you crying right back to your daddy, Parker!" Izuku shouted to the heavens, surprising Mayday, All Might and even Bakugo. Izuku immediately regretted it, trying to pull back. "Sorry, was that too much?"
Fortunately for Izuku, it didn't take Mayday long to laugh it off, "You're too awesome Izuku, honestly I'm impressed you had it in you to be so assertive. I really like that side of you."
"Oh really? It felt kind of weird though," Izuku said.
"Try to break out your shell a bit," Mayday said, placing her arm around the boy. "Show a bit of spunk, it's great for your confidence. Also, its super attractive."
"Attractive?" Izuku nervously asked.
"You bet," Mayday said, leaning in all seductive like, worrying the boy. "There's nothing like seeing a strong man with stronger convictions."
"Ugh, get a room, losers," Bakugo said.
All Might began chuckling to himself, "The rivalry has started, in a way that's different than before."
Later at the 1-A Alliance building.
"You fought the night you three finished your licensing exam!?" Aizawa asked as he bounded Izuku, Bakugo and Mayday with his scarf. "I'm glad to see you have so much energy!"
"Easy with those restraints Aizawa! It's my fault they were sparring at all!" All Might insisted.
Aizawa's eye twitched, recalling his encounter with All Might earlier.
"Midoriya, Bakugo and Parker, why does this not surprise me?" Aizawa stepped down the stairs. "Are they at the practice field?"
"Yes, and I wanted to catch you before you went," All Might said. "I've known Midoriya and Parker since before UA, and Young Bakugo has a strong connection to them both. I've thought about the three a lot, let me bring them back here myself."
"Your fault?" Aizawa asked in the present. "How exactly?"
"Can you loosen up the restraints!? My daddy's not gonna like this!" Mayday warned.
"Mayday! Don't make things worse for us!" Izuku pleaded.
"Better listen to Midoriya, or I'll send you packing back to your parents," Aizawa said. "I couldn't care less what complaints your father would have, in the end, this is still my school, and you're still my student."
All Might walked over to Aizawa, whispering into his ear, "It seems Young Bakugo blames himself for my retirement. He's been holding those pent up emotions which resulted in his inferiority complex exploding. This happened because of my negligence, I failed as his teacher."
Aizawa lightened the bonds, much to the relief of the trio, "I understand they felt they had to break the rules, but this is not something I can just ignore! There must be a suitable punishment!"
"Or you can not punish us and say you did," Mayday suggested.
"Be quiet!" Izuku scolded.
"Who threw the first punch!?" Aizawa asked.
"I did," Bakugo admitted.
"I also went pretty hard," Izuku said.
"I punched last, if that's any consolation," Mayday said, earning a side-eye from Izuku and an eye-roll from Bakugo. "But for real, I went in to fight so I guess I'm just as much to blame."
"You're all under house arrest, four days for Bakugo, three for Midoriya and Parker!" Aizawa began. "During that time you'll clean all the common areas in the dorm, morning and night! I also want a written apology! If your injuries need to be checked out, head to the infirmary! Don't rely on the old lady's quirk however! Figure out how to heal yourselves!"
"So...basically we're grounded?" Mayday asked. "Also, is it really alright to just heal ourselves? I mean I'll be fine since I have daddy's healing abilities but-"
"That's it, you have four days too Parker!" Aizawa said.
"No fair!" Mayday whined. "Everyone is so mean lately, I can never catch a break in this-"
"WILL YOU BE QUIET ALREADY!?" Izuku shouted, startling the girl to finally keep her mouth closed. "Just...please, do what Mr. Aizawa says, and don't worry about the other students."
"What about them?" Aizawa asked.
"It's nothing, I think she just had a disagreement with them and there's some tension," Izuku explained.
"Yes, she mentioned that earlier, apparently they've been singling her out," All Might said. "I might need a word with the class first chance I get, this is not something I can nor will tolerate."
"Work the details out with me first, I'll decide the best course of action. If she is being singled out then I will properly discipline them," Aizawa said.
"Wow really? Didn't think you'd care," Mayday said, much to Izuku's annoyance.
"If I could move, I'd knock her out..." Izuku's eyes widened. "Wait, what am I thinking? What's wrong with me? Do I still have an adrenaline rush from the fight!?"
"Parker, I know you think I don't like or care for you," Aizawa said. "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way, in the end I am your teacher and you're my student. You get on my nerves a lot, I will admit it, but I do want you to feel welcome in this school and in this country."
"Oh wow...thank you, sensei," Mayday said.
"That's the nicest she's spoken to me since the schoolyear started, guess she really isn't a lost cause, not that I should have doubted her as her teacher," Aizawa then took a moment to exhale his remaining frustrations, "That's all, now go."
As the trio left, Mayday had a sudden realization, "Crap...how's he gonna react when he sees the couch?"
"What couch?" Izuku asked.
A few minutes later.
"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Izuku shouted upon seeing the disaster.
"Did I mention that everyone was being really mean to me?" Mayday asked. This just infuriated Izuku more as the boy glared a hole through Mayday, startling the girl from speaking another word.
Bakugo seemed very amused by this, "Heh, it's fun seeing losers fight with each other."
Back with Peter and company, they had found the real Camie, the girl was unconscious in her apartment, surprisingly the one place no one really looked. No sign of her parents either.
"From what we can gather, she hasn't been hurt in any way," Logan said. "She might have been drugged though."
Peter shook the girl a bit, trying to wake her, "Hey...can you hear me?"
"Uh..." Camie was still in and out of consciousness.
Peter began to gently pat her face, "Camie! Wake up!"
"This is a bit worrying," Twilight said. "She's really out of it."
"Gohan, think you can give her a jolt?" Logan asked.
"Be careful, we don't know how strong this drug could have been," Peter said.
"It was probably just enough to knock her out, not sure how long she's been out though," Logan said.
"Yeah, she's just asleep, having a jolt should wake her up," Bobby said.
"I'll be gentle," Gohan said, placing his hand on her back and giving a quick jolt.
"AH!" Camie immediately stood up and tripped over a coffee table. "Ow..."
"Whoa! Are you alright!?" Peter said, helping the girl up.
"Yeah...I think so," Camie said, then looked to the side. "OMG, are you Spider-Man!? Like, the real Spider-Man!?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm Spider-Man. You can just call me 'Peter'," the hero removed his mask. "And you're Camie Utsushimi, correct?"
"Yeah, that's me," Camie said. "Wow, Spider-Man knows my name! And he's in my house! Super cute too, those magazines don't do your face justice. Oooh, maybe this is a dream! And you're about to have a nice romantic dinner with me."
"Ahem!" Twilight said, getting her attention. "My husband is not alone here."
"And this isn't a dream kid," Logan said. "I mean, did you hurt yerself when you fell? If you did, that should be an indication that yer awake."
"Yeah, I guess...bummer," Camie said. "But anyway, what brings you all here? Furthermore why am I still here? I gotta get back to Shiketsu, those Provisional Exams are pretty soon."
"Uh, those were done this afternoon," Peter said. "And you were there, or so everyone thought."
"I was?" Camie asked. "Weird, I don't remember."
"Well, we thought you were, but it was clearly an imposter pretending to be you," Peter said.
"Oh...so, did I pass?" Camie asked.
Peter raised his eyebrow, "Uh, no, you didn't. You were here, it doesn't count."
"Aw, so I have to try again?" Camie asked.
"You didn't try in the first place!" Peter said, finding this girl's mannerisms strange. "Look, Camie. You were asleep for who knows how long, because of that, someone pretended to be you and snuck into the Provisional Licensing Exams. Now, do you know why someone would do that?"
"To cover for me?" Camie asked.
Logan, Gohan and Twilight each exchanged annoyed glances with one another while Bobby couldn't help but snicker.
"Camie, this is serious," Peter said. "Do you know anyone who would want to do this? Who would drug you and pretend to be you?"
"Well, a lot of girls want to be me, since I'm pretty cute," Camie said, doing a peace sign.
"Wow..." Peter said, amazed by this girl. "She's coping with this surprisingly well."
"But I don't know anyone in particular," Camie said. "The last girl I saw wore a school uniform from another school. She seemed a bit weird, and her hair was messy, but she was kind of cute too, in her own weird way."
"Uniform? Hair?" It took a moment for Peter to recognize that description, "Could she mean Himiko?"
"Anyway I really don't remember much after that," Camie said. "But if I didn't pass the licensing exam, what happens now? Do I have to wait for the next one?"
"Uh, I'll talk it over with the agency, maybe they'll cut you a break since you missing it wasn't your fault," Peter said.
"Oh that'd be really sweet of you Spidey, thanks," Camie said, kissing him on the cheek, getting an awkward blush from the hero.
"Like I said, just call me 'Peter'," the hero said, quickly placing his mask back on. "Well, I'm glad you're safe, and that you're not hurt. I'll let the cops know."
"Are you leaving?" Camie asked.
"Soon, why do you want me to stay?" Peter asked. "I can do that if it helps you feel safe."
"...Sure, yeah I'd totally be safe with a super cute Pro Hero around," Camie said.
"I should stay too, keep my husband company," Twilight said.
"You really need to chill, Twi, you're getting jealous of a High School Girl," Bobby said.
"Well I just proved Mayday's earlier worries about Ochako valid." Twilight lamented, then turned to Bobby. "Sorry, it just seems weird when girls are this forward with Peter. At least with the UA girls, their fascination was more based on admiration than attraction."
"Hey it's inevitable for girls to like Peter, he's that nice of a guy," Gohan said. "Not like he's going to act on it, he only loves you, Twilight."
"Yeah I know, I just can't help but keep him close to me," Twilight said.
"Well, moving on," Logan said, trying to focus back on the topic at hand. "Camie, Peter and Twilight can keep an eye out fer you if you'd like, you still need to talk to the cops though so you can explain everything to them."
"You got it, Fuzzy Man," Camie said.
"...It's Wolverine," an annoyed Logan said. "Bobby, Gohan, let's get the cops up here."
"Yes sir," Gohan said.
"You got it," Bobby said.
Logan led his group downstairs, still thinking everything over, "Wonder if Parker's figured anything out by this point? He seemed to be catching onto something. This feels like the plot of something big."
At the moment, things were calm, Peter was relieved to find this girl safe and sound, but now wondered what could be in store for the future.