AN: I'd already had a list of who would be what bond and with what Persona form, but I've now taken the time to write out a list of when each bond will form which helped me rough out a timeline. With that in place I feel a lot more inspired for this fic so there's a solid chance of it joining the more regular updates.
A Fool's Bonds
Chapter 8
-Momo-
They were warm.
That was the first thought that went through Momo's head as the cerulean flames enveloped her and Midoriya. She knew it wouldn't be painful of course, not after he and Kirishima just seemed shocked rather than hurt before. But she expected it to still feel hot.
Instead, as Midoriya held her in his arms to keep her from falling, the flames that surrounded them were pleasant and warm. They felt like a hug, soft and caring. Then the voice started speaking, sounding powerful and compassionate.
"I am thou, thou art I. Thou hast acquired a new vow. I shall become the Font of Creation itself, he who invites order from the chaos. With the birth of the Empress Persona, you have obtained the power of inspiration that shall lead to nurtured bonds and abundance overflowing."
And with that, the flames blinked out, leaving her alone and held in Midoriya's arms. Her cheeks reddened rapidly as she processed this, Midoriya matching her as he got her back on her feet.
"T-thank you Midoriya." Momo coughed, crossing her arms self-consciously, a habit she'd been trying to break but hadn't had much success on so far.
"N-no problem." Midoriya coughed as the four quickly got out of the partially demolished building, All Might ordering them back to the viewing room through their coms. As they walked back, she noted both Bakugo and Todoroki were silent although it seemed for different reasons. Todoroki was clearly upset at the loss and while she had no doubt Bakugo wasn't happy about it, he seemed more stunned at the size of the produced explosion, how he'd only missed them due to Todoroki's ice making him slip.
Thinking back to that she let out a small shiver. Those flames likely would have felt nowhere near as welcoming as Midoriya's.
"Welcome back students!" All Might gave his usual boisterous laugh as the four of them stepped inside, only Momo knowing him well enough to discern the concern behind his gaze, "To start with, Young Bakugo-"
"It was too big." Bakugo cut the Number one Hero off with a scowl aimed at his own gauntlets, "Too widespread to be viable."
"Um…yes." All Might blinked, having not expected that comment. Judging by his expression, neither had Midoriya. "That being said, for the most part the four of you did well!" All Might wasted no time bouncing back "For the Villain team I'd say you both need to work on your restraint and teamwork most of all. For the Hero duo, you both showed excellent creativity and teamwork. That said, I'd suggest learning to exercise more caution. If Young Bakugo hadn't slipped…" it would have been disastrous.
"I understand All Might." Midoriya nodded to the man.
"Now, does anyone have any suggestions on who the match MVP was?" All Might looked at the gathered students expectantly.
"Yaoyorozu." Midoriya answered at the same time she said his own name out loud, the two sharing a surprised glance.
"Oh? I'd love to hear both arguments." All Might gestured as Midoriya moved to let her speak first.
"Midoriya is the one who thought of our initial plan, and even helped me think of new ways to use my quirk that were of great use to this match." Momo praised her partner, already able to tell his intellect one was one she could respect and that could even help rival her "Added to that if it hadn't been for his distraction, I might not have been able to reach the bomb in time."
"But that's all I did, distract." Midoriya shook his head, "Well…that and knock open the door. You're the one who managed to make those spikes for us to walk on the ice. You're the one who got the bomb. You're the one who fired at Bakugo to buy me time to even make my distractions."
"Well, you both make excellent points." All Might stopped them from arguing the point, "And I'd say the match was short enough I could safely award you both the MVP slot. Onto the next round!" the names got drawn, the four students, including Ashido and Kirishima, walked to the next building prepared for the training exercise.
"Are…are the flames always that warm?" it took a moment for Mom to realize the one to ask had been herself as Midoriya looked up.
"Yeah." He gave her a bashful awkward grin "They're…I guess comforting is the right word." As he spoke, Midoriya held out a hand which filled with the cerulean flames "I've kind of gotten into the habit of transforming or summoning with them when I'm alone in stressed, it helps relax me." The flames dissipated to show a small bag in his hand "Kibi dango?" She blinked for a moment before laughing, unable to keep her composure at the gesture.
"Thank you." Momo smiled as she took a dumpling, enjoying the delicious treat with her partner as they watched the match get ready to start. "You know, if you could train to just bring out the flames and keep them it would be really useful." Momo thought aloud happily after she swallowed her treat.
"What do you mean?" Midoriya looked at her, curious but not dismissing her idea outright.
"It could provide light for one." Momo took a second dumpling as it was offered, "But more than that it was comforting for me too. It could help to calm down people panicking after a disaster."
"That's brilliant!" Midoriya beamed at her, a warmth spreading through her gut as she saw him smile. The match soon started, their conversation changing to analyzing both teams, breaking them down from their quirks, to their teamwork, and how they could synergize. Momo felt invigorated at finally finding a potential equal amongst her peers to match minds with. She barely even noticed as each group finished their fights apart from the change in what was being discussed, only vaguely noting Midoriya's other friends standing nearby and watching them amused.
"Alright everyone, and with that class has come to a close!" All Might laughed as the last team finished getting their breakdown "That's it for classes for the day so head on back to the locker rooms to put away your Hero costumes before you go back to the dormitory! I meanwhile have an important meeting ahead!" and with that the man rushed away, showcasing the incredible speed that had helped make him the number one.
"So, you and Yaoyorozu been getting cozy over here." Ashido grinned as the pinked skinned girl walked over, the class not yet moving to depart "And were those sparks flying?" Ashido snagged a dumpling from Midoriya's bag of Kibi Dango "If she's your Empress then I can't wait to see how you'll act with your Lover's Arcana." Momo felt a twinge at that although she wasn't sure why.
"That's not how it works Ashido." The tired voice of Aizawa spoke up as Momo jumped startled, her classmates doing the same as they observed the man they hadn't noticed in the room. Just how long had he been there?!
"But…what else would the lovers be?" Ashido looked confused.
"Lovers can mean that Mina." Midoriya assured the girl, Momo noting he was using her first name. Was it Ashido's personal preference or just how close Midoriya would get with his 'confidants'? "But it doesn't have to." Momo managed to refocus as Midoriya continued, "It means close relationships in general, even self-love. It could be someone who's a romantic love, the love of close friendships, of family, found family, or the self-love I mentioned."
"Huh…neat." Ashido blinked for a moment before perking up, "In that case I wanna know about Yaoyorozu's Arcana. Empress. What's it mean?!" the pink girl was all but bouncing in place.
"The Empress." Aizawa was actually the one to answer, his phone out as Midoriya didn't seem at all surprised by their teacher being the one to answer, "Upright it represents Femininity, beauty, nature, nurturing, and abundance." Momo felt her blush come roaring back at the implication that she represented beauty and femininity to Midoriya "Reversed, it represents creative block and dependence on others."
"Beauty sounds about right." The short lecherous boy, Mineta, muttered as he eyed her, Momo shuddering under his gaze. It was soon blocked as Midoriya stepped between the two, likely giving a powerful glare if Mineta's flinch was any indication.
"Midoriya," Aizawa seemed amused at how Midoriya handled the tiny pervert "do you have the energy to transform? Or was it like Kirishima's where it wouldn't be safe to do so yet?"
"I can transform." Midoriya nodded as he stepped a few steps away, everyone else stepped back to give him room. "Number Three, the Empress!" Midoriya shouted out as he was enveloped completely in those warm cerulean flames "IZANAGI!" Momo's eyes widened at that name, her classmates matching her shocked expression as the flames dissipated to reveal Midoriya in the form of the god of creation. Izanagi, He-Who-Invites."
In this form Midoriya stood tall, his hair still green but darker, held up in a hair piece befitting male nobility. His clothes were of fine flowing silk that flowed around him. And in his hand was a gorgeous Naginata, one made of gleaming silver and inlaid with fine emeralds. She was sure it was Amenonuhoko, the Heavenly Jeweled Spear Izanagi was said to have used in the legends. Midoriya only held it for a moment before shifting back, likely still tired from the earlier fights. Not to mention he would still have to get used to that form.
"The Creation god." Principal Nezu, who she'd just noticed was sitting on Aizawa's shoulder, looked practically giddy with excitement "How poetic. Well, I believe that's enough excitement for one day students, carry on." taking that as the dismissal it was, their class started on the way to the locker rooms to change, Momo noticing the text from All Might, providing a location to meet once she was done changing.
Getting to the door All Might had specified, now back in her regular uniform, Momo knocked. The door was quickly opened by a grinning All Might, her mentor happy as always to see her.
"You performed wonderfully today young Yaoyorozu." The number one gave her a smile, "You continue to prove me right in naming you my successor."
"I shall do all I can to live up to your expectations." Momo felt her smile widen even higher. She'd met All Might a little over a year ago after town had been ravaged by a fire. She'd, with the help of her parents, gotten a special waver for quirk usage and gone to help, using her quirk to make emergency essentials as needed. All Might had been there as well to help and found her arguing with the government official tasked to watch her, drawn by the argument as she fought tooth and nail to be allowed to make more for the people who'd just lost everything. All Might had backed her up and stayed with her as she made all she could each day for the victims of that blaze.
Even after that blaze was over and her waver expired, All Might continued to be a presence in her life. He encouraged her ambition to be a Hero. He offered to train her, to push her beyond her limits. Her parents were overjoyed, both at the prospect of the number one believing in her and that she had someone to help her dreams. She knew they loved her, she truly did, but they were both always so busy she never got to see them as much as any of them liked.
As the training continued, she learned of his injury, his time limit. And, eventually, the secret of One for All. The inheritable quirk he'd passed to her before the recommendation exam.
"How have you been recovering though?" Momo gave a concerned frown at her Mentor's chest, at where his grizzly injury had been only recently.
"I haven't felt this good in years." All Might gave her a wide smile, one that finally reached his eyes as he felt hope for himself again. He had lost organs in a fight long before they met, pushing his body to keep being the Symbol of Peace as surgery after surgery failed, organ after organ continued to reject to his body and quirk. But then she gained One for All. The ability to create anything, and so she got 'creative'. With the help of recovery girl and Nezu she used her quirk to make functional organs that would be compatible, ones that would match All Might's DNA and let him heal.
His quirk factor was still dwindling daily.
He was still recovering from years of the organs being missing and him pushing his body beyond what it should.
But now he had the chance to live.
"I'm so glad." She beamed at the man who had become akin to an Uncle, or a second father to her.
"But, I have another meeting coming up later today. One I'm positive I'm not going to enjoy nearly as much." All Might grimaced "Nezu convinced me to speak to Sir Nighteye and bury the hatchet."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Mom frowned in confusion at her mentor.
"…He has his own ideas on who should have been named my successor." All Might grimaced as Momo felt faint.
"Oh."