Transformers MHA, Arc 2: Earthrise

by The Omni-Remnant

After a rather intense adventure and the U.A. Sports Festival approaching fast, Izuku and his friends have two important things to do; improve their Quirks in time for the festival… and hide a bunch of giant alien robots. That proves to be easier said than done, especially when enemies on Earth and from beyond the stars end up coming for them…

26. Intermission

A/N: Morning, everybody! Now, I know what you all must be thinking; "Woah! New chapter a day early? What's going on?" Well, I'll tell you what's going on… a freaking huge winter storm. It's not near my location YET, but tomorrow is calling for heavy rain and high winds and I'd rather not take my chances waiting to post this chapter. As a result, this one's actually a bit shorter than I had initially intended, but don't worry, I'm still pretty much on track with how many chapters I plan on having in the Sports Festival arc. So, with that out of the way, let's jump into the chapter, shall we? This is…

Chapter 26: Intermission

…..

Optimus Prime was feeling incredibly proud at the moment. Not only did all nine of his Autobots' charges make it into the final round, but they all performed exemplary. The once data archivist had to admit, he wasn't that big of a sports fan, even back on Cybertron, but the fact that their allies were doing so well was definitely making him extremely excited. Of course, there had been several other humans in the competition who had piqued his interest as well, including young Kaida Kiryu. 'With the right training, her Quirk could probably be one of the most versatile any hero could have.' Prime thought to himself. 'Especially with her mastery of those transformations.'

Of course, there was also Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugo, the students who seemed to have it out for Izuku. He could see that Bakugo in particular was hotheaded and rash, to the point where he reminded Prime of a few Autobots he had dealt with in the past. 'Hot-blooded and angry, yet he wishes to be a hero… this boy has quite the complex background.' His optics shifted to Shoto as he came on screen. 'And yet… I find THAT boy to be the harder one to get a tag on. …Perhaps this requires further investigation.'

"Man, can you believe it?!" Sunstreaker exclaimed, giving his brother a double high-five. "Our boys are headed into the second round!"

"I know, right, it's so freaking cool!" Sideswipe cheered, spinning toward Strongarm. "And hey, you must be pretty hyped that Tenya and Ochako are moving on, too, huh?"

Strongarm grinned, though her optics were full of concern. "I am, it's just…" She honed in on the brunette on the screen, seeing her distress as she joined up with the others. "I think something's not right. She seems… scared of something, almost as if she's not focusing on her advancement at all."

Windblade hummed at that. "Hmm, well… she DID pair up with some of the most unexpected of partners." The City Speaker raised an eyeridge, seeing that the blonde, tailed kid that she teamed with also seemed offput about something. "And that boy seems to be in a similar state as her, so I'm not sure what happened."

"If you want my guess, I think their leader's got somethin' to do with it." Springer piped up, pointing to the screen. "That purple-haired kid? He seems kinda sketchy. Not sure why, but I think his smile just puts me off, big time."

"Yeah, same." Jazz curled his lips in discomfort. "Gettin' some weird vibes from that dude, no doubt." His gaze landed on Optimus, who had stayed silent since the last round ended. "You thinkin' on somethin', Prime? What's the haps?"

Optimus didn't respond immediately, but when he did, it took the whole group by surprise. "Autobots… I think I have come to a decision." The commander stood up, clenching a fist as he made his announcement; "I would like to witness the final round in person."

"W-Wait, what?!" Strongarm exclaimed.

"Prime, are you serious?" Red Alert asked.

"I am." Optimus affirmed. "All nine of our charges have made it to the finals. I believe it is only right that we show them our full support." He gave the group a nod. "I understand if some of you are uncomfortable in leaving the base, but just know that I will be going to—"

But Sideswipe was quick to jump in. "Ha! Prime, why didn't you say so in the first place?!"

Sunstreaker agreed without question. "Of course, we wanna go, too! Who says that Arcee, Bee and Bulk have to have all the fun witnessing the sports fest live?"

"Count me in on that action." Jazz said with a thumbs up. "Besides, I've been wantin' to stretch my holo-form's legs for a while now."

Strongarm gave a salute. "Optimus, I request to accompany you as well. I'd like to show Tenya and Ochako my full support."

Optimus smiled beneath his faceplate, giving them all a nod. "Of course you can come. The more the merrier, and I'm certain that your friends will be happy to have your support there as well." He craned his head over to Red Alert, Springer and Windblade next. "And you three? What will you be doing?"

"Hmph, as much as I'd love to go, my altmode isn't exactly inconspicuous at the school." Windblade said with a sad wince. "I mean, I COULD try hiding in the woods, but I wouldn't want to risk some random human stumbling upon me by accident."

Springer's hand went to the back of his neck. "Yeah, same here. I'm not sure an "experimental military vehicle" would be all that ordinary in a high school setting." He raised his hand with a big grin. "But give the kids my best, and wish 'em all the luck in the world."

With his head lowered, Red Alert gestured toward the GroundBridge. "And while I would like to see Mei and I's handiwork in person as well, I'm afraid I'm the only one who can work the GroundBridge quick enough to bring you back here should anything happen." He went up and bowed his head toward Optimus. "So Prime, if you would, give my best regards to Mei for me."

"I will, old friend." Optimus affirmed. "You can be sure of that."

"Thank you. I'll get the GroundBridge set up." The Autobot medic walked over and began working the controls, and before long, the warp gate was open for them. "Alright, there you go. You should come out in one of U.A.'s test grounds. I'll contact Nezu and tell him of your arrival."

"Thank you, Red Alert." With that, the Prime faced his Autobots, pointing straight toward the GroundBridge. "Autobots, Transform and Roll for the Sports Festival!" Whrr-tschzz-tschzz-tschzz-chk! All at once, the five Autobots converted into their alternate modes, driving through the vortex without a second thought. Upon emerging on the other side, they were greeted with the sight of lush foliage as far as they could see, with a large gate not too far away. "We have arrived, but be on your guard, Autobots. Should the wrong person see this, it would mean trouble for ALL of us. Activate your holoforms and follow me."

As they drove out of the training grounds, however, Sideswipe couldn't help but comment; "Heh, wow, they wanted to up the security around this place and we managed to get in without much effort… hope the Cons don't get this idea."

…..

Back in the stadium, meanwhile, Principal Nezu was smiling to himself as he watched the students all make their way for the exits, no doubt grateful to be getting a break from the games. He was just about to stand up himself when, from his right, a man in a black three-piece suit and dark sunglasses came up to him, holding a phone. "Principal Nezu, sir, you have a call. I've been told it's important."

"Ah, thank you, my good man!" Nezu reached up to receive the phone, bringing it right to his face. "Hello, Nezu speaking."

"Principal Nezu, this is Doctor Randal."

Nezu's smile widened cheerily. "Oh, yes, the medic! Good to hear from you." He was going by a code name, but there was no doubt; it was Red Alert. Without a change in demeanor, the principal showed his concern for the call; "Is everything alright? Has something happened that we should be concerned about?"

Red Alert quickly denied the claimed. "No, not at all. In fact, I bring you rather good news. Orion and a few others are headed toward the festival at this very moment. I just wanted to inform you since they should already be on the premises by now." The Autobot had to keep in mind that he had to use the given codenames for his teammates, should someone be listening in.

"That's very good to hear, doctor." Nezu approved. "I will be certain to be the first one to greet them…" As he said this, though, an idea entered the hyper-intelligent animal's head. 'Of course, I'm sure the children will want to spend some time with them… perhaps an extended lunch break is in order.' He returned to Red Alert to say his farewell; "Well, if that is all, then I thank you for this information. Goodbye for now."

"Hm, farewell, Mr. Principal." And with that, the line went silent, just as All Might had passed Nezu on his way out.

"Hm? What was that?" the pro-hero asked.

Nezu craned his head up to the Symbol of Peace with excitement in his voice. "Oh, All Might, you will be quite excited to hear this; Orion and others will be arriving shortly."

This caught several other teachers' attention as they were walking out, though Toshinori was definitely the most excited by the news. "Hah, I had a feeling that he couldn't stay away for long. He must've been watching Young Midoriya's performance and wanted to experience the final event for himself."

"Yer sure that's a good idea for 'em to come here, though?" Snipe asked, raising a hand. "After all, what if… somethin' bad happens because of 'em bein' here?"

"Oh, I can assure you, Mr. Snipe, we are well prepared for that possibility." Nezu assured. "After all, Orion's people have their own sensors on high, so should any… unwelcomed guests try to come, they'll be sure to vacate the premises quickly to throw them off our trail."

Snipe hummed to himself, considering the principal's words. "Hm… well, here's hopin' yer right, Principal Nezu, sir." As he walked off, however, the marksman hero couldn't help but think; 'That bein' said, I'm sure the Cons 're gonna have a grudge against us for what we did to 'em just a few days back. Hmph, hope Prime knows what he's doin'.'

Toshinori put his hands together, his body beginning to steam as he buffed up into his Hero Form. "Well, that's excellent to hear, BUT… before that, I actually want to pay someone a little visit." All Might walked over to the door, waving to Nezu before making his exit. "Come tell me when Orion arrives, if you would please, Principal Nezu, sir."

"Of course, see you soon!" Nezu waved before pulling his own phone out to make a quick call. "And while that's going on, I must make a little addendum…"

…..

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, that's gonna do it for this morning's rounds!" Present Mic shouted, whirling around in his chair before making an abrupt stop, slamming his hand on the table. "Now, let's take an hour lunch break before we start the afternoon festivities—huh?" The U.A. Teacher glanced down as he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, before cutting off his live feed to answer; "Y'ello? Oh! Principal Nezu, I… huh? THEY'RE coming?! You want me to… oh, I see. Gotcha, then!"

Next to him, Aizawa raised a brow beneath his bandages. "What ARE you talking about—"

"SLIGHT CHANGE IN PLANS, FOLKS!" Present Mic shouted, taking the Erasure Hero off guard. "The lunch break has been extended by an hour in order for our people to double check our security. Better safe than sorry, you know! We'll be back around two o'clock sharp, so make sure you cats at home don't touch that dial!"

That news made Aizawa do another doubletake. "Wait, what?! Why are we extending the break?"

Present Mic cut his feed off against, giving his old friend a thumbs up. "We've got 'bots on the way, Eraser. And Nezu's givin' them a bit of time to mingle with the students. Gotta build up that morale, ya know?"

"…Hmph, not exactly sure it's all that good of an idea for more of them to be coming here."

"Ah, don't be such a worry wart! Now c'mon, let's go grab some food."

"I'm taking a nap."

…..

Tsuyu Asui couldn't help but fume a little as she and her team made their exit from the stadium. Unfortunately, the plan that Aoyama had come up with didn't work. In fact, they had somehow ended up LOSING their headband about five minutes in, somehow. So, they wouldn't be moving onto the second round, which was disappointing. 'Hah, oh well. No sense crying over spilled milk.' The frog girl thought to herself. 'There's always next year. And besides, it's better to root for your friends who DID make it to the finals.'

So, she did just that, finding Mina not soon after. "Congrats on moving to the final round, Mina. That was great."

"Oh, thanks Tsu." Mina smiled, however, she also seemed a bit unsure. "Though to be honest, Bakugo only asked me to join his group because I could melt Todoroki's ice. It's not like I really helped all that much in the Cavalry Battle itself, you know?"

"Ah, c'mon, Mina!" Mei exclaimed, slapping her fellow pinkette on the back. Mina had to keep herself from falling over as the Zoom Quirk-user gave her a bright grin. "Don't sell yourself short! I saw you practicing for this festival for WEEKS, you deserve to go ahead to the next round, as far as I'm concerned."

Mina was surprised, for sure, but also quite happy to hear those words. "Aw, thanks, Mei! Gotta say, your gadgets really got to shine in BOTH rounds, so congrats on that. Can't wait to see how you'll use them in the finals."

A mischievous grin formed on Mei's face as a conniving giggle escaped her lips. "Mmhmhmhm! Oh, don't you worry about that! I've got a GREAT plan to show off my babies to ALL the big-shot corporations!" ZOOM! And just like that, she was off to do whatever she needed before the final round. "YOU'LL SEEEEE!"

"…Your Support Course friend is strange." Tsu stated with a finger on her chin.

"Yeah, but she's a GOOD kind of strange." the Acid user winked.

Meanwhile, Eijiro and Denki were both over by Tenya, the former grinning wildly while the other… wore a much dopier smile. "Dude! Iida, you were totally holding out on us! I had no idea you could go THAT fast! Wish I had gotten to see it in person instead on playback."

"Heeeh!" Denki gave two dazed thumbs up in approval.

Iida raised his hands in his usual stiff manner. "Rest assured, Kirishima, it wasn't my intent to lie to you and keep that hidden. I was just being strategic, and I merely wanted to show that I could compete with Midoriya." Tenya glanced over and moved one of his hands over to Denki's head, giving it a quick chop. "Also, Kaminari, pull yourself together! This is quite unbecoming of you."

"AH!" Denki gasped as his head was cleared in an instant. "Hah, woo! Sorry, Iida. Guess I really couldn't hold it together…" His lips curled in frustration and he stamped his foot. "Damn, maybe I need even MORE training, then."

Eijiro gave him a nudge in the arm. "Eh, don't sweat it, bro! I know you'll get a hand of your Quirk eventually." He gave a sharp-toothed grin over to Iida as well. "And man, I should've guessed you were gonna try to one-up Midoriya. You guys were pretty competitive out there."

It was then that Mina piped up as well. "Uh, speaking of, I know that Momo and Kaida went with Ochako and Ojiro to talk about… that, but did anyone see where Midori and Kyoka went?"

…..

In truth, however, Kyoka herself was asking a very similar question, though she was searching for Izuku specifically. She had no idea where he had been whisked away to, but she was fairly certain she saw Todoroki grab him and take him somewhere toward the side of the stadium. As she wandered the dark inner hallways, she came upon an off-shoot that had light coming down… and on the corresponding wall, she saw two silhouettes. One had the messy hair she was searching for, which was all she needed to see.

…But what she DIDN'T expect to see was Katsuki Bakugo ALSO sneaking around, silently stepping through the hall just across from her. Both of their eyes widened at the sight, but none of them dared to speak, otherwise they'd reveal their location. So instead, Bakugo kept his eyes wide open, pointing at her as if to ask; "What the hell are YOU doing here?"

Kyoka sneered and pointed one of her jacks down the hall to answer, which made Katsuki grumble quietly. Like it or not… their goal was the same. He placed his back against the wall, glancing toward the hall as he jerked his head back toward the two boys. "Same." With Kyoka also realizing they were after the same thing, she grumbled as well… but resigned to her fate.

'Damn him.' Kyoka huffed and crossed her arms, keeping a close ear on whatever Izuku and Shoto were talking about.

"…So, you brought me here." Izuku began. "Now what?" Kyoka could hear the trepidation in his voice, and when Shoto didn't respond immediately, he tried to switch the subject around. "W-We should probably eat soon. The cafeteria's gonna be busy… don't you think?"

There was another long pause before Shoto finally replied. "…I was overwhelmed. Your strategy, your deception… I was so frustrated by it that I very nearly broke the promise I made to myself a long time ago."

Kyoka wasn't sure what that meant, but she had a pretty good idea. 'This whole competition… he hasn't been using his left side at all. All ice, no fire. It would've given him a pretty big advantage in the Cavalry Battle, and yet…'

"Iida and Kaminari, Yaoyorozu and Kiryu, even Jiro, none of them could've seen it. Not even you." Shoto continued. "But as I stared at that headband, I felt the heat beginning to rise. It took all of my will power just to keep it suppressed. In that moment, the frustration nearly made me lose my cool." The white-and-red-haired boy paused again, collecting his thoughts before moving on. "Back during the obstacle course, seeing your power reminded me of something… and that was experiencing All Might's Quirk back at the USJ."

That made Kyoka's eyes widen and a chill go down her spine. Of course, she knew that was no coincidence, since All Might had chosen Izuku to be his pupil exactly BECAUSE they had similar Quirks. Still, this was dangerous. If Shoto suspected something, then that could lead to FURTHER trouble of him finding out about the Autobots. 'Izuku, you gotta say something here…'

"O-Oh, yeah? Okay…" Izuku trailed off. "Is that all?"

Kyoka facepalmed at her best friend's apprehensiveness. 'Not THAT!' She could see Bakugo smirking across from her, which earned him a pointed glare. Of course, he returned it, which only made her MORE pissed at him.

Todoroki sighed and elaborated; "I'm saying that the power coming from you seemed similar to All Might's. Midoriya, tell me…" The silence was palpable as Kyoka waited for the dreaded question… only to receive something that was FAR from what she expected. "Are you really All Might's secret love child or something?"

She nearly lost it. Kyoka VERY nearly lost it. She had to keep her hand clamped over her mouth to keep her laughter contained, bending down to punch the floor as softly as she could. Even Bakugo was struggling to hold back his own laughter as well, and Izuku's response didn't help them much. "Am I… WHAT?! No! No really, that's not it at ALL! But I guess if it was, I'd totally say I wasn't, so you probably won't believe me no matter what, hehe…"

'Oh, you sweet summer child, Izuku.' Kyoka smirked to herself. 'I am gonna remember this for a LONG time.'

"Anyway, I promise, you've got the wrong idea. And… why would you even think that about me?"

Izuku didn't get an immediate response, but when he did, Todoroki pointed something out. "Hm, "that's not it at all" is interesting wording. It suggests that there IS something between you two that you're not supposed to talk about."

Both Kyoka and Izuku thought; 'Crap!' at the same time.

"…My father is the hero Endeavor, you must've heard of him." Shoto stated factually. "Which means you're aware that he's the Number Two Hero." The young man's gaze narrowed at Izuku slightly, though not maliciously. "So if YOU are connected to the Number One Hero, All Might, in some way… that would mean I have more of a reason to beat you."

…..

Further inside the stadium, meanwhile, the aforementioned Number Two Hero of Japan was currently skulking his way down the stairway, seeing no need to wait up in the stands if this break was going to be extended by a whole hour. Better to not waste his time. As he made it down a flight and was about to start down a second one… a familiar and very vexing voice piped up behind him. "Yo." Endeavor stepped, immediately feeling his ire being raised. "Long time, no see. Let's catch up, Endeavor."

"…All Might." The redheaded man snapped his head around, glaring at the Symbol of Peace as his flames flared up around his head and collar. "It hasn't been THAT long."

"Well, fair point." All Might agreed. "But in all honesty, our meeting at… THAT place didn't really feel like a cordial affair." He extended a hand toward him. "Besides, it still feels like I haven't properly spoken to you in over a decade since that Hero Council meeting. I saw that you were here, so I thought I'd stop and say hi!"

Endeavor huffed, turning his head back away from All Might. "Did you, now? Well then, if that's all you wanted, we're done." He continued walking down the steps, grumbling to himself; "Hmph, chatting like we're old friends. What a joke."

"AH-HAHAHA!" The Number One Hero let out one of his signature laughs as he vaulted right over Endeavor, twisting around in midair before landing with his back toward his fellow hero, his arms out at his sides. Endeavor stopped just as All Might spun around. "Come on, why the cold shoulder? You must be thrilled! After all, your son's doing very well out there using only half his power. You must be a great teacher!"

"…Are you implying something?" Endeavor sneered.

"No! I want to know your secrets!" All Might explained, his smile not faltering. "How do we train the next generation of heroes?"

If anything, that answer just aggravated Endeavor all the more. "Do you really think I'd tell you anything I've taught the boy? You're all flash and no brains as usual. Outta my way." With that, the redhead moved past All Might, making sure to firmly bump him in the arm along the way.

All Might's smile became just a tad bit nervous, but abided by Endeavor's wishes. "…Okay then."

Before he left, though, Endeavor stopped briefly, glancing at All Might over his shoulder. "Let me assure you of one thing, All Might. Whatever it takes, that kid of mine WILL beat you someday." He smirked in satisfaction. "I'll make sure of it. That IS why I made him, after all."

THAT was what caused All Might's smile to disappear. "…You did what?"

"He's in a rebellious phase right now, but he WILL take your place." Endeavor continued, ignoring All Might's question. "You can count on that."

The Symbol of Peace was then left alone, a chill having went through his body at Endeavors words. '…How ironic.'

"All Might!"

"Hm?" The blonde man perked his head up at the woman's voice calling out to him, only to realize that it was Arcee's holoform coming down the flight of stairs. Bulkhead and Bumblebee weren't far behind, either. "Ah-ha! I was wondering where you all were! Good to see that you've made it. Though I must say, I'm surprised that Optimus is only arriving NOW instead of accompanying you three."

The two male robots in disguise were taken aback by the news while Arcee didn't seem to notice. "Yeah, well, we weren't about to miss out on… wait, what?"

"Didn't you hear?" All Might's smile returned tenfold. "Optimus and a few of your other comrades have arrived!" He pulled his sleeve back to take a look at his watch. "They should be finding a parking spot any second now."

Bulkhead still wore an incredulous expression. "…Since WHEN?!"

Arcee's eyes flashed blue for a moment, her vision moving back to her robot optics for a moment to do a quick scan. Sure enough, she detected Prime, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Jazz within the area. Her eyes stopped shining and she folded her arms over her chest. "Hmph, since now, apparently. And they have the NERVE to not contact us about it?! Ugh… I hope at least Prime and Jazz have their holoforms ready."

"Oh, I'm sure they do." All Might waved off. "Otherwise, they wouldn't have come! Now, why don't you three go and find them? I'll meet up with you later."

"Well, if you insist." Bulkhead agreed, moving along with the rest of the Autobots. "We'll see ya around, All Might!"

All Might waved the trio off as they continued down the stairs. "Bye for now!" Once they were gone, though, his smile disappeared and he let go of his breath, reverting to his skinny form. With a thoughtful glare, Toshinori couldn't help but ponder on Eiji Todoroki's words. 'Endeavor… what the hell did you mean by "made him"?'

…..

Back down below, the exchange between Shoto and Izuku continued, all while Kyoka and Katsuki kept listening in. "My old man is ambitious, he aims for the top. He used his power to make a name for himself as a hero. But he was never able to beat All Might, so the Symbol of Peace is living proof of his failure." Shoto's eyes shifted to the side, watching as students made their way to the cafeteria. "He's still at it, though, trying to take down All Might. One way or another."

Izuku still wasn't too sure what Shoto was talking about, though. "I still don't really know what you're getting at. What're you trying to say, Todoroki?"

There was a long pause, the hesitancy on Shoto's face quite clear to Izuku. But, after a couple seconds, Shoto answered. "Have you ever heard of… Quirk Marriages?" The term made Izuku's eyes widen, which told the scarred boy all he needed to know. "They became a problem in the first few generations after superpowers became widespread. There were those who sought potential mates solely with the intention of creating powerful children."

'…Oh my god.' Kyoka thought to herself. She could tell that Bakugo's interest had been piqued as well, though he only spared a glance. 'Don't tell me…'

"Many people were forced into relationships. They were simply viewed as old-fashioned arranged marriages. But clearly, it was unethical." Shoto's gaze hardened as he clenched a fist against the wall he leaned against. "My father not only has a rich history of accomplishments, but plenty of money to throw at his problems. He bought my mother's relatives to get his hands on her Ice Quirk. And now… he's raising me to usurp All Might."

Izuku's mouth fell open in shock. '…No way. I knew Endeavor wasn't the most righteous of heroes, but… this?'

Kyoka, however, was thinking much more unsavory thoughts. 'That damned BASTARD! I KNEW I didn't like that asshole from the moment we met him for a reason!'

"It's so annoying." Shoto continued, keeping his head craned toward the floor. "I refuse to be a tool for that scumbag. In every memory of my mother, I can only see her crying." He raised a hand up, covering the red scar over his left eye. "I remember she called my left side unbearable, before she poured boiling water on my face." Hearing that, Kyoka and Izuku were left even more gutted, while Shoto simply looked back up at the latter. "The reason I picked a fight with you was to show my old man what I was capable of doing. Without having to rely on his damned Fire Quirk. You see, I'm going to show him that I reject his power, and I can take first place without using it."

In that moment, everything started to connect for both Izuku and Kyoka. It was obvious that Todoroki could see that Izuku had a connection to All Might. So if he could beat Izuku without using his fire, that would serve to get under Endeavor's skin A LOT. Still, both of them could see that this wasn't the healthiest way of dealing with that problem. 'The dude's probably mentally scarred BIG time from some of the crap Endeavor's put him through.' Kyoka thought to herself. 'He needs a psychiatrist, not a rival…'

"You're obviously connected to All Might, even if you won't tell me about it." Shoto concluded as he began to walk out into the sunlight, ending the conversation with reaffirmation of his goals. "But no matter how fiercely you come at me in the future, I will defeat you using only my right side. I can assure you of that."

Before he could get far, however, Izuku went after him, calling out; "Hey wait!" Shoto stopped peering over his shoulder at the greenette. Further back, Kyoka was particularly interested in what was happening. Izuku seemed to be making a move of his own. "I'm only here because others have supported me. I've been really lucky."

'Dude, come on, give yourself SOME credit.' Kyoka deadpanned.

"In fact, I've had even MORE help since I've come to U.A." Izuku's eyes went down to his hand, remembering all of the support that his friends, mentors and teachers had given him since he came to the school. His eyes filled with determination, he set his gaze straight to Todoroki. "All Might is constantly saving people with a fearless smile. He's the greatest hero, and I wanna be just like him. In order to do that, I need to be strong enough to become number one. I know my motivation might seem stupid compared to yours, but still, I can't lose this either. I owe it to everyone who's supported me to try my best!"

Kyoka's lips curled into a soft smile at that. 'Hm, well, as far as I'm concerned, I'd say that's a great motivation, Green Bean.' She heard Bakugo scoff across from her, which earned him a narrow-eyed glare. 'Even if SOME people don't like to think so.'

"You declared war on me earlier… well, right back at you." Izuku balled up a fist, raising it up as he and Todoroki locked eyes with one other. "I'm going to beat you, I promise you that."

There were a few seconds of silence after that before Shoto was about to walk off… but then, a new voice entered the conversation. "Ahem, I hope I'm not interrupting something important."

The two boys spun around and Izuku's eyebrows snapped up in surprise, and in her hiding place, Kyoka was also quite stunned at the familiar voice. She dared to peek around the corner, and sure enough, there he was. A tall, muscular Caucasian man who seemed to be in his early to mid-forties, with slicked back black hair that seemed to be greying along the sides. He had a bushy mustache and bright blue eyes, all while wearing a kind smile. He had on what could only be described as "Brawny Man Attire"; a red flannel shirt, worn blue jeans, and brown work boots. All he needed was a woodsman's axe and he'd be set for being a lumberjack. Kyoka couldn't believe he was here. '…You've gotta be kidding me.'

"Op—Orion!" Izuku caught himself before he said the wrong name. "O-Orion! What're you doing here?!"

"Hmhm, well, I certainly couldn't miss the final round, could I?" "Orion" replied as he walked up and gave Izuku a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. "Excellent work getting into the finals, by the way. You've done us all proud, Izuku, as have your friends."

Izuku rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Ah-haha… thanks."

"You are very welcome." Orion's eyes went for Shoto next, who seemed perplexed. "Ah, and you. You're the young man who's been in pursuit of my protégé's top spot, correct? I must say, you are quite talented. Shoto Todoroki, I believe your name was?"

Shoto wasn't too sure what to make of this man. He seemed American, that much was clear… or was he Canadian? He could swear he heard the tiniest bit of an accent, but he wasn't sure. Still, far be it from him to deny the man an answer. "Yes, I am." He bowed politely. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. …Wait, did you say that Midoriya is your protégé?"

"That's correct." Orion placed a firm hand on Izuku's shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "I've been helping him get a hang of his Quirk for the past few weeks. It hasn't been easy, though, that much is for sure."

"So… you're the reason that he can move so fast?"

"Oh, he can do MUCH more than that, Young Todoroki." Orion said with a knowing grin. "Trust me, you'll see what Izuku can do in the finals. But as for you, I will say that your skills are very impressive. I would like to extend a hand of invitation for you to learn under me as well, but… I have a feeling that your father wouldn't appreciate it."

Shoto's brow furrowed. "You know him?"

Orion's expression grew slightly distasteful. "We are… acquaintances. I know him well enough to know that he does not like people interfering with his personal life, and I'm sure that involves you in some capacity."

"Hmph, well, as far as I'm concerned, he probably shouldn't MAKE me so personal." Todoroki briefly bowed his head again before turning on his heel to make his way to the cafeteria. "It was good to meet you, sir. If you'll please excuse me." In his head, though, Shoto was beginning to question a few things with this man's presence. 'Wait… IS Midoriya connected to All Might, then? If THIS guy is his mentor, then why do I keep seeing him with All Might all the time around school? Does he have TWO mentors? Is one his dad while the OTHER is his mentor? Does he have TWO dads?!' His eye began to twitch a bit as the information practically overflowed in his brain. 'Augh, this is too frustrating.'

Izuku simply watched as Shoto skulked off, leaving him and "Orion" with one another. "Hah, well, that went much better than I expected."

"I take it that you and he just finished with a rather serious conversation?" the disguised Autobot leader guessed.

"Y-Yeah, you could say that…"

"Now THAT'S an understatement."

"AH!" Izuku yelped and whirled around, only to see Kyoka smirking behind him. "Kyoka?! Seriously?!"

The girl snickered at her best friend's usual jumpiness, only to give him a nudge with her elbow. "Ah, c'mon Celery Stick. You know you like it when I spook ya. Keeps ya on your toes, am I right?"

Izuku gave a heavy sigh, slumping his shoulders. "I swear, you're gonna be the death of me." If anything, that just made Kyoka burst out laughing, though Izuku's demeanor turned serious when he realized what Kyoka had said. "W-Wait… how much of that conversation did you hear?" The punk rocker abruptly stopped laughing, sending him an apologetic gaze as she pointed to her Earphone Jacks. "…Everything, right."

"Sorry." Kyoka lowered her head shamefully. "At first I only wanted to find out where Todoroki had carted you off too, but… well, I was pretty shocked at what he had to say. I-I couldn't stop myself from listening in."

With an understanding smile, Izuku nudged her back. "Hey, I get it. Trust me, I was pretty shocked to hear all of that, too. I don't blame you for wanting to listen… j-just so long as we don't go blabbing about this to everybody."

"Oh, no, trust me, that secret is safe." Kyoka assured. "…It's probably not a good IDEA to keep it secret, but I've got a feeling that Endeavor would probably seek us out if his son's story got leaked. Then WE'D be the ones he throws money at… in court."

Optimus hummed in contemplation, placing a hand to his chin. "It is quite a conundrum. Endeavor would surely take action against us if this were brought to light… though I'm not sure that young Shoto himself would appreciate us telling it either." He received a pair of incredulous stares from the teens, which made him realize he had confessed to hearing the secret as well. "Oh, right, my apologies. I overheard it as well."

Izuku threw his head back, covering his eyes. "Ugh, is there anyone who WASN'T listening in?"

"…Bakugo was." Kyoka admitted, making Izuku's eyes bulge out of his head. "He was across the hall from me. I didn't wanna risk starting something and revealing where we were, so… yeah."

The One for All inheritor gave a sigh, trying to calm down. "Alright, okay… I don't think we have to worry about Kacchan telling anyone either." He received a questioning look from Kyoka at that. "Think about it, what's Kacchan's usual demeanor?"

"…Apathetic?"

"Right, so he probably won't care about it either way."

Optimus was rather surprised by that answer, but considering all that he had heard about young Katsuki Bakugo, it certainly made sense. "Well, if that is the case, then I think it's time we move on from this topic. After all, we would not want prying eyes and ears hearing us talking about this out in the open." The two teens nodded up to him as they all began walking toward the cafeteria. "Now come, I told Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Strongarm and Jazz to meet Arcee and the others at the main building."

That made the duo do a double take. "Huh, wow, I guess you guys meant it when you said you'd probably stop by later." Kyoka mused.

"Do you have seats for the show?" Izuku asked.

A small grin came to the Prime's human features. "Oh, I think you'll find that we have some rather good seats thanks to Principal Nezu. He spared no expense in getting us some prime spaces." Izuku and Kyoka stared at Optimus in silence as they walked the rest of the way, coming to terms with the fact that the leader of the Autobots just made a pun.

…..

The moment they made it to Lunch Rush's cafeteria, Optimus separated from the duo so that they may retrieve their food of choice. Which they were incredibly thankfully for, since the first two rounds had left them considerably hungry. Once their trays were filled with their chosen meals, they quickly set off in search for their friends… but not before someone tried making conversation with them. "Hey, Midoriya and Jiro, right? The first-place champs!" The two turned their heads, only to be left put off by the presence of one Hitoshi Shinso, his tired gaze and conniving smirk boring into them. "Congrats on keeping your top spot. Can't say for certain if you'll win the whole thing or not, though…"

Kyoka's gaze hardened while Izuku seemed a bit more hesitant to answer, but they both began to speak nonetheless. …Or rather, they WOULD have spoken if a hand hadn't clamped over Kyoka's mouth, while a large, muscley tail covered Izuku's. To their immediate left and right, they saw Ojiro and Ochako, the two glaring directly at Shinso. "Hold it right there." Ojiro warned.

"Not one word, Kyoka." Ochako said as well, her eyes never leaving Shinso.

"Hm… so that's how it is." Shinso closed his eyes as he began walking off. "Well then, I guess I'll just speak to you when we get to the second round. See you later… teammates."

Once he was gone, Ochako and Ojiro let go of Izuku and Kyoka, sighing in relief. "Phew, that was close—"

But Kyoka spun around to the brunette, wearing an incredulous stare. "Ochako, what the heck?! I was about to give him SUCH a verbal rundown! You know how good I am at that!"

Ochako's brow furrowed at her friend with utmost importance. "Kyoka, I know, and I'm sorry. But believe me when I say that it is dangerous to talk to him."

"Yeah, you guys nearly became his puppets." Ojiro affirmed.

But the green and purple duo were still left confused. "W-Woah, guys, hold on." Izuku raised a hand. "What exactly is—"

"It's better if we explain it to you at our table." Ochako insisted, waving the two over to follow her. "Come on, this way." She led them straight out of the cafeteria and into the courtyard outside, where there were several large tables had been set up to accommodate the large number of people. However, one of those tables were entirely taken up by a certain group of 1-A Students… and their Autobot comrades.

Sitting at the table, Tenya, Momo, Mina, Eijiro, Denki and Mei were already sitting and chatting, with the surprising addition of Kaida being there as well. Along with them, they also saw Optimus, Bumblebee, Arcee, Bulkhead, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Strongarm's holoforms as well. Sideswipe, or "Sid" as he had taken to calling himself in his human form, noticed their approach and waved them over. "Hey, hey! The gang's all here!"

"'Bout time, too." Sunstreaker, or "Sonny" added. "We were wondering what was holding you guys up!"

"Hey, we had to get lunch, sue us." Kyoka deadpanned, only to notice a new guy there as well… though she could pretty easily guess who it was. The blue shades gave it away, but so did the man's rather cool demeanor and white, zip-up, hooded jacket with blue and red striping down the arms. He was African American and wore black jeans with white sneakers, his black hair styled into long dreads that were tied back into a ponytail. Kyoka smiled at her friend's rather fitting appearance. "Well, I gotta say, that is quite the fit."

With a wry smile, Jazz lifted the collar of his jacket to show it off. "What can I say? Yo' boy Jeff knows how to make a fit work, Kyo."

Kyoka and Izuku sat down next to him, the punk rocker raising an eyebrow at him as she whispered; "…Jeff? Really?"

"Yeah, as in "DJ Jazzy Jeff"." The lieutenant clarified. "I found 'im when I was searchin' up human names, and DAMN was he a good artist. He an' that Will guy made some magic, an' I'll die on that hill."

The girl gave a nod, not even hesitating to agree. "Now that, I cannot deny." She set her gaze across the table to Kaida, who had glanced up from her meal after they had arrived. "So, Kaida, I take it that you've been introduced to… erm… the gang?"

The Sauro-Parts user gave a short laugh. "Ha, yeah, sure have. Iida was kind enough to give me the rundown of all your friends here. Gotta say, I've been wondering where you guys have been going after school every day for the past couple of weeks, but… I have to admit, I didn't think you were being mentored by all of THESE guys."

Ojiro sat down near the green-haired boy, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, no kidding. To be honest—and please don't take this the wrong way, Midoriya—but… I honestly didn't expect you to have so many friends, both in AND out of school." Izuku merely blinked at the tailed boy's statement, though it was evident that Kyoka took more issue with it than he did. Ojiro raised his hands and quickly explained; "I-I mean, it's cool, don't get me wrong. But considering how you were at the start of the semester, I thought you'd be more of…"

"An introverted type?" Izuku guessed, putting on an understanding smile. "Y-Yeah, I actually kind of am, honestly…" He scanned his eyes across the table, making sure he met the eyes of human and Autobot alike. "Brian" in particular sent him a thumbs up. "But a lot of that changed when I came to U.A., really. I used to be a bit of an outcast in middle school, but since coming here, I've come across a ton of nice people. It's almost night and day in comparison."

"Sadie" bowed her head to Izuku from across the table. "And we're incredibly honored to be your friends, Izuku."

Tenya stood up and raised his hand. "Indeed! Quite happily so, Midoriya." He reached across the table to shake his friend's hand. "And once again, congratulations on your performance so far in the festival. You've proven to be a worthy adversary."

"Aw, thanks, Iida." Izuku shook his hand, though he made sure to nudge his head toward Kyoka. "Though I've gotta give credit where it's due, I wouldn't have made it this far if it wasn't for Kyoka. Her quick decision making is part of what got us where we are."

Kyoka's cheeks heated up at his words, the punk rocker twirling one of her jacks around her finger. "Oh, come on, it's not THAT big of a deal. I-I've just been doing what comes naturally to me. Heat of the moment-type stuff, you know?"

"I wouldn't sell yourself short there, Kyo." Jeff waved off. "You an' Izuku over there have got a really good tandem goin' on. I can't wait to see what you guys do in the final round."

The teenagers all shared a somewhat awkward look before Tenya cleared his throat. "Ahem, yes, well, about that…"

"Jiro and Midoriya can't really keep their teamwork going in the last round." Mina finished.

The Autobots at the table all seemed incredibly stunned by that revelation, with "Buck" being the one to ask; "What? Why not, Mina?"

"'Cause the last round is a one-on-one tournament." Eijiro explained. "It always is."

"The top sixteen get put into brackets and duel one another until the final two meet in the last round, where the definitive winner of the Sports Festival will be decided." Mei said as she continued to tinker with her jetpack, dumping out sand as she did. "It's like that every year, but the form of contest always changes."

"For example, last year was a foam sword competition." Denki added, placing hand to his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder what THIS year's gonna be like…"

Strongarm, or rather, "Stella Armstrong", gave a short chuckle at the sound of that. "Heh, well it's a good thing that we trained your Quirks into exemplary form over the past two weeks, then." She gave Iida a thumbs up of her own. "But don't worry, no matter where you guys end up placing, I know that you'll all be able to make a lasting impression. Just do your best and we'll all be rooting for you!"

"I could not have said it any better myself." Orion concurred, him being the only one standing.

Izuku nodded as well, though his gaze grew curious as he craned his head toward Ojiro and Ochako again. "So, um… why didn't you guys want us talking to Shinso?"

Kyoka's brow furrowed at the two as well. "Yeah, I was about to give that guy a piece of my mind. Not gonna lie, he kinda deserves it for… whatever he put you through."

The blonde and brunette's eyes shifted over to Momo and Kaida, the four of them having talking things over prior to everyone's arrival. "…That's actually a fairly major concern, guys." Momo explained, catching Kyoka and Izuku's attention. "If he tried to speak to you, it'd be a major problem if you guys HAD responded to him."

"We got a feeling that's how he activates his Quirk." Kaida added, sneering in displeasure. "The dude talks to you, and the second you reply, your mind is puddy in his hands."

The duo's eyes widened at the revelation. "Woah, so wait, he's a brainwasher?" Izuku gaped in astonishment.

"Damn, I didn't expect someone with his kind of Quirk to be at U.A." Kyoka admitted. "Usually, a Quirk like that would lend itself more toward… well, being a villain, if I'm being blunt."

Orion hummed in contemplation. "Hmm, indeed, it is quite puzzling." He set his gaze upon his Autobots, who all returned in kind. "We have had our share of encounters with brainwashers before, and very few of them have been on our side."

"There was this one… villain that we come across." Buck continued, being careful to choose his words correctly. "His name was Bombshell, and he had the ability to create these little things called "Neuroshells" that attached to your head and took control of your neurological functions. He'd control heroes and civilians like puppets to do his and his team's dirty work."

Izuku swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry. "Woah, that's crazy…" His eyes went straight back to Ojiro and Ochako. "Could we even beat something like that if any one of us ends up facing him?"

Ochako pursed her lips at that. "I'm not so sure… but the best way we could counteract that is by not giving him the chance." She pointed a finger toward her head for emphasis. "He didn't get into my head until I answered a question he asked me before the second round. I think that's the secret behind his power."

"Hmph, so we'll have to be careful not to say anything, or else we'll lose for sure." Kyoka concluded.

"Not necessarily." Ojiro shook his head. "Even if he gets you, there's still a chance. "His expression hardened as he recalled the vague memory. "For round two, I don't remember anything at all except the very end of the battle. I think we were running away after Shinso took Tetsutetsu's headbands." He closed his eyes, trying to remember everything as clearly as he could. "I bumped into someone else, and the brief impact was enough to jolt me awake somehow. I was me again, and I was suddenly able to think clearly."

Momo tapped her chin at the information. "Hm, so the bump broke his hold over you?"

"Maybe, it's only a guess." Ojiro admitted, closing his hand into a fist. "I still don't know how much of a shock it would take to break his spell. And in a one-on-one match, you can't count on an outside force intervening to help." He wore a sheepish smile as he rubbed his neck. "Anyway, I hope that helps, because that's all I know."

"Oh, it's more than helpful." Izuku assured. "Thank you very much."

Kyoka gave him an approving nod. "Yeah, you're a cool dude, Ojiro. Thanks again." She pointed at him with a wink. "And hey, if you get lucky and end up facing him in the tournament, you can always use your own strategy against him, right?"

"Hah… yeah, I guess." Ojiro's eyes shifted awkwardly down to his plate of food, feeling uncertain about proceeding to the final round at all. '…I know what I have to do, then.'

Eijiro suddenly piped up again. "Well, either way, I'm SUPER pumped for the final round." He clenched his hands with a big, eager grin. "I watch these finals every year, and now I'm ACTUALLY in them!" He went to stand up from his seat, pumping his fist into the air. "Time for us to show what we're made of—OOF!"

Without missing a beat, Sid stood up and put his arm over Eijiro's head, bonking him and bringing him back down into his seat. "Alright, dude, let's not get TOO pumped up. I know you're excited, but remember to save some of that energy for the tournament itself."

"Heh, right, sorry…"

"Wow! Aren't you all just balls of energy today?" The sound of another female voice caught the group off-guard, bringing their attention toward the right side of their table. The kids and Autobots had to do a double take at who was standing just five feet away, none of them expecting to see THEM of all people there. "Hey guys!" Merissa greeted, with Burns standing next to her, supporting himself with a crutch.

"How's it goin', everyone?" Jacob greeted as well.

"Agent Fairborne?" Orion said, the commander also quite surprised. "Agent Burns? What brings the two of you here?"

Merissa bobbed her head to the side with a bright smile. "Oh, we both just wanted to see the kids in action, just like you!" She placed a hand to her chest. "Though to be completely truthful, I'm actually here to provide some help for my old medical school teacher, Recovery Girl." Merissa glanced down to Izuku in particular. "After all, if we get an influx of students HURTING themselves in this tournament, we wanna make sure they're back in tip-top shape by the time it ends, right?"

Izuku felt a bead of sweat trick down his face, knowing exactly what Merissa was trying to tell him; "Don't recklessly break your bones, kid". He gave her a curt nod as he returned to his meal. "Y-Yeah… right."

"Yo, Burns, how's your leg?" Kyoka asked, eyeing the cast that covered the appendage. "Looks pretty bad…"

"Oh, no need to worry, Kyoka." Jacob assured with a wave. "This is only temporary. By tomorrow, I should be back on my feet." He nudged his head over to Merissa. "But hey, doctor's orders, and she's dragging me with her today to make sure I follow 'em to the letter." He took a quick glance around the area before hobbling over to Orion, whispering; "But uh, Prime, you sure it's a good idea for you to be here? What if… you know who tries anything?"

But Optimus shook his head. "I doubt they will, Agent Burns. If their orders are as strict as I believe, then they wouldn't risk exposing themselves with all the media coverage of this event. The whole world would know about us, and that isn't what Meg wants right now."

Burns had to hold back a snicker at Optimus referring to Megatron as "Meg", but that was the codeword they had decided on. "Hmph, right. Well, here's hoping it stays that way."

As the two talked, though, Kaida couldn't help but share a smile with everyone at the table. "Man, you guys certainly do have a lot of friends. You'll have to introduce me to everyone fully when we get the chance." Kaida didn't notice as she went back to her bowl of rice, but the others all wore rather nervous smiles at that. "Man, if any more surprises come up, it might be too much for me to handle."

"Oh really? You sure you can't handle at least ONE more surprise?" The sound of yet another new voice took everyone off guard… though none more so than Kaida. The grey-skinned girl's mouth hung open as her grip loosened on her chopsticks, the wooden utensils falling to the table as she slowly put her bowl down.

"No…" Kaida abruptly stood up and whirled around, making everyone at the table gasp. "It can't be—AH!" A gasp escaped her throat at the sight of the person before her, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

There, standing about ten feet away from the table, was a young man who seemed to be in his early twenties. He had an athletic build to him, and his skin was tanned by the sun. He had shaggy black hair that went down to the nape of his neck and his attire consisted of fur pelts, which lower torso and thighs, as well as his forearms. He wore sandals on his feet, and his white armor on his upper torso was molded to resemble bone. His right shoulder pad in particular resembled a mammoth skull, complete with tusks, and he wore a helmet that looked like a Smilodon skull. He gave Kaida a knowing wink. "Well? I told ya I would be here, didn't I?"

The others were left confused as to who this was, all while Kaida seemed like she was ready to break down in tears. "Uh… Kiryu?" Izuku asked. "Who is—"

"ANIKI!" Kaida exclaimed as she bolted toward the man, enveloping him in a big hug. "You came! Oh my god, you really came!"

Everyone at the table was left stunned by what she said, though the Autobots were still a bit confused. "Wait, Aniki?" Sonny asked. "Is that his name?"

"No…" Mina muttered. "Aniki is a Japanese word. It means…"

All of the 1-A Students at the table echoed one another as the revelation hit them; "HE'S HER OLDER BROTHER?!"

The man gave a laugh as his hug on his little sister loosened, giving the students and adults a salute as Kaida turned her head back around. "Haha! Yep, sure am! The Pleistocene Hero, Ice Age, is at your service!"

…..

A/N: And the surprises just keep racking up! Not only did we get Optimus Prime AND Jazz's holoform debuts, but the revelation that Kaida has an OLDER BROTHER! And judging by his name, it seems like he must share a similar motif to her; Fossils! …But from the Ice Age, obviously. We'll get to learn a bit more about him and Kaida's relationship in the next chapter though, because again, had to cut this one a bit short to make this post. But still, I think this is a good point to leave off on. Oh, and yeah, Merissa and Burns have made it to the show, too! Man, the kids are gonna have a LOT of support in their corner.

Also, yes, Optimus' human identity, "Orion", is appearance-wise based heavily on a younger version of Peter Cullen. I mean, how could it NOT be, right? Right down to the fact that Peter's Canadian with the slightest hint of an accent.

But, as for the rest of the chapter, it's pretty much the standard fair of what goes down at the Sports Festival, though certain events have been moved. Ojiro gives his warning to Izuku and the others about Shinso BEFORE the final round starts here, mainly because now, Ochako has been affected by the brainwashing as well, so now the matter's a bit more public. But of course, there's also the much BIGGER revelation of Shoto's rather harrowing backstory. And, can I just say… it's kind of surreal going back and experiencing all of THAT from the early days of MHA while knowing what we do NOW about Shoto and Endeavor's family drama? It's like… holy crap, there's a WHOLE lot more going on there, that's for sure. Still, with both Bakugo AND Kyoka in the know about it, how's that going to affect things going further into the story? Well, we'll just have to wait to find out. Because now…

And now, the Preview! After a formal introduction to Kaida's brother and doing a bit of last-minute preparations, it's finally time for the Final Round to get underway! …Unfortunately, it seems fate has it out for Izuku as HE gets paired up with Shinso for his first match. How will the One for All inheritor handle this? …Well, you guys know already, but it's called anticipation, dang it! Next time; Ready? Fight! Midoriya's gonna be seeing GHOSTS in the next chapter! Thanks for reading everyone, and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays wherever you're at! Of course, stay safe out there, and remember;

GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!