A/N: Morning, everybody! Welcome back to Transformers MHA and the FINALE of the Sports Festival! I was kinda worried that I wouldn't be able to fit it all into this one chapter, but thankfully, I proved myself wrong. Before we get started though… I just want to address how freaking HAPPY I am with how many people got the Revice Mammoth Genome reference I snuck in the last chapter with Kentaro. Kamen Rider Revice is probably my favorite Reiwa Era Rider series (so far) and I'm just so jazzed that a lot of people knew what I was referencing. Don't expect the Revice references to end there with Kentaro (or Kaida) either, because there's PLENTY of Genomes he shares transformations with.

But, with the fluff out of the way, let's begin, shall we? This is…

Chapter 34: Sports Festival Finale! Midoriya vs Bakugo

…..

Starscream had to admit, the last battle before the finals had proven to be quite… interesting, for lack of a better term. Granted, considering that the young human known as Bakugo was one of the contenders, that wasn't much of a surprise. However, it was his opponent who ended up piquing his interest… and subsequently rattling him quite a bit. The girl known as Kaida Kiryu, in a fit of rage that even Blastwave would be impressed by—if he was awake—had transformed into a massive, tri-horned beast that immediately gave chase after Bakugo… and subsequently stumbled out of the ring.

But even then, the animal had kept her pursuit up, making Bakugo and the other two teachers run for their lives. And if that weren't enough, another, much larger and hairier beast had took to the field as well, stopping Kaida by scooping it up in its trunks and tossing her around. Much to the confusion of every Decepticon there, the hairy animal then soothed the savage Kaida along with Todoroki for some reason, resulting in her changing back to normal. The trunked beast then changed into a man and carried Kaida to the back, leaving the Cons at a loss for words.

"Well… that happened." Frenzy finally said something.

"Mein gott, it vas quite ze sequence of events, zat is for certain." Flatline affirmed. "Whatever zat girl's power is, it has proven to be very potent."

Nightra clicked her metal tongue and shook her head. "Tsk, shame she lost, though. I was actually kinda rooting for the chica. She's a powerhouse."

Shadowstriker was quick to agree. "Oui, though I cannot help but feel zat her form is… a little familiar."

"Yes, I feel as if I've seen it before as well." Starscream echoed, his optics trailing up to Megatron on the opposite screen. "Lord Megatron, if I'm remembering right, you had tasked Shockwave with experimenting on the Lightning Strike Coalition Force in order to give them new, bestial alternate forms, correct? I believe that one was specifically given to Slug, if I recall correctly."

Megatron nodded. "Indeed, Starscream. I realized it the moment she transformed…" He leaned forward in his seat, resting his hand on his hands in thought. "Unless I am mistaken, it would seem that this planet is the exact same one from which Shockwave derived beast forms that he bequeathed unto Grimlock and his team…" He narrowed his optics in suspicion. "Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

"Or perhaps it is not." Unicronus suggested. "After all, given that there are apparently Cybertronian relics on this planet, it's safe to assume that the Earth has been tied to Cybertronian activity for a long while now."

"Hm… what significance could this planet have to us, I wonder?" Megatron pondered to himself before shaking his head. "Hmph, no matter. Until we find evidence to the contrary, it is safer to not assume anything."

"I'm all for that, Lord Megatron." Skywarp voiced his opinion before giving a smirk. "But man, NOW things are finally kicking up a few notches. First that incredibly icy-hot duel between Midoriya and Todoroki, then the monstrous rampage that Kiryu took to Bakugo." The Seeker glanced up to the screen, seeing the match graphic for Bakugo vs. Midoriya. "And now, it all comes down to this."

"Boom Boy battles Bone Breaker." Swift quipped, proud of her alliteration. "Bet it'll be a big blast!"

Thundercracker folded his arms, anticipating the fight to come. "I'm eager to see how this goes, too. From what I can tell, I think these two have been gunning for each other since the start… or at least Bakugo's been gunning for the top spot."

Barricade gave a hollow chuckle. "Heh, well, no matter who wins, this match is gonna be a blood bath, no question."

Megatron leaned back in his chair, awaiting the match to start. "Indeed. I believe this young Bakugo to be quite the destructive force… let us see if he's able to make due on the promise he made at the beginning."

…..

"…And that's pretty much the whole story." Kaida took a deep breath after divulging what had happened out on the battlefield, feeling a little better after doing so. Of course, her story had gotten the reaction that she was expecting from the teachers; stunned silence. She couldn't blame them, honestly, especially considering the subject matter. "I know, it's a lot to take in, but it's true. Bakugo… to be quite frank, he's not hero material, at least not in my eyes."

"I see… this is most troubling indeed." Nezu brought a paw up to his face, keeping his grin despite the severity of the news. "But, Miss Kiryu, you really should have come to see us when this whole thing started. If you had, we would've been able to help much faster."

Kaida bowed her head apologetically. "I'm sorry! I've… never been very good at asking others for help."

"Understatement of the CENTURY." Kentaro muttered, only for Shoto to elbow him in the ribs. "Oof! Hey, just sayin'!"

"Whatever the case, this IS very serious." All Might continued, the Number One hero maintaining his own smile albeit with a serious edge in his features. He extended a hand to Kaida and Izuku. "From what you've told us, Young Bakugo may be experiencing a clear case of sociopathic behavior. Being aggressively passionate is one thing, but looking down on everyone around you, including your own classmates, is a much heftier situation." He eyed Izuku in particular, the greenette shrinking under his gaze. "And you, Young Midoriya… you said you were a frequent target of this back in middle school?"

Izuku swallowed hard, feeling absolutely horrible for keeping a secret from the one person he venerated the most in life. "Y… Yes, it's true." He hung his head in shame. "I've been on the receiving end of his bullying since we were in Kindergarten, actually."

That served to make All Might's jaw drop. "Young Midoriya… why did you not tell me this sooner?"

"And to add to that, how did no teachers notice it sooner?" Orion furthered.

"W-Well, it wasn't AS bad when we were in Kindergarten or Grade School." Izuku explained. "Teachers would be quick to catch him… at least while we were on school grounds. The local playground was mostly fair game." He winced a little before moving on. "But… when we were in Aldera Junior High…"

Aizawa immediately answered that; "The teachers allowed it to happen. They turned a blind eye to it because of Bakugo's talent, didn't they?"

A collective gasp ran through almost the whole nurse's office. "What?! That's nuts!" Merissa shouted.

"Why would they do such a thing?" Orion questioned, wearing a grave and frankly perturbed expression. "Especially since Young Izuku was thought to be Quirkless at the time? What would have to be going through their minds to leave a defenseless child alone in such a manner?"

The Erasure Hero let out a despondent sigh, having seen this situation too many times to count. "Unfortunately, it all boils down to reputation." Everyone remained deathly silent as Aizawa explained. "Whenever a high-caliber, well-talented student such as Bakugo enters middle school, often those schools will go out of their way to make sure that student receives absolutely no blemishes on their records in order for them to get into a good Hero School, predominantly U.A."

"Indeed, it is quite troubling to see unfold." Nezu nodded, his grin belying his grave tone. "I've seen several schools be forced to shut down for such activity, many incidents of which I've reported personally. Bullying, embezzlement, extortion, I have witnessed several students get away with many things simply because they know they're talented enough that the school will let it slide, just so their reputation can increase."

All Might balled his fist in frustration. "It's a corruptive system that makes me ill to think about. These teachers and faculty members… they're no better than villains in these scenarios. Ironic, given the circumstances."

Shoto stepped forward, asking; "So, in cases like these, what do you normally do?"

Nezu raised his paw. "Well, as I've said, I report the case to the union and, more than likely, the school will be shut down. We simply cannot allow such a corruptive system to continue."

While that served to give Izuku mixed feelings, it was the other end of the problem that he was more concerned over. "A-And… what about Kacchan? Will you… expel him?"

"That depends on the severity of his actions." Nezu clarified. "If this were a true crime such as blackmail or the like, then yes, he would be. In the cases of bullying, however, a brief suspension is the more likely scenario."

Kaida slammed her hands down on her bed with a snarl. "That's IT?! He abuses the system for YEARS and all he gets is a week or two away from school?! That might as well be a slap on the wrist!"

In response, however, Aizawa closed his eyes and shook his head. "Miss Kiryu, that couldn't be farther from the truth." His eyes opened, and there seemed to be a mirthful glint in them. "See, while Bakugo won't be coming to school, he'll be experiencing some… unique rehabilitation. Of course, we'll be bringing in a psychiatrist, and he'll have several sessions with guidance counselor Hound Dog, but we'll also be bringing in several heroes to assist."

"Oh-ho, I'm certain that Gang Orca will be thrilled to have a new protégé." All Might said with a smirk. "Given how his last one turned out, I'm positive that Bakugo will be left with quite the impact made on him." He raised a finger to make a suggestion. "Oh, but if I may… perhaps Best Jeanist would be well suited to this form of rehabilitation as well? After all, he's been able to help several students in the past as well."

Izuku, Shoto and Kaida all stared at the teachers in shock. "Gang Orca… AND Best Jeanist?" the Quirk Inheritor muttered.

"Good god, Bakugo might be a whole different PERSON by the time he's back." Kaida muttered

"Not necessarily." Nezu wagged a finger. "Several students never really have THAT drastic of a change, but they do often come back having learned the values that we at U.A. find to be acceptable among the student body."

Aizawa clarified with; "Namely, that any villainous behavior is not to be tolerated."

Kaida let out a sigh and leaned back on her pillow. "Yeah, I guess that IS a good start, at least… but are you sure it's not too late to pull him out of the Festival?"

Her homeroom teacher raised a brow. "Well… we're already at the finals, so that'd prove to be problematic."

"The audience are expecting a grand, climactic battle for first place, after all." All Might pondered, tapping his chin. "But for the safety of Young Midoriya, perhaps it WOULD be best if we—"

"Please don't do that!" Izuku yelled, taking everybody aback. "Not when we're so close to the end!"

Everyone in the room had all eyes on him at that point, the adults especially shocked at his response. "Midoriya, what're you—" Aizawa started, only to get cut off.

"Listen, if you feel like you should suspend Kacchan for what he's done, then I can accept that, but the last thing I want is for him to be taken out of the Sports Festival." The conviction in Izuku's voice was heard by all, which only served to stun them even more. "I know that doesn't make much sense coming form me since I'm one of his victims… but I genuinely believe that Kacchan DOES have what it takes to be a good hero. His ideals may not be skewed toward traditional heroism, but the fact that he NEVER gives up despite the odds is something that I… admittedly admire about him."

Shoto and Kaida were awestruck by what Izuku was saying, the latter letting out a breath of disbelief. "Hah… Midoriya… I'm pretty sure you CAN'T mean that—"

"I do." Izuku pressed firmly furrowing his brow at Kaida. "Kiryu, I appreciate you wanting to look out for me, but I've known Kacchan since we were toddlers. I know him better than anyone here, and while he has his vices, he's also not completely hopeless. We HAVE to believe that a person can change for the better… otherwise, we can't call ourselves "heroes", can we?"

While everyone else was still left utterly silent… All Might and Orion were beaming with pride, the Pro Hero even sniffling as he rubbed a finger beneath his nose. "Snf! Th-That's EXACTLY what I would hope to hear from you, Young Midoriya! You're absolutely right, we MUST believe that Young Bakugo can learn to become a great hero AND a better person at U.A., otherwise we've failed already."

Orion nodded as well. "Indeed. I believe Young Izuku is right on the money." He eyed Aizawa and Nezu with a serious gaze. "Moreover, I believe it would be best to be careful in handling Young Bakugo's situation. I once had a friend whose vices took hold of him and dragged him down the path of villainy, and the same could happen to Bakugo should he give in to his darker inhibitions."

All Might craned his head down toward Principal Nezu, giving a thumbs up. "Nezu, sir, I propose we leave Bakugo in the competition. Whether he wins or Midoriya wins, in the end, your plans with him will be the same, correct?"

Nezu was quick to agree. "Indeed, I'm very much all for the idea."

"…I suppose it'll be alright." Aizawa muttered. "Though be warned; I won't go easy on Bakugo once the Festival is over, even after his suspension. If he wants to be a hero, then he'll have to prove it to remain in U.A." His sights zeroed in on Izuku. "Am I clear? Any thing else like this happens, he's out."

"I understand, Mr. Aizawa." Izuku sighed.

"Good, now I suggest you get ready." The homeroom teacher pointed over to the TV, where Cementoss was just finishing the repairs to the battlefield. "Your match will be starting soon."

Kaida leaned forward, sending her own serious gaze toward her green-haired friend. "Midoriya… I can only hope you're right about Bakugo. I might not be a big fan of the choice you're making here, but all the same…" She cracked a smile and gave him a wink. "Good luck, and beat his ass real good."

Shoto reached a fist out to his new friend. "My sentiments exactly. Win this, Midoriya, for all of us."

Izuku reciprocated with a fistbump. "I'll do my best…"

"Wait, Izuku, before you go…" Merissa pointed down toward his hands. "A word of warning; you've already broken your hands quite a few times today. Your right hand in particular is pretty banged up." She locked eyes with him, making sure he was paying attention. "My Quirk might be powerful, but it becomes less and less effective the more I have to heal the same body part multiple times in a short amount of time. You break that hand again, it could leave a permanent mark."

The news took Izuku aback for a moment, letting that settle in as he directed his sights down to his hand. 'Permanent, eh?' After a few seconds' contemplation, Izuku balled his fist in determination, his eyes filled with the same feeling. "…Whatever it takes to win, Agent Fairborne."

"Hm, I see…" Merissa's lips curled into a smirk, closing her eyes. "Heh, well, I suppose there's no stopping you there. Just… prepare for surgery if needed."

"Gotcha." Izuku took a deep breath and went straight for the door, looking back once more to everyone with a bright smile. "Well, off I go. I'll catch you guys later." With one last farewell, Izuku left the room, shut the door behind him… and was immediately met with someone crashing into him. "AAH!"

"AH! Shoot!" A familiar voice said as they braced themselves against Izuku's chest. The greenette's eyes shot open, and his hunch was confirmed the moment he saw her face. "I-Izuku!"

"Kyoka?!" His hands moved up in concern, seeing the Earphone Jack user breathing hard and clearly in a hurry. "W-What're you doing down here? Shouldn't you be up in—"

But he didn't get to finish as Kyoka reached up and clung to his collar, hearing a panicked edge in her voice as she ordered; "That's not important, you've gotta come with me RIGHT now."

Izuku let himself be dragged by Kyoka a little bit, but was still utterly baffled by what was happening. "I-I don't understand, what's going—"

"Izuku… it's Iida." Kyoka said with a grave tone, her eyes filled with concern. "…More accurately, it's his brother. A villain got Ingenium." She saw an immediate change in Izuku's eyes at that moment, and before she knew it, Kyoka was the one being dragged behind him.

…..

Down in the lower corridors, Mei was pacing back and forth, impatiently waiting for Izuku and Kyoka to show up. She, along with every one of her other friends, had gone down there with Tenya almost immediately after he had gotten the news via a phone call from his mother. The Autobots had also accompanied them, concerned for the wellbeing of their friend's brother. Unfortunately for Mei, she didn't do well with such high-stress situations, and the waiting was killing her. 'Come on, Jackie, we don't have all—huh?' The sound of approaching footsteps were her salvation, and from around the corner, Izuku and Kyoka appeared. "THERE you guys are!"

The team's attention was instantly brought up to the duo, all of them relieved to see the greenette in particular. "Midoriya, good." Momo sighed. "I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it in time."

Izuku gave her a brief nod. "I wasn't about to waste time getting here after Kyoka told me…" His eyes searched the crowd before he saw his spectacled friend moving up to the front, appearing visibly shaken. "…Iida."

"Midoriya." Tenya breathed out, bowing his head in apology. "I know this is sudden, but… I have to leave now. As you might've heard, a villain got my older brother."

"I did hear." Izuku confirmed. "Ingenium, is… i-is he…"

"He is hurt, yes, but he is alive. …Aside from that, I don't know many details yet." Tenya explained, parts of his face twitching uncomfortably. "That's why I must go right away…" He took a deep breath and extended his hand to his friend. "But, I would be remiss not to wish you luck on the way out. You are so close to victory, Midoriya, so please, I ask that you do your best in the finals."

With a resolute stare, Izuku extended his hand to shake Tenya's. "I will… for the sake of everyone." He reached up and placed a firm hand on Tenya's shoulder. "And you… please, go see your brother."

Tenya bowed his head graciously. "I will, thank you."

Strongarm's holoform came up, giving Tenya a salute with a sympathetic gaze. "Permission to escort you to Hosu General Hospital, Tenya."

"W-What?" Tenya questioned. "Strongarm, the fastest way to get there is by train, you can't—"

"Ah-ah, correction;" Arcee spoke up. "Train USED to be the fastest way to get there. Now, we've got GroundBridges." She nudged her head toward Strongarm. "And besides, I'm pretty sure a police escort will get you there MUCH faster than any train."

Tenya pressed his lips together in uncertainty. "Strongarm… are you sure?"

The Autobot cadet placed a hand on Tenya's arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Sure as the day is long, partner. Let's get you to your brother."

"Alright then… let's go." With that, the duo turned down the hall and started walking off, giving one final wave to their comrades before rounding the next corner toward the exit.

After letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, Izuku slumped against the nearby wall, holding a hand to his forehead. "Man, first Kaida's situation and now this… this really isn't how I expected the end of the Sports Festival to go."

"W-Wait, what about Kaida?" Mina asked worriedly.

"Is she okay?" Ochako furthered. "After she transformed and went on that rampage, we've all been super concerned."

Izuku quickly help up his hands in reassurance. "O-Oh, please, don't worry, she's more than alright. …It's just…" Izuku sighed and lowered his arms, his gaze moving toward his red shoes with a frown adorning his lips. "…I think you guys should know something. Kaida and I were asked by Mr. Aizawa, All Might and Principal Nezu about what might've happened down there earlier and… well…"

"You fessed up, didn't you?" Kyoka guessed, taking him and everyone else off guard. "About Bakugo, right?" At her words, Bumblebee immediately knew what was going on, his holoform's expression becoming quite stern as well.

"Huh? Izuku, what're they talkin' about?" Bulkhead asked.

Denki tilted his head. "Yeah, what's the deal, Midoriya? Something bad happen?"

"Well…" Izuku scratched the back of his head. "…You could say that." From there, he proceeded to tell everyone about what had happened in the medical room, as well as his past experiences with Bakugo and how the ashen blonde's words were what made Kaida snap earlier. By the end, every Autobot and classmate there was left with their jaws hanging open and their eyes as wide as dinner plates, which was exactly what Izuku had expected. "And… that's pretty much it. Now, you guys know everything…"

"Oh… my god." Momo's hands covered her mouth. "Midoriya, how… how could you keep something like that bottled up for so long?"

Mei's eyes were darting in all directions, trying to make sense of all of that. "I… geez, Muscles. I-I had no idea you—"

BAM! "GRAAAH! DAMMIT!" Much to everyone's shock, Eijiro had hit the wall with his hardened fist, breaking a big hole into it as he channeled his anger. "I should've known! How the hell didn't I see it in the first place?! Bullying ain't mainly! To think I even tried making friends with that… that jackass!"

"K-Kirishima, please, don't beat yourself… or the wall… up over this!" Izuku went over, standing behind the spikey redhead as he put a hand to his shoulder. "In all honesty, I should've come clean about this sooner. I just… I-I didn't want to ruin Bakugo's opportunity—"

Without warning, Eijiro spun back around and met Izuku's eyes with a resolute glare. "Well why not, huh?! C'mon, Midoriya, you can't be serious about that! He's a bully."

Jazz curled his lips distastefully. "Yeah, I mean, what's to stop us from thinkin' that what he did to Ochako out there WAS done just because he wanted to be mean to someone—"

"Stop." Surprisingly enough, Ochako herself was the one to speak up about that, her brows furrowed at the Autobot lieutenant. "Jazz, I appreciate the concern, but I don't think that WAS Bakugo's intent at all. He wants everyone to give it their all against him so that he can prove that he's the strongest student here. Like he said at the start of the festival; he intends to win here, not bully people."

"Okay, so what about what happened with Kaida?" Arcee interjected. "He called her a freak of nature, didn't he?"

Izuku cringed at that. "Unfortunately, knowing Kacchan for as long as I have, he probably had no idea that would trigger her rage. He's not one to be known to choose his words, his mouth often says things before his brain thinks it through."

"So he's inconsiderate AND a bully." Denki deduced, folding his arms over his chest. "Honestly, that's not endearing us to him all that much."

"Yeah, not really your best argument, Izuku." Sunstreaker added.

The greenette raised his hands, trying to calm everything down. "Okay, okay, I get it, Kacchan IS a jerk… but I still think that there might be hope for him yet. He still wants to be a hero, that much I know is true." He winced as he admitted; "Yes, his ideals for what makes a hero ARE very skewed, but my hope is that being at U.A. will improve his outlook in that regard."

Kirishima folded his arms, not too convinced. "Oh yeah, and how do you think that can happen?"

"Well, having a friend COULD help..."

"…Really? After what you just told me?"

Izuku's shoulders slumped at that. "Krishima, out of everyone in class, I think he holds the MOST respect for you, and that's saying something. The fact that he remembers your name now only proves that."

Eijiro raised a brow. "And so you want me to keep trying to be friends with him?"

"Considering what I heard Aizawa's likely going to put him through… I think he might NEED a friend to get him through all that." The One for All inheritor recoiled at the thought. "Having both Gang Orca AND Best Jeanist helping him out won't make anything easier for him either. All I'm saying is… give him a chance, and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But please, I don't wanna just give up on him."

As much as Eijiro wanted to deny it… that situation DID sound pretty hellish, even for Bakugo. Three of the strictest Pros imaginable, and two were even in the Top Ten. "Grr… man, Midoriya… that's probably the manliest thing I've ever heard. The fact that you still wanna help Bakugo even after all the crap he put ya through… ah, what the heck?" He extended a hand toward the greenette. "I'll do my best, Midoriya. And… well, who knows? Maybe I can unearth some of Bakugo's better qualities."

"If he has any…" Kyoka muttered.

Izuku sighed as he shook the redhead's hand. "That's all I can ask for, thank you."

Sideswipe came over and put an arm over Eijiro's shoulders in support. "And hey, don't you worry either, Eiji." He jerked a proud thumb to his chest, wearing a confident grin. "You're old pal Sideswipe will be there to help ya along the way. I've been known to be a master at dealing with bullies."

Sunstreaker deadpanned at that. "You mean like how the Stunticons left you hanging on an oil rig by your rear fender and you cried yourself into stasis that one time?"

"IGNORING THAT." Sideswipe bit back before patting Eijiro on the back. "Point is, I've got your back on this one."

"Hah, thanks Sides." Eijiro fistbumped his partner. "I appreciate that."

Just then, Present Mic's voice could be heard blaring through the hallway, bringing everyone's attention toward the tunnel exit. "Alright, alright, alright! We've got a clean battlefield once again, so now, it's FINALLY TIME for the main event!"

At that, Izuku took a deep breath, smiling to his friends. "Well, it's time."

"Good luck, Muscles!" Mei gave him a thumbs up. "We're all rooting for you!"

Momo brought her fists up in determination. "Yes! Go out there and win this thing! We believe in you!"

"And hey…" Kyoka reached up and took a hold of Izuku's collar once again, wearing a smirk while winking at him. "Beat his ass once for me, okay?"

"Hah, I-I'll do my best." Izuku stammered, a little blush on his cheeks as he made his way out toward the field.

…..

The roar of the crowd was deafening as the final two competitors took to the raised cement platform, their eyes locking onto one another the second they entered each other's view. Bakugo's near-permanent scowl bored into Izuku, but the Quirk Inheritor wasn't about to let up on his own piercing glare. Not now. "WOO-HOO! Alright, it's time to PAR-TAY!" Present Mic exclaimed, spinning around in his seat before slamming his hands on his desk. "The moment that you've all been waiting for is finally here, folks! It's main event time! Ya know 'em, you love at least ONE of 'em! It's Izuku Midoriya versus Katsuki Bakugo!"

Izuku's glower deepened at his opponent. "So… it's come down to this."

"Hmph, I was hopin' it'd be you." Katsuki smirked. "Deku… I'm sure you've been itchin' for this just as much as I have."

The wielder of One for All closed his eyes calmly. "In truth… I never cared who I would face off with in the final round."

Bakugo blinked at that, recoiling slightly. "H-Huh? What?!"

"You heard me. I would've been happy with fighting against You, Kiryu, Yaoyorozu, Kirishima, Tetsutetsu, Ashido, even Kyoka or Uraraka." He opened his eyes, his resolute stare meeting Bakugo's shocked gaze. "No matter the opponent, I still would hope for a good, clean match. And I'd say "may the best student win", as well."

Katsuki sneered, scoffing as he turned his chin up to him. "Hmph! Ya might wanna choose those last words carefully, Deku. Cause that best student… is me. That's what I'm here to prove!"

Izuku lowered his head, knowing that would be one of his retorts. "…Of course, you'd say that. You always go on about how being the best is everything. To be honest, that's something I admire about you, Kacchan; the fact that you never give up." He raised a clenched fist and yelled straight at his childhood friend; "Well get this! I'm not about to give up either! But I'm going to prove that I'm strong in my OWN way!"

Once again, Bakugo seemed taken aback by his words. That was a level of conviction he hadn't heard from the nerd in… well, EVER, to be honest. 'What the hell's gotten into him? Does he know something that I don't?' He quickly shook his head to reset his thoughts. "Grr, whatever!" He pointed at his opponent. "Tell me, Deku, you remember our first training class a couple months back?! How you got that win over me?!" Katsuki widened his stance and clenched his fingers, small explosions beginning to dance across his hands. "Well, I hope you enjoyed that win, because today, you won't be getting anoth—"

"BATTLE, BEGIN!"

ZOOM! "H-Huh—ACK!" With impressive speed that took him by surprise, Bakugo was suddenly sucker punched right in the jaw by Izuku, the greenette having activated Full Cowling the second Present Mic gave the word. Katsuki never lost his footing, though he was very close. "Gah! W-What the hell?!"

"Didn't see that coming, huh?" Izuku dashed forward, bringing a fist back. "There's more where that came from!"

This time, however, Bakugo WAS ready. He aimed his hands at the ground and let loose a small blast that made him leap into the air, the small burst allowing him to dodge before bringing a hand forward. "You just got lucky, Deku!" BOOM!

"AGH!" Izuku was blown back several feet by the explosion, his gym jacket getting scorched and torn up in the process. Still, he wouldn't give in. Focusing back on Full Cowling, he began dashing around the arena in a zig-zag pattern, hoping it would be too erratic for Bakugo to follow. The second he closed in for a punch from behind, however, the ashen blond spun around and raised his hand. BOOM! "AH!" This time, Izuku was able to dodge by sliding… only to be met with a strong kick in the side.

"Not happenin'! Eat this!" Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom! With several sequential blasts, Bakugo sent a barrage toward Izuku, forcing the greenette to back off and raise his arms, shielding his face. Unfortunately, this also hindered his vision, meaning he didn't see the next move from his opponent. "DIE!" BOOM! With a strong swing, Bakugo blasted the battlefield, kicking up scorched debris that made Izuku go tumbling back.

"Wow-wee! Bakugo's got Midoriya on the backfoot!" Present Mic said in excitement. "Could this be where the most dominant force in the Sports Festival goes down for the count?!"

Bakugo was much less enthusiastic about this, however. "What's the matter, Deku?! You got some pretty powerful attacks, but you're not tryin' hard enough!" BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! He sent several more explosions at Izuku, only for the greenette to leap up through the smoke, going for a powerful punch… which Katsuki caught effortlessly. He reached out with his other hand, grabbing Izuku by his hair. "Are you underestimating me, you damn nerd?!" With an acrobatic flip, Bakugo flew over Izuku and used the momentum to toss him straight over his head and toward the other side of the field.

Izuku would have landed outside the boundary line, but he quickly collected himself and rolled into a crouch, using Full Cowling to rush back around toward Bakugo. 'Damn it, he's able to keep up. That sucker punch only made him more aware of what I can do…' Out the corner of his eye, Izuku could see Bakugo flying at him via explosions, so he ultimately decided to go for broke. "Well, here goes nothing!" He twisted himself around and, just as he expected, it was a right hook, and he caught it without fail before tossing Bakugo away.

…..

Back in the entry tunnel, the Autobots and their human companions watched with intense eyes as the two boys battled it out. They all remained deathly silent while the match went on, their concern for Izuku evident across their faces. However, they were so transfixed on the match that they didn't even notice their own leader approaching from behind. "Ah, there you all are." Prime greeted, making everyone jump.

"AAAH!" Sideswipe shrieked as he spun around, only to sigh the moment he saw Optimus. "Hah, Big Bot, it's just you! Don't spook us like that, please?"

Sunstreaker raised a brow at him. "Uh, YOU'RE the only one who screamed, Sideswipe."

"Yeah, still got nothing on Jazz's girly scream, though." Kyoka snickered.

Jazz pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes at the punk rocker. "Uh-huh, sure…" He shook his head and smiled up to his commander. "So, what's the haps, OP?"

"Well, I happened to run into Strongarm and Tenya on my way here." Optimus said solemnly, seeing the other teens and his team also become serious at that. "Hm, I see. It is rather disconcerting to hear such news… I only hope that Tenya's brother will pull through."

"So do we, Prime." Mei nodded, her crosshair eyes shifting back to the fight. "But honestly, there's TWO big things that we've gotta worry about here right now."

Optimus hummed in agreement. "Hm, indeed. I take it that Izuku told you all the truth as well?"

"Yeah, though Bee and I knew about it for a while." Kyoka added, which Bumblebee nodded at as well. "Sorry that we didn't tell anyone sooner, but Izuku was keen on keeping it under wraps for a while there… who knew it'd take Bakugo snapping at Kaida to make him spill the beans…"

"I will say that it is unfortunate that Bakugo is… a rather cantankerous individual." Prime concurred as he watched Izuku counter one of Bakugo's moves, throwing him away with great strength. "However, Izuku has told me and several others that it would be detrimental to consider him a lost cause, and I cannot help but agree. Somewhere within Bakugo lies the spark of a true hero… one whose ideals may not align with a traditional hero, but a hero nonetheless."

The team were left rather surprised by that. "Heh, would ya look at that." Arcee mused. "Prime's got hope for the Explosion Boy. …Guess that's ONE thing that Bakugo's got going for him."

…..

Back on the battlefield, Katsuki himself was beginning to lose what little patience he had. "Grah! Stop screwing around!" he barked as he landed on his feet. "What, do you think I'm not WORTHY of your full power?!"

"…What?"

"Grr… you bastard." Bakugo thrust a finger at Izuku, snarling; "I'll tell you what'll happen if you make a fool outta—"

"WHAT?!" Izuku snapped, interrupting the explosive blonde and, once again, taking him off guard. "Tell me, what you could POSSIBLY to do me that you haven't done already, Kacchan?! You've done nothing but bully, belittle and look down on me since kindergarten, while I've pretty much the exact opposite for all my life!" He balled his fists in frustration as he glowered at Bakugo. "To tell you the truth, when you got your Quirk and I didn't, I admired you so damn much… while also feeling a bit jealous, I'll admit. But then, when I finally discovered my Quirk, I realized something; …I could finally be LIKE you. I could strong, I could be a hero… and then maybe we'd finally be on even footing."

"Uh… should we be hearing this right now?"Present Mic muttered to his co-commentator.

"Let it play out." Aizawa replied. "The Problem Child needs to vent to the OTHER Problem Child."

Izuku's glared hardened further. "But if these finals have told me anything… it's that you still think yourself as superior to others. You're at the center of your own universe while you look down on EVERYONE else, seeing them as nothing but stepping stones on your way to the top." Bakugo had absolutely no response as Izuku's small speech carried on, finding nothing to deny in his statement. "Well guess what, I'm not gonna be like that! My dream is the same as yours; to be Number One! And I am NOT gonna let you walk over me and trample that dream!"

But, if anything, this just made Bakugo sneer even more. Sure, what Deku just said threw him for a loop, but in the end, his goal was still to win against him at his full power. "Tch, ya gotta learn to leave this shit in the past, Deku." He wrenched his neck, popping a few muscles to loosen up as he readied his own hands. "Now listen up! I don't want there being any doubt that I'm the best student at the festival, and that's only possible if you come at me with the same amount of power you used against Icy Hot!"

"…You want my full power?" Izuku brought his fists up, both arms beginning to glow with power. "Well, Kacchan, you got it. BRING IT!"

"HAHA! YES!" Bakugo hollered as he blasted himself toward, his lips curling into a sadistic smirk. "Finally, this is what I've been waitin' for! Show everyone that you're trying to destroy me, DEKU!" As he flew, Katsuki began rapidly blasting himself around so that he was spinning through the air, increasing his speed to the point that he made the smoke around him swirl with him. 'If you're gonna face me, you can't half-ass it.' The young man thought with glee as he closed in. 'Try everything you can to defeat me and don't you DARE hold back!'

Izuku briefly peered over his shoulder, smiling as he saw all of his friends watching with anticipation. Even Optimus himself had joined in, the Autobot smiling to Izuku in support. 'Optimus… I've been saving this move up for the very end.' he thought to himself as he brought his arms out. 'I named this one after YOUR home city. Thank you so much for all your help…'

"HOWITZER… IMPACT!" Bakugo threw his hand forward, his hand lighting up as he threw down a MASSIVE explosion that spread through the smoke trail he left behind, completely engulfing Izuku…

…But what he didn't see was Izuku bringing his fists together just a split second before the blast. "IACON… SMAAAAASSH!" With as much force as he could muster, Izuku SLAMMED his fists with one hundred percent of his power into each other, instantly breaking both of his arms and hands, but creating the most powerful burst of air that had been seen yet.

BOOOOOM!

The result was the explosion going outward, flying straight back into a shocked Bakugo. "WHAT THE—AAAAGGH!" The sheer force sent him flying, despite his forward momentum. A pillar of fire and brimstone erupted from the center of the field, making everyone in the crowd close their eyes as it blew over them. Within seconds, the entire battlefield was once again rendered unseeable thanks to the amount of smoke and debris that had been kicked up.

…..

Kyoka had to cover her ears, the blast was so loud. That and the wind that blew threw the tunnel took almost everyone off of their feet. Of course, the Autobots weren't affected since their holoforms weren't impacted by the elements, but they still appeared to be pretty shaken. Kyoka, however, was more concerned about Izuku, her head snapping back to the field. "W-What happened?! Did Izuku win?"

"I can't tell…" Arcee narrowed her eyes at the cloud of smoke, trying to find their heat signatures. Unfortunately, said smoke was messing with her sensors. "Gah, I can't get a proper reading. I've got no idea what their status is." She set her sights back onto Optimus with a raised brow. "But… you heard what he said, too, right?"

Optimus smiled with pride. "Indeed… Iacon Smash. I feel honored."

"I'm sure, Optimus." Momo beamed as well, though she was still concerned as her eyes locked back to the battlefield. "Now let's just hope that Midoriya's attack wasn't in vain…"

…..

"AH! Not again!" Present Mic cried out, having once again fallen out of his seat. "I really should've expected this, but I still can't freaking believe it! WHO WON?!"

"Relax, we'll know soon…" Aizawa muttered.

Midnight, for her part, was trying to brush off the soot that was accumulating on her face and costume, coughing and hacking all the while. "Hak-hak! I swear, these kids get more and more powerful with every generation…." Her focus shifted out toward the battlefield as the smoke began to clear, and what she saw made her gasp. There, in the very center, Izuku was laid out on his back in the center of a massive crater, no doubt created by the blast. Both of his arms were broken and he was practically caked with soot, but he was somehow still conscious, which Midnight was stunned by.

She darted her eyes around in search for Bakugo… and it didn't take long to find him. His body had been flung with such force that he was practically implanted into the far wall, creating a Katsuki-sized imprint in the concrete. He was bloody, bruised, scorched, and very much unconscious, falling out of the imprint and down to the grass below. "Hah… Bakugo is… out of bounds." She raised her flog toward the greenette in the crater and proclaimed; "That means the winner… is Izuku Midoriya!"

All at once, the crowd roared in celebratory cheers, with confetti cannons going off all around the arena. Getting up to his feet, Present Mic was more than happy to get in on the feel-good moment. "WOO! And there you have it: the final match is over! The First-Year winner—and might I add; Undisputed CHAMPION—of this year's Sports Festival is… IZUKU MIDORIYA OF CLASS 1-A! Give him all you've got, people, he freakin' deserves it!"

Eraser Head watched as the medical bots came out to get both boys… but only one of them had an entire posse come out with it. He saw Izuku receive praise and congratulations from all of his friends, Autobots included, leading Aizawa to muse to himself; 'He won all three events straight through. Of course, he had help in the first two…' He noticed how Kyoka reached down and gently placed her hand over Izuku's broken one, no doubt reassuring him that he would be okay after his victory. 'But all the same, Midoriya IS showing promise when it comes to his Quirk. With a bit more training, maybe someday he can use his full power without breaking his bones.' His eyes shifted down as Bakugo was being brought in, no doubt to a separate med room. 'Meanwhile, I've got a NEW Problem Child to deal with…'

…..

"Dude, that was freaking INSANE!" Kaida shouted, her and Shoto standing directly next to Izuku's bed. "You just blew him the HELL away! Gotta say, Midoriya, you're pretty damn impressive."

Shoto hummed in agreement. "Hm, yeah… makes me wonder how we're gonna stand out in next year's Sports Festival if you end up running circles around us."

Izuku, however, was only barely registering their praise. He had slipped in and out of consciousness several times on his way here, so he was still trying to process everything that had happened. He had gotten used to breaking his bones by now, but this was the first time that HE had broken them by hitting himself… and that was a surprising amount of pain to experience, he had to admit. But still, the reality hadn't really hit him until then; he had won. He sent Kacchan out of bounds using a combination of his smash as well as using his own attack against him. He glanced over to Kaida and Shoto with wide eyes. "Guys… this is all real, right? This isn't some kind of dream?"

"Hehe, nope. You won the whole damn thing." Kaida giggled.

"In very dominant fashion, actually." Shoto added.

Izuku felt his cheeks blush at that. "W-Well, I don't know about dominant… I-I just did my best."

Kaida gave a simple shrug. "Well, either way, you definitely showed Bakugo what for. Wonder what he must be thinking right about now…"

"Well… judging by the relative silence, I doubt he's going on a raging rampage." Izuku noted, earning another chuckle from both of them. "…I was serious about that."

"Oh… guess I shouldn't be surprised by that." Kaida grimaced before seeing Recovery Girl and Merissa come into the room, taking that as their cue to leave. "Alright, Midoriya, they're here, so they're probably gonna start their operation now."

Recovery Girl raised her syringe cane at the standing duo. "Yer darn tootin'! Now skedaddle an' get to yer places, we'll take things from here." After exchanging goodbyes with their friend, the duo left, with the elderly and young healers flanking either side of Izuku's bed. "Hah… you know, dearie, for as much as I thought that finishing move was utterly foolish… I still can't help but be proud of you. You did exceptionally well out there."

Izuku lowered his head with a sheepish grin. "Aw, c'mon, not you too. Please, I don't wanna get a big head over this. I've already got cold feet over the closing ceremony…"

"Haha, alright, we'll put a pause on the praise." Merissa laughed as she put on a pair of gloves as well as a mask and a doctor's cap over her head. "Besides, you'll have plenty of time to prepare for that while you're asleep and we're fixing your arms up. Like I said, your hands probably won't be the same again… but you wouldn't be here if you weren't willing to accept that, right?"

"Right…" Izuku lowered his head to the pillow as Recovery Girl placed an anesthesia mask over his face, breathing slowly as he prepared to go under. "…Thank you both."

…..

Half an hour later, Izuku was back up on his feet and making his way toward the lift with the winner's platforms. His right arm was in a heavy cast, slung up against his chest while his left was free, though it was almost entirely covered in gauze. That one hadn't been so bad, thankfully. Still hurt, but hey, he knew what he was getting into. After his surgery, he had asked the two healers how Bakugo was… though their answers were fairly vague.

"Eh… he wasn't mad, so there's something." Merissa had noted. "He actually almost seemed kinda… lost, or something."

"Very much in disbelief, I say." Recovery Girl furthered. "Still reeling from the loss. I've seen it countless times in my tenure here. I'd advise being cautious around him right now."

Their answers had left Izuku concerned. Had his sudden victory shake Kacchan so much that it left him shellshocked? That was the only thing he could think of as he finally made it to the lift room and opened the door… and what he saw made him do a double take. On the third place platform were Shoto and Kaida, both awkwardly standing in silence as they glanced over to the second place podium. There stood Katsuki, his head down with a shadow cast over his eyes thanks to his hair. He didn't even look up when Izuku walked in.

'…Oh no.' Izuku winced as he approached the podiums, going up to Shoto and Kaida first. "Uh… h-hey…"

"Hey." Shoto acknowledged with a whisper.

"Has he…"

"Been like this?" Kaida finished. "Yeah, pretty much. He hasn't even said or shouted a word to us since he got here. All he did was walk up to the platform and he's just been standing there ever since."

Izuku pursed his lips. 'That's not like him at all…' He saw the stairs to the first place podium and walked up, taking his place before looking down to the silent Bakugo. "…U-Um… I—"

"Deku, just… don't. Not right now."

The greenette couldn't believe his ears. Katsuki Bakugo, the explosive blonde who had kept up his boisterous, loud and self-righteous attitude since elementary school… was now sounding utterly dejected. There wasn't even any spiteful venom in his voice, it was just… hollow. Something in Izuku's gut told him that he SHOULD have felt good about this, that this was rightful karma for everything he had done to him throughout his childhood. But, while winning the Sports Festival DID feel good… seeing Katsuki as he was right now wasn't satisfying. 'I'm trying to be a hero who brings smiles to people's faces…' Izuku peered at Bakugo's downcast frown once again. 'But this… this is the exact opposite.'

…..

Up above in the stadium, the entire First Year class had taken back to the field, with the battle arena having been removed. Midnight stood up in front where the platform would soon raise up as she began the closing ceremony, her voice ringing through the stadium; "The first-year students have completed all of the events for the U.A. Sports Festival…" She waved her hand as the hatch opened up. "Now, it's time to relax and enjoy the award ceremony!"

The audience and students all began applauding as tons of fireworks were set off above the building, with smoke and more confetti being shot out in front of the rising podiums. Class 1-A cheered the loudest, of course, especially given who was standing at the top of first place. "WOO! Hell yeah, Izuku!" Kyoka cheered.

"Way to show 'em, Deku!" Ochako clapped as well, only to notice some of her other classmate's downcast expressions. "Hm? What's wrong, you guys?"

"Oh, well, we're happy, don't get me wrong." Mina assured. "It's just… it just doesn't feel right without Iida here, ya know?"

Both Kyoka and Ochako deflated slightly at that, reminded of their friend's no doubt harrowing time at the moment. "Oh… yeah." the purplette resigned with a sigh. "Man, of all days and all times, why the hell did this happen to him now? This is supposed to be a GOOD day for all of us, dammit!"

Eijiro balled his fist, but kept his composure as he nodded. "Yeah, it absolutely sucks. …C'mon, Ingenium. You've gotta be okay. For Iida's sake…"

With a wave of her hand, Midnight gestured up toward the top of the stadium. "Now, let's break out the hardware! Of course, there's only ONE person worthy of distributing the awards—"

"AHAHAHA!" Without fail, the entire audience erupted into an uproar. They knew exactly who that laugh belonged to, and their thoughts were only confirmed when he came leaping down from the stadium roof into the center field. "CITIZENS! I am here with the medals—"

"All Might is the Number One Hero!"

…The awkward silence was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Midnight had fumbled her line and spoke over All Might, earning her an incredulous stare from everyone, including the Symbol of Peace himself. She brought her hands together, sheepishly hiding behind them. "I ruined that completely, didn't I? So sorry!" With a wince from All Might, Midnight coughed into her hand before producing the four medals. "Ahem, so, now that you're here, All Might, why don't you start the presentation?"

"Hm! I would be honored." Taking the two bronze, Third-Place medals in each hand, he went over and stepped up onto Shoto and Kaida's podium, moving toward the latter first. "Haha! Young Kiryu, congratulations." he chuckled whilst placing the medal over her neck. "You showed great strength out there!"

"Thank you, sir." Kaida muttered, bowing politely. "But… I don't know if—huh?"

Without warning, All Might came in and gave her a hug, patting her on the back in support. "However; you've got more training to do if you're going to be able to use your Quirk effectively against villains." He pulled away, giving her a thumbs up. "Finding balance with one's Quirk is an arduous journey, believe me, but you have a strong will and an even stronger resolve to do good in this world. I'm sure you will find success if you continue down your path."

Kaida's eyes went down to her medal, lifting it in her hand so she could stare directly at it. It was then that she decided; 'This is going to be what motivates me to get better. I WILL gain control over my transformations, and next year, I'm gonna win for sure.' She smiled up and bowed to All Might once again. "Thank you, sir. I'll remember that."

"I'm glad to hear it." All Might replied before his attention went to Shoto. "Young Todoroki, congratulations to you, as well." He gently placed the medal over his neck before asking; "Though I'm assuming there's a reason why you hadn't used your left side throughout this competition until the semi's?"

Stealing a brief glance to the greenette up above him, Shoto wore a slight smile as he addressed the hero. "Midoriya opened my eyes during our match…" But then, his grin disappeared as his uncertainty creeping up on him again. "But even then… even now, I continue to doubt myself. I think now I understand a little about why you're so interested in him." That made All Might tilt his head, but Shoto just kept going. "I want to be the kind of hero you are, but my path isn't as clear as I thought it was. I have a lot to think about… and I still have to settle things with someone. Very soon."

That made Kaida's eyes widen, both in fear in curiosity. 'What does he mean by that?'

All Might nodded in affirmation. "I've never seen this look on your face before." Once more, he went in for a hug. "I won't ask for details, but trust yourself. I'm sure you'll work things out."

"Right, thank you."

With that, All Might stepped off the platform and went to the opposite side, where Bakugo still stood with his head hung low. Seeing this, and knowing the situation, All Might took a deep breath as he went up, presenting the silver, second-place medal to him. "Young Bakugo, congratulations." Even as he put the medal on, Katsuki made no movement whatsoever, which scared the hero greatly. "I… can see that you're deep in thought, even now. At the beginning of this festival, during the pledge, you said that you would win the entire thing, but that didn't come to pass. You had great aspirations, and I apologize that it didn't go the way you had hoped."

"…I…" All Might's eyebrows rose up at the small sound Bakugo made. "I wanted to prove… that I was the best one here. That I could be number one."

"I see." All Might went in for his hug, making sure to give his own advice to Bakugo. "Young man, in this world, the journey to becoming a hero doesn't often go the way we plan. However, that doesn't mean it's the end." He knelt down so that he could just barely see Bakugo's eyes, the blonde glancing up at him. "Still, if you wish to be the best, if you want to be respected, be sure to show the same amount of respect to the people you come across along the way. Otherwise, no one will respect you AS the best." All Might rose to his full height, his hand firm yet gentle on the boy's shoulder. "I would advise that you reflect on the path that brought you here, and the path you wish to take going forward, okay?"

There was a long pause before Bakugo gave a single nod. "Yeah… sure."

'I think that's the best response I'm going to get out of him for now.' All Might thought to himself as he climbed to the top pedestal. 'It's obvious that he's already thinking about it right now. I can only hope it leads him toward a better understanding of himself and the others around him.' With that in mind, he stood in front of the first-place winner… and all at once, a rush of pride and joy overwhelmed him as he stared into the tear-filled green eyes of his pupil. Of course, those celebrations could come later. Right now, he had to be nonbiased. "Young Midoriya… congratulations."

Izuku couldn't help the waterworks that came flowing down his cheeks as All Might placed the gold medal over his neck. He had several dreams like this in the past… but now, it was a reality. Granted, he never imagined his arms would be in this state during those dreams, but he was ecstatic all the same. "Th… Thank you, sir."

"Throughout this festival, you showed everyone that your unassuming appearance was not to be taken lightly. Winning every event was no easy feat, but…" All Might craned his head down, eyeing Kyoka specifically. "With the help and support of your fellow students, you managed to pull through."

Seeing Kyoka giving him a wink and a thumbs up made Izuku's heart soar into the stratosphere, and the fact that the rest of his friends and classmates were looking up at him in admiration was something he'd never thought he'd experience. After his hellish middle school years… this moment… made him feel incredible. "Y-You're right." Izuku choked out. "I've had help from lots of people along the way… and I hope I don't lose the relationships I've made so far here."

"With friends like yours, I'm certain you won't." All Might placed his hand to Izuku's shoulder. "However, there is still a long way to go. Your Quirk is powerful, but it would be preferred if you didn't HAVE to break your bones every time you use that power. Keep that in mind as your training here continues." He brought himself in, giving Izuku his hug, but it was then that he lowered his voice to a whisper so no one but them could hear; "But I know you'll get the hang of it. You've done so well and I am SO proud of you Young Midoriya. You've truly shown the world… that you are here."

That did it. All at once, Izuku's tears went into overdrive and he began ugly-crying, turning beat red as he brought his one decent arm up to try and wipe them away. "Hic—Th-Thank you… A-All Might…" he hiccupped.

All Might winced a little as he felt his suit get a bit wet, but all the same, he knew that they were tears of joy. "You're very welcome." He pulled away and jumped down, thrusting his arm toward the four students before him. "Here they are! The winners of this year's Sports Festival! But listen closely; any of you first years could have ended up standing on these podiums. Think about what you've done today. You've challenged each other, learned, and climbed even closer toward your goals of being pros."All Might pointed up toward the sky with a victorious pose. "I think the next generation of heroes is proving to be our most promising one yet! So, I have one more thing to say…"His thrust his hands up toward the crowd. "I want everyone to yell it with me! YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS!"

Like clockwork, everyone in the stadium went; "PLUS ULTRA—"

"THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR HARD WORK!"

…And the awkwardness was back. But it was compiled by the fact that everyone in the audience was now booing the Number One hero while the students all yelled; "WHAT?! That was the perfect time to say "Plus Ultra", All Might!"

All Might guiltily brought a hand to his neck, trying to explain himself. "W-Well, yeah, I guess… but everyone did such a good job!"

…..

About an hour later, once everything had died down, all of the students returned to the main school building and changed back into their normal uniforms. Granted, Izuku needed a bit of help with his, but Eijiro was more than happy to assist. After that, as the sun began to set, 1-A returned to their classroom, where Aizawa would address them one final time before they were to go home and rest.

"Nice work." the Erasure Hero commended bluntly. "You have the next two days of school off to recuperate." He scanned his eyes across the room, taking note of Iida's empty seat and Bakugo still with his head down. "…I'm sure the pros who watched the festival will wanna recruit some of you. We'll look over the draft forms and update you when you return." He raised a hand, dismissing them. "Get some rest, you still have a lot of training to come."

"Yes sir." the class said collectively before heading toward the door.

As they walked out, Kaida nudged Shoto in the arm, sending him a questioning gaze. "So, what did ya mean back there by "settling something"? Are you gonna confront your dad?"

"…No." Shoto shook his head. "Nothing like that. I'll… let you know tomorrow when I'm more sure of what I'm doing."

Kaida simply smirked and nudged him in the side. "Psh, you tease. Call me as soon as you're ready."

With everyone leaving, however, Izuku, trailed behind with his friends, all of them staring at Tenya's seat. "…Pretty sure we're all thinking the same thing, huh?"

"Yeah, this sucks." Ochako confirmed, speaking for everyone as they all nodded.

Momo placed a hand to her cheek, thinking over everything that had happened over the course of the day. "It's hard to believe… that the Sports Festival would end on such a bitter sweet note." But then, she realized something. "Wait… did anyone see where Optimus and the others went after the finals ended?"

"Uh… actually, no, I didn't." Denki scratched his head. "Weird, it's like they all just up and disappeared."

"You should be careful about where you discuss the Autobots, you know." Aizawa approached the group from behind, his tone quite serious. "You're lucky everyone's left… but I do think I remember them sticking around for the closing ceremony before quickly ducking out."

Kyoka raised a brow. "Huh? Why the heck would they—"

"HEY GUYS!" All at once, the classroom door flung open and Mei came charging in, holding a small disk in her hand. The students jumped and yelped in surprise, though Mei was nonplussed by the whole thing. "Woops! Sorry, but guess who just showed up?!" She thrust her hands toward the door, and through it stepped Optimus Prime's holoform, the Autobot leader giving everyone a nod.

"Greetings, children." Prime greeted. "My apologies for the sudden departure earlier."

"Prime! There you are!" Mina exclaimed. "Where the heck did you guys go? We barely saw ya after Midori won!"

Prime raised his hand to them all. "Before I explain myself, firstly, I wish to extend my sparkfelt congratulations to you all. Every single one of you made it to the finals of the Sports Festival, and that is something to be commended for. I have no doubt that your upcoming draft will see you under the tutelage of many great heroes."However, Optimus then lowered his head with an apologetic smile. "But, while we stayed for the closing ceremony, we had to make ourselves scarce quickly. Red Alert had some news regarding a new potential artifact that he found and it couldn't wait."

At this, the teens' eyes all immediately flickered with interest. "Woah, a new relic?" Ochako beamed. "So cool! What and where is it?!"

"We can share that information later on… at the celebration we'll be having back at base later on." Prime said with a grin.

"Woah! A Sports Festival afterparty tonight at base?!" Eijiro smirked. "Sweet! Count me in!"

Denki raised a fist to that. "Me too, sounds like fun!"

Mina threw her hands up into the air. "WOO! Party Hardy! …Oh, but wait." She glanced down to the Class Rep's empty seat again. "What about Iida?"

Optimus' demeanor changed as well, closing his eyes in remorse. "Unfortunately, I've received word from Strongarm that he will not be joining us." He wore a sad smile as he delivered the next bit of news; "Fortunately, his brother IS alive, and in stable condition. He is expected to make it… but not without some potential career-ending injuries."

A united gasp went through the room, with Momo covering her mouth. "Oh gosh… poor Iida…"

Izuku balled up his decent hand, wanting to smack it against a desk… but Kyoka reached out and prevented him from doing that. "Dammit… Iida's brother was HIS hero. Who could have done this?"

"…Once again, we will discuss that back at base tonight." Optimus replied. "There will be plenty of good and bad news to share… but my hope is that the good news leaves you excited about the future." With a single wave, Optimus' holoform began to flicker in and out of existence, returning his consciousness back to his main body. "I hope to see you all very soon. Farewell for now, young heroes." And with that, the humans were left by themselves, to reflect once again on what had happened that day.

Izuku craned his head toward the window, watching the sun set over the horizon. 'The Sports Festival is over… but something tells me that this is only the beginning…'

…..

A/N: Well, there you have it, folks, the end of the Sports Festival! And wouldn't you know it, Izuku won! …With the cost of his most powerful Smash yet being what'll probably leave him with his crooked hand this time around. But hey, he named it the Iacon Smash, so as far as that's concerned, it's worth it. That being said… you probably weren't expecting THAT to be Bakugo's reaction to losing, huh? Well, in terms of how I see it; people with big egos often suffer from the biggest drops when they experience a defeat of this caliber, especially if they've stated otherwise. And considering it's Bakugo, who's probably the most boisterous person there, his ego took a VERY substantial hit from the experience. He wants to be the best, but was defeated by someone he sees as lower than him, so it's demoralized him quite a bit, that's for certain. Though perhaps All Might's words will stick with him as he continues to process all of this…

…Also, speaking of, yep, everything's come out about Bakugo and Izuku's past, not just to the teachers, but to Izuku's whole friend group AND the Autobots as well. But, even with everything out in the open air, Izuku still wants to help his childhood friend. Of course, we all know that Bakugo would never go down the path of villainy (though at this point, no one in-story is sure about that other than Izuku), so of course everyone ELSE would be hesitant, but they're still willing to go along with it if Izuku thinks he can still be a good hero.

Unfortunately, away from all this drama… there's even MORE drama going on. Ingenium's been struck hard by the Hero Killer, and we'll be seeing how Tenya takes all of this next time, don't you worry. And the fact that Strongarm's going to be there with him… well, we'll see how that goes as well. It's going to be quite the heavy time going forward for him, I'll say that much. So, with that all being said…

And now, the Preview! With the Sports Festival over, our heroes gather together for one big afterparty at the Autobot Headquarters… where they find several of their teachers have gathered for the celebration as well! During the party, though, we have some exchange of excellent news and unfortunate news… with the main bit being the big reveal of a certain gladiator's message. Will this ignite a new spark of hope in our heroes, or will the bad news regarding the Hero Killer be too much to bear? Next Time; Bittersweet Celebrations. Thanks for reading, everybody, and I'll see you all later! Stay safe out there, and remember;

GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!