Her Friendly Neighborhood Hero Academia

by GohanSon32

Momo Yaoyorozu is Class 1A's top student, vice representative, and one of the brightest up and coming heroes. Always one to be highly focused on her goals and grades, she has never been one to be bitten by the love bug. But with the addition of a new student, Peter Parker, to class 1A, how will a budding relationship between Momo and the new student change the events of MHA?

20. Ch 20: REMATCH! Katsuki Bakugo vs Pete

Note: Holy shit... I'm so happy to be ending this arc. I'm happy with how the Sports Festival turned out, but I'm definitely ready to move the story along.

I honestly don't know what to say... I genuinely expected people to not enjoy the last chapter... but it seems like you guys really liked it!!! I'm super glad, and would like to thank everyone for all the love they gave to a chapter I put a lot of hard work into.

Again... sorry for the long wait. Life is getting pretty complicated on my end. This is probably going to be the norm for me releasing new chapters now... But rest assured, this story isn't going anywhere. Writing it has become such a good outlet and escape from some of the things that are making life so hard for me at the moment. Sometimes it feels like this story is the only thing that helps my mental health lately.

So thank you guys for continuing to read and review. It really does keep me going sometimes.

@abijayks: Glad you liked the backstory and honestly, I totally agree that it could've (and maybe should've) come earlier in the story. The reason I waited so long to do it was basically because I was afraid people would read it, get upset that it was different, and drop the story all together before they got invested in it. But it ended up serving as a good build up to the final fight. And yeah Shoto's character change has been my favorite so far. I've been debating giving him a ship actually (was thinking one of Momo's friends). Nothing set in stone yet though. He might remain single... who knows? I'd love to hear what you think about that idea.

@Backpack Bandit: Bro you went above and beyond with the cube law! lol I loved reading that comment so much more than you'll probably ever know. Also I'm glad to hear you like the Shoto Peter dynamic. I've really been enjoying writing it. This story was basically just supposed to be a short Peter Momo romance story but after I received so much feedback on the fights and the interactions, it quickly evolved into a ripple effect based rewrite of MHA staring Peter Parker.

P.S. I knew Pony was from America but I got mixed up about when she makes her first appearance. The dub introduces her as a new student like way after the sports festival for some reason (i could just be totally misremembering that too), but when I went back and watched it she's totally there, so I'm definitely gonna go back and fix that! thanks for catching it! Theres so many characters to keep up with idk how Horikoshi does it.

@BoltSamlam: Thanks!! Yeah, Next chapter is gonna be all about Momo finding out that there's a lot more to learn about Peter than she thought. It'll be a fluff chapter to follow up all the fighting. Hope you enjoy it!

@WizzyTheWizard: Hey! Super stoked to have you following along! I'm glad you liked what I've done to the sports festival! Its been a hell of a ride to write to be honest. And I'm glad you liked Peters backstory!!

That said, unfortunately I've already picked Peters internship and since I'm not as familiar with the Marvel universe I decided to stick him with someone from the MHA world and I'm really excited about it. Hopefully you'll like it too. One of the readers suggested it when I put out chapter 7 I think... I can't quite remember but it was a while back. I do like the point you made about him learning multiple martial arts, so I'm definitely gonna try to work that in. Gwen makes an appearance here and will make another on I-island... at least thats the plan. I'm still up in the air about doing I-island... But I'll definitely write it if that's what people want! Thanks for all your kind words!!

@Jobro89: Hey you found my WattPadd!!! Yeah thats me! I feel like I've outgrown my username here on FF but since this story is still being published its gonna stay GohanSon32 at least until its finished. Thanks for looking out for me though!!

@El-lector327: I just want to say thank you... between you and Cruden, I now have a lot of positive encouragement to look back on when I get those specific reviews. Being able to look back on the things you said is something I'll be grateful for throughout the process of writing this story. I just want people to enjoy it, and I'm really glad you're following along! :)

@Hairypen: Hello again!! I will say that I've been lucky enough to try both but I'm a huge fan of churrascada!!! In college, I lived in a house with two people from Brazil and two from Jamaica. We all played on the soccer team so we got really close. My roommate from Salvador had his sister over to visit and she made it for us and I'm still obsessed with it!

If anyone has a bad reputation, its where I live... down in the southern part of the US haha. Can't get any worse than that!

Bakugo is definitely gonna be humbled in my version quite a bit so hopefully his character becomes a little more tolerable. I plan on him catching karma for as long as he refuses to change.

P.S. I just realized that every single person who gives peter shit is blonde... even the dude who killed uncle Ben... Total accident, but kinda funny now that I think about it.

Hugs from a small town in America!

@CRUDEN: What's up bro! I just wanna say that I appreciate you saying all of that! Spidey is beloved by so many people and that kinda makes it scary to drift away from the norm. The last thing I want to do is bastardize a character like Peter, so honestly, thank you for giving me a comment to look back on when I have doubts in the future. You're the man! Hope you enjoy this one :)

@spider of the leaf: FLASHBACK NO JUTSU!!!! lol I won't make a habit of it I promise lol.

@DrCoogans: Hey Doc!!! Glad you liked the chapter. The more I read over it the more I kick myself for not putting it in sooner. But I was afraid people weren't invested enough to read through a different take on Peter's backstory. I'm really proud of it though! I'm really interested to see what you think of this next chapter! Like I said, I had to really force myself to write through some writer's block so I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for checking in on me as well! I really appreciate it more than you know.

@ImNotAWeeb64101: Thanks my friend!!! Hopefully this is a good way to follow it up.

@IS6A6E: Yeah I sent you a PM but I guess you didn't see it so I'll just pit my answer here as well. This story is rated M purely for the sake of being able to write whatever I want into the story. I'm not a fan of censorship. But its mostly for violence and language at this point.

@xGhostSpiderx: I'm really glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for taking the time to read it! I was actually originally going to make this chapter and the origin one big chapter but the backstory ended up being too long to try to fit it all in. But I think it stands on its own pretty well! My favorite part is definitely how I ended it though. :)

@daniel.santiago.4545: Appreciate that!! Hope this follows it up well!

@SulliMike23: Here ya go boss!! Hope you enjoy!!!

@Winnin9iskey: I definitely hear where you're coming from and I totally agree... I feel like I kept him relatively quiet throughout the fight, but I did want him to throw some shade so he does have some speaking lines. Hope you like it!

Thanks again for all the reviews, sorry to those who cried at the last chapter... And a special thanks to those who left guest reviews as well!! I'm so grateful to have you guys following along And I appreciate you guys being so patient while you wait for the chapters to come out! I suffered through a metric shit ton of writer's block for this one so I hope it turned out okay. Be sure to let me know what you think!!!

I do not own any of the characters depicted in this story...

The very second he stepped off of the train, the whispers began. The well being of Tensei Iida was on everyone's mind... And was the subject of nearly every verbal exchange that took place around the city. Young Tenya was doing everything in his power to hold back his emotions. It was a living nightmare. Torment and mental anguish seemed to lurk around each and every corner... The quiet conversations centered around his brother, felt more like screams.

The life of Hosu's most beloved hero... Stood upon the edge of a knife.

He was forced to push his way through a sizable media crowd in order to enter the hospital... The police officers tasked with keeping the horde at bay immediately recognized him. The UA gym uniform, the... oddly huge calves... and the striking resemblance to the injured hero were all dead giveaways as to who the young man was.

They quickly stepped aside as he fought his way past the media members.

The main entrance of Hosu General Hospital burst open as Tenya sprinted past the receptionist's desk. His feet moved at a pace unrivaled while his mind was barely able to function. Anyone who was familiar with the speedster, knew that he made it a top priority to follow and respect each and every rule to the letter. It didn't matter where he was going or what he was doing, if there were specific rules or guidelines in place, he made a conscious effort to strictly adhere to them... But as he sped down the hallways, he blatantly ignored each person who told him to stop running.

There was nothing on this Earth that would stop him from reaching his family as fast as possible.

Each footstep carried him closer to the answer of a question he never wanted to entertain... Was his big brother... His idol... His inspiration... His everything... Going to die?

He continued to run until he found his mother and father pacing back and forth in front of the door to his brother's room. The sound of fast approaching footsteps alerted them to his presence.

"Mother!"

"Tenya!" His mother gasped as she threw herself into his arms.

"I-i-i-is h-he..."

"He's gonna make it... But he was extremely lucky... The blade that stabbed him missed his artery by less than a centimeter." A voice interjected from behind the boy.

The young man breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to see Hosu General's top surgeon.

"Unfortunately, his central nervous system was irreparably damaged... He'll never walk again."

His mother did her best to stifle her sobs as his father tried to console her while fighting back tears of his own.

Tenya froze.

It felt like his world had just fallen apart. The air left his lungs. 'Never... Walk again?...'

How could this be?... He was... Ingenium... The hero who raced towards danger without fear or hesitation... The ultimate first responder to answer any Hosu citizen's cry for help...

Without his legs... His career... It was over...

"You can go see him if you wish... But keep in mind that's he's still probably feeling the fallout from his emergency surgery. He may be a bit out of it. His recovery now depends on recuperation and rehab... He'll need to prioritize his rest, so try to keep it short."

Iida could only nod silently as he forced himself to approach the door. There was no mental preparation for what he would face on the other side of it... He shakily grabbed the handle and pushed it down.

There on the bed, bound by tubes, wires, and numerous machines... Was his hero.

His body shifted into auto pilot as he approached the bed.

"T-Ten...sei...?" He barely was able to whisper as his parents slowly filed into the room. The beeping sounds from the heart monitor and drips from his I.V. bag chipped away at his resolve.

Slowly, the foggy eyes of Tensei Iida opened. Everything was fuzzy... He could only vaguely make out shapes as his irises scanned the space around him... Until they fell on the person at his side.

"I-is that y-you... Little brother?" His voice was weak and filled with pain.

Tenya couldn't stop his volume from increasing, "Yes! Y-yes, it's me! I'm here!"

The eldest Iida son was rather dazed... But he still had more than enough wits about him to know that his time as a pro hero was now at its end. Though his body was utterly broken... His heroic values and ideals were not lost. Tensei Iida's fight might be over... But he refused to let Ingenium be completely defeated.

"Listen very closely... To what I'm about to say..."

Tenya knelt down beside the bed as tears began to fall down his face. He watched as his big brother's eyes continued to try to focus themselves.

"I'm finished Tenya... If I can no longer use my legs... Then I can no longer be Ingenium."

"Don't say that!!" Tenya protested in anguish, unable to control his sobbing. "People need you! Y-You're this cities hope! It's protector!! So many look up to you for inspiration-I look up to you for inspiration! There has to be some way for you to walk again!!! You can't be finished!!!"

"Tenya.." his mother said as sorrow put its icy grip on her voice, "Please... Try to calm down... We can't put that sort of pressure on him..."

He dropped his head, ripped his glasses off, and threw them against the wall. His tears splattered on the white tiles of the floor beneath him.

"It's okay mom..." The man assured her before redirecting his words back to his younger brother, "Tenya... You're right... Whether I'm in this bed... Or in a wheelchair... There are still people that need to be saved. People... Who need a hero that's fast enough to reach for their hand before they can even cry for help..."

The young man raised his head and looked at his broken sibling through his tears.

"Tensei Iida is not Ingenium... That name... Is a symbol... A title fit for anyone with the strength and courage to put on the helmet... And do what's right. Take the name Tenya... Don't let the engines of Ingenium stall... Pick up where I left off. Succeed where I failed... And never stop running to those who need you..."

Tenya could hear the hurt in his voice... And a spark of hatred for the masked murderer known as Stain, ignited a burning need for vengeance inside of his heart...

---

"...I just wanna say... I'm gonna win."

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say... You're going to have to go through us first Bakugo..."

"Tch. What a joke." The spiky haired blonde muttered angrily to himself.

Katsuki Bakugo had already left his waiting room and was now leaning back against the wall of the tunnel he was set to make his entrance through. His last match had went completely off the rails. The Vice representative of class 1A had nearly gotten the better of him... She had improved... And much like everyone in his class, she would continue to do so. It wasn't all that long ago that he would have been able to toss her around the ring effortlessly without the use of his quirk... The thought of being forced that far up against the wall by her sickened him to no end... The imaginary gap between him and those damn extras was shrinking... It ate him alive...

And it all started after he lost that damn match...

"Hero team Yaoyorozu and Parker... WINNERS!"

Those words had tormented him since they came over Ground Beta's loud speakers... And were the reason he felt such utter hatred for them both. In his mind, he may have lost the overall exercise... But his match with Parker... Never came to a true conclusion.

His mind wandered back to their rooftop face-off. He could still feel the warm concrete underneath his bare feet... The wind that weaved it's way through his hair... The sharp aching pain of his fractured ribs that throbbed with each inhale he took.

But what he remembered most out of everything else... Was how heavy Peter Parker was breathing. That fight was not out of his reach... No... Not by a long shot. If it weren't for that damn ponytailed prissy rich girl... That fight could have gone either way.

At least, in his mind it could have...

He felt his jaw clench. As much as he loathed to admit it... He was about to go up against someone who was more than formidable in terms of combat. He couldn't allow himself to make even the slightest mistake. He knew that he wouldn't be able to win with minimal quirk use this time... And he certainly couldn't claim victory without a plan, which is why he had spent every second of time he was afforded between matches coming up with one that he was completely convinced would not fail.

He looked up to see the jumbotron displaying their school pictures for the whole world to see as the countdown's lifespan continued to decrease. He focused on his opponent's face.

"Just an fyi, he earned his spot in this class through a mock entrance exam where he bested all of your scores, tying with Bakugo..."

'We... Are not equals... I'll make sure every single person watching this match knows that. I'll do whatever it takes to wipe that damned smile off your stupid face.'

Little did Katsuki know...He was about to step into a ring with someone who was fighting for things that went much deeper than pride... And a smile wouldn't be brought with him into the arena...

He raised up from the wall and began to move around the tunnel. It was time to stop standing around and start preparing.

He began to do a series of exercises to get his sweat pouring... Jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, anything he could think of to get the nitroglycerin flowing from his pores.

His eyes never left the image of his opponent the entire time...

The voicemail from May Parker ended... And brought a silence over the room... A silence that was only disturbed by the sound of sniffles that came from those who latched onto him.

Shoto looked at Peter with a mournful expression. He knew exactly how much his aunt meant to him. Not a single day went by where his best friend didn't share some piece of wisdom she had passed down to him. Now he had a voice to attribute to those stories and lessons... It was surreal.

Even in sickness and on the brink of death, her voice sounded so vibrant and positive... Each word was filled with a tone that clearly projected how much she loved him... How proud she was of him... How much care she put into raising him as her own. He felt his heart sink for his closest friend.

Losing someone like her... Must've been extremely painful.

Peter's breathing steadied as he felt the supportive touch of his friends. After a few seconds, he felt two of those who clung onto him release their hold, and the hand on his shoulder was removed... Leaving just one person embracing him from behind. He didn't have to turn around. He knew who it was...

Momo couldn't bring herself to let go of him in that moment. Like Shoto, she had also heard many stories about the famous Aunt May. Her forehead rested gently against the back of his neck as the tears continued to drip down from her eyes. All of the sudden, she felt his hands grab onto her own that she had wrapped around his waist. They were warm and had a gentleness to them. She felt some of the scars on his fingers as they softly squeezed her own... It was a wonder that such loving hands could also be turned into such strong, devastating weapons.

He glanced over to his right to see Shoto's crestfallen expression...

He could hear Mina and Kyoka trying to compose themselves behind him...

He felt Momo's tears roll down his neck and soak into the the collar of his uniform. He ran his thumbs over the top of her fingers to let her know that he was okay...

He was truly grateful for each one of them. May's message had started to lift the overwhelming weight on his shoulders... But the presence of those in the room with him, finished the job, and replaced the feeling of pressure with pure determination.

More motivation to win...

Even though they were all heroes-in-training and could handle themselves just fine... They had all become people he would gladly lay down his life for in order to protect... He wouldn't let their smiles faulter on his behalf.

"Don't be sad for me guys... I carry a piece of her with me everywhere I go... That day... Before she died... She told me something I'll never forget." He said in a calming voice.

"She said that as long as you do right by those around you... Then death isn't the end of your story... If you leave those you care about with enough wisdom and love... You live on through them... And become a part of their's..."

They stared at him in silence. The words he had shared from his aunt brought a comforting feeling to them all. He finally turned around and they saw his blue eyes free from any tears... He looked at Momo.

"I'm glad you're alright... I've been worried about you." He admitted softly.

She slowly shook her head with a smile. Even though he was minutes away from the biggest fight of his life, in full view of nearly everyone around the world... He was still more worried about her well being and trying to comfort those around him.

"You do realize that it's okay to worry about yourself before others every now and again right?" She said as she elegantly wiped her eyes with her finger tips.

"Yeah... But it's what she would do." He responded with a small smile.

Another sniffle came from the purple haired girl and she felt the eyes of everyone else in the room fall upon her. It was highly out of the ordinary for Kyoka Jiro to allow herself to cry in front of anyone, let alone four people at once. She quickly regained her composure and put on her "serious face." It was... intimidating... To say the least.

"Not one word to anyone about what you just saw, or I will break all of your arms and legs. Got it? *Sniffle" Her jacks pointed at each of them one by one.

All four were quick to agree to her terms. They knew that testing the validity of her threats was... Unwise.

"Yep./ Totally./ Of course./ I like my bones not broken, yeah..."

Another moment of silence followed and consumed the space around them. Time was growing short. They could hear a faint rumble from the crowd outside all the way in the room they were in.

After a few seconds, Peter looked up at the clock on the wall... His face turned serious.

The others saw a fire beginning to burn in his eyes... One unlike any other they had seen before.

A storm was coming...

He wiped the remaining tears away from Momo's face. "I have to go now..."

She sniffled and smiled. "I know... Go get em handsome..."

The others looked at him with belief. This was his moment... And he seemed more than up for the challenge. He took a deep breath and began his walk towards the tunnel, followed closely by those he considered to be his dearest friends.

The rumble of the restless masses outside grew louder and louder with each step he took towards his destination... And as he drew closer to the tunnel, his mind began to focus on the task at hand and remind him why this moment was so vital to his journey...

"I don't think it needs to be mentioned how important this competition is for all of you..."

His fists began to clench and release as the group approached the entrance.

"...It will be your first official step towards becoming a pro."

His brow furrowed and he popped his neck as they walked towards the end of the archway.

"...What do you want to do with your life Peter?..."

They stopped just beyond the sunlight that crept in across the ground. The group took a step back as the thunderous cheers from the crowd continued to grow... He crouched down and began his stretching routine.

"...I think... If it's what you wanted... You could become an incredible hero someday..."

His heart began to pound like never before... His friends watched in awe as he began to bounce on his toes... Less than two minutes remained on the clock...

"...When I look at you now, I see someone with such a bright future standing in front of them. Someone who was meant to change the world..."

Peter leapt high into the air over and over again, bringing his knees up to his chest. He was loose. His body was ready to perform whatever acrobatic feat needed in order to win this tournament and start his journey off with a bang... One that would be heard by every hero, villain, and citizen around the globe.

"...I can see it in your eyes. You're going to be a wonderful hero. I know you can do it..."

The countdown was finally on the verge of hitting all zeros... And as the final seconds ticked away, the horde of spectators joined in and their shouts began to shake the very ground the five teens stood upon.

"FIVE!!!"

Class 1A rose to their feet and their heads turned to one another. They knew this fight was going to be extremely intense... No one dared to blink.

"FOUR!!!!"

Present Mic adjusted his microphone and looked over at his counterpart to find a sight he very rarely ever saw... His close friend... Was more awake and alert than he had seen him in years... His eyes were fixed on Peter's tunnel... Waiting to see if his prophecy would begin to unfold in this very ring before the watchful gaze of everyone in attendance.

"...There are a lot of students in my class that I think will make a significant impact on our society in the future... He's definitely one of them."

"THREE!!!!!!!"

Yana and Takashi Yaoyorozu waited with bated breath as they stared with anticipation at the young man's picture on the jumbotron. In all of their years of attending the UA sports festival... They had never heard such a deafening roar from an audience.

Yana looked at her husband as a sly grin spread across her face... "I've seen that look on your face before... You're impressed! Would it be fair to assume that the idea of having Mister Parker around is starting to grow on you?!"

Takashi chuckled, "I have to admit... I might be a bit excited to have a conversation with him..."

"TWO!!!!!!!!!!!"

Katsuki's eyes narrowed as the sweat dropped down his face. He may have stumbled through his last match due to his own arrogance and hubris... But this fight was going to be different. He was finally awarded his long awaited rematch... And he had a few tricks up his sleeve to help him change the outcome this time.

'I'm going to crush you... And send you back to New York in a body bag!'

His teeth clenched into a wicked smile...

"ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The winds of what Class 1A had considered to be normalcy had changed... And now they blew through the tunnel where the young man from America stood ready to turn the world upside down.

A horn sounded invoking delight from everyone in and around the stadium.

Present Mic appeared on the jumbotron and began one last round of introductions for the first years.

"WELL, WELL, WELL!!! HERE I WAS ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE THE START OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND, BUT ITS NOT NEARLY LOUD ENOUGH IN HERE!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!!!! SCREAM LIKE YOU MEAN ITTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

An eruption of cheers rang out unlike any other and echoed for miles throughout Musutafu.

"NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT FOLKS!!! LADIES! GENTLEMEN! BOYS! AND GIRLS! THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IS FINALLY HERE!!!! TWO CONTESTANTS!!! ONE GOLD MEDAL!!!! ONE LAST FIGHT TO DECIDE IT ALL!!! IT ALL ENDS HERE!!!! A BATTLE FOR THE RIGHT TO CALL THEMSELVES THE BEST OF THE BEST IS ABOUT TO GET KICKED OFF!!!! SO HOW ABOUT WE INTRODUCE OUR FIRST FIGHTER!!!!"

The picture of Katsuki Bakugo replaced Present Mic on the screens around the arena.

"OUR FIRST CONTESTANT IS JUST ONE MORE WIN AWAY FROM SUCCESSFULLY FULFILLING HIS VOW TO WIN THIS ENTIRE TOURNAMENT!!! HIS DESTRUCTIVE FORCE IS NO LAUGHING MATTER, AND AFTER COMING THIS CLOSE TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE, WE'RE DEFINITELY BOUND TO SEE SOME REAL FIREWORKS THIS TIME!!!! YOU ALL KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! IT'S KATSUKI BAKUGOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

A loud bang followed by a flash of light came from the opposing tunnel as the group watched Bakugo soar through the air and land in middle of the ring. He kicked up a small amount of dust as he slid to a stop.

"WOAH-HO-HO!!! NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A FLASHY ENTRANCE!"

"Looks like he's done messing around." Shoto said with a furrowed brow.

They all watched as Peter turned and glanced down at the bruises on Momo's ribs.

"That's fine... So am I."

Traffic had come to a complete stand still... But that wasn't anything out of the ordinary for New York City. Traffic was always terrible... What was highly unusual, was that at one o'clock in the morning, the city that never sleeps had come to a screeching hault.

Those who were out and about on the streets froze in their tracks as their eyes found the nearest screen. Those in stores fell silent as they listened closely to the radio that played over the speakers. Complete strangers huddled around each other to watch the boy, who had become a celebrity overnight, continue his journey to the top of the mountain.

A young man invisible to all... Had suddenly become the center of attention.

"ITS STARTING!!!"

"HEY! THE KIDS ABOUT TO FIGHT!!!"

"MOVE! I CAN'T SEE!!!"

"GIVE EM HELL KID!!!!"

"DO IT FOR QUEENS!!!"

The replays from the two finalists began to play on every single screen in Times Square as citizens filled the streets and instantly found themselves packed shoulder to shoulder like a can of sardines. Even if the Yankees, Knicks, and Giants all won a championship on the same day, you wouldn't see a crowd this large and ecstatic. An unbelievable roar of support filled each borough of the metropolis.

"The birthplace of heroes" stood proudly behind the young man who waited for his announcement.

It seemed as if nearly every single New Yorker was ready to watch this particular fight... All except for one who was asleep in her room...

Over the last few weeks, Gwen Stacy had been more broody than usual, and had taken to going to bed incredibly early in hopes of forcing her days to pass by faster. It had been a couple of months since her secret crush had performed his greatest disappearing act of all... And vanished completely without a trace... Or a goodbye to anyone.

The chase was over.

She knew her game of cat and mouse had finally come to an unsatisfying end, and that all she could do now was move on with her life... But even though time cruelly marched forward, she still found herself thinking about him most days. She knew she had to accept that he was gone... But it was hard. She was afforded absolutely no closure whatsoever.

Unanswered questions plagued her mind. Where did Peter Parker go? Why didn't anyone seem to care that he was gone? Did he get placed into foster care after the death of his aunt?...

Would she ever see him again?

The only escape she found from these questions was during her sleep...

BZZZZZZT *BZZZZZZT *BZZZZZZT *BZZZZZZT

Her cellphone vibrated against her nightstand, amplifying the rumbling sound to a much louder level than normal. The young lady groggily opened her eyes just enough to be blinded by the bright light of the screen. She closed them again to spare herself further discomfort as she felt around the bedside table until her fingers finally wrapped around the device. She braved the unwelcome light long enough to turn the brightness down as low as possible while the vibrations continued. She looked at the screen.

Incoming call from: Betty Brant

Betty Brant... The only person Gwen Stacy ever shared her secret feelings for the brown headed bookworm with after he ceased to exist in her world. She was her best friend... And had been young Gwen's rock during her painfully long journey of trying to forget about him.

Earlier that night, Betty had walked into the living room of the Brant household after hearing both of her parents screaming cheers at the television set. The moment she saw Peter Parker absolutely demolish a training robot during the obstacle race, her jaw nearly hit the ground.

The quirkless boy who vanished into thin air... Was now a UA student competing in front of the entire world!... And he was far from powerless. She instantly wrestled her phone from her back pocket and had been trying to call her best friend ever since.

She had found her missing crush...

Gwen sleepily answered the call.

"Ughhhh Whaaaat?"

The volume of the response she received caused her to wince into her pillow.

"GWEN!!! WHAT THE HELL?! I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU FOR HOURS!!! HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING THE UA SPORTS FESTIVAL?!"

"Am I wa- No! I've been asleep! What on earth makes you think I care about that?!"

"ASLE- WHAT ARE YOU, EIGHTY?! LISTEN TO ME! GO DOWN STAIRS AND TURN ON THE TOURNAMENT!!! NOW!!! HURRY!!!"

"Yeah... not happening. It's one o'clock in the god damn morning, I'm going back to bed."

"NO!!! WAIT!! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! GWEN!... IT'S PETER!!!!"

Her eyes snapped wide open. "What?!"

"HE'S IN J-JAPAN!!! H-HE'S FIGHTING IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH!!! THE WHOLE CITY IS GOING NUTS!!! ITS ABOUT TO START!!! GET DOWN TO YOUR LIVING ROOM NOW!!!"

She didn't even have the chance to end the call. Her phone fell out of her hand as she sprung out of bed a ran downstairs. She found her little brother and mother watching the screen in suspense.

Her brother was the first to notice her arrival. "Gwen! You won't believe it! That kid is from here!" He pointed at the screen as he bounced excitedly on the couch.

Peter's new school picture was brightly displayed in her living room. Her mouth dropped. A sharp gasp of sheer disbelief escaped her lips and her eyes filled with tears as she took in a sight she had never seen before... His beautiful smile.

She slapped a hand over her mouth and her watery eyes refused to blink as she watched his highlights in a complete state of shock.

She suddenly found herself caring about this event way more than she dreamed she ever would...

Present Mic's voice played through the television speakers as his introduction began...

"OUR OTHER FINALIST HAD SOME CHOICE WORDS FOR HIS OPPONENT'S PREMATURE PROCLAMATION OF VICTORY!!! HE HAS QUICKLY BECOME A CROWD FAVORITE AFTER WINNING HIS LAST FIGHT IN DRAMATIC FASHION!!! BUT JAPAN ISN'T THE ONLY PLACE SHOWING HIM SOME LOVE..."

The jumbotron switched over to a live feed from Times Square... In an absolute screaming fit of support for their hometown hero.

Momo and the others found themselves smiling at the full circle moment for their friend... But he didn't even bother to glance up at the massive monitor... His eyes were locked on his opponent who waited for him in the ring.

"I DON'T THINK THIS YOUNG MAN NEEDS ANY FURTHER INTRODUCTION!!! BUT JUST IN CASE YOU'VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK, THIS KID IS INSANE!!!! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO TELLING WHAT KIND OF CHAOTIC MADNESS WILL HAPPEN WHEN HE STEPS INTO THE RING!!! EVERYONE GIVE IT UP FOR PETER PARKERRRRRRRR!!!!!!"

The young man took a step out into the sunlight and began his march towards the stage. One would think that with the deafening cheers of so many, it would be difficult to maintain focus... But to Peter, the stadium might as well have been completely empty. His mind continued to throw fuel onto the fires that burned within him.

"MOMO YAOYOROZU IS KO'D!! KATSUKI BAKUGO WILL MOVE ON TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH!!!"

Peter's eyes remained focused on the blonde standing in the center of the concrete platform. He blinked, and for a brief moment he didn't see Katsuki Bakugo... Instead he saw a ghost from his past... Flash Thompson...

"BAKUGO CORNERED YAOMOMO IN THE TUNNEL AFTER HER LAST MATCH AND TRIED TO INTIMIDATE HER AND MADE SOME VAGUE THREATS ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SHE STEPPED INTO THE RING WITH HIM..."

He blinked again and the spiky haired human temper tantrum was back. The two opponents never averted their gaze from one another as Peter approached the steps.

"He was trying to hurt her..."

Midnight watched as the expressions of the two boys sent a shiver of uneasiness down her spine. She had no idea what to expect from Parker after what had transpired in the last fight. She turned to Cementoss.

"Be on your toes... We might actually have to stop this one..."

The man nodded as the boy climbed the steps and entered the ring.

"...WHERE'S ALL THAT NEW CONFIDENCE OF YOUR'S GONE NOW?!"

Shoto, Momo, Mina, and Kyoka had all rushed back to their seats and arrived just in time to watch Peter walk into the center of the ring and stand nose to nose with Bakugo. He stuffed his hands into his pockets... A precautionary measure...

"...he wanted to cause as much physical harm to her with his own hands as possible..."

The blonde's eyes were filled with contempt and anger at the sight of his opponent's unimpressed stoic expression.

"Don't tell me you actually think I'm gonna shake your damn hand... You have a better chance of seeing the face of God." He growled.

"I'm here to tell you to drop out of this match while you still have the ability to concede verbally." Peter responded coldly.

"Watch it Parker! That mouth of yours is already starting to piss me off! I'm not in the mood for your dumbass comments! I'll break your fucking jaw right now!"

Midnight immediately sensed the rising tensions, "YOU BOYS! IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SHAKE HANDS, THEN GET BACK TO YOUR RESPECTIVE SIDELINES!!!"

Her command fell on deaf ears.

Peter glared straight into his opponents red eyes.

"You have no idea how much I was hoping you'd say that."

Katsuki growled through gritted teeth.

"Here's the thing Bakugo... I don't really like to go around talking about any stories of what I've done to people who've hurt those I care about in my past, but I think you need some context... The last guy to piss me off this badly... Ended up with two shattered vertebrae, a skull fracture, and had to have help chewing his food for a month." He said in reference to the man who killed his uncle. "You're not winning this fight. I promise you that."

Suddenly a wall of concrete sprung up between them.

"YOU TWO NEED TO SEPERATE! NOW!" Cementoss shouted with his palm placed on the surface of the ring.

Peter turned and walked back to his sideline. He began to pace back and forth as he watched the wall sink back into the ring.

Momo clasped her hands together as she began to tremble with anxiety. She wanted to see him win so badly that it tore her her up inside. Shoto noticed her rapid breathing and shaking. He rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Have faith..." He said as his eyes refused to leave the ring.

"It's not that I don't think he can win... It's just so nerve racking... He works so hard to be the best. He deserves for the world to see how amazing he is." She said with a shake in her voice.

Shoto grinned. "You sound like him."

She turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "How so?"

"He said that same exact thing every time you stepped into the ring today. He believed in you no matter what challenges you faced. I saw that look in his eyes when he looked at your bruises. There's no chance he's losing this fight... Not with your pride on the line."

She allowed a small smile to cut through her anxiety...

Midnight stepped forward with her microphone in hand. "PETER PARKER AND KATSUKI BAKUGO... THIS IS IT! ITS TIME TO DECLARE THE WINNER OF THE UA SPORTS FESTIVAL!!! THE CAMERAS ARE ROLLING! THE CROWD IS CHEERING! AND THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU BOTH VERY CLOSELY!! SHOW US WHO WANTS IT MORE!!!!"

She raised her hand. "CONTESTANTS READY?!"

Peter stopped pacing and gave a silent nod as his eyes focused on the task ahead of him.

Bakugo spat on the ground as his palms crackled.

Midnight's hand dropped like a stone.

"BEGIN!!!!!!"

For a second that felt like a lifetime... The world stood still... before a large explosion kicked off the match.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!! COME ON YOU WORTHLESS BUG!! I'M ABOUT TO SMASH YOUR TEETH IN!!!!"

Katsuki Bakugo raced towards Peter like a rabid dog finally let off its leash.

"AND WITH AN INTENSE EXPLOSION, KATSUKI BAKUGO LOOKS LIKE HE'S READY TO TAKE THE FIRST BITE OF THIS FIGHT!!! WILL WE SEE HIS SIGNATURE RIGHT HOOK HERE?!?!"

"If he's smart, then we won't..." Aizawa interjected. "He's an excellent fighter... and a fast learner... he most likely knows that if he wants to win this match... Then he can't afford to be predictable."

The brown headed boy raised and readied his hands as he waited for an opening to present itself... An opening that came when he saw Katsuki point both of his palms towards the ground and blast himself over top of him to get a clear shot at his back.

Just as Bakugo passed over him and pointed a glowing hand towards the back of his head, Peter's lightning quick reflexes took over. He spun around with jarring speed as his left hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. With the strength of ten men he ripped him back in the opposite direction and threw him to the concrete.

Katsuki's head snapped backwards from the force and smacked the ground as he slid. He was barely able to gather himself in time to blast away from a devastating kick, that most likely would have been more than strong enough to send him into the stands.

The blonde quickly found himself on his heels as Peter shot a pair of webs past him and zipped himself into his vicinity.

The fist fight that was cut short two months ago... Was back on.

It started off rather one sided... The frustration of Peter Parker was vehemently unleashed on Bakugo immediately. He brutally laid into his opponent with a series of punches, while continuously ripping apart the defenses Katsuki tried to put up in an attempt to seek shelter from the heavy blows he was forced to endure. Each time he blocked his face with his forearms, they were either yanked down, or themselves pummeled by Peter's onslaught. They began to ache with a significantly annoying pain... And were already showing discoloration...

The stadium watched as the wall crawler threw hooks, crosses, upper cuts, and jabs over and over into his opponent. Until finally, in a rare moment of sloppiness brought about by his fiery need for payback, Bakugo managed to dodge and counter. Katsuki slung his open hand into the side of Peter's face and blasted him backwards across the ring... Finally... It was his turn to work out some rage.

Peter's vision blurred from the impact and suddenly he felt the vibrations of his Spidey Sense wildly awaken from the base of his skull... But there wasn't enough time between his instinctual warning and the incoming barrage of fury from his opponent to evade the first few shots.

Momo, Mina, and Kyoka all flinched as they were forced to watch Peter endure what most people in Class A would not be able to... A highly violent answer to the beating he just dealt... By an opponent who didn't know the meaning of the word "mercy".

Left hook, right hook, rib shot, repeat... One after another... No remorse... No hesitation... Relentless...

"WHAT A ROLLERCOASTER OF A START WE'RE OFF TO IN THIS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND!!! THE RIDICULOUS REACTION TIMES POSSESSED BY BOTH OF THESE BATTLE TESTED POWERHOUSES ARE ON FULL DISPLAY EARLY!!! DON'T BLINK FOLKS!!!! WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTEEEEEEEEEED!!!!!!"

"WHAT'S WRONG JACKASS?! RUN OUT OF STUPID FUCKING COMMENTS TO MAKE?!" Katsuki shouted as he continued to throw punches. Some found their mark... But Peter was starting to sense a pattern...

"Looks like Bakugo has him on the ropes. *Ribbit"

"No he doesn't..." Shoto disagreed as his classmates turned and waited for him to finish his thought. "It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than that to turn the tables on Parker."

"Come on Peter..." Momo said to herself as she tightened her grip on her own hands nervously. Her worry was short lived...

One of the most dangerous things about Peter Parker aside from his quirk... Was his extremely high tolerance for physical pain... It took practically no time for him to center himself in the midst of Bakugo's volley of strikes... And deliver a counter attack of his own.

Bakugo shot his fist towards his opponent's face, but it was stopped by the palm of his hand. Peter jerked his arm to the side and dazed him by slamming his forehead into the bridge of his nose. The boy stumbled backwards as he clutched his face. Blood seeped out from between his fingers and trickled down his hands. Before he could regain his senses, a pair of webs yanked him back towards his opponent. His momentum came to a sudden stop as Peter's knee crashed into his ribs. He bent forward as his eyes widened. He lost all the wind in his lungs.

Peter continued to slam his kneecap into his ribcage over and over again until he finally latched his free hand to the boy's spiky blonde locks. He stood him up by his hair the way the blonde had done to Momo earlier.

The black haired girl in the stands felt her smile return as her brow furrowed with approval. 'Get him Peter...'

Her other classmates quickly connected the dots as to why he chose this specific course of action.

"Welp... Consider that grudge held..." Sato said with a wince.

Jiro felt a sense of satisfaction as she watched the events in front of her unfold. After witnessing the last match, she found herself holding a similar distaste for Katsuki as her friend competing down in the ring. She smirked as karma seemed to be running it's course.

"Play stupid games..." She began before Peter slammed a fist into Katsuki's face, sending him tumbling to the other side of the ring.

"...Win stupid prizes." She finished as her smirk widened.

"You're really getting some mileage outta that, huh?" Mina said as she turned to the punk rock heroine beside her.

"Yeah that's like the eighth time today... How long are you gonna keep saying it?" Denki teased.

"Depends... How long are people gonna keep doing dumb shit?" She responded as she continued to stare at the boys in the ring, completely unbothered.

"So forever then..." Shoto glanced over with a sly grin.

"Most likely." She winked at him.

"Fair enough." The human spark plug shrugged as he turned back around to watch the continuation of the final match.

As Katsuki rolled across the concrete, he forced his body to athletically maneuver itself into an upright position. He slid to a stop on his knees in one of the far corners of the ring. The crowd roared with approval for the fast-paced, action packed, start to the fight. His eyes shot up to find Parker granting him a reprieve.

The wall crawler raised his fist out in front of him... He opened his hand and a few tufts of blonde hair fell from between his fingers and scattered into the wind.

"WHAT A BRUTAL DISPLAY OF COMBAT STRENGTH!!!! I DON'T WANNA GET AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE FOLKS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE PETER PARKER IS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT EARLY... WHILE WE'VE STILL YET TO SEE HARDLY ANY EXPLOSIONS FROM BAKUGO!!!"

The expression on Peter's face was ice cold... And in that moment, both competitors knew who would come out on top if this fight continued to progress in this direction...

Luckily for the foul mouthed hot shot, Peter had learned a valuable lesson about the importance of restraint long ago... But that wasn't stopping him from letting the grip he held on his own leash loosen enough to properly put his opponent in his place... His attacks packed much more of a wallop than they did two months ago... He was here to win. No ifs, ands, or buts about it...

And the proof was written all over the condition Bakugo's body.

The blonde was sweating profusely while breathing hard and heavy. His ribs were throbbing. His muscles were already screaming. His whole body lightly trembled from the pain that had been inflicted upon him so quickly. Bruises had already formed across his torso, forearms, and face... But still, amongst everything, his mouth formed a crazed smirk.

From the outside looking in, it seemed like he was being outclassed up to this point... But so far, everything was playing out in perfect accordance to his plan... Beads of yellow-tinted, nitroglycerin-filled, sweat trickled down his face and splattered on the concrete below... Forming a small, oily pool on the ground. Now all he had to do was keep up this pace long enough to initiate the second phase.

"You haven't won yet you bastard... WIPE THAT SUPERIOR FUCKING LOOK OFF YOUR FACE AND FIGHT ME!!!!" Katsuki screamed as he stood and charged Peter once again.

Sweat continued to fly off of his body...

He cocked his arm back and threw another punch, only to whiff completely as Peter spun out of the way and slammed the back of his fist into his cheek. Bakugo managed to stay upright. He pivoted and countered with a heavy blow to Parker's left temple.

Peter gritted his teeth and swung his foot against the blonde bomb's jaw in response, causing the spit to fly from his mouth. Katsuki spat a thin stream of blood onto the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of his wrist. The two continued their violent exchange back and forth as the crowd spurred on their respective rallies... But only one fighter was landing their attacks.

"WHAT A HEAD KICK!!! PARKER DOESN'T APPEAR TO LOOK BOTHERED BY ANYTHING BAKUGO THROWS HIS WAY, AND NOW HE'S LOOKING COMPLETELY UNTOUCHABLE!!!!!"

Peter's bountiful experience was on shining display for the world to see. He began to force Bakugo towards the nearest corner in order to constrict his movements... But Katsuki had other ideas. Just as he felt the pressure beginning to get too uncomfortable for his taste, he opened his hands and began to throw his glowing palms towards his opponent.

Peter stopped his forward momentum and was forced to start dodging the explosions that flew his way with each swipe of Bakugo's hands. He remained unscathed... But was unable to counter as he found himself in a rapid retreat.

Peter acrobatically zipped around the stage as his adversary chased after him, throwing bursts of flame and force with no let up. The heat from each explosion caused the flammable perspiration of Bakugo to increase further... Leaving a trail behind him wherever he moved.

Bakugo continued to push himself offensively while constantly changing up the pattern of his attacks. In order for his plan to work... His stamina would be key... So he couldn't afford to take too much more damage. He decided that it was best to take extra precautions and apply further pressure to his adversary.

Suddenly, the blonde pulled the first trick from his sleeve as he leapt forward.

"STUN GRENADE!!!!!" Bakugo shouted as he quickly pointed his palms towards each other.

Momo's confident smile instantly wiped away... Shoto's eyes widened... Class 1A froze and held their breath as a blinding light flashed from Katsuki's hands and caused Peter to stagger backwards... In a complete state of temporary blindness.

Everything... Went white...

"That's the same move he used to knock Iida out of bounds!!!" Midoriya exclaimed.

The entire audience was on pins and needles as they waited to see if the tables had finally been turned on the brown haired boy.

Peter stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath to center himself. If there was ever a time for the danger sensing aspect of his quirk to help him out, then this was it... He concentrated on the vibrations and waited to feel a change in the air around him.

"BAKUGO PULLS OUT A TECHNIQUE HE USED BACK IN THE QUARTER FINALS!!! PARKER'S IN TROUBLE NOW!!! COULD THIS BE HIS CHANCE TO COME FROM BEHIND AND WIN THIS FIGHT?!?!?!?!"

Katsuki's serious expression slowly transformed into a sinister smirk as he lunged forward. Every single UA student in the stands watched and waited for the blonde to release a hellish explosion to send his opponent into the bleachers...

But instead, Katsuki closed his fist and threw a punch with every single ounce of strength in his body... And to his great surprise...

He missed...

How in the name of god did he miss?!

The entire arena was completely baffled. That flash of light had to have completely blinded Parker! They were still seeing spots from their vantage point in the stands! Yet they looked on to see Peter Parker still standing with his back turned to Bakugo...

"H-he... Dodged it..."

"H-how the hell did he do that?!..."

"That kid had a clear shot... And he still didn't even graze him..."

The perplexed audience murmured before a silence fell over the crowd.

Suddenly, a lightbulb turned on in the brain of Mina Ashido and she was unable to hide the excitement in her voice, "PETER TINGLE!!!!!!!" She shouted as both of her fists shot up high above her head into the air.

Class 1A erupted with cheers, effectively starting a chain reaction throughout the entire stadium that put an emphatic end to the brief moment of silence.

"God, do we really have to call it that?" Sero shook his head.

—"YES!"— came the pinkette's response from a few seats away.

"ONCE AGAIN PETER PARKER CONTINUES TO PROVE HIS SKILLS IN THE MOST MIRACULOUS WAYS POSSIBLE!!! CAN HE HOLD OUT LONG ENOUGH FOR HIS SIGHT TO COME BACK?!?!"

Among the rowdy cheers from the fans, Peter finally broke his silence.

"So this is where we're at, huh? Resorting to tricks because your technical fighting abilities are completely outclassed by my own..." Peter said coldly as Bakugo's temper rapidly began to rise.

"RRRRAAAAAUGH!" The blonde threw another punch, only for Peter to side step and kick his legs out from underneath him. He wasn't able to catch himself before his face smacked the concrete.

"It's pretty sad really... You have a lot of raw talent. You could probably offer me a proper match if you'd get over yourself. Our whole class is full of people who have earned the right to be here... Yet you think you're so much better than everyone else... You can't even grasp the idea that you're standing in your own way."

Katsuki's blood boiled as he quickly shot up off the ground. "DON'T YOU DARE THINK YOU CAN TALK DOWN TO ME YOU BASTARD!!!" he screamed as he jumped and attempted to land a round house kick to his the back of his blinded adversary's head.

Peter shot his hand out and latched onto his ankle. He pivoted his feet, slung Katsuki over his head, and threw him back down to the ground.

"I'll talk to you however I damn well please." Peter spat as his vision finally began to return just in time for him to dodge the glowing palm heading towards his face... and send Katsuki to the ground once more with another gut punch.

"After all... You brought this on yourself." The brown haired young man said with an icy glare.

Both of them decided that they had spent enough time chatting and resumed their rather one sided battle. Small burst of light and strands of webbing flew left and right as Shoto Todoroki watched with a furrowed brow.

The human embodiment of ice and fire had blossomed into a rather social creature. He had even developed quite a goofy sense of humor that more or less mirrored his best friend's... But there were still certain situations where his old stoic personality came back to life.

In this particular moment, his sharply polished fighting insight shined brightly... And as he watched his best friend continue to dominate the match playing out in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness.

He never doubted that Parker would win this fight. He even expected it to be one sided... But this was too easy.

Momo noticed the look of concern on his face and began to feel a tightness in her stomach. "What's wrong?"

Her friend shifted his eyes to her. "Something's not right... Bakugo isn't fighting with the same intensity that he normally does." He stated as the raven haired girl looked at him questioningly.

He began to explain his reasoning... "In every single match he's fought, including the one you two faced off in, his explosions have been absolutely massive and borderline dangerous... But right now, he looks like he's going out of his way to avoid using that much fire power."

Momo remembered the giant blast he used to escape her choke hold and her eyes shot back to the ring. Shoto was absolutely right... She immediately began to share in his worries.

Up in the commentary booth, Shouta Aizawa stared down at his two students in deep contemplation. He shared the same train of thought as his two recommendation students... Why was this fight progressing in this specific direction? Before the arrival of Parker, the man silently considered Katsuki Bakugo to be one of, if not the most combat savvy student amongst those in his class. He had a strong understanding of his own power, and an even stronger grasp on his ability to use it in creative ways. So why did it take him so long to resort to it?... And why are his explosions abnormally small and controlled... Almost like he's afraid to use too much of his strength?...

He continued to watch closely and noticed that each small burst was being released no lower than eye level... And each time he was thrown to the ground... He wasn't letting his palms touch the surface of the ring...

The man mentally searched his mind for everything he knew about young Bakugo's quirk, until a jarring realization hit him... 'His sweat... At the rate he's moving and the beating he's taking... The ring has to be absolutely soaked in it... Which means..." His eyes widened, 'Don't tell me...'

As the blonde tumbled across the ring once more. He managed to stop his forward momentum just beyond the sideline. Peter, yet again, granted him another reprieve. As far as he was concerned, he was in complete control of this fight... But through his unbreakable focus on his opponent, the pale yellow splotches peppered around the ring went entirely unnoticed.

The course of this fight... Was about to change...

Bakugo slowly began to stand up as Peter readied his hands. He took a step forward, but the sound of unhinged laughter immediately stopped him in his tracks.

"...ha...hahaha...AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Bakugo cackled, causing Peter to take a few cautionary steps backwards.

The blonde turned around and a pair of crazed red irises met Peter's blue ones.

"Next time you wanna lecture someone about being overconfident... YOU MIGHT WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT BEING A DAMNED HYPOCRITE!!!!" Katsuki shouted as he jumped backwards into the air and pointed his palm towards the ring. He latched onto his wrist with his free hand in order to brace it.

Peter's eyes widened as he was suddenly made aware of his situation. He looked down at his feet to find himself standing in a puddle of explosive sweat.

He was about to level this entire stage!!!

Momo and Shoto immediately connected the dots. They both simultaneously thought back to the first time they witnessed this specific look on Bakugo's face... When he faced-off against Midoriya during the first hero training exercise of the year.

"HE'LL BE FINE AS LONG AS HE DODGES!!!!!!!"

The two of them frantically looked around the arena... But there was nowhere for Peter to run...

Momo began to tremble. Once again, her desire to see him win the match he was fighting took a backseat to her wishes for his safety. She saw Cementoss and Midnight brace themselves. She heard the scream of his best friend beside her... And the air leave the lungs of her classmates...

"PARKER!!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!"

It all happened so fast...

"MINEFIELD... CLUSTER!!!!!!!!!" The human bomb screamed as he let off an explosion that both propelled him into the air... And set off an incredibly destructive chain reaction at the same time.

Bakugo causing a huge amount of destruction wasn't anything new to anyone standing in the building. In fact, in every single match he fought in up to this point, he had left the ring in dire need of repair... But this time... Was different.

His plan was completely centered around taking out his opponent with one incredibly devastating shot... Forcing him to face the repercussions of his mobility handicap in a ring setting, and eat a massive explosion he couldn't dodge. Not only would it win him the match, but it would also serve as an enormous display of dominance... His demonstration of raw firepower would completely erase any and all questions that he was superior in every way, effectively putting the wall crawler who many viewed as his better, underneath his foot for good.

Smoke, flame, and dust completely engulfed the area where the ring used to be...

Chunks of debris flew wildly around the stadium...

Momo's eyes widened and her face turned pale as she looked down while the disaster before her unfolded in what seemed like slow motion...

And suddenly, out of the cloud of wreckage, a pair of webs shot up to the rafters of the partially domed stadium and Peter zipped out of the smoke... His uniform was singed and in tatters exposing the upper left half of his body... And he had a look in his eye that told the world that this fight was far from over.

"PETER PARKER WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF?!?!?! THAT EXPLOSION ERASED THE RING FROM EXISTENCE AND WAS MORE THAN POWERFUL ENOUGH TO END THIS FIGHT FOR GOOD, BUT THIS FIGHT IS STILL ALIVE!!!! WITHOUT THE RING, THAT MEANS THE FIRST CONTESTANT TO TOUCH THE GROUND WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!!! WHO'S GONNA STAY IN THE AIR LONG ENOUGH TO CLAIM VICTORY?!?!?!"

"IF YOU WANNA FIGHT IN THE AIR, THEN THAT'S FINE BY ME!!!!" Peter screamed out to his opponent.

"YES!!!!" Shoto and Momo yelled at the top of their lungs along with many of their other classmates as the boy zipped over their heads. The speed he moved at caused their hair to sweep sideways in the wind.

"GO PETER GO!!!" His biggest supporter shouted as she watched him continue to swing around the stadium.

Peter looked down to see the ring completely destroyed. Only a few pieces of concrete rubble were scattered about the field below. He quickly made note of their locations in case he needed to make an emergency landing... But it would be tough. The ones big enough to stand on were extremely few and far in between, some only big enough for a single footstep.

Concentration and quick thinking of the very highest order... Was now a complete necessity. One wrong step... And he was sure to fall prey to a ring-out... He continued to swing around the stadium as he began to pick up speed and build his momentum. His eyes remained fixed on his opponent, who started blasting his way towards him at a break-neck pace. A mixture of sheer anger and disbelief was written all over his expression.

Peter swiftly changed his trajectory and shot himself towards Katsuki. The two fighters collided mid air and their bodies tangled together as they began to fall from the height they had reached. They began to trade blows in the midst of their free fall.

The wind screamed in their ears as the ground grew closer and closer. As they tumbled through the air, Peter continued to throw punch after punch, each one connecting violently against the jaw of his opponent until Katsuki finally latched on to his fist. He twisted his body and threw Peter ahead of him. Before the wall crawler could react... A glowing hand pressed against his chest and an explosion accelerated his plummet...

As Katsuki soared safely back up into the air after his blast, Peter became painfully aware of the disadvantage he was at...

Bakugo had the luxury of being able to regain altitude at any given point in time from in any given position in the air... While Peter was forced to rely on having a surface to attach his webs onto. Not only that, but he was forced to think at an extremely rapid pace and make multiple calculations at a moments notice before doing so... If he fell below a certain point... His webs wouldn't save him from touching the ground...

His brown hair whipped around as he continued to fall. 'Breathe... You can do this...' he mentally calmed himself in the face of insurmountable odds. His heartbeat steadied. His muscles relaxed. Visions of the very first time he jumped from a rooftop and successfully swung to another flooded into his mind. Everything in his life had led him to this moment... And no matter what... He was going to come out on top...

'You were built for this.'

He quickly shot a pair of webs to each side and they stuck to the windows of the luxury boxes that surrounded the stadium. Gravity pulled the tension of the strands tightly until his free fall came to a hault... Then at the speed of a bullet, he was sent shooting back up into the air.

Katsuki's eyes widened as his opponent was suddenly upon him throwing a series of incredibly fast and powerful strikes. He wasn't being given any time to react to a single one of them. He continued to pepper Bakugo with a fury as they began to fall once again.

The look on the boy's face told Peter everything he needed to know. He completely expected his initial blast to take him out of the fight... And he was now fighting without a plan.

He cupped his fist with his other hand above his head and sent them down ferociously into the center of his chest, causing Bakugo to drop like a ton of bricks. To the surprise of most fans, Peter quickly disengaged and zipped away from the blonde.

Katsuki cursed under his breath as he flipped over and used a series of explosions to steady himself.

"Why did he stop?! He totally had him!!!" Jiro shouted as she brought her hands to the top of her head.

"The risk was too great... If Kacchan managed to counter again that close to the ground, Parker would've been finished..." Izuku responded as he watched the blonde begin to give chase to his opponent once again. "There's a reason for every single specific move he's made since the ring was destroyed... He's making so many split decisions in an instant... His mind works so fast... It's almost inhuman..."

Over and over again, the two clashed and separated. Their attacks became more violent with each aerial altercation... In a stunning turn of events, Peter grew more comfortable with the new direction of their battle... While Katsuki grew more and more frustrated. Even with a well thought out, and surprisingly reasonable strategy that stacked all possible odds in favor of the teenage time bomb... Peter was slowly retaking complete control of the fight once again.

It wasn't supposed to be this way... Parker was supposed to be bloody and broken amongst the rubble while everyone in the world watched. In Bakugo's mind, he felt like he should be feeling the weight of that gold medal around his neck right now... But instead, he was getting knocked around like a rag doll. This entire fight had just been one big highlight reel for that bug bastard.

He tried to avoid the webs that shot against his chest, but he just wasn't fast enough. Peter launched himself into his opponent feet first once again and swung away just before they dropped below a certain point.

Over and over... Time after time... Same result.

Bakugo started to feel the flames of rage in his heart beginning to consume him entirely. All that planning beforehand... All the waiting for his second chance to knock that damned nerd's head off his body... All of the punches he forced himself to endure at the beginning of the fight... It was all going to amount to nothing. He had executed his plan without a hitch, yet he was being beaten at the game he decided to play!! It was absolutely maddening.

The two landed on pieces of the destroyed stage across the field from each other. The blonde began to mentally spiral out of control.

"...I'm actually looking for a challenge big guy, not a playdate with an angry child throwing a temper tantrum... How 'bout you big red, wanna go a few rounds?"

His fist clenched as he remembered the way that bastard blatantly dismissed him at the beginning of their first altercation...

"Pre-tty sure I heard a rib crack there. You sure you want to keep going?"

It was like he was transported back in time as his breathing became shaky... That damned mocking tone he used tormented his every thought in that moment...

"Hero team Yaoyorozu and Parker... WINNERS!"

The taste of his own blood in his mouth drove him crazy... Everything was playing out just like last time... He was about to lose... Again!!!! An image of him receiving a silver medal in front of the whole world while he stood in Parker's shadow at the podium flashed before his eyes...

He completely snapped. He lost all sense of himself and screamed out in anger at the top of his burning lungs. The blinders were on... The only thing that mattered to him anymore was inflicting as much pain as humanly possible onto his opponent. Everything else went out the window...

The look on Katsuki Bakugo's face... Was bone chilling. He no longer had anything left to lose, making him more dangerous and unpredictable than ever before... His palms unleashed a powerful blast and sent him flying towards Parker.

The vibrations from Peter's Spidey Sense were almost painful as he quickly prepared himself for anything to come his way... But he wasn't the only one to sense the coming danger he found himself about to face.

Up in the commentary booth, Present Mic had switched off his microphone... His bombastic nature had left him the moment Bakugo let out his most recent scream...

"Get ready Shouta... I don't think those two can do anything else to put an end to this anymore..." He said in reference to their colleagues standing down on the battlefield.

The two in charge of enforcing the rules watched as an unbelievable sense of dread crept up inside of them. Excessive force or not... There was no longer enough concrete left intact for Cementoss to intervene... And if they took to the air again, Midnight's quirk wouldn't be able to reach them...

They were effectively rendered powerless to stop this fight.

"What are we going to do if our hands are forced?" The deep voice of the grey man asked as Midnight continued to watch with an intense expression.

"We trust in Eraser's judgment... He's the only one who can stop this now..."

Peter leapt into the air and began his aerial retreat... And not a moment too soon. The second he pulled himself away from the chunk of concrete he was standing on, a pair of palms landed on it and turned it into dust.

Bakugo's anger brought about a lack of control. His explosions now gave a new meaning to the word "deranged." Each wild blast threw his body like a newspaper in a tornado and threatened the integrity of the bones in his wrist... But his abandonment of all restraint allowed his speed to increase tenfold along with his fire power.

One final push from the bloodthirsty Katsuki Bakugo...

And what a push it would prove to be...

No matter how fast Peter swung through the air, Bakugo continued to gain ground... Before long he had thrown himself violently enough to close the gap between them.

"IF YOU THINK I'M GONNA LET YOU WALK AWAY FROM THIS FIGHT WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A SCRATCH, THEN YOU'RE DELUSIONAL!!!!" He screamed as his palms lit up with a blinding flash of light. "I'LL KILL YOU!!!!"

Peter was forced to let go of his webs and cross his forearms in front of his face... A raging blast of pure hatred exploded from his opponent's hand.

BOOOOOM!!!!

His group of friends turned pale as they lost the ability to breathe. They watched as Peter was sent flying backwards through the air. The blonde immediately shot off after him and dealt an identical blow... Towards the ground.

By a perfect mixture of body control and sheer luck, he managed to direct his plummet onto the last remaining piece of concrete big enough to break his fall and stay alive in the fight... But the impact left his body screaming in pain. He had fallen from similar heights before, but not at that speed and force. The jagged points of the rubble made for a rather unpleasant landing. He suddenly realized the sharp pain brought about by each inhale he took.

He knew that feeling anywhere... His ribs were broken again... It wasn't the first time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last either.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him... At this point he was known for dealing out shots to the ribcage, but it was for good strategic reason. The torso is at the heart of each movement the body makes in a fight. When each movement your opponent makes is filled with pain, they are faced with a choice... They can either succumb to it... Or continue to fight... Those who chose the latter, were the ones you should be extra cautious of.

The boy winced as he tried to pick himself up... But in this fight, the slightest bit of hesitation... Meant vulnerability... And before he could raise up, a pair of black combat boots landed heavily on his injured ribs.

Peter somehow managed to stifle his scream of anguish... Partially due to the weight on his lungs. He looked up to see Katsuki's twisted smirk.

"I've been waiting a long time for this... So I'm gonna enjoy it." He growled before he cocked his right hand back and slammed it into Peter's face... Then his left... Then his right again. Light flashed with each strike upon impact.

Momo watched in horror as he was ferociously beaten like a punching bag against what was left of the rock that spared him from defeat. It hurt her more than any blow she had endured all day long. She never held a reputation for letting her anger show outwardly... but after the instances with class 1B's resident copycat, she, along with her friends, had found that messing with Peter was the one thing that truly brought out a side of her that was kept buried away deep inside... Suddenly she felt a burst of rage rising up from within her. Her fist clenched and her face turned an intimidating shade of red. She began to shake wildly as a loud growl escaped through her gritted teeth.

Before a single word could slip from her tongue... The blonde blasted up into the air.

"W-what's going on? Why do he stop?" Mina asked with a grimace. She wasn't sure if she wanted to actually know the answer to her question, but Shoto obliged anyway.

"Because he's finally ready to end this..." He said as he shook with wide eyes.

Katsuki curved his flight path in order to gain as much momentum as possible while he continued to climb higher and higher. Though you would never be able to tell visually... He was exhausted. His energy to use his quirk was slipping away... And his violent outburst had only hastened the process. If he was going to end this fight the way he planned to... Then he had to do it now.

He pulled the last trick he had been saving from his sleeve... And his blast began to throw his body into a rapid spiral...

"YOU'RE GONNA REGRET THE DAY YOU SET FOOT IN THIS COUNTRY!!! WINNING THE MATCH ISN'T ENOUGH FOR ME ANYMORE!!!!" He screamed as he continued his aerial corkscrew around the perimeter of the arena. "I'M GONNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE SO BROKEN THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN STAND ON THAT DAMN PODIUM!!!"

"Shouta! You have to stop this fight now!!! Use your quirk!!!" Present Mic pleaded to his long time friend.

The man in question's hair raised slightly... But then fell back down over his shoulders. He knew this fight was about to reach it's natural conclusion. "No..." He said quietly.

Mic gawked at him, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, NO?!?! THAT KID'S OUT OF CONTROL AND THE OTHER ONE CAN'T EVEN STAND UP!!! THEY COULD GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE!!!" He shouted with an angry brand of disbelief.

Still, Shouta Aizawa stuck by his decision to not intervene... Everything the man did had a purpose behind it. It was one of the things that made him such an excellent teacher. He began to explain his reasoning. "This is a school event... And I'm their teacher. It's my job to prepare them for the world they have chosen to be a part of... A world that doesn't care how dangerous things get, or give second chances when you make a mistake. A world with consequences that follow every single choice they make. This will serve as a learning experience for them both."

Pain... Aching pain... Covered Peter's body like a blanket. There was a reason that Bakugo scored so high on his entrance exam... He was no push over, especially when the chips were down and his hand was forced... The violent second wind of his opponent caused so much damage so fast.

Peter's broken bones were constricting his breathing. He could feel his body beginning to lock up... An instinctual response trying to force him into an emergency state of rest.

Even though the pain he found himself in was excruciating... The fear of letting down the one's who he cared most for overshadowed it by a wide margin. Reasons for him to stand and fight flooded his thoughts.

"You've grown up... So much. It feels like just yesterday that I watched you from the kitchen window playing hero in the back yard..."

"May..."

He slowly picked himself up off the ground... The pain made him stagger, but he forced his legs to hold firm as he wrapped his left arm across his body. He winced as he gritted his teeth and looked up at his opponent.

He had finally set his course to head straight for him...

"...Each one of us is born with an opportunity... A chance to live our life in a way that leaves the world better than we found it after we're gone..."

"Ben..."

He clenched what was left of his uniform as he held his ribs. His right hand balled up into a fist and his knuckles turned white. He ignored the intense pain as he slowly stood up straight and began to survey the situation he was in... His mind finally settled on the best course of action that would salvage this fight, while continuously throwing more encouragement his way.

"You can't deliver a speech like that to someone and not expect them to want to follow you Parker... We might be opponents... But above that we're best friends... I'm walking out there with you... Or I'm not walking out there at all."

"Sho..."

He let go of his ribs and took a deep breath. The horrible sensation of his lungs expanding against the fractures no longer phased him. Class 1A once again crowded around the railing as they screamed words of support amongst the deafening cheers from the rest of the spectators.

Then... One more voice in his mind pushed him forward hard enough...

To go beyond.

...

"COME ON PETER!!!! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP!!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!"

His eyes widened with untold fury and intensity...

Time seemed to freeze... Until finally... The members of Class 1A watched as Peter's arms snapped up towards his opponent and fired two thick strands of web past the blonde on each side... And attached them to the jumbotron behind him.

"YOU'RE A BAD SHOT!!!" Katsuki screamed as his explosive spinning intensified.

"He missed!!!!" Jiro shouted with panic in her voice.

"No he didn't!!!! He wasn't aiming for Bakugo!!! Look!!!" Ochako shouted as she pointed at Peter, who tightened his grip on his webs.

They watched as he quickly began to wrap the strands around his wrists in a circular motion, increasing the tension to the point where it was almost too difficult to keep himself on the concrete slab below him. His right foot raised off of the chunk of rubble but he violently forced it back down. His muscles bulged. Small threads of his webbing began to snap as he leaned back as far as he could.

"HOWLITZER!!!!!!" Katsuki screamed.

"WIN THIS!!!!" Shoto belted out as loud as he could as he threw his chest over the rail.

Momo's hands tightened around the railing and she yelled out to him. "COME ON PETER!!!! SHOW THEM WHY YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!!"

Her voice carried to his ears and Peter shot off the ground in the blink of an eye.

Bakugo's palm started to crackle.

"IMP-ACCCCK"

The entire stadium looked up to see Katsuki folded over Peter's kneecap as it pressed against the center of his spine... Interrupting his spin before he could even raise his hand... And temporarily shutting down his nervous system...

The light in his palm disappeared.

Peter quickly brought his right elbow crashing down into his stomach, sending the blonde dropping towards the ground... Completely unable to move his body...

The height at which their impact occurred was more than lethal. If he hit the ground he wouldn't just lose the match... He'd lose his life.

A massive gasp came from those in the stands as Katsuki fell from the sky.

He continued to fall like a stone. The seconds that he spent in the air... Seemed like hours. The sun was bright... His spiky blonde hair casted a shadow over his eyes as the wind whipped it around in all directions. His sweat and the blood from his facial wounds dripped upwards... almost as if they were suspended in time...

For the first time in his life... He knew what it was like to feel completely helpless... His eyes widened as a brand new feeling gripped his very being...

Fear...

He was in too much shock to even show the slightest bit of panic in his mind on his face... He slowly blinked... And as his eyes opened... He saw a hand reaching out through the brightness of the sun.

Peter cut through the air like a bullet just as he had done on his very first day at UA to save the girl he had since grown so attached to. His outstretched hand latched onto the uniform of his opponent and he fired a web against the rafters. Their momentum slowed as they approached the ground in a controlled swing... And as the surface grew closer, Peter released his grip on Katsuki's uniform.

The blonde's back smacked against the ground with a small thud as he bounced back into the air and tumbled across the grass that had once surrounded the ring.

Peter released his hold on the web and slid on his knees until he finally came to a stop inside an arena that had fallen completely silent. The pain from his ribs was fully masked by the adrenaline rushing through his entire body. His eyes were wide as he trembled... Frozen in place.

Midnight blinked in astonishment as she raised her microphone one last time. Her vibrant voice put an end to the long silence.

"KATSUKI BAKUGO IS OUT OF BOUNDS!!!!!!! PETER PARKER IS YOUR CHAMPION!!!!!"

...

'...I'LL SHOW THESE PEOPLE WHAT KIND OF HERO I'LL BECOME... ONE THAT NEVER GIVES UP WHENEVER THINGS SEEM HOPELESS... AND ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!'