Hero La Kill

by Aduubo

Ryuko and Satsuki's explosive fight stirs up attention from the Public Safety Commission of Japan, as well as UA! In a valient effort to thwart the Kiryuins' plan for world domination, Ryuko Matoi is transferred to UA! But during her stay, she rekindles a forgotten friendship with a student of class 1A.

56. Chapter 56 - I will go beyond

Written by Aduubo and PKSpartan.

'Great. Just great. Could things get any worse here?' To say that Izuku was bewildered and frustrated would be an understatement; Hawks completely ruined the organized attack on All Might! Not only did it cost a great chance for them to possibly win, but it also cost him his damn shoulder! In conjunction with the throbbing pain, the ground was a blur to Izuku as he arced downward at a dizzying speed. The perpetrator of his wavering senses was still the feather that carried him. Izuku knew about how it worked and how phenomenally strong it was. Hawks has saved dozens of people from a burning building with his feathers alone without needing to physically enter. In a way, Izuku considered it an honor that he was being carried away by Hawks' famous tools. But that optimistic fanboyism immediately faded once he saw the red stem start to curl in midair.

The feather tossed him away, sending him tumbling literally head over heels towards the side of a nearby skyscraper. Now, if it were glass, he would have simply smashed right through and possibly escaped inside. Luck decided to spit in his face–instead he collided with solid brick, sinking the left side of his body within the building. Because that's what he needed; more pain inflicted on him after he was previously beaten by All Might, and dislocated his shoulder from Kacchan's gauntlet. Of course, Hawks probably didn't know about that second part. But did he have to throw him at the wall so hard? In spite of the new bruises he gained, Izuku's shoulder was at least lodged back into place.

Deep, heavy flaps could be heard from above as Hawks descended. Anyone facing him would have desperately tried to free themselves from the current predicament. Izuku however, did not. He could read Hawks' body language very well. When in a fight, people often pay attention to any cues that their opponent makes before the first punch is thrown. The most obvious indicators were the clenching of one's fists, posture, or the expressions on their face. Hawks had the perfect counter to that. Looking around, Izuku spotted diversions that would make it hard to pinpoint any cues, the biggest being his wings. Hawks proudly showcased his most prominent feature by flapping them loudly in front of Izuku. With them being the source of his excellent combat prowess, they were the first thing villains watched out for. This would deter them from the fact that Hawks' hands were free from his pockets. He could easily knock their lights out like a thug in a bar fight while they were distracted. And that didn't even factor in how the feathers could split off into several hundred pieces and move on their own. If Hawks wanted to attack Izuku, he would have done it at least a million times over already. It was a clever way to maintain an intimidating presence without having to lose the charm.

Or Hawks simply could have wanted to talk shop before the fighting actually began. Sure enough: "Midoriya! It's so good to finally meet you! Sorry about the sudden change in location. You're quite the talk among my peers, so I really wanted to get to know you mano-a-mano."

"Me?" said Izuku, who also felt scorned by him. He was only sorry for bringing him here? Instead of, you know, hurling him into a wall?

"Yeah, you."

Midoriya took a second to catch his bearings. It's no surprise that Hawks was the secret villain, him being in the exam area was telling enough. Still, him participating in an academic exam was a stretch, considering his laid back nature. So Izuku asked, "You're the secret villain? Why?"

Hawks jerked his own head back, as if he was personally offended by the question. "Why? Why do you sound surprised? Can't a guy stop to hang with the new generation of heroes every once and a while?" he asked. "I mean, All Might gets to do it! But fine, I can just leave and you can get back to fighting him."

"Uh- wait- No, I didn't mean anything by it," Izuku blurted out in a rush. Being a kid, it's a given that he'd be unaware of the many social quirks that defined who he was; impulsive, naive, and optimistic to a fault. But Izuku was always conscious about the prospect of being rude and made sure to actively avoid it. To fix his error, Izuku worked to shimmy his arm out of the wall. "Sorry, we can just get to the fight and-"

"No, no, no! I'm just kidding," Hawks called out, and Izuku refrained from freeing himself. "So polite! Call my bluff… No, I was just yanking your chain," he said and tucked his hands into his pockets. "You're definitely right to wonder why I'm here…"

Suddenly Hawks stopped, sensing a change in the atmosphere. A rough crunch could be heard before Midoriya yanked his arm free from the wall. He had ripped a chunk of plaster from it with his bare hand and hurled the object straight for Hawks. He managed to barely dodge it. Now he had about half of a second to react as Midoriya jumped through the air in his direction, but it wasn't remotely enough. Midoriya slammed into him and the two were now falling. Hawks twisted, sending Midoriya overhead. Izuku managed to grab hold of a nearby fire escape and easily clamber onto it thanks to his acrobatic training. He didn't want to waste too much time talking, not with Ryuko and Bakugo depending on him to return. Hawks then let out a rather deep and shaky exhale as he had expended more energy than needed. He looked at his wrists and ankles and remembered that the body weights were the reason for that. He couldn't perform any of his nimble moves now without dropping dead on the ground. Great. Not only was he not a good match against power-type opponents, but he was being weighed down while battling one of 1A's strongest and most agile students.

Hawks initially thought of shifting the blame on the committee for his current predicament. That was until he remembered being the one volunteering on his own. His train of thought cut off as Izuku immediately turned around and jumped off the railing. Landing on the ground, he hit the street in a sprint. Hawks followed and dove down towards him, feathers pricking themselves from his wings as they prepared to zone in on Midoriya. A trash bin sat nearby on the sidewalk. Izuku grabbed hold as he passed and hurled it toward Hawks. Garbage and… actual decaying food filled the air, grossing out Hawks as his wings violently swung down to propel himself up into the air and out of the way. While he was momentarily blindsided, Izuku then made a sharp turn into an alleyway. Hawks just couldn't believe his eyes as he watched a spoiled apple splatter onto the street. 'The fake trash cans are actually filled in the fake city? How authentic is this place?' Hawks wondered. There was also the possibility that Nezu probably liked to wander around and used the fake bins as intended.

Izuku emerged from the confines of the walls, entering a street as narrow as the alley he'd left, and entered another one. His heart pounded greatly against his chest. Even with a moment of clarity, his mind still raced to come up with any kind of strategy. In the open space, he had no chance against his opponent. Hawks had all the room to maneuver around and toss him into as many buildings as he wanted. Izuku had far less options to fight back – scratch that, avoid his attacks other than strings of dumb luck. Down here, though, in the confines of the city, his agility and quick thinking gave him an edge. But it was a very minimal one.

Hawks is still faster, tougher, and smarter than him. No amount of weighted gear could change that. In fact, nothing would have stopped Hawks from simply deploying hundreds of his feathers and sitting back while they pecked at Izuku for him. Unsportsmanlike? Absolutely. But Izuku had grown far accustomed to fighting dirty thanks to Ryuko. No amount of strategy could help against Hawks in Izuku's current state. He looked around to figure out where the hell he was and realized that Hawks had taken him many blocks west from where Ryuko and Kaccan were. All Izuku could do now was keep Hawks far away from the main fight so at least they had a chance to maybe escape All Might. If Hawks were to fight by his side against the three of them, they'd be toast. As expected, a feather homed in from dead ahead, forcing Izuku to stop in his tracks and leap back and over to avoid the projectile. He nearly stumbled onto a nearby dumpster due to being short of breath.

"Ya know, after watching your fight with Matoi at the sports festival, I was hoping you'd play along; maybe kick back with some witty back-and-forth banter. But throwing stones? Fighting dirty like that's not making you look very heroic!" Hawks' voice echoed from above. Not a string of golden blonde hair or a bright red bundle of feathers in sight. Like Izuku predicted, Hawks was keeping himself hidden while his feathers maneuvered around the cramped spaces.

If Hawks wanted to keep talking – fine. Izuku liked to talk too anyway. He kept his feet light however, in case he needed to run again. Izuku forced a smile and then said, "Sorry, Hawks! With the hundreds of eyes you had set on me, distracting you was the only strategy I had."

"Ah, it's no big deal. I would have done the same thing, except with more class and finesse." Up above and out of Midoriya's field of vision, Hawks was lounging on the roof while his feathers kept him at bay. He had him locked down as they covered every possible exit. And thanks to his acute sense of sight, Hawks still had control of the skies. There was no need to go into the cramped alley and tangle himself into a bow for Midoriya to rough up. Life sure is good when you have little helpers.

"Really? Sorry to say, but I wouldn't call it finesse when earlier you sent me crashing into a wall," Izuku rolled his eyes as he responded.

"Ah, that was a long time ago. We all grow."

"Well, that rate of improvement is something only I can dream of," Izuku sighed.

"Are you kidding? After how you performed at Honnōji, I'd say you're on your way. There's still a bit of room for improvement though. You just need to work on all of…" -Hawks twirled his hand in a circular motion- "...that."

Izuku looked down at himself while his arms were obtuse from his body. "…Even if I could see you, it sounds like you're gesturing towards all of me."

"Just giving you a goal here, kid."

"You're also giving me an idea firsthand on how much you annoy the other pros. But it won't be enough to stop us from passing the test!"

Hawks rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Right, because you guys were so close to winning before I showed up."

"Eh, not yet at least. If I can just get back to them and help out, we might have a chance. "

In momentary disbelief, Hawks pulled himself away from lounging on a rooftop to peer over the edge slightly. "No way - wait. You're telling me you actually have a plan?"

"Yep!" Izuku answered. "If I can somehow manage to get back to them without you following me. After that, we'll use whatever tactic we can in order to beat All Might."

Hawks tapped his chin, rubbing the light stubble on it. Since he was included in the case revolving around Ryuko Matoi and Revocs, he was bound to know about the people associated with her. Which in turn provided the details of her relationship with Midoriya and Bakugo. And if memory serves, neither of the two liked Bakugo very much. So it perplexed him when Midoriya's plan involved Bakugo too. "Hmm, if that's the case… what's stopping you from leaving Bakugo behind and securing the win with Matoi?" he inquired.

"Huh?"

"I've kept tabs on what's going on lately. You two have been butting heads for a while now. In fact, you were nearly about to punch him into yesterday earlier. Can't say I blame you either - kid seems like a real piece of work. It'd be a tactical advantage for you both to ditch him since he's not willing to cooperate. So, what gives?"

This question caught Midoriya off-guard. While yes, him and Katsuki were like oil and water, it's not to the point of wishing harm. Well, Kacchan probably would. Not Izuku. He always tried to refrain from putting his own feelings ahead of what he needed to do.

Be a hero. Which means saving people, even if you don't like them.

"Because…" Izuku tapped a knuckle against his palm, stuttering before pausing, and then continuing, "Because for my whole life, I wanted to become a great hero. I wanted to do what All Might did. I wanted to be just like him. I hear that some people resort to lying and/or cheating to achieve what they want. I've been lucky enough to not have to do any of that during my time here at UA," Izuku rebutted, with Hawks raising a brow with interest. "Kacchan is loud, obnoxious, rude to the point of being hurtful. He's the last person I want to work with. And I'd love to ditch him and the problems he brings. What kind of hero does that make me though? I'm not going to let someone fall just because I don't like them."

"Yet, Bakugo doesn't feel that same way and would probably be more than happy to leave you behind."

For the first time since they started talking, Hawks finally had Izuku stumped. Izuku wanted to go through the route of an optimist and refute the idea of Kacchan leaving him behind. But after everything that's happened, he wasn't sure. He didn't know what went through Kacchan's head, nor did he want to. There was no real need to know. "Why are you even asking me this in the first place? I know that you're involved in the operation about Ryuko and the Kiryuins. Why are you focused on me?"

"You remember the last time you tangoed with Tsumugu?" Hawks asked. "I was about ready to step in again, should he go too far. But I was surprised to find that he left the fight after your final stand with him. When I asked him about it – why he let you go, he mentioned something about you being the 'diamond in the rough.'"

"Diamond in the rough?"

"That's what I wondered too. But I think I'm starting to get it now after talking with you a little bit. So while we're still on the topic," -Hawks walked over to the edge of the building, revealing his position to Izuku- "I wanna ask you… What's your motive? What are you after?"

Izuku remembered that day he and Ryuko fought Tsumugu for the second time - well, she fought him while he was helpless to watch. Up until the moment he finally managed to intervene before Tsumugu could deal the final blow. He remembered staring at Tsumugu, wanting to wear down his knuckles on his face more than anything. Everything was still fresh to him, including the speech he gave instead of beating Tsumugu's face in. Because fists alone aren't the solution to the world's problems.

"I want to give hope like All Might does," Izuku spoke just loud enough so that Hawks heard him clearly. "And I know his legacy might be intimidating for those like me that want to live up to it. There was a moment where I thought of giving up my dream because I wasn't good enough. But since then, a lot of wonderful people have helped me get to where I am now. So I want to also show people that they have the chance to dream."

"Hmm. So you basically want to give people a goal to strive towards. Give them a reason to make their mark, helping them make the first step, right?"

"Yeah. Just giving them their first step."

"And what about Matoi?"

"Ryuko?" Izuku found himself muttering. After all the time that he spent with her, trained, ate, and laughed with her, he didn't need to stop and think about what his answer would be. Immediately, Izuku lifted his head and said, "I'll do anything for her. Even if we had never been friends, I'll still help her without a second thought."

The funny thing is, Izuku always felt this way about Ryuko. He'd help her as much as he'd help anyone really. But this time, there was another layer of feeling to what he said. One that he's been wanting to tell Ryuko for a long time.

Hawks was a simple man who only needed simple answers. He didn't need a super drawn out speech or to dance around whatever technicalities one can think of. If he understood it, that was fine by him. And Midoriya's conviction was as sound as he needed it to be. "Good," Hawks said with a smile. He reigned in the feathers that were surrounding Midoriya and stepped off the roof. Hawks floated down until his boots met the ground, face to face with Midoriya. "You know, my kind of a perfect society is one where everyone can relax with the only danger being boredom from nothing crazy happening. My goal is to make it so that heroes have too much free time. I think that we can have a beneficial partnership there. You have all the time in the world to pave the way for the next generation of heroes, and to kiss up to that Matoi girl."

"Yeah-I mean, wait!" –Izuku immediately blushed– "I meant 'yeah' on the partnership thing…yeah. If working with you can help me in any way, then I don't see why not." Izuku said, earning a nod from the avian hero.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll let All Might know when I wanna reach out. But for now, you have an exam to pass." Hawks looked around the nearby buildings to find what were the biggest and farthest ones. Once he found his target, he sent out a bundle of long feathers - about the same size as the primary ones he uses as blades. They hovered around the building, surrounding it. And with a flick of his wrist, he gave the order for them to cleave right through its walls like cake. Large pieces dropped onto the ground, creating thunderous noises so loud that anyone in the city could hear it.

Izuku braced himself as the crashing of brick, metal, and various other objects rung throughout his ears. The destructive capabilities Hawks had without even entering the scene was terrifying. Izuku looked at him with a perplexed expression and asked, "...What did you do that for?"

"Had to let your teammates know where you are. Cuz something tells me that they're looking for you," Hawks answered as one smaller feather flew up by his ear, suspiciously on cue, before rejoining his wing. "Congrats on getting the extra credit, Midoriya. And hey, we should try to hang out sometime. It'll be a nice break from all of this crazy villain, clothing, and supermodel nonsense. Plus, talking to you is a lot of fun."

"Uh, sure! But um, I'm guessing you won't have time for that anytime soon, right?" Izuku asked.

Hawks chuckled. "That's what the goal is for." With the flap of his wings, Hawks ascended into the air, leaving Midoriya to do whatever he wished without disturbance.

As Hawks flew back up to the roof, probably to take things easy, Izuku dashed down the streets once again as he needed to hurry. While he was talking with Hawks, loud explosions bounced off the walls and echoed through the alleys. Izuku knew sound from just about anywhere; Kacchan's massive blasts - like he used at the sports festival. Each one growing louder and closer than the last. Which proved he and Ryuko were looking for Izuku. Even when he hoped that they'd escape from All Might and win, a reality Izuku tucked far away in the depths of his mind showed itself to the surface. And at this rate, Kacchan may not be able to keep up his attacks much longer. Fortunately for Izuku, he knew where he needed to go to search for them. He could only hope that he'd make it to them in time. And just when he needed a lead: "Don't think you're getting away, heroes!" All Might's voice thundered through the air.

'There!' Izuku cut a corner tight and headed straight for the sound of All Might's battle cry. He really could unite anyone from his voice alone. Before Izuku could engage however, he needed a plan. Simply rushing in to attack at any interval was a dumb move - Izuku nearly considered calling it a 'Kacchan move,' but refrained as they're currently doing hit-and-runs on All Might. In addition to being rude, he also wanted to avoid being a hypocrite. 'I know! I'll jump onto a roof to see what they're up to and plan my next move!' Izuku thought as he found his next destination. Now hold on - should he climb the window or simply try to jump straight to the top? Izuku knew that collateral damage factored into his final grade, but did that include skid marks on buildings? No time to think of that now, a loud boom sounded off, so Izuku decided that he'd simply jump to the top. He started with a jog and some hops, which then turned into longer and higher jumps, building momentum for when he could scale a building. Climbing the other ones he passed probably would have been faster, but at least in the air he had a moment of peace and clarity to think; which came at the cost of protection and recourse, as he suddenly found Kacchan directly in his path. "Oh shit! Kacchan!" Izuku cried out before crashing directly into the blonde.

Ryuko sent forth a mighty punch that knocked All Might headfirst through a set of glass doors. There she made her first mark of collateral damage. It didn't really matter to her anyway since she and her team fighting against the clock stuck out as a bigger concern. Going out to rescue Izuku proved to be a risky move, but as far as Ryuko was concerned, she'd rather fail than leave him behind. Now with Katsuki on the other hand, Ryuko couldn't pinpoint what his stance would be if she and/or Izuku were incapacitated. You'd think it'd be a no brainer to assume he'd just leave them. Yet, Ryuko actually couldn't see him doing that.

Well, at least All Might didn't seem to mind a set of doors being destroyed by her. He immediately picked himself up and leaped towards the two without even a peep of a lecture. It was hard to see what went through that big head of his at all with the smoke around him. At that moment, Ryuko saw something that could give her and Katsuki a moment to breathe. Ryuko's large gloves dug into the dirt like a shovel. She was careful to scoop up the soft, granular objects of it instead of the thick, chunkier bits. With the combined piles of dirt and grime doubled by the size of Ryuko's enlarged gloves, she tossed a large cloud of brown and silver dust into All Might's face; much of it getting in his eyes and mouth. On top of blinding him and assaulting his taste buds, Ryuko kicked up even more dirt to create a sort of smoke grenade to temporarily blind the number one hero, which made for a perfect opportunity to gain some distance.

Katsuki, impatient as ever, shouted, "You have any idea where the damn nerd could be?!" If they were going to find Deku, they needed to do it fast. Katsuki didn't know how many more explosions he could do before totally wiping out, and he sure as hell didn't know how long Shank could hold All Might off to cover for him. Things would have been a helluva lot easier if Deku was here to back them up - that much Katsuki was willing to admit, much to his reluctance.

"I heard an explosion coming from that direction over there! It's our best bet! If anything, Izuku will probably find us first!" Ryuko answered while pointing ahead.

"West then," Katsuki said and made sure to keep an ear out. If he knew Deku as well as Shank did, it's safe to assume the nerd would shout their names like a broken siren. Katsuki hated it, but it was their best chance to find him. He had gotten used to Deku's voice, which would come in handy if Shank for whatever reason couldn't hear anymore.

All Might managed to get the dust out of his lungs, and the dirt out of his mouth. But there was still the matter of the clouded air blocking his vision. So he decided the best solution was one of his favorite moves to clear it all out. Not only did it have great range but it also covered a lot of ground with a huge spread. All Might spread his arms out far and opened his palms, straight and firm. "Don't think you're getting away, heroes!" All Might shouted as he slammed them together, the clap being the only thing more thunderous than his voice.

Ryuko and Katsuki turned around to see what could be described as a tsunami of air and dirt heading their way. With quick thinking, Katsuki immediately said, "Scatter!" He aimed towards the ground and launched himself into the air with blasts. Ryuko dove behind a building that was made of solid brick, which made for a better cover than to hide behind glass. Katsuki watched as the wave continued past them. Even while safely in the air, he couldn't believe his eyes as it continued for several miles. That must have been the same move All Might used earlier when the match started. Or something similar to that. At least now, he and Matoi were better prepared for it this time. And All Might destroying more of the city meant that they could use more heavy hitters without consequence. Just as Katsuki hoped things would go smoothly from there, the ship already sailed and crashed the moment he heard: "Oh shit! Kacchan!"

Katsuki's arms were still lowered from holding himself midair. There wasn't enough time to make a shield before Deku slammed into him. With the air absolutely knocked out of both of them, the two boys collapsed on the ground in front of All Might. He looked in the direction that young Midoriya came from. It came as a surprise to him that Hawks wasn't hot on the chase. Whatever reason he volunteered in the practical exam must have been fulfilled. All Might made the assumption that Hawks just turned tail and returned to the public safety commission. In the distance toward the rooftops, out of sight and out of mind, Hawks rested on a small staircase. "Madam president said I didn't have to come back until I got the info I was looking for. Might as well enjoy my break while it lasts." he said and began to leisurely check his phone.

Izuku curled up on the ground for a few seconds, pain washing all over him. The worst of it being from when Kacchan's forehead collided with his. Kacch- Bakugo being hardheaded was something Izuku had no desire to ever deal with in a literal sense. He managed to push himself onto a sitting knee position, but still needed a few more seconds to recover. It might be just a few seconds too many.

"Ah, young Midoriya! So nice of you to rejoin us!"

Luckily for Izuku, All Might calling out to him kicked the boy right back into high gear. After nearly a year of training with his idol, Izuku found himself being immediately responsive to the sound of his voice alone. Good thing too. As he soon heard All Might's boots loudly stomping by with each second he approached.

"Congratulations on obtaining extra credit for yourself and your classmates! You're all going to score big on your exam once you manage to either cuff me or pass the finish line. Or - excuse me, if you manage to." said All Might.

Izuku looked over to find Bakugo still struggling to pick himself up off the ground. He might have taken the hit much harder than Izuku realized. But before All Might could attack, the two tufts on his head were blown front and back from Ryuko flying overhead in shippu mode.

"Cat got your tongue, All Might?!" she shouted while hovering in between him and her classmates. He didn't even get a second to come up with a retort as Matoi aimed her repulsors in his direction. "Maybe this'll help!" Ryuko shifted her jets into overdrive, which blasted a gust of dirt right at him. Smoke overtook the entire road. Thin remains of the terrain exploded in All Might's face. Ryuko could hear coughing from the other side of the cloud she created. Dashing over to Izuku and Katsuki, she grabbed them both by the back of their shirts and practically scrambled to the skies above a few skyscrapers. Ryuko looked around in a rush to find where the exit gate could be. A freight train like All Might had little to no brakes after all and wouldn't stay blinded forever. Whipping her head around one last time, the exit gate was finally in her sights—the bright lights outlining a banner of Nezu that also said, "Do your best!" It stuck out like a sore thumb in this make-believe city and looked ridiculous. Knowing how many stupid people she's had to put up with in the last 17 years of her life, Ryuko knew why Nezu didn't go for a more subtle look. Regardless, the gate looked to be about 3 miles from where she was right now. She might be able to make it while also flying in moderation so that Izuku and Katsuki's bodies didn't snap and break from whiplash.

"Hold on, guys! We're almost to the finish line!" Ryuko said before descending in between a few buildings and headed straight for their goal. Just when they were within running distance of the gate, All Might made sure to remind them that he was their opponent by appearing right on their tail. He brought his entire arm forward and clotheslined Ryuko right into her back. Other than the pain from the blunt force trauma, her eyes widened once she heard a set of bones cracking. Everything would have ended badly right then and there, but Ryuko's battle-hardened experience gave her a great sense of foresight. Before being struck, she released Izuku and Katsuki, that way they'd still be carried by the momentum from flying while she was sent crashing into a bus, knocking it over completely. And her presumption proved to be correct: Izuku maximized his body's surface area by spreading his arms and legs out wide, acting like a parachute to slow down his fall. Once a window came into proximity, he shielded himself by curling into a ball and broke through it. Katsuki twisted his body and pointed his hands in two directions; one in front of him, and one below before he began to fire away. His explosions acted as propulsors, slowing down his descent so that he could safely land on a rooftop.

"Gah. I hate public transport." Ryuko muttered as her fingers snagged at the edge of a window, which was thankfully free of glass. She clambered over and threw herself onto the open road. At least, what used to be one. As it was now a dirt bike trail thanks to the punch All Might threw at the beginning of the fight. Ryuko tried to pick herself up on her feet until a sharp pain shot through her middle back. There it was, the result of the crackling sounds she heard earlier. Ryuko cried out in pain as she fell back down to her knees. This was perhaps the most damage she had ever received from an opponent yet. And it was from her teacher of all people! Not even Satsuki went as far as to handicap her like this.

Yet another roadblock for the trio. Izuku and Katsuki descended from the nearby buildings they landed on and rejoined the fight. All Might was already right there in front waiting for them. This was the final stretch. The gate was practically at arm's reach for the three students. Now Izuku and Katsuki just had to figure out how they were going to pass while also helping Ryuko. They didn't have many options left. Except…

"Get out of here, Deku."

"What?" Izuku asked.

"Shank ain't in any shape to fight anymore," Katsuki said. "You gotta help her get to the gate. I'll take All Might on."

"What? I can't just leave you here! At that point, we should go togeth-"

Of course the damn nerd was going to protest, but nobody had time to argue. So Katsuki decided to stop him there by calmly (probably) saying: "Think about it, dumbass! He said to treat this like a real fight, right?"

Kacchan's right. Izuku remembered All Might saying something similar. It wasn't word for word, but the message came across. Izuku didn't understand why Kacchan brought it up though. "What does that have to do with this?"

"If this were a fight with a real villain, you need to focus on getting the dead weight to safety! You can either stay here and we all "die" or you can take Shank and go get help! That way nobody dies!"

All Might dove towards the two with a ground pound which they both dodged. Already he moved to close in on them, but Katsuki was ready for it. Grabbing Deku's mouthpiece and his arm, Katsuki turned the other way and aimed in Shank's direction.

"I'm not giving you a choice here, Deku! Now die!" Katsuki's screams echoed throughout the block. All Might knew exactly what he was planning. Before he could stop it by grabbing Midoriya, Katsuki used his explosions to hurl him at a great distance like the early quirk assessment test. Midoriya flew just out of All Might's reach while he himself fell right into Bakugo's trap.

'Life ain't like the hero fantasy we saw as kids. You can't have everything you want, Deku. You gotta quit being greedy and focus on what's important. But I could never tell ya that. Because I ain't gonna accept it either!' he clamped his wrists together, palms jutted out. "If I'm gonna go out fighting you, All Might — I'm gonna go out on MY terms!" A bright orange glow illuminated All Might's face before a miniature nuke was lit.

"Oww! Damn it, Kacchan!" Izuku cursed as he padded the parts on his suit that had little balls of fire on them. 'But wait, there's Ryuko — I can reach her!"

Izuku twisted and flipped himself forward just in time to land on his feet. "Ryuko! Are you okay?" he asked as he ran over to her. He attempted to help her stand, but the pain in her back made it difficult to do so.

"Agh! Not really. My back's real messed up thanks to our mentor," she answered with a high amount of sass in her voice. Ryuko was so going to kick All Might's ass after this. "I'm no good moving around like this. Just go ahead of me and pass the gate."

"Don't even start. We're passing it together. All of us." Izuku immediately shut the notion down and was able to finally get Ryuko on her feet. They tried to head to the gate as fast as they could, but her injury proved to be a heavy burden; running would trigger too much pain for Ryuko, and carrying her might make things even worse. All they could do was limp. Izuku didn't care though — if he could move her in any capacity, he'd take it.

Katsuki's understanding of his quirk and how physics worked proved to be very useful. Because of it, he hadn't been turned into paste by All Might. Even with the weights on, he was still too fast for Katsuki to dodge on his own. So any time he dodged All Might's attacks, Katsuki used his explosions to boost his maneuverability like he did against Deku and Iida. That way he could guarantee All Might's hits wouldn't touch more than a hair on him. In addition, Katsuki peppered All Might with smaller blasts as a distraction – kinda like filling a super meter in a video game before he would finally unleash a devastating blow.

BLAM!

This fight continued to go in circles with Katsuki's blasts barely chipping away at All Might like a hammer to a mountain. At least it kept him busy. But even All Might would realize that this encounter was going nowhere. His large hand emerged from the smoke, grasping Katsuki's shoulder and tossed him aside into a nearby metal fence. He instinctively flexed his left arm to block off as much pain as possible; even then it partially reduced the high amount of bruising he received. Katsuki looked up to see that his teammates had become All Might's newest targets. The large burly man leaped up into the air, ready to pounce them like a sabertooth tiger on a pair of antelopes. Katsuki's wrists struggled to raise his hands, there were only a few sparks left in them amongst the puffs of smoke. He groaned to himself, knowing that he was going to have to step in. This exam had essentially turned into a babysitting job with two dimwits that are somehow able to compete with him.

Just as All Might reached the arc of his jump and began to descend, Katsuki blasted himself around and in front, cutting the number one hero off. He readied his right hand as his left one was completely out of commission. One final blast.

Biting back the pain from his burning, aching glands, Bakugo unleashed one more mighty blast onto the approaching goliath.

KABOOM!

But it was a useless endeavor.

All Might dodged the blast, completely catching Katsuki by surprise. Before he could even react, the number one hero ferociously yanked him by his firing arm and slammed him down to where he was previously posted. Ryuko and Izuku look on in horrid silence as they watch Bakugo get absolutely decimated by All Might's raw strength and power. Izuku could only think about the health of his childhood friend. Taking all of those heavy hits from All Might, and couple that with the repeated use of his heavy-hitting explosions, he feared that permanent damage may be in the future if this didn't end quickly. 'This isn't good! Even if he somehow managed to do one more blast, it wouldn't be enough for Bakugo to get away from All Might. If only I could-'

"So Izuku, you got any ideas?"

The boy in question looks to his partner, eyebrow quirked up in slight bemusement. "What do you mean?"

"I know that look in your eyes when I see it. What's the game plan?" Ryuko asked, sending a slight shiver down Izuku's spine. It had gotten a bit frightening how much she was able to understand him.

"Getting to Kacchan and keeping All Might off him isn't the problem. The distance to and from is. Even at my top speed, All Might would still be able to blitz the both of us in no time flat. If he still had his gauntlets, then maybe Katsuki could have at least used them to help with propulsion. But in the state he's in now, I doubt he can even throw a spark to save his life. Let alone a decent explosion," Izuku explained his inquiry to Ryuko, all the while she nodded as he listed all of the obstacles that lay before them.

Ryuko tried to ponder any and all possibilities for Izuku to get Katsuki and rush them all to the exit. And of all the potential plans, one is gnawing at the back of her head. One that was really going to throw her back out.

"Okay. I think I got a way where you can nab Katsuki and make it to the gate on time," Matoi answered back to Midoriya, who looked back in surprise.

"Really? Well, I'm all ears."

"Alright, just gimme a sec. Senketsu, you mind lending me a hand please?" Ryuko reached to her back with her thumb and index finger pressed together. Seeing this gesture, Senketsu promptly allowed a strand of red thread to be grabbed by his partner. Said thread was then given to Izuku, slightly befuddled at the "plan" in motion.

Looking at the thread and back to Ryuko, the gears in the young hero's head begin to turn at rapid speeds.

"But…wait. No, you can't! Your back."

"I'll be fine!" Ryuko snapped back at Izuku. She didn't like yelling at him, but there was no time for any pleasantries. She wore a strained, but very tight grin on her face. One that Izuku can't help but admire. Come hell or high water, pain or pleasantries, Ryuko Matoi will always be ready for anything.

Katsuki could feel energy being completely sapped from his body. He clutched All Might's giant forearm in a vain attempt to pry it off his face. He may have lost the fight. Shank and Deku might have gotten to the finish line before him. And he would have been fine with that. All Might could see this clearly with how young Bakugo bit the corner of his thumb. Clearly, the kids have been through enough. So All Might decided that there would be no more fighting from him. If it were to get Bakugo to stay put, he'd even let young Matoi and Midoriya go. But life was never that simple.

"Don't tell me-!" All Might whipped in a complete 180 as his acute hearing detected something, someone violently thrashing against the wind. In his sights, he found Midoriya charging him head on. His eyes were locked into a fierce gaze. Jaws that were previously tense somewhat loosened to form a crooked smile.

Izuku was utterly terrified of the mountain-like obstacle he faced. Not only was he facing the number one hero, but his idol. His mentor. In addition to fighting All Might, Izuku was also fighting his fear of hurting the man he cared so much about. So, to combat this (temporarily), Izuku decided to envision someone else in All Might's place that he'd gladly rough up in a fight… Uzu Sanageyama!

"Sorry in advance for this one, All Might!" Izuku said, with whatever little sense he had left. He seemingly moved to drop kick the colossal hero, much to the surprise of both him AND Bakugo. They both knew a scrawny teen with a boost didn't have the appropriate strength to do any lasting damage to the number one hero. A drop kick even from his starting position would be as harmful as an ant bite, as long as All Might tightened his defenses.

Except said drop kick was too high, and was aimed directly at All Might's neck. At that moment, Mirko's words began to play in Izuku's head like a record player, with the volume turned up high.

"First, you tighten your core to its absolute limit!"

Izuku's abdominal muscles pushed themselves into overdrive as he rolled himself forward, slamming both of his legs on his mentor's shoulders.

"Next, do the same with your legs! Make sure you keep the grip tight!"

Staggering backwards from the surprise attack from his protege, All Might could only be confused at the attempt as both the offending limbs are wrapped firmly around his neck.

"Just what are you-ACK?!" All Mights words were cut-off, his throat being constricted by Midoriya's legs. Izuku's body tightened and twisted as he spun around and around, pulling the goliath along for the ride.

While somehow not getting motion sickness, Izuku said to All Might, "It's kinda crude! And it's pretty much my first time using it! Even so…" Every fight from beginning to now came flooding back into the fledgling hero's brain. From Hero Basic Training, to the Sports Festival, to the Honnoji Naturals Election, to now - each one pushing and testing Izuku for all of his worth.

'There's no way in Hell any of us can beat you now! But if I can at least get close to you, for even just a second… then that's fine by me!' The muscles in Izuku's body scream a symphony of agony and power, as he conjured every bit of energy he had to lift All Might from where he once stood. 'And finally! Put everything you got and retch that sucker from the ground!'

"IF I WANNA FIGHT SANAGEYAMA AGAIN, I NEED TO GO THROUGH YOU!" Izuku screamed from the top of his lungs as he flipped All Might backwards, sending him headfirst into the piles of broken concrete that used to be a street.

"LUNA TIJERAS!"

Ryuko and a barely conscious Bakugo looked on in absolute disbelief at what was done just now. All Might. The Symbol Of Peace. Japan's Number One Hero was sent crashing down into the ground by a kid that was half his weight and size. By a move that belonged to the one hero who wouldn't be caught dead in a team-up, let alone teaching in general.

Izuku quickly scrambled on the ground to tend his overly sore thighs. He writhed a little bit in pain as he had nearly pulled a muscle from tossing a literal tank of a man. Once the pain settled, he turned around and found a rewarding, but also horrifying sight. All Might was embedded head first into the ground with the rest of his body sticking upward like a stiff piece of wood.

'Oh god. Did I throw him too hard? I didn't kill him, did I?!'

Thankfully Izuku didn't have to worry for too long as All Might began wrangling around, probably attempting to find footing and pull himself out. He could even hear muffled ramblings from under the pavement. But no time for that now. Izuku rushed over to Bakugo, quickly kneeling down and slinging his arm underneath his torso. Once Bakugo was secured and ready to be carried, Izuku called out a signal, "RYUKO! NOW!"

She heard him loud and clear. With the string taut in her hand, and her feet planted into the ground – Ryuko let out a loud, agonizing howl as she twisted her body and reared completely back. For a brief second, Izuku felt a tug on the makeshift rope wrapped around his waist before he was propelled into the air while holding Bakugo. Just as they had left the ground, All Might pulled himself out of it – pushing off of his arms to leap and land on his feet, coughing while doing so. He looked upwards and found that the two boys were being pulled to the finish line. "I won't - agh!" In an attempt to jump and intercept Midoriya and Bakugo, All Might felt part of his body give out as he fell onto a knee. He then coughed even more, finding blood smeared on his hand. The attack that young Midoriya performed hurt a lot more than he realized.

Once Izuku reached the peak of the arc, Ryuko doubled over in pain. That didn't stop her however as she began crawling away, that way she and Izuku could meet at the finish line together. No matter how badly she got injured in a fight - as long as she could keep moving, Ryuko wouldn't stop. Never again.

"I must say, you caught me off-guard with that one Young Midoriya. To think, Miruko would have entrusted you with one of her most powerful techniques! Could use some further tweaking though." All Might coughed in his hand, momentarily eyeing the small splotches of blood from the previous fit.

'In all honesty, you have surprised me with your sudden improvement. You've come far from the scrawny little man I took on almost a year ago. And here you are, leading an entire group and pushing ME back with your very strength alone. Each of you has overcome your obstacles and sought the fight through.'

Just as Ryuko was about to pass, she felt something grab her wrist. It was Izuku, who then pulled her along with him so that everyone passed together.

'So, the next time a wall stands before you – when trouble brews, don't let your fears overtake you! Because that's your opportunity to see how strong you truly are!'

A high-pitched ding came from the speaker of the gate as the text wheel rolled and changed from "Do your best!" to "Good job!"

"Team Midoriya, Bakugo, and Matoi have passed the exam!"

Everyone that was within vicinity of the testing grounds, or was still taking the test perked up as the announcement was made. Ochako and Aoyama were just about to board the bus back to UA as they heard it. Her eyes lit up while she looked to the horizon excitedly. 'They did it!'

Even when they were occupied, everyone had to stop for a moment to give props to Izuku, Ryuko, and Katsuki for winning against All Might. It was no easy task, maybe even impossible. But they persevered and will later reap the rewards for it. Once the announcement rang through Izuku's ears, his body had finally given out. He tripped on his feet and fell to the ground, dropping Bakugo and Ryuko in the process. Ryuko propped herself up on her arms to see if Izuku was okay. It turned out that he was out cold, most likely exhausted from the battle. 'Huh… not passed out yet. How weir… oh, there we go.' Ryuko felt her eyes drooping before her arms went lax and her head dropped on the ground too. An unconscious Izuku was the only person in her peripheral vision before everything turned black.

…

"Smooooooch!" Recovery girl left a kiss on Izuku's cheek. As expected, the healing worked absolute wonders - at the cost of leaving him just a tad bit drained of stamina.

"Ah, thank you very much, Recovery Girl. I'm feeling a lot better," Izuku said groggily as he sat up, his hand somehow nearly slipping on the bed.

"You're very welcome, dear," Recovery nodded before walking towards Ryuko. While doing so, she shot an angry glare at All Might and shouted, "Honestly, All Might – couldn't you have afforded to go a little bit easier on these kids?! You should have seen the damage you did to poor Matoi's back! What were you thinking? Rupturing her spine like that?!" To say she was angry would be an understatement. When All Might brought them to her tent all unconscious, she nearly had a heart attack. It was as if he brought her a pile of corpses. At that moment, ever so briefly, she considered smacking the tufts off of All Might's head with her cane. Out of her boundless forgiveness, she did not do so.

"Yeah, All Might! Can't believe you'd do that to your students. But I'm feeling much better now," Ryuko said as she stretched. The room got swept into complete silence – which prompted her to look around and find that not only were they speechless, but were also staring at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"Incredible…" All Might murmured.

"You're… You're just getting up and walking around now?" Recovery Girl asked her.

"Yeah? Why?"

"But I haven't healed you yet."

"Ryuko, your spine was fractured…" said Izuku. "Fifteen minutes ago, you couldn't walk properly."

Ryuko had totally forgotten about that. Now it made sense why they were all staring. Ryuko twisted her torso left and right, there were a few cracks and not even a residue of pain. "Would you look at that? This a new ability of yours Senketsu?"

"It wasn't me," answered Senketsu.

She twisted her body a few more times and felt nothing. Aside from the fatigue and the bruises, she felt nearly good as new. "Really? Weird. Guess I don't need Granny's kisses after all. This would have been really handy to have back when I fought Satsuki."

"I suppose. At the very least, you should let me take care of those bruises you have. No harm in being back in tip-top shape," Recovery Girl quickly added, worried that Ryuko might run off just because her spine wasn't twisted in bad places.

"Good point."

Recovery Girl puckered her lips and gave Ryuko a kiss on the cheek, healing the multitude of bruises that she received from All Might. Once the deed was done, Ryuko sort of swayed from side to side as she was left in a bit of a daze. She flexed her arms and clenched her fists as a way to keep her muscles active. It's exceptional how tough the young girl was. Not too long ago, she actively traded blows with All Might - getting a few good hits in while at it. Even though he had weights on, it was an impressive feat nonetheless. Recovery Girl then walked over to check on Bakugo, who unsurprisingly was still unconscious. Unfit for healing any time soon. She then reported it to the others, "As for Bakugo, he probably won't wake up for a while. Until the exams are over, you all should stay here and rest."

"Yes ma'am." both Izuku and Ryuko said and bowed respectively. Recovery went back over to her chair to survey the rest of the exams.

With the door left open, All Might took the opportunity to approach his two proteges and speak with them, "I'll say. You've both earned it. Passing the exam and completing extra credit on top of that? Stellar work."

"Oh right. Man, I still can't believe we managed to win against you, All Might." Izuku said, blinking twice in disbelief. It suddenly flashed in his mind that he contributed to that by slamming All Might head first into the ground, which made Izuku's eyes widened. "Oh god, I just remembered! Are you okay? I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?!"

After all of the beating that he endured today and winning the battle where it all took place, Midoriya's instinct was to put others above himself, which made All Might laugh a little. "Don't sweat it kid. Nothing I can't handle," he said while lightly tapping the corner of his head with his knuckles. "I actually feel honored to experience how much growth you two had firsthand. Each of you overcame your own challenges today. Midoriya, you've shown traits of true leadership when you worked to unite your teammates. Matoi, you showed perseverance with how you managed to turn things around – given what you were going through. Those are qualities that even pro heroes can be proud of." All Might's words almost never ceased to cut deep when trying to motivate someone. Even a rebellious teenage girl like Ryuko found herself blushing from receiving high praise from him. It did help that she grew to greatly admire him during her time spent at UA. And Izuku's fanboyism may have rubbed off on her all over again.

"Ah! Well…" Ryuko said with a sheepish laugh. "It's nothing. Izuku's the one who pulled us together. It's all thanks to him, really."

"Uhh, Ryuko, you'll want to check that again," Izuku spoke up.

"Whadd'ya mean?"

"I didn't do anything," he paused, then sat himself on the bed properly now that the drowsiness had worn off. "The entire time, I was just trying to figure out how to make Katsuki work with us. Whatever happened earlier… that was all you."

Hearing Izuku not say 'Kacchan' for the first time after a while wasn't what left Ryuko stunned. It was when she stopped to think a little and soon realized what he was talking about. She pulled herself out of the gutter. She snapped Katsuki out of whatever crisis he had. She became the ace in the hole that helped secure their win against All Might. All because Ryuko chose to. A light little chuckle soon slipped out of her lips. "I've been fighting with myself for so long… that I thought things'll be better if I went back to being alone as a roamer," Ryuko let out a soft, cleansing sigh. "But after hearing everyone say that everything was going to be okay. The last thing I needed to do was say that to myself. Nothing will get better unless I do something about it."

"Yeah. And you know I'd never let you do things like that by yourself. We've been together ever since you came back to Musutafu," Izuku said.

That particular set of words echoed in Ryuko's thoughts. Her cheeks grew warm and her heart started to flutter. Izuku was talking in a literal sense… but they've been together for much longer than that. "Yeah. Guess we have," she said.

All Might remained silent for the time being so that the two would have their little heart-to-heart. They had just overcome one of their biggest challenges yet. They've more than earned this moment of solace. Recovery Girl even had her chair shifted slightly so that she could observe as well. From what she heard, Ryuko didn't live an easy life. Chiyo remembered seeing the result of the tremendous burden she carried at the Sports Festival. So seeing her so relaxed… so happy - it brought a harmonizing feeling to the older woman.

After the heart-to-heart, Ryuko looked around, realizing that none of her other classmates were present. Curiously, she asked, "So, where's everyone else?"

"Some are on their way back to the waiting rooms to rest, while others are getting ready to go home for the day." Recovery Girl guided everyone's eyes towards the multiple projects that she sat in front of, each one showing exactly what she had just described. Both Asui and Mineta's teams were still engaged in their matches, Kirishima and Sato were on their way back having failed their exams, and for an extra measure - one monitor showed Uraraka and Aoyama at UA, preparing to head home for the day. That one in particular stood out to Ryuko. Thoughts raced in her mind just as memories played back in it like cassette tapes her father had. Ryuko always wondered what Uraraka's motives were - from turning down Izuku, to trying to set them up together. But for whatever reason, in contrast to her usual bold nature, she had always been afraid to ask her directly.

"Guys, I'll be right back."

Before anyone could ask, Ryuko stood up from her bed and bolted outside of the tent. Everyone left behind (minus Bakugo) approached the entrance of it and watched her break into a sprint.

"Ryuko?"

"Young Matoi!"

"Where do you think you're going?! Get your butt back in bed!"

Each of them shouted at her respectfully, clearly against whatever it was she was doing. Even worse, none of them were in any condition to chase after her. All Might was reaching his muscle form's limit like sand slipping through his fingers, Izuku's stamina had evaporated, and Ryuko was out of Recovery Girl's weight class, to put it simply.

"It's okay! I won't be long, granny!" Ryuko looked back and shouted as she ran up a slope of grass to reach the sidewalk. From there, she ran as fast as she could towards UA. Uraraka was leaving the classroom when Ryuko last saw the monitor. If she kept running, she might be able to catch up before Uraraka's departure.

"Ryuko, what are you doing?" Senketsu asked. The breeze felt nice and all, but he found that it made more sense for them to stay put.

"I need to talk to Uraraka," Ryuko answered briskly.

"But why?"

"Remember what I said earlier, Senketsu?" –her voice dropped after having to take a few breaths. Running and talking like this was a stupid idea– "I meant it. Whatever happened between her and Izuku, I have to know. And I won't find out if I just sit and do nothing."

Senketsu didn't need to hear any more of what Ryuko's intentions were. Today she started strong on the path of healing. Now she was going to finish it just as strong. "I understand. Do what you need to."

UA was just dead ahead. Ryuko made sure to hit the brakes so that she didn't crash right through the back door, and so that the gates of the barrier could scan her student ID card - which she always kept on her person. Upon entering the building, she went straight to the classroom to see if Uraraka returned. It turned out to be empty - just as expected. In a deep and labored sigh, Ryuko mustered up the last of her energy and rushed straight to the front entrance. Pushing the large doors open, Ochako exited the building and walked towards the front gate. Aoyama had already been picked up by his parents, so she was on her own.

"Uraraka! Wait!"

A familiar voice called out to Ochako, which made her stop in place. She turned her head and found Matoi running on her last leg towards her. She stopped once she got close enough, out of breath and hunched over with her hands resting on her hike would have been much easier had she gone into sync mode and simply flown here. But everything happened so fast that Ryuko didn't think straight.

"Oh, Matoi! Fancy bumping into you here. Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Ochako asked. She took a few steps forward and planted her hand on Ryuko's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just… need to catch my breath."

"Uh… alright," Ochako said while clicking her tongue inside her mouth. Things were a little awkward right now as she didn't really expect to see Matoi here at all. "Well, congrats on passing the final by the way! Did you need something?"

Ryuko took one final breath before she straightened her posture and met Ochako's eyes properly. "Yeah. I need to talk to you. It's… important."

There was steel in Ryuko's eyes. It didn't wear the usual aggression she had when angry or dealing with annoying people. Rather, she looked focused. And Ochako could tell that it absolutely deserved her attention. "Oh, sure thing," she said, her smile keeping the same shape from greeting Ryuko earlier. "What's on your mind?"

This was it. No turning back now.

"It's Izuku," Ryuko said, getting right to it. "When he took you to the Hydrogena festival… h-he confessed to you. After that, he told me you said no because you wanted to focus on becoming a pro hero and help your family. But you two were perfect for each other! I-I thought - no - I knew you both liked each other. Both of your goals practically meshed together! Was there really no way you two could make it work?"

She let out a long breath, feeling exhausted just from recounting the events, as well as questions that were dancing around in her head. All the while Ochako listened attentively. Ryuko then came out with her final question, "There's gotta be another reason for it. I gotta know, Uraraka. Why'd ya turn him down?"

Ochako saying nothing immediately came as no surprise to Ryuko. Especially when asked something like that. After a few seconds passed, Ochako asked a question of her own, "Do you remember that day when we got together with him and Iida - and headed to the forest?"

"Yeah?"

"While Izuku and I were alone, we jumped up onto one of the trees using my quirk. It was some of the most fun I've ever had in my life. I actually had a crush on him way back during the sports festival. And that crush blossomed even more when I spent time with him on that tree."

Ryuko remembered that day very well. How much fun it was. She could practically still taste the ramen that they all ate together. Even when her thoughts were in turmoil, she still had a good time just spending time with her friends like how normal high school students did.

"We had a heart to heart, opened up about a few things. Then I asked him something about his relationship with Bakugo." Ochako's voice dropped, and in a husky tone that was traced with sadness, she continued, "When he went more into detail, it obviously opened up a lot of wounds for him. I wanted to say something to bring him back up… but I couldn't - nothing more than "I'm sorry." I didn't know what to say. There was this weight on his shoulders… more than what my quirk could ever hope to lift. I couldn't help him."

Ryuko was stunned at the response. Izuku's story with Katsuki guaranteed sympathy from anyone who had a heart, but she was surprised by how hard Ochako took it.

"And that was only the first instance," she continued. "The second was when Monoma gave Izuku a hard time during lunch. I could have done something, but I didn't. I hesitated. You were the one who immediately stood up and knocked Monoma's lights out."

What Ochako was about to say next should have been the hardest set of words for a person to ever speak. For her, it was quite the opposite. She had never felt freer. Mainly because she knew that there was someone more capable. "That's when I realized… I can't give him what he needs. But you can. Whenever Izuku needed someone to be by his side, you were always there. You knew exactly what to say to make him feel better without hesitation."

On instinct, Ryuko would have shut down the idea that Ochako couldn't be a good girlfriend to Izuku. The amount of praises she could list would leave her in a rambling state that'd nearly rival the boy in question. But as Ochako continued to explain, Ryuko began to understand what she meant. Ochako was afraid - and Ryuko never faulted her for it. After all, relationships can be scary. Up until her stay in Musutafu, fear was a concept completely foreign to Ryuko. If none of the bad things ever happened… would she have changed her approach a little differently?

"Bottom line, I'm not ready for a relationship right now," Ochako said. "Every time I think about it, my head gets really fuzzy. And I can't juggle my commitment between Izuku and my parents. Neither of them deserve that kind of trouble," her eyes brimmed with indignation, conveying that she was being serious. Afterwards, her expression immedietely softened. "Does that answer your question?"

For the first time, finally, Ryuko felt satisfied with the answer. "Yeah," she said with utter conviction.

"Then are you in love with Izuku?"

"Huh?" Ryuko asked, being startled.

"Yes or no?"

An uncomfortable red color flushed on Ryuko's cheeks as she answered, "Er… Yeah."

"Then can you say it?" Ochako pried.

"...What are you planning?" Ryuko questioned. Now it felt like she was being strung up, but she didn't have the heart to yell like she would whenever Mikisugi did it.

"Nothing. I just want to hear you say it."

Ryuko took a deep breath before swallowing her fear. There was no need for it anymore.

"...I'm in love with Izuku."

There was a glint in Ochako's eyes as a surprisingly warm smile appeared on her face. She took a few steps forward and approached Ryuko before raising a pair of knuckles in front of her. Ryuko looked at Ochako's fist, confused by the notion. When she looked back up, Ochako carried a more victorious looking smile.

"Good. Then stand up for what you want."

Ryuko's blue orbs occasionally darted back down towards her hand, still registering the push Ochako was giving her. Once it finally became clear, Ryuko nodded. And right then and there, she raised her own hand and the two bumped fists.

Ochako nodded as well. The deal was sealed. She pulled her hand away and said, "That'll be all from me then. Gotta run a few errands to celebrate passing the practical. See you when we get our results?"

"Yeah," Ryuko replied, feeling far lighter in spirit than she had in weeks. "Thanks, Uraraka."

A small giggle could be heard from Ochako as she turned around to depart. She walked about seven steps away from Ryko before stopping in place. Quickly, she turned to her and said, "Oh, and by the way, Izuku never actually confessed to me. He probably told that little white lie to you cuz I'm betting he's saving it for later. And for someone else." With that final note, added with a wink, Ochako finally left the school grounds as she stepped past the front gate.

Ryuko's train of thought stopped once she was left with that information. Her face felt warm, a mix of excitement and restlessness on when that would come. Instead of freaking out over it, she embraced these feelings and looked to the future. Ryuko inhaled air through her nose and extended her arms, letting the cool breeze of the wind brush around her. Her bright red highlight outshined the warm orange glow from the sun setting. There was a lot that Ryuko felt personally accomplished for today: her finals - which she had spent weeks tediously studying, reading, and reciting for were finally done and behind her. And she finally settled an ongoing relationship problem, which was obviously just as difficult.

After the practical exam wrapped up, everyone was graced with a few days off from school as the weekend came. Aizawa would go over the results once everyone returned on Monday. Class 1A were already nervous about their test scores, but the real horror lies in whether they'll be able to go to the summer training camp or not. Some students found it hard to sleep on Friday night. Ryuko on the other hand slept like a baby. Once morning came, she rose from her bed feeling surprisingly energized. Seeing that it was also the end of a work week, Ryuko decided to go down to the parcel lockers and grab some mail. Fitting on her shoes and opening the door, Ryuko was treated to a sight she hadn't seen in a while. Before her lay the crack of dawn, the sun barely rising in the distance. She couldn't believe it - she actually had the energy to wake up again like her training days with Izuku. The reward of having a clearer mind was already taking effect. Izuku would be up at this time so Ryuko decided that she'd surprise him by visiting once she finished up. After reaching her locker and quietly opening it, there was the standard pile that she recognized, with a rather beefy looking envelope underneath. Ryuko then laxly cycled through them. 'Catalogs, Nezu, ads, coupons…'

Lastly, there was the large envelope which had a weird circular shape inside it. Ryuko had never seen this one before and her curiosity beckoned her to tear it open. Shaking it down, a weird round disc thing dropped into her palm. 'What the hell is this thing? Some kind of toy?' For a moment, she considered this to be a prank until she saw the envelope was addressed to her. Whatever it might be, it was junk to Ryuko for all she cared about. Maybe she'll let Izuku tinker around with it. But before she could leave, a projection appeared before her very eyes - showing what appeared to be an animated assortment of graphics, added with triumphant sounding orchestral music playing in the background. Next some text came onto the screen that read as:

"I-Expo?" Ryuko wondered.

The text and graphics faded and the music had died down a little. The projection then transitioned to a sharply dressed man who looked no older than fifty years old, now about to speak, "Hello, Miss Matoi! I hope you are doing well. My name is Alan Stillman. I am the host of this year's I-Expo on I-Island and it is a delight to say that you, Miss Matoi," he paused for dramatic effect. "…are cordially invited to the opening reception!"

Ryuko was stupefied. Virtually all of the words that man said went in one ear and out the other. But the words I-Island stuck for some reason. 'I-Island… Why does that sound familiar?'

Her eyes suddenly widened, nearly bulging out of the sockets. It finally hit her.

In literal seconds, there was a barrage of knocks on the Midoriya's front door. "Jeez, who could be knocking at this hour? Couldn't be Ryuko, right?" Izuku asked himself as he was immediately on the scene. A minute hasn't passed since it turned five o'clock and his mom was still asleep. To his surprise, Ryuko was the one on the other side of the door.

"Ryu-"

"IZUKU! IZUKU! IZUKU! You're not gonna believe this, I just got invited to-"

Before Ryuko could speak further, her lips were clamped shut by his hands. He placed one palm and layered his other one on top for good measure. "Ryuko, calm down! You're gonna wake my mom!"

Deep breaths could be heard from Ryuko underneath Izuku's hands. He took that as a sign that she wasn't a jumbling mess anymore.

"Okay. Now, what's up?"

Ryuko held the small device in her palm and played the projection back for him to watch. It didn't take even a second before Izuku's eyes performed a similar motion to hers as he immediately recognized the text and the man on screen. A high pitched, long winded gasp took up his vocals before he uttered out, "DID YOU GET INVITED TO I-ISL-"

His lips were then immediately shut, keeping him from making an outburst. This left the two in a rather humorous position of keeping both their lips sealed. It almost looked as if they had been glued together. During this predicament, Ryuko dropped the device on the floor, but it continued to play the message, "…are invited to the opening reception!"

Well, that answered Izuku's question. Ryuko DID get invited to I-Island. But they didn't have time to celebrate. As Inko was standing on the other side of the projector, wearing a cream-white bathrobe and slippers. Their little mishap and the device dropping on the floor woke her up. Izuku and Ryuko had done it now. If there's one thing they learned from watching TV, it's that parents hated being disturbed in their sleep. Just when Ryuko thought they were going to get a whooping…

"Whatever it is that you're both doing… could you possibly take it outside? Thank you…" Inko wearily pleaded, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

Izuku and Ryuko glanced at one another for a moment before nodding. After some prep time, they relocated to Municipal Beach Park. There the two watched the rest of Mr. Perlman's invitation video to Ryuko. As it turns out, she received it because of her first place victory at the Sports Festival.

"I can't believe it. You got invited to I-Expo!" Izuku exclaimed.

"I know! It's crazy!" Ryuko clenched her fists, barely able to keep her excitement in them. "At first I didn't know what it was, but I remembered we used to talk about this all the time when we were kids!"

Izuku shared the same lack of control as he rocked around on the sand beneath him. "Oh man, this is great! You're really going to live the event we've dreamed of!"

"Me? Who says I'm going to do it alone?," Ryuko said as her lips stretched into a smirk. "Didn't ya hear? Invitation says that I can also bring one person with me. And you're that one person." She gently nudged his shoulder with her fist.

"Really?" Izuku asked.

"Yeah, really! It's the perfect way for us to blow off some steam after everything we've been through. Besides, you didn't think I'd go without the one who helped me get where I am today, right?"

"Ryuko…" Izuku paused. Everything felt like a dream too good to come true. "I don't know what to say."

"Just say you'll come with me. You know you want to," Ryuko said in what others would call an irritably smug tone. To Izuku, it was her usual charming demeanor. The one that he fell in love with.

Izuku's smile began with a look in his eyes. They opened up, looking larger than life. His eyebrows sunk down as the corners of his lips rose. "Yeah, I do," Izuku declared.

Having gotten the answer she wanted, Ryuko simply nodded once and said, "Good." She turned her head back to watch the sun rising in the horizon, taking it all in. Taking this moment in. After a month facing her inner demons, things were finally on track to returning to normal. Her friends were mostly doing well - save for the ones who failed the practical exam, and she and Izuku were still as close as ever. Maybe when the time was right, they could be even closer than that.

In the midst of silence and the soft waves washing up on shore, Izuku's phone began ringing. He pulled it out and the two looked at the screen, being surprised that it was All Might calling. Izuku answered the call and put it on speaker. "Hello?"

"Good morning, kid," greeted Toshinori. Based on his huskier and more laxed voice, he was in his skinny form. "Hope I'm not disturbing ya, but can you and Matoi meet me down at Municipal Beach Park? There's something coming up and I want to discuss it with you two."

"Oh," both Izuku and Ryuko said in unison, looking at each other for a moment. What a wild coincidence.

"Well, Ryuko and I are actually at the beach right now," Izuku said.

"Oh, that's great! I'll be right over then. You're both gonna love this. Talk soon!" Toshinori quickly said before promptly hanging up.

"What'dya think that's all about?" Ryuko asked.

Izuku shrugged. "I have no idea."

To be continued on Hero la Kill: Sword and Shield!

Aduubo A/N: Hello everyone that made it to the end! Hope you enjoyed HLK chapter 56! Sorry it took so long. PK and I got into a good ol' fashioned fisticuffs with a thing called life. Also once again this chapter had a lot of complexity that carried a lot of thought into it. With each new chapter, we're learning to become better equipped to handle that sort of thing! Thank you guys again for your patience! I've watched Two Heroes three times now, so I'm excited to write about it! For the meantime, let's get to the reviews.

TheOfficialLieDetector

"If Ryuko's 17, shouldn't she be a 2nd Year?"

Aduubo A/N: We often get a lot of comments asking this so I'm gonna put this as simply as I can. Prior to joining UA, Ryuko has never taken any form of hero training whatsoever. Let's say that you don't go to high school for your first year and then decide to enter at 16 or 17. You can't just skip to the next grade just because of your age. Think about it, guys.

Also I believe we all know by now that UA is far different than your typical high school. There are specific things you need to learn in your first year that you can't just skip because you already completed the first year at a different school. MAYBE they could throw her in a tutor class to learn that stuff while being a second year, but is that really necessary? Seems like a lot of unneeded work that Ryuko would definitely refuse. Plus, do you really expect us to create a whole cast of 2nd years?

AstroHollow

"Do I really have to eat 4 or 5 chapters of the most forced, unnecessary, stupid, ridiculous and pathetic love drama that exists? Because in every BNHA fic I have to hate Uraraka, it's not even fun anymore"

"I hate forced romantic drama and I hate you"

"I don't like to be repetitive, so this will be the last time I comment, but it's been years since I read a "Romantic Drama" so bad and that made me so angry, Uraraka is the worst thing you could have added to this story, every time they mention it in a sentimental conversation I feel like the characters are rubbing their hearts with sandpaper."

"Fuck what I said, fuck everything, what was this? You just go, ruin my fucking accumulated romantic development of like 6 chapters, you give me a kind of absurd heartbreak and everything comes to nothing, fuck the plot, fuck the story, I'm here for the romance, DON'T RUIN IT FOR ME LIKE THIS!"

Aduubo A/N: Bro, you need to get checked out by a therapist before you CRASH OUT, lmao. Never before have I seen any one this pressed over a love triangle. You didn't even give any constructive criticism over it. You just screamed into the void "THIS IS BAD!" like a mad man. The hate over Uraraka sounds a lot like you're projecting your own bad experiences onto her. Because we never wrote her to act in any way that would reflect negatively on her. Izuku, Ryuko, and Ochako have acted reasonably throughout the whole thing. Relax..

PKSpartan A/N: My sibling in Christ, it's not that serious. Take a chill pill. Drink a 7-Up. Eat a Moonpie. Jerk off in a cup, I don't know!

Guest

"First off, these chapters were fire as hell. You, in my personal opinion no only made these characters your own, but they feel more human than in my hero but relatively the same in kill la kill. The writing has vastly improved I'm saying this as I literally bigged all the chapters in a few days, and over the years I seen your writing not only increase, but became more light novel like as time went on. However, there are a few nitpicks I noticed a few grammar mistakes and double words in a few of the chapters, also due to what i asume is a schedule issue the chapters seem to lack consistency not in the writing but in the presentation you have said you made changes in your writing style like getting rid of the hlk, but I feel as if in some sections your adding to much material and in others to lite. The story it self is amazing and you all done well power scaling to make ryuko fit the mold, but in my personal opinion you can scale her up to her peak in her anime mainly due to the fact ryuko does gets a major boost strength in her story after learning about her being half human and lifefiber being after that she able to cut building in half and take on the primordial life fiber that's the size of a small moon so keeping her as she right now is not a problem because even early on bakugo could dodge lightning and light thank to aoyoma and denki respectively so ryuko becoming op after the reveal would be fine. Also ryuko is not planetary in overall destructive power but if you scale her the primordial life fiber at the end of her series she only acquires the strength temporarily after absorbing some of the primordial power. So at best with senkestu she is at all might peak level and deku at the end of mha would be equal or she be highly above based of scaling in the anime. Thank you for story, please continue until ryuko gets pregnant like in the comics and take care of yourselves, sorry if this is rude but can you make a consistent schedule for chapter releases like monthly im dying for you guys to continue the story with love thank you."

Aduubo A/N: Thank you! Always love reading the comments about how we successfully molded the characters to fit the context and the world of this story. That's usually the biggest challenge to overcome when making fanfiction in general. PK and I are passionate about these characters and want to do our best to show our best understanding of them and their motives. For your nitpicks about certain sections getting more material than others, can you give specific examples of what you mean? Because right now that statement could really just be subjective. Some parts you may feel need more material while we or other readers felt didn't. Plus, I don't see how certain moments having more detail than others could affect the presentation.

As for powerscaling Ryuko, we're still going to be playing with that idea safely until further development. While Bakugo dodging lightning is an impressive feat, it doesn't really say anything about his actual strength or overall speed. He can dodge fast, but that's obviously not going to be enough to beat Ryuko with her anime scaling. Spider-Man can dodge lightning and point blank automatic gunfire, but he rarely beats the Hulk or Thor on a regular basis. He even struggles against Wolverine. Plus I do hope that you notice that even with the "nerfs" to the KLK characters, they're still quite powerful. Izuku couldn't even beat Sanageyama in a one-on-one fight. So trust the process and we'll see where Ryuko's journey takes her as we continue the story!

PK: Yeah, we try our best to highlight characters that were kinda underutilized in terms of potential.

SilverxSilver

You weren't kidding about this chapter being jam-packed. At first, I was wondering what you guys were doing switching over to Kaminari and Ashido like that, but that plot-twist was worth it. Were all those scars from the surgeries, or from something else...I may be rambling here, but the first thing my mind went to was Life Fibers potentially interfering with his quirk, after coming in contact with Jakuzure's Goku Uniform. But then that wouldn't really explain why the others are fine after their fights with the Elite 4. I don't know, I just hope Denki comes out of this okay.

Aduubo A/N: The scars are just from intense burn marks! No surgeries or anything!