My Hero Pokedamia

by Zayden StormVoid

Izuku realized at a young age that all men are not created equal. They aren't treated equal either. Some people have more power over others. The same can be said for the wondrous, mysterious creatures that inhabited the world before Quirks: Pokemon. This is the story of Izuku Midoriya, in this world of Quirks and Pokemon, and his path to become the Very Best, like No One Ever Was.

29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Greetings Guardians, My name is By-ahem, sorry, I mean, greeting everyone, my name is Zayden StormVoid, returned so soon to deliver yet another chapter of My Hero Pokedamia...Sorry, I have been catching up with a lot of Destiny, especially for the Final Shape.

I wrote this chapter as fast as I could after the last one because of the oh-so-wonderful reception from the prior one that I had to capitalize on it, or to some, set the record straight on some things. Or rather it should have come sooner, but then an unfortunate time came when I had no Wi-Fi and my computer decided was an opportune time for an update, an update and reboot that, despite my previous savings on this site's Doc Manager, did 10,000 words of progress suddenly vanish as if they never existed. Again, I saved those words, multiple times, and yet once had 18k words, now, I was reduced to 8k, which made this chapter not only take more time, but so too did my anger and bitterness keep me from my computer for many days.

Sorry, if I sound a bit fancy, but I have been catching up on House of the Dragon. Anyway...

Now, last chapter, we had the long-awaited battle between Izuku and Todoroki, where Midoriya sacrificed his fingers over and over to blast away Todoroki's ice, yet his greater speed, control of One For All, and obvious realization that he had legs to fight with too, laid a brutal beatdown on Todoroki, even breaking the scarred teen's nose with a headbutt. Not only did he beat Todoroki down physically, but also mentally, criticizing and berating Todoroki's actions towards his friends and Pokémon, questioning why he was even at the Festival and being a Hero if he wasn't going to give it his all, and shattering Todoroki's preconceived views by revealing that his hatred of Vulpix for being gifted to him by Endeavor was wrong, both morally and that Endeavor was the one that granted him the Pokémon, it was his mother, and with a final exclamation powered by Aura, Todoroki took a trip down memory lane and found out the truth about his mother and her words, and finally used his fire. One final clash between students nearly destroyed each other and almost cost Izuku the match, but tapping into his Aura, Izuku pushed through and claimed victory.

Now, despite certain intentions, some wires seemed to be crossed and many people seem to have misunderstood the actions and intentions of Izuku during this fight, most prominently, believing that he cared more for Todoroki than he did Momo by helping Todoroki use his fire and 'rewarding the Villain of the arc'. Interesting perspective, perhaps even true to some capacity, but in focusing on Todoroki using his fire as a 'reward' you guys miss the point of what Todoroki using his fire meant or even the wider spread idea of my treatment of this arc's 'Villains'.

All of Todoroki's actions and thought processes were on the goal of winning the festival using only his right side to scorn his father and prove his 'borrowed power' wasn't needed. However, while using his fire might have long-term benefits for Todoroki, it meant he failed. It meant everything he did and fought so hard for, and every action he committed against Izuku and his friends was proven meaningless to Todoroki because he failed in his goal, of winning the festival and not using Endeavor's fire. In essence, one could say that old Todoroki, the Villain of the Festival Arc, died and a new Todoroki, the original Todoroki, was reborn from the ashes. But just because he has been 'reborn' does not mean the actions he had committed will go unanswered or get off 'scot-free and rewarded', the festival is still going on but what about after? What happens to Todoroki after the Festival? Do you think Aizawa and Nezu were just going to let his actions slip by?

Then comes another person that Izuku was fighting for, or rather Pokémon: Vulpix. Izuku had delivered a righteous beatdown on Todoroki on behalf of Vulpix's Years of mistreatment. Izuku likewise fought in favor of Vulpix, because to save Todoroki was also to save Vulpix, save the broken boy who hated his right side and anything associated with it, save Vulpix from such mistreatment as he, something associated with his right side, would no longer be hated either, while respecting both Vulpix's wish to stay with Todoroki and Reio Todoroki's wish for Vulpix and Ninetails to guide and stay with her son, though the latter was only speculative, at least to Izuku.

And as for Izuku and his priorities with Momo, I'll let her say it herself in the chapter, but who do you think was on his mind when he decided to push on forward and use his Aura to win? And it is equally as disheartening for me to hear people believe that Izuku gave greater priority or care to Todoroki than Momo when dealing with Todoroki is only a step in the process of helping Momo, just like it was beating Shinsou and then Iida afterward, with one more step to deal with for the festival: the finals. And if you guys mean saving Todoroki into using his fire and making it more difficult for Izuku to win and help Momo, again Momo will say her piece on things in this chapter.

Then there is again the whole concept of 'rewarding the Villains' as I saw as a phrase used or summarized in some of my complaints. In response, I also ask you guys the difference between punishment and revenge. What many of you have asked to the extent to which I should punish Shinsou, Todoroki, and Bakugou is nothing of immediate, instantly gratifying revenge when the punishments they need have either happened or need to stew further because all of these events have been canonically happening within the hours of Sports Festival. Shinsou technically already won by the time he fought Izuku, already achieving his goal of making himself look good by getting Aoyama eliminated in the 1st event and making it to the 3rd event, something only one other non-Hero Course individual accomplished, Mei. Then Izuku verbally bashed him on international television, called him stupid for his ideas of 'Villainous Quirks' and said that Shinsou was acting like a Villain and a bully, and had the guy's spine quickly say hi to the ground with a judo-flip to hard cement.

Then with Todoroki, I already said how he effectively lost by now, but he's by no means done with all this and he will be facing more official consequences after this. I know that the months-long wait for another chapter makes the wait for such punishment excruciating, but I am at least asking you guys to wait until after the festival is over before demanding such extreme punishments including expulsion or suspension. Plus, the guy is already going to have to deal with a 'cold shoulder' kind of attitude with his classmates and maybe even with his Pokémon, and you ask Izuku and Shinsou how damaging that can be to a person, especially an already sad and broken person like Shoto is. The story paths I took with Shoto and Shinsou are under the guise of these are people who are hurting by the trauma of their circumstances, and it is meant for us to understand where they are coming from and how they ended up the way they are, not excusing their actions, just making things more complex and complicated for our characters to deal with and understand that their world is not always in shades of black and white. Izuku and Bakugou are the clearest cases of light and dark, good and evil, but whereas Bakugou is choosing to march further into the dark with no regard for others, Izuku is being tasked with walking a line of grey from his normally light standpoint and understanding and dealing with the morality and complexity of different people with different agendas, different motivations, and different means to secure those goals.

Although despite my ranting and explanation that will surely come off as excuses to some of you, I do understand your concerns and grievances. In retrospect, I must admit I may have made Todoroki more unlikeable than I originally intended and thus sullied or weighed down any attempts to better him as a character. It should be made note of that despite my disheartenment at some people believing Izuku didn't care about Momo or saw her as a priority, or at least top priority, during his battle with Todoroki, I do hear you guys, and realize and am grateful that your criticisms, as harsh and as brutal as some are, are coming out of a place of love and care for a story I created and that is rather humbling and makes digesting these criticisms a lot easier.

Regardless, that's enough explaining myself. Now, let us get the final intro beats over so we can get to the chapter itself. First, the Index:

"Zayden," -Normal Dialogue

'Zayden,' -Mental Conversation and Internal Dialogue

"Zayden," -Flashback, Pokémon, and Letter Dialogue

"Zayden," -Buff Might, Dark Shadow, Kurogiri, and Izuku Ultimate Move Dialogue

"Zayden," -Flashback Buff Might, Spiritomb, Legendary Pokémon, and Shadow Pokémon Dialogue

"Zayden," -T.V. and Present Mic PA Dialogue

"Zayden," -Eraserhead PA Dialogue

"Zayden," -Pokedex Dialogue

[Zayden,] -Present Mic Quirk Reveal Dialogue

And finally, I do not own My Hero Academia, the property of Horikoshi and adapted by Bones Studios, and I do not own Pokémon, the property of Gamefreak and Nintendo.

Now, enough talk! It's Time For A Death Bat-

*Record scratching noise*

Sorry, wrong story. Ahem, I mean, LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

---

The Sports Festival Part 11: A Helping Hand

Third POV

A chime sounded as the door to a barber shop swung open. Out stepped black boots that met black skinny jeans, a silver belt with Pokeballs hooked onto it, a plain white shirt, and a black, hooded jacket. The man's messy black hair was covered as he flipped the hood up and covered his appearance, the sleeves of his black jacket torn, as were the ends of his black pants; or rather the tears looked singed more than torn.

The man began to walk down the sidewalk of the rather empty street. A lady did eventually come down towards where he was headed from. The woman was startled when she looked at him, eyes wide with horror and fear. She backed away to give the man enough room from her and the man in black took it gratefully. As the man continued on his way, the woman, after staring at the man for a few frightful moments did she resume her walk, far faster and more urgent than before.

Eventually, the man in black found himself on the outside of a convenience store, a small crowd of people gathered by the window framing the many displayed television screens, all of which played the same program that drew the crowd's attention, and so too did it draw the man in black. The hooded man saw a summarized replay of the latest match of U.A. High School's famed Sports Festival, the first of the semi-finals. In it stood a plain-looking green-haired boy, who sparked with green lightning and later phantom blue flames, ones that made the man frown. The other fighter was another boy with white and red hair and a scar over the left side of his face, who for the most match only wielded ice from his right only to unleash the fire of his left at the end.

As Shoto Todoroki lay unconscious and defeated, the hooded man grinned wide and menacingly. As he grinned, one could see the lower half of his lips and chin displayed gnarled, wrinkled, purple skin with silver piercings down the lip vertically. He began to walk away. A boy noticed his presence and his exit with young curiosity. The boy tried to see more of him but his father's grip on his hand and wrist was tight. The boy turned and tried to get his father to look at the strange man, but as he turned back, the hooded man was gone, as if he was never there.

---

"TODOROKI IS OUT OF BOUNDS AND UNABLE TO BATTLE!" Midnight announced, raising her hand before directing it toward the winner. "THE WINNER IS IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

The crowd was silent, not a whisper heard safe for the winds dying down from the climatic finish of the battle that occurred seconds ago. The faces of the audience were frozen, slack-jawed, eyes widened, in a mixture of different positions ranging from arms braced over their heads or covering their mouths or eyes, though most peered through the peek between their fingers. You could argue that Todoroki's ice froze the crowd, and many would believe you.

The silence was broken when among the crowd, by the first seats at the front, Inko Midoriya stared proud and shocked at the strength and fortitude of her baby boy. As a gasp of a sob escaped her throat, her reaction was a domino effect that sprung more people from their frozen states. And they all gave their reaction toward the fight's conclusion:

"YYYYYYEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!" The crowd roared with elation and cheer for the greatest and most climatic match of the Sports Festival they had seen yet, and quite possibly ever. The crowd's roar was almost thunderous as the explosion of wind and expanding air that had finished the battle.

"T-THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS! THE WINNER OF THE FIRST MATCH OF THE SEMI-FINALS!" Mic announced, the crowd snapping him out of his stunned stupor, gesturing toward the victor of the battle. "MIDORIYA!"

Standing by the edge of his opponent's side, Izuku Midoriya stood somewhat hunched, one of his legs, swollen purple and broken, shaking as whatever strength he had left worked tirelessly to keep it and himself steady. Yet the boy stood no less victorious, emphasized by lifting his purple, broken arm into the air with a fist clenched. The sun seemed to bask the boy in a heavenly, victorious light, only further shadowing Midoriya's face. His eyes were hidden behind the shadow of his hair, yet his frown was steady and firm, a trail of blood flowed down from a cut on his veiled forehead from the final impact that won the match.

"WHOOOHOO!" Kaminari leaped from his seat; arms thrown into the air as he joined the crowd in their cheers. "HE DID IT! MIDORIYA WON!"

Kaminari's actions inspired the rest of Class 1-A, at least the supportive ones to likewise join in cheering for the Class President, and friend for most. Tokoyami simply nodded, a smirk on his beak as he clapped for his former teammate's victorious achievement, Shoji following suit in the same manner, though his mask veiled his reaction and his grin had to be revealed through one of his created limbs forming a mouth. Koda tried clapping too, in a more reserved and silent manner given his shyness but ceased when Sato and Aoyama beside him also leaped out of their seats, the former's fist pumping and cheering and the latter's posing making the shy boy stop in fright. Ojiro likewise clapped for his Class President, a sense of pride directed to the green-haired teen that he helped to take down Shinsou, who now had made it this far.

"YAY! IZI! YOU'RE THE BEST, NUMBER 1! YOU EVEN BEAT ENDEAVOR'S SON!" Hagakure went into another cheer, aided by Piplup, yet Hagakure's movements were slowed and shaky due to her trying to keep her tears from messing her up.

"I like your other cheer, better. Ribbit," Tsuyu muttered to Hagakure, yet her gaze was still locked onto the green-haired monster of a fighter that was Izuku Midoriya, the boy she couldn't lie and say she wasn't crushing hard on. The way he stood despite his broken limbs was deeply concerning, but how intimidating did it look, and quite cool. She wondered if her siblings watching from home thought the same.

Sure enough, at the Asui's household, Samidare and Satsuki Asui were jumping and dancing around in cheering for Big Bro Izuku's victory, and how cool he looked that it earned stars in the eyes of the two green-haired children. Their parents, Beru and Ganma, were more concerned about Midoriya's health, especially throughout the fight and now with all those broken limbs, but they sighed in relief that their almost-assuredly-future-son-in-law could finally get medical treatment now that the fight was over.

Meanwhile, back in the Midoriya household, Mr. Mime was unknowingly (or knowingly) mimicking Hagakure's cheerleader dance in celebration of his Trainer's son.

Speaking of his Trainer, Inko was in tears while Mitsuki, likewise letting a few tears loose, hugged her from the side. Masaru nodded and clapped in respect and admiration of Midoriya, looking at the boy like a father would look at their son, or rather an uncle and their nephew, in this case. The boy's real father figure likewise clapped and grinned wide at Young Midoriya's victory, though the grin on All Might's face would turn to a frown as his more serious and pragmatic side took over the proud, fatherly one.

In another household, one that looked grimmer with its lack of lighting aside from the TV, Riolu cheered for the boy while Lucario gave a simple nod of respect. The black-haired man watched with a steady frown. He felt that final attack, felt the Aura that powered it and pushed the boy to victory. He also felt the consequence as his frown deepened.

"WHOO! Yeah, Greenie! You the Man!" Setsuna cheered and wolf-whistled.

"Is that really necessary?" Yui raised an eyebrow at Setsuna.

"Hey, he was awesome back there. Super hardcore, even if the bone breaking was a little disturbing," Setsuna shrugged, with no guilt or shame in her actions. "Plus, you can't blame me for admiring the goods."

Yui blinked and turned back to look at Midoriya, both on the field and on the monitors, the former allowing her to see his rather impressive muscular back, and the latter helping to highlight his front, specifically his rock-hard abs. Yui said nothing more and just drank from her drink, which someone survived all the wind from before.

"Goddamn. I know we got glimpses of it before, but those clothes really hid all that underneath?" Miruko couldn't help but lick her lips at the hunky prime piece of muscles that the boy's uniform once covered, a blush visible across his tanned face.

"You know you look like a cougar when you do that, right?" Ryukyu raised an eyebrow at her friend, who had clearly lost all moral compass at this point.

"Shush, morals later, eye candy now," Miruko shushed her friend without ever tearing her eyes away from not only a man in the physical sense, but a hardcore, determined, and strong one at that.

"Told you guys Muscles had quite the muscles on him," Mei spoke to no one in particular (maybe through the fourth wall? She's staring right at me...)

Back with the students, Uraraka slumped in her seat, comically melting and sagging. "Urgh, thank goodness!" Uraraka groaned in relief. "I thought I was going to have a heart attack from all of the times Deku broke his fingers, much less that last attack."

"Indeed. While concerning, this is evidence of the strength of will of our Class President," Iida's eyes were hidden by a glare of the sun, yet his body shook more and more till he could not handle it and burst out in comical tears. "I AM SO HONORED TO BE CHIEF CLASS OFFICER! I HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM MY COURAGEOUS CLASS REP!"

Sero smiled, clapping for Midoriya too, though something did catch his eye. Bakugou was leaving. It made sense, his fight was up next, only made more obvious when his opponent, Tokoyami, also got up to head to his waiting room. However, Sero spotted the glare of Bakugou's eyes. They held a lot of anger sure, but the blonde's deranged smile only added a new kind of context to that look: he was excited, elated even, and Sero could only guess because now Bakugou knew who his opponent for the finals would be, and he was going to make sure and enjoy crushing Deku.

Serena stared lovingly down at the field, her vision often clouded and needing to be wiped clean from her tears. She remembered when she quit her match with Todoroki after showing mercy or rather gave up because without him using his fire, their fight was a sham, an embarrassment for both of them.

"...I'm not the kind of person to help fix you. I'm not ready for that," Serena recalled her own words. "But There's someone who is. Someone who is better deserving to put you in your place."

'And you did just that, Izu,' Serena thought as she stared at her best friend's heroic and victorious form. 'You did what I and others could not. You saw the broken boy in need of help in Todoroki, and you saved him. Yeah, the jerk didn't deserve it, but you couldn't leave him to suffer any more than he already was. That's what makes you a Hero. My Hero.'

"Phew, that was a close one," Jiro settled her blown-over hair back in her regular style.

"Yes, it was," Momo sighed, mentally exhausted from the tense and grueling match between her 'fiancé' and her love.

"Still though, don't you think it was kind of crappy that Midoriya went to all that length just to get Todoroki's to use his fire?" Jiro questioned, raising an eyebrow as to why Momo was still smiling down at Midoriya. "Didn't that just make it harder on himself and risk your future like that?"

Momo's sweet smile became a tad bit sadder. "Perhaps, but that's not the point, Kyoka," Momo replied, staring at Izuku with respect and admiration. "Do you recall that rather harsh series of blows 'Zuku inflicted on Todoroki?"

Jiro nodded, remembering how rather savage Midoriya was in those attacks, from kicking at Todoroki's gut and sternum, elbows and punches across the face, chin, and solar plexus, and even a headbutt that broke the scarred teen's nose.

"Did you not feel what those blows represented? No, what every action 'Zuku took meant?" Momo asked, imagining her words come to reality in her memories. "Those blows meant so many things, like daring Todoroki to use his fire. But the anger behind his blows, the fury he wielded, it was not his anger that carried those hits, nor lack of care on my part, it was for all of us. All of our prayers, shame, pain, and hope, Izuku carried it all with him, and delivered them onto Todoroki with nothing but righteous retribution." Momo could see it now, Izuku punching Todoroki across his face, the phantoms of her and all the classmates pouring out their strength and their fury onto Izuku's fists as they transferred to the man responsible for their hurt. "How can I be mad at him for that?"

"Huh, I guess when you put it that way," Jiro tilted her head, getting Momo's point, before grinning at Midoriya with a new light of respect. "Sounds pretty hardcore."

"Yes, it does sound 'hardcore'," Momo joined Jiro in giggling over her attempt to use that phrase. "However, there is another thing to be made aware of." That Jiro's attention again. "While this fight was against my so-called fiancé, it was not the last battle that would decide the festival...or my fate. And Izuku knows this is only the beginning."

The only ones that weren't cheering among those in the 1-A stands were Todoroki's Pokémon. They stared saddened and worried over their Trainer, even Vulpix who's ears tilted down with his head. Ninetails noticed and almost berated her regional cousin for starting to blame himself, but someone beat her to the punch.

"Hey, don't worry," Vulpix turned to see Eevee joining him on the rail, a comforting smile that mimicked Izuku's. "I'm sure Todoroki is fine. My Trainer is not the kind of person to seriously hurt someone if he knew they couldn't take it. And it's not your fault that Todoroki lost either. If anything, I'm sure your support helped knock some sense into him. Right?"

Vulpix blinked its eyes repeatedly, processing Eevee's words intently. Finally accepting them, Vulpix's ears perked back up and gave a yelp of affirmation, smiling gratefully at Eevee, which Eevee smiled back.

Ninetails smiled gratefully at Eevee too. Thought the moment was broken by a smug, snickering voice. "Well, well, looks like Boss managed to knock your Trainer off his high horse. 'Bout time," Pikachu hopped onto the seat next to Ninetails and grinned smugly at the Fox Pokémon. "Reminds me when I smacked you down with that Iron Tail. Remember?"

Ninetails rolled her eyes at Pikachu's provocations, recognizing them as the raised spirits and pride of one's Trainer's success, but boy was it not still annoying. "My Trainer has been lost for a long while. If this was what needed to happen to guide him back to the right path his mother wanted for him, then so be it. All of us will still walk down our Trainer's path, wherever it takes him," Ninetails answered, her head raised proudly. "Though we will be sure to give a talking-to of sorts" She then gave a side-eye glance at Pikachu. "And for the record, if he was any clearer of mind, we would have crushed you beforehand."

"Oh? Is that a challenge, Snowflake?" Pikachu pumped his paws together.

"Snowflake?!" Ninetails made a whine of indignation.

"Okay, that's enough from the both of you," Combusken and Darmanitan broke the two up before any fighting may occur between them. "Our Trainers have already gone through a brutal enough fight of their own. Must we have one among ourselves as well?"

Froakie and Drizzile sighed, turning to one another and shrugging. When they turned their gaze over to the field, their eyes widened. "Everyone," Froakie croaked to gain their attention. "Look!"

On the field, the cheers of the crowd were mute to the victor himself. Literally, the ringing in his ears made it impossible for Izuku to hear them in their full elation; he barely caught Midnight proclaiming him the victor. But underneath the shadows of his hair, Izuku's tired eyes looked toward Todoroki and his condition.

The white-and-red-haired teen was lying on a crumbling bed of ice with only his feet dragging across the field. The left side of his shirt was likewise as destroyed as his, revealing his respectable muscular physique, yet also showing more of his bruises. From his face to his body, Izuku's blows from his beatdown on Todoroki were finally making themselves known, welts, scrapes, and bleeding cuts littering his body and face. The most severe of the boy's injuries were his broken nose that leaked blood and the ugly large bruise on the center of his torso, near his solar plexus, where Izuku crashed his head for his final attack. It was probably the impact at that vital area that knocked Todoroki out cold.

A pang of guilt well in him for likely taking it too far with that, as well as the other injuries, before it was squashed by a reality check. Despite his words that he didn't hate him, which were true, that did not mean hurt and confusion permeated Izuku's mind and soul, and how this was done to many others, as well. Shoto Todoroki was not innocent nor was he undeserving of those wounds.

But before he could delve any further, the adrenaline of the fight finally gave out, exhaustion hit him like a truck, and light began to fade from his eyes. 'M-Momo...' Were Izuku's last thoughts before unconsciousness claimed, his legs finally giving away as he began to fall face first.

"Izuku!" Momo exclaimed, getting up from her seat as she noticed Izuku beginning to fall. Serena, Uraraka, and Asui likewise joined her in this action, while Hagakure was already standing up. Suddenly, in that instant, the haze of victory and retribution against Todoroki faded away to reveal the full weight of the friend's injuries.

Luckily, Midnight had made it in time to catch the boy, keeping the green-haired teen from falling and breaking his nose, too. The R-Rated Hero gently lowered him onto her lap, brushing his hair as he waited for the med-bots to take both boys over to Recovery Girl as quickly as she could. Though the questionably dressed heroine and teacher was not above sneaking a brush of her hand over the boy's abs. 'Mmm, hard as diamonds. If he were a little older or me a little younger, I would so try to wrap him around my finger,' Midnight sighed, lamenting the possibilities that her darn morality kept her from exploring. She then brushed his green hair. 'Huh. So soft. This kid's going to be quite the heartbreaker.'

She had no idea how right she was as now hundreds of girls, in the stadium and around the world through their screens, jealousy pouted and glared at the mature heroine, either wanting to replace her in feeling up the unconscious hunk of a boy or cut off her hands in retribution. The latter was from the 1-A girls and a certain periwinkle upper-class woman.

Finally, the med-bots arrived, taking the two unconscious boys away to Recovery Girl.

In a collective exodus, the girls, Iida, Kaminari, and the boys' Pokémon all ran inside with their goal of meeting the bots at the nurse's room.

All Might rose from his seat and made his way out the door of the teacher's stands, drawing looks of confusion from his colleagues yet the Symbol of Peace did not care to share his reasoning. Likewise, Nezu noticed Taishi get up and walk out without a word, though Nezu knew where the man would be going.

"Phew, hopefully, Recovery Girl can fix them up," Mirio sighed, his grin still not fading. "Especially Midoriya. He still has the finals and whoever he has to fight, right, Nejire? Nejire?"

Mirio and Tamaki looked around, noticing finally that their periwinkle friend was nowhere to be seen.

---

Over with Recovery Girl, Ashido, and Kirishima, all saw the final results of the match, the nurse likewise checking up on Kirishima now that the spiky-haired boy was awake.

At seeing the extent of the two boys' injuries, especially Midoriya's, Recovery Girl threw an angry fit. From what Mina and Kirishima could gather her rant included, 'Foolish, reckless, suicidal broccoli head,' 'this year's injuries more extensive and frequent,' and 'just like that blonde oaf'. The two friends couldn't tell who the 'blonde oaf' she was referring to was, but they could tell that she referred some of those insults to Midoriya.

'Pfft, Broccoli head,' Mina snickered at the name, intending to use that on Midori the next chance she got.

However, Mina's joy was cut short, as the mention of him brought back to her Midori's current condition. Throughout that fight, while she understood the lengths he was going through to win, to see Izuku break his limbs over and over, was painful for her to see. Mina was worried that Izuku seemed to have no care or concern about his well-being.

And then her mind clicked with the full truth. 'He doesn't, does he,' Mina thought, not even taking it as a question, she already knew it was a certainty and knew the cause and effect of why. 'Bakugou.' Mina gripped the sheets of her bed as Bakugou's admission of guilt regarding his bullying of Midoriya during their fight replayed to her, how he did admit that it was because Izuku was a weak and Quirkless 'Deku' that didn't deserve even a shred of happiness.

Mina knew that those who were bullied often developed feelings of depression, even self-harming or suicidal thoughts. The reasons vary from person to person, but Mina could guess that for Izuku, after so many times getting bullied by Bakugou and called worthless, at some point he started believing it too, like an infection in his mind. 'It could be why he pushes himself so much harder than any of us because he's trying to prove to himself that he's not as worthless as Bakugou says he is,' Mina hypothesized. 'Even if it meant sacrificing his 'worthless' body to do it.'

That pained Mina's soul, to know that someone she liked thought so little of himself that his very body and health were but a fleeting passing of a thought and not a serious priority. 'It's selfless, noble, heroic even, and contributes to why I have grown to like about Midori so much, but...' Mina's grip on her sheets only tightened.

"Hey," Mina was snapped out of her thoughts as she turned to Kirishima staring at her concerned. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Mina nodded, putting aside the thoughts for later. "Just...thinking about Midori?"

"Oh, right," Kirishima accepted the response.

It was silent between them, an awkward tension that clung to them like a rope around their necks.

Finally, Kirishima decided to 'man up' and say, "Mina, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but...your fight with Bakugou, tell me, was it because he admitted he bullied Midoriya?" Kirishima asked.

Mina blinked, surprised that Kirishima found out. She almost asked how he knew, but with how he spoke Bakugou's name almost like it was a loaded gun, how his brows furrowed at the mention of his name, she got the feeling that he got into his hospital bed much the same way she did. Mina finally answered with a tense nod.

Kirishima's face fell at her answer, the final bastion of his psyche that wanted to defend Bakugou and his actions from the truth of reality finally crumbled, and with it so too did Kirishima's heart. The faux redhead hung his head in shame. "I-I'm so sorry, Mina!" Kirishima blurted out, almost slamming his head onto the guard rail of his hospital bed.

"Woah, woah, what's this all about?!" Mina jumped in her bed surprised, waving her hands around.

"It's my fault, all of it! Trying to form a friend group with him, that mess of our team in the 2nd event, getting you hurt like this, it's all my fault!" Kirishima lowered his head further, unable to meet Ashido's eyes. "I was so blind to who Bakugou truly was, blinded by his confidence and strength. I wanted to have that strength too. I wanted to be like him, and I thought that if I got closer to him, formed a friend group of our own, train together, bond together, I could somehow get that, become stronger, better, Manlier. But then...then..." Kirishima's voice broke as tears began to flood down his eyes.

Mina frowns sadly and knowingly at her oldest friend. "Oh, Kiri," Mina sighed, her voice warm and sad. "You're still beating yourself up about that day, huh?" The way Kiri gripped at his sheet was answering enough.

"I'm such an idiot!" Kirishima sobbed pitifully. "I thought I saw something in Bakugou that no one else did, some inner strength worth admiring. How was I so blind to what he truly was?! Why can't I do anything right?!"

Kirishima was cut out of any further degradation by a soft chop to the back of his head. It held no true force into it, but it bore all the weight of their friendship behind it. "Now, that's enough of that!" Mina began scolding her friend, Kirishima finding it similar to how a mother reprimanded her child. "You think I'm just going to stand there and let you tear yourself a new one? Hear my best friend speak so negatively about himself?" In ways, Mina saw a lot of Izuku in Kirishima, or was it the other way around? No matter, when she saw Kiri speak about himself like that, she saw for a brief glimpse Izuku's broken, beaten-up body, and her thoughts from earlier made a return. "No, I won't have that."

"Kiri, I'm going to be brutally honest here, but you're right, it was pretty stupid of you to think that Bakugou was 'Manly' or to try and follow that jerk like his lackey," Mina continued, Kirishima winching at her words. "But do you know what all of this was? A mistake. Plain and simple. A mistake you regret and see the truth and intend to learn from, right?" Kirishima nodded. "Then it was for the best then, that this all happened." Kirishima froze momentarily, before lifting his gaze to meet Mina's soft eyes. "No one goes through life without making a mistake, or many of them. What's always important is that we grow and learn from those mistakes, to ensure the suffering we faced was not for nothing, to better ourselves for a better future. Mistakes are for us to grow as people not to hate ourselves over. And Kiri, you being you, seeing the good in others, it's a little naive and the choices you made certainly were, but that heart and willingness to give people a chance, that's not a mistake at all. You're not a mistake."

Kirishima's lips whimpered as his tears returned to falling from his eyes again, as Mina placed a hand on his head, rubbing his spiky hair fondly. "I forgive you, Kirishima, and I'm sure that the others will too, in time," Mina said softly. "Just don't give up on yourself like that again, okay?"

"*Sniff* Y-Yeah, I-I will," Kirishima wiped away his tears and snot with a tissue, giving a sad yet wide grin. "That wouldn't be Manly of me, would it?"

Mina smiled; glad her friend was already getting better. Now, she had one more person she needed to say this to.

And at that moment, the doors of the nurse's room burst open followed by her friends accompanying the med-robots, carrying the unconscious bodies of Shoto Todoroki and Izuku Midoriya.

---

Nezu made his way down the hall with a great deal of issues and problems that he would have to address following the Sports Festival, and the damn thing hasn't even ended yet.

This has, hands-down, been the most dramatic Sports Festival that he has ever hosted as U.A.'s Principal. Normally, this would be a cause of celebration and amusement for the rodent principal. He wasn't unaware of his own employees making comments about how their boss wasn't right in the head despite his brilliance and High Specs Quirk, that he held quite a sadistic side and pondered if this sadism and hunger for human drama came from a place of vengeance against humanity as a whole for the cruel experiments that gave birth to him.

Nezu would do nothing in retribution to those who made those comments, they are allowed to think of him however they want as long as it didn't affect their performance. Plus, Nezu couldn't disagree with them and say they were wrong, and they wouldn't have been the first to make note of Nezu's sadism. Everyone always excused it as just a little 'quirk' of his- use of wording also rather amusing -that mattered little as long as his aim and goals were for the betterment of those around him, whether it be as the Principal of U.A.'s students and faculty or other obligations.

Nezu frowned as he thought this, the idea of his characteristics being passed over because he displayed importance for others, whether as something to make use of or capitalize on. It felt rather hypocritical and enlightening considering the issues arising from a rather few certain individuals that emerged to his greater attention in the Sports Festival.

By the end of his thoughts, the principal had arrived at his destination and swung the door open. On the other side was the booth in which Present Mic and Eraserhead announced and commented on the events of the festival, but only one person was there at the moment.

Shortly after Midoriya and Todoroki's fight ended, the festival was put on pause for the temporary reconstruction of the fields, arena, and the clearing of the leftover ice from Todoroki, now that the boy himself was unconscious and unable to melt them away. Additionally, the extent to which Midoriya's and Todoroki's final blows damaged the arena and field was an understatement. A large portion of Midoriya's side of the field was cratered and in pieces after the 9th bearer of One For All leaped out with full power on his leg with clear unchecked control at the end. The middle of the field was in shambles and some of Todoroki's side of the field had to be replaced as well given how Todoroki's attack turned the once hard cement into molten slag. And that was on top of the massive amounts of debris and ice that were scattered across the field that the med-bots and teachers were attempting to clear away and refill. With Cementoss's and Power Loader's combined help, the process would only take half an hour, yet the condition that the very winner of the match placed himself was concerning enough that there may not even be a final match.

Brushing the issue aside for Taishi to handle, as Nezu calculated what his old friend went off to do, Nezu focused his gaze on the one person who remained in the booth: Eraserhead. Present Mic must have stepped out to get a bite to eat or relieve himself, which was alright with Nezu given how he intended on speaking with the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A privately.

"Ah, Eraserhead, good, you are alone," Nezu announced his entrance. "I am pleased that Mic had some sense to leave the booth in your capable hands, so to speak, while he is away for the moment."

Eraserhead decided not to comment how after announcing the break for repairs, Mic did no such thing and simply ran out looking for the restroom, nor Nezu's little jab at the condition of his hands, and the rest of his body too.

"What do you want, Nezu?" Aizawa asked, bluntly. "Here to wax poetically to the crowd about the duty to teach, inspire, and reform our students into viable Heroes for our society?"

Nezu hummed in delightful laughter, he could always count on Aizawa to be the only one to speak to him as it is without the fear of a pay loss or firing. He hired Aizawa because of that bluntness and thought it would be useful in teaching the next generations of Heroes to be more pragmatic and selfless. That was before Aizawa started expelling students left and right who didn't meet his expectations. He even expelled the entirety of what was now Class 2-A last year before re-enrolling them all back in. Granted, Nezu did share the blame for this problem as he gave the U.A. teachers more autonomy than most schools would do, and that included Aizawa's habit of 'expulsion equals their first death to take the Hero course seriously'. Nezu was at least benevolent and insightful enough to ensure that Aizawa's 'expulsions' were never counted on an official level, at least those that seemed unreasonable; the rodent principal didn't need his hyper-intelligence to know how that black mark on their record would affect those students in the outside world, especially in their country.

"Tempting, but no," Nezu responded. "But I do wish to talk to you about something similar when it comes to teaching and reforming certain students."

Aizawa stiffened. "You mean Shinsou, Bakugou, and Todoroki," Aizawa questioned, already knowing that the rodent of a principal likewise had his ear in Midnight's mic as he did. "Shouldn't this be a conversation we would be having after the festival?"

"Yes, but my curiosity about what your intended methods to deal with them would be was so great that I simply couldn't wait to find out and compare them to my own initial possibilities," Nezu replied, smiling wide.

A bead of sweat fell from Aizawa's head, suddenly incredibly nervous. Despite him and the principal having a more honest and blunt relationship than most of the other teachers, Aizawa still had moments where the U.A. principal terrified him, and if people believed that he was brutal in his punishments, they had no idea how vicious Nezu can be when he gets 'excited'.

"Well?" Nezu gestured to Aizawa to start. "Do go on. Let me hear your ideas. Let's first start with Shinsou, shall we?"

Aizawa hummed and nodded, peering down at the field as if envisioning his fight with Midoriya as he spoke. "He has shown that his Quirk and cunning are useful, and being one of the only students outside of the Hero Course to make it to the 3rd event is commendable," Aizawa started.

"However?" Nezu raised an eyebrow, wondering what the next piece of opinion would be that would throw that initial praise into as useful as Mudsdale crap.

"He is incredibly competitive and distrustful. Midoriya said much about his laziness and lack of creativity by not even trying against the robots in the Entrance Exam and his lack of physical strength," Aizawa continued. "As he is now, I find that he is not ready for a place among the Hero Course students."

"Yes, you may be right," Nezu nodded, looking down at the field in repair as well. "With the actions he committed against his fellow students, I'd imagine that they hold a bit of mistrust and sour look at him as well. Even Midoriya may only be so cordially neutral toward him because of their shared bullying past."

Aizawa glanced at Nezu at the mention of Midoriya and his bullying past, another thing he must have heard and analyzed as a factual finality. Tabeling that subject for later, Aizawa continued with his assessment and action to be taken with Shinsou. "Even though he isn't within my care and jurisdiction, if I had to decide on a fitting punishment, it would be to hold off any attempts of ideas on putting him into the Hero Course until after the first semester, and to assign him mandatory, and discreet, therapy sessions with Hound Dog over his issues."

"Acceptable," Nezu agreed with Aizawa's proposition, including the little bit of making the therapy sessions between the two to be discreet. Just as expulsion was a black mark on a person's record, many in their country would likewise look down upon someone with a history of therapy sessions. "Anything more to add? You seem to have decided that he could show his worth to join the Hero Course, despite this punishment."

"If he were to join or have a chance, it would be after considering Minoru Mineta, who also made it far, further than many of his peers, for reintegration into the Hero Course," Aizawa replied. "While Shinsou made it further, his negative traits still need to be hammered away before he is given a chance to stand among the Hero students."

"And I suppose you will be the one to do it?" Nezu could sense the potential offer of taking Shinsou under his wings. Not surprising to Nezu given Aizawa's similarities to the boy.

"If I were to do it, it would have to be done in a way that I won't show favoritism between my students," Aizawa responded, honestly, his mind analyzing perhaps making scheduled lessons to catch Shinsou up with his potential future peers. Lessons that would only start after a certain time and don't interfere with his duties as 1-A's homeroom teacher. "I have already gained a certain bit of mistrust toward them, showing more interest in a student outside my class will only spark feelings of resentment, jealousy, and even further mistrust toward Shinsou."

"My, my, I've never seen you have so much care put into how your students think of you, Eraser. Tell me, has any particular event caused you to rethink how you teach your class?" Nezu questioned with a knowing grin on his face.

Aizawa's eyes thought toward his miscalculation on Izuku Midoriya and Shoto Todoroki, misanalyzing the former for being lazy and the other by not noticing his purposeful limiting, as well as the slip that Bakugou's and Midoriya's obvious negative past had done to his conscious mind.

"Then there is Todoroki," Aizawa shifted gears to another problem child that had sprouted from this Festival. Nezu allowed the topic to change, finding gruff and stoic humans like Aizawa fleeing from admittance of emotional capacity also very amusing. "Not only has he made a greater deal of mistrust and bitterness with his classmates, but if Mariella and Midoriya are to be believed, then Todoroki's mistreatment of his Pokémon and the forced subservience he made Yaoyorozu comply to cannot be made to stand."

"I agree," Nezu nodded again, a frown forming on his face. Shoto Todoroki's actions did produce a sourer taste in Nezu's mouth than Shinsou's. Perhaps it was because of the Pokémon abuse? Or the perpetual enslavement that Todoroki forced Yaoyorozu into? Regardless, Nezu had little mercy for such acts. And yet, he could not ignore the warnings and signs that Taishi registered. "However, before you suggest immediate expulsion, I'm afraid the situation is far more complicated than simple parental issues."

"Huh?" Aizawa looked to the principal in confusion.

"I'm afraid that Shoto Todoroki is under the effects of some sort of psychic imprinting on his very psyche, presumably his memories," Nezu revealed with an air of seriousness.

"What?" Aizawa asked again, his tone likewise more serious as it was angrier. "And I wasn't made aware of this?"

"The extent of this psychic imprinting as well as its effect on his behavior is undetermined as of yet, and only recently discovered, hence why I am telling this to you now," Nezu explained. "However, Professor Taishi is already working on a potential lead to where the source of his psychic interference may come from, but even if we are to clear it, we need the boy under our supervision to be sure."

"So, what? All his actions are to be excused and all he gets is a slap on the wrist because you and Taishi want to play doctors?" Aizawa questioned, already beginning to fight Nezu on this decision.

"Do you think me so callous and dismissive?" Nezu raised an eyebrow at him, daring to accuse that again. When Aizawa didn't, Nezu continued. "Make no mistake, a severe punishment will fall upon Mr. Todoroki for his actions. Perhaps a week of suspension, performing physical labor for the school, mandatory, non-discreet therapy sessions with Hound Dog, and an academic survey following the First Semester's Final Exam to decide his future enrollment in U.A. Mine and Taishi's observations should be done by then and his performance in the Final Exams will not only verify his passing of the semester but also his future within our halls."

Even Aizawa was surprised by how severe that punishment was without adding expulsion to the mix, but given Todoroki's actions, Aizawa could not blame the principal for going so far. That week of suspension, if it occurred just after the festival, would be a crucial moment for the Hero student's future careers, and missing out on it would be quite the blow for Todoroki, putting him in need to catch up with his classmates, more than Aizawa was already planning.

"And his Pokémon?" Aizawa asked further

"You heard just as I did, Eraser. If Vulpix has no intention of leaving Mr. Todoroki, then we cannot force it upon him," Nezu replied.

"We could call for a vote for Stockholm syndrome," Aizawa pointed out.

"Perhaps, but I'm afraid that might do more harm than good now that Mr. Todoroki may not associate his left side and his Pokémon with his father," Nezu explained. "Perhaps the fact the Vulpix was given to him by his mother may cause a negative reaction if we were to take his Pokémon. Quite ironic."

Aizawa hummed, not sold on Todoroki's punishments, but it was a discussion that could be tabled for a more official capacity after the festival.

"And Bakugou?" Aizawa asked. "You want my thoughts on how to deal with him?"

"Oh yes, I do, though you may need to be aware that I will personally see to it that legal action is taken upon Aldera, the school where both Midoriya and Bakugou attended before," Nezu informed the homeroom teacher. "The malleability of a child aside, those teachers have no business in the same profession as ourselves. I will tear the building down myself if I have to."

Aizawa could imagine it already, the Aldera school building getting crushed under the force of a wrecking ball controlled by a vengeful and maniac-laughing rodent principal. Aizawa almost felt sorry for those bastards. Almost.

"Yes, well, as for Bakugou, after what he did to Ashido, that is his second strike down, assuming you also wish to keep me from expelling the brat, right?" Aizawa questioned.

"Unfortunately, I do," Nezu sighed. "Unlike Mr. Todoroki who has a Hero for a father who would keep from the path by his supervision, Mr. Bakugou is a far more volatile and dangerous individual that simple expulsion will not handle outright. I have a possible solution to this, however, for now, as long as Mr. Bakugou refrains from causing any more disturbing acts for the remainder of the festival, he will continue to be at U.A. For now."

"Given the likelihood of winning the semi-finals and who he will be fighting in the finals, that chance may be low," Aizawa noted, to which Nezu nodded in agreement. "Speaking of which, what of Midoriya's condition? And if you expect me to toss a broken-armed boy into the finals against possibly his bully then you have another thing coming, rat."

Nezu gave a short chuckle at the 'rat' insult, only because it was another show of Aizawa. in fact, caring for his students. "Believe me Eraser, I believe you and would not dare to do such a thing," Nezu replied. "And do not worry about Mr. Midoriya. If I know exactly who will assist Recovery Girl in healing him, then you will have nothing to worry about."

"Whenever you say it like that, everyone begins to worry," Aizawa retorted.

Nezu threw his head back and laughed.

---

Meanwhile...

Outside Recovery Girl's room, the whole of Midoriya's friend group, plus extras, stood anxious and waiting.

The group had arrived just as the bots did, however, despite their pleas and demands to stay by Midoriya's side, especially from Momo and Serena, Recovery Girl would not budge and refused to allow anyone in, except for Midoriya's and Todoroki's Pokémon. It would be easier, and less volatile, to separate a Kangaskhan from its infant than a Pokémon from its injured Trainer. However, the rest had received no mercy from the old nurse and slammed the door in their faces, ordering them to not disturb her if they wanted their friend to come out in one piece, let alone have a chance at competing in the finals. She even tossed out- figuratively speaking, more like safely escorted them out -Ashido and Kirishima once she verified that they were healthy enough to stand.

And so, they all found themselves standing, pacing, and/or fidgeting outside the nurse's room with varying degrees of anxiety.

Kaminari and Asui flanked Ashido and Kirishima, the former two standing beside them in case any sudden exhaustion or flare of pain causes them to collapse, which was appreciated by the two, and even called 'Manly' by Kirishima. Yet Kaminari looked like he was more lost in his own world, a worried expression for his Pika Bro and tapping his foot excessively that was getting annoying to Jiro. Asui was more attentive, but even she looked to space out in her memories, fiddling with her large thumbs. Ashido tried her best to keep her anxiety from bursting out and moving around, Kirishima being a helpful anchor point of hers by rubbing his bandaged arm on her back in comfort.

Ochaco and Hagakure stood together on one side of the door, the former likewise fiddling with her finger pads looking positively worried. Hagakure's face couldn't show her worry and fear, but her clothes practically vibrated, so much so that most feared she was going to start bouncing up and down the halls. Jiro and Momo stood on the other side of the door, Jiro fiddling with her jacks while Momo simply tried her best to look poise and elegant. Emphasis on tried. Jiro could almost hear the worrisome thoughts in Yaoyorozu's mind, almost as much as she heard Recovery Girl's work from the other end, or at least did before she tried to block it out.

Iida was a mix of either standing by Ochaco and Hagakure for a few moments to then pacing around, all while mumbling to himself assurances that Recovery Girl knows what she is doing and that she can fix up Midoriya. But being the intellectual he was, his mumbles even transitioned to the worst-case scenarios if Midoriya couldn't wake up and recover in time for the finals.

Serena was even worse than Iida, absolutely unwilling to stay point, and spent the entire pacing around the hall so much that they wondered if she was going to wear out her shoes. Her hands were a blur between fidgeting and fiddling with themselves, nearly biting her nails, or hugging herself before transitioning into another act of anxiousness.

Jiro wondered with the amount of noise they were already making out here, if Recovery Girl could hear them still.

Finally, the not-so-silent struggle for the group came to a climax with Serena's sudden declaration. "That's it, I can't take this. I'm going in."

"No, absolutely not," Iida zipped over and blocked Serena's path to the door.

"Get out of my way, Iida," Serena's expression turned cold and heavy, like the unrelenting pressure of the deep oceans. "You already know how I respond to those who keep me from Izu, you want a demonstration?"

Iida flinched under the severity of her threat and glare, but the Chief Class Officer stood firm. "I have no intentions of being your enemy, Mariella, but I will also not allow you to disrupt Recovery Girl's attempts to help our friend," Iida replied. "As painful as it is, we must trust in her to help our friend, and be there for him as we are now."

"Be there for him? Help? Friend?" Serena repeated a few of his words with disgust and affront. "You mean the same friend you are oh-so willing to turn on at the chance of 'surpassing him'?" Iida flinched again. "The same friend you stood against by siding and listening to Todoroki? Was that 'being there for him'?" The way that others among the group such as Mina, Asui, Kaminari, and Hagakure flinched that those jabs were meant for them as much as they were for Iida. Jiro didn't react since she wasn't a part of their friend group, and the same with Kirishima, only he still had a more guilty look on his face for being why Mina didn't join with Midoriya. "At least, me and Yaomomo couldn't through no will of our own. The only one here who stood by his side to the end was Uraraka. And you, 'Chief Class Officer'? What would you know about standing by Izu's side when the whole world stands against him?"

Iida's eyes were hidden under the glare of light from his glasses, yet he frowned deeply, his shoulders and head hung in shame at Serena's words. It looked like Iida was about to relent to Serena's harsh words.

"Okay, Mariella, I think that's going a bit far-" Jiro began to say but was cut off by a raised hand.

Not from Serena though, but from Iida. "You're right, Mariella. You're right, I have been a poor friend to Midoriya," Iida said. "I've betrayed his trust and our friendship to serve Todoroki's schemes and my ambitions. I took Midoriya's words to heart on strengthening and proving ourselves but in return abandoned him. By all rights, I am the last to speak to you of being there for Midoriya."

"Iida," Momo sighed, staring at her friend in sadness.

"However, Midoriya still looked out for me, even despite these acts of malfeasance against him, and spared me worse pain and torment he could have inflicted on me in our match," Iida continued, recalling Midoriya's words on how he lowered the percentage of his strength in fear he would break Iida's back. "He looked out for me when I failed him, and I promised myself that I would not make the same mistake again. I vowed I would be a better friend and be there when he has needs of me, and so I do so now and stand between you and that door for his sake, that he may recover better with Recovery Girl's aid unbothered by our fear and worry."

Serena blinked in surprise at the strength and fortitude behind Iida's eyes, showing he truly meant every word he said. Serena couldn't help but respect that strength like a dam of solid stone keeping back a vast lake. She could faintly hear Kirishima call Iida 'Manly' and she couldn't deny it. With the acknowledgment of his perseverance and words, Serena blushed, embarrassed and ashamed that she let her emotions rule her again and sprouted those words at him and everyone.

"I do not blame you for your words, Mariella. Blunt and hurtful as they were, they are true enough of our failings as friends," Iida continued again, almost as if reading her mind. "Still, despite the wrath of woman's vengeance that I have been taught is the mightiest of foes-"

"True," Kaminari muttered under his breath but not silent enough to avoid the sharp ears and responding glare of Jiro.

"I will stand firm between you and this door until Recovery Girl says otherwise and Midoriya is-"

"He is fine," Recovery Girl said as she opened the door. "You cannot touch him but he is stable enough for you to see him."

Serena was a blur as she sped right past Iida, going so fast that the Chief Class Officer spun in place like a cartoon character. This sentence would only last longer as the rest of the group likewise sped past and reduced the youngest Iida son to a top. After a bit of spinning, Iida stabilized himself, shook himself free, and sped himself into the room with the rest to see Midoriya.

What they saw was a sorry state that their friend was in. Oh, and Todoroki too as well.

With the white-and-red-haired boy, the remains of his shirt were discarded, allowing for Recovery Girl to tend to and bandage the bruised entirety of Todoroki's chest, concentrating on the area where Midoriya's final strike landed, and knocked the boy into unconsciousness. His arms were bandaged too, though to a lesser extent, with ice packs and heat pads placed on the sides that ran counter to them. The boy's face was covered in bandages and patches that made him appear like Aizawa's mummy son, with even the boy's broken nose patched up. His Pokémon surrounded the boy's bed, Drizzile and Darmanitan by his sides, Ninetails at the end, and Vulpix lying by the foot of the bed, his ears tilted low in sadness and worry.

Upon noticing and seeing the boy who had manipulated many of them into his games, mixed feelings were taken. Those that were subject to such manipulation held a bitter resentment in casting their gaze upon him, and the rest felt a tad bit more sympathy for him, yet not as much as to make their concern and care for their played friends, especially Yaoyorozu, seem cast aside. Serena and Uraraka held the softest looks at Todoroki, both witnessing the broken boy who peered from behind his conflicted eyes. Yaoyorozu and Jiro meanwhile held the severest of glares for the son of Endeavor, Jiro's disgusted look mixed with satisfaction for the boy's downfall, yet Momo's was perhaps worst. It was direct and clear anger like Jiro's, but a more cold, emotionless stare that saw in Todoroki nothing worth acknowledging for in doing so it would only bring memories of pain and fear.

Their feelings were less conflicted upon seeing Midoriya's condition. The boy was likewise shirtless, yet that was done mainly from Midoriya's doing and it was left bare and covered mostly in the hospital sheets, little bandaging on the delectable slab of pecs and muscles, or at least that is what the girls thought when gazing at it in a moment of intense lust. His arms and left leg were the most bandaged parts of Midoriya's whole body, the entire limbs covered in thick amounts of wrappings to cover their broken, now reddish flesh and muscle. Finally, Midoriya's forehead was bandaged, an ice pack nestled and tied to his head. Pikachu and Froakie sat on the foot of Midoriya's bed with Combusken on the bed's left side. Eevee lay next to Midoriya's head, panting and tended to by Recovery Girl's Audino, likely exhausted from using Heal Pulse on his Trainer.

Whilst Todoroki's sleeping face looked more peaceful, Midoriya's looked like he was halfway dead. Pale white, dark bags under his eyes, sweating profusely, and panting hard, Midoriya looked amid a fever, in pain, even in his sleeping state.

"Izu," Serena muttered tearfully, her hand drifting over in an attempt to cup her crush's cheek. Yet, she held herself back, paying heed to Recovery Girl's words, despite how much she wished to break them.

"Deku," Uraraka didn't have the same recognition as her hand drifted closer and closer to Midoriya's arm. Only for it to get smacked away lightly by a large syringe for a cane.

"What did I say? No touching," Recovery Girl chastised Uraraka quietly.

"Sorry," Uraraka muttered an apology.

"Bah, it's alright, dearie. I understand the feeling of worry and sadness when a close friend is in pain," Recovery Girl replied.

The term 'close friend' once more stung at Iida's conscious but he brushed it aside to focus on Midoriya rather than his guilt.

"How is he?" Hagakure asked.

"Out of the worst of it, thankfully," Recovery Girl sighed. "Three broken limbs, forehead cut, all his fingers broken with the ones on his right being broken repeatedly the most. Foolish boy. No sense of self-preservation at all."

Mina sniffled at her words, staring at Midoriya's pain-filled face, the dark parts of her mind imaging just how many times her friend had been in a hospital bed before U.A. under the tyranny of Bakugou's bullying. How long was Midoriya's bedside empty and without support? The thought made her almost tear up, with Kirishima once again rubbing his arm on Mina's back, a guilty look on his face, too.

"Is he okay?" Kaminari questioned, concerned. "He doesn't look right?"

"No shit he doesn't look right," Jiro whispered harshly at him.

"For whatever reason, he appears to be suffering some internal backlash," Recovery Girl did her best to convey the facts past her confusion. "Likely caused by overusing his Quirk in his fight."

"Like a fever?" Asui guessed.

"Of a sort," Recovery Girl nodded, looking at Eevee. She praised Arceus that Midoriya had this unique Pokémon by his side, the Evolution Pokémon's Heal Pulse a vital help in healing Midoriya as much as she could. "I fear that with the state that he is in, it is unlikely he may wake and fully recover for the next few days, let alone in time for the finals."

"But couldn't they just hold it back? Postpone the finals? At least, until Deku is better," Uraraka asked.

Recovery Girl gave the chestnut-haired girl the look a grandma would give their grandchild when they asked a stupid yet innocent question. "Postpone the finals of a worldwide-viewed event with thousands of spectators in the stands, including several Heroes and government officials?" Recovery Girl pointed out. Uraraka blushed embarrassingly at the dressing down. "Rest assured that rodent of a principal will likely hold the match off for as long as he can. Repairing the stage, the last of the semi-finals, a rest period, but even then I highly doubt Mr. Midoriya will be in any condition to compete in the finals."

A dreadful silence was put on the group as the information sunk in. 'Wait, if Izu can't compete and win the finals, then-' Serena turned her gaze toward Momo, expecting to find her in tearful sorrow. Yet was surprised when she found them and yet not ones she expected.

Rather than break down in fear and doom, Momo's tears and sad eyes merely stared lovingly at Midoriya, her gaze stalwart and unblinking as gazed upon her truest of love, the one she had sacrificed her friendship with to attempt to win this festival for her sake. It occurred to her that despite her objections and intention to go against her forced-upon-arrangement, Yaoyorozu could have disobeyed Todoroki's orders. The only authority that beheld her to obey him was the words of her parents, parents who thought she was fragile enough to be wedded off like a helpless princess. She could have disobeyed Todoroki, sabotaged him in the 2nd event, and prevented this whole thing from happening. She could have told Izuku about the arrangement and asked him to fight in her name and stand a better chance at winning the whole festival.

No, even though Jiro proposed the thought that Midoriya sabotaged her future by forcing Todoroki to use his fire, he wasn't the one that sabotaged her, it was herself. She let her pride decree to win the festival with her own hands, she followed her 'fiancé's' words in taking down the one she truly wished to give her heart to, and, whether because she may not have trusted him or wanted to burden him, she didn't turn to Izuku who would have agreed instantly. And what was worse was that her pride likewise led to this very outcome where, in attempting to do right with both hers and Todoroki's futures, did this to himself.

'The fault isn't with him. It never was,' Momo sadly thought. 'It's mine.'

Before she could sink further into a depressive pit of her own making, a silky deep voice spoke up. "Then I shall take it from here."

Turning around, the group saw Professor Taishi standing by the door of the room.

"Professor Taishi?" Hagakure said confused.

The Pokémon professor darted his eyes to the invisible girl with a serious stare that made Hagakure feel that he looking directly at her, seeing her whole being, body, and soul. Toru swore to herself she thought she saw a shine of blue flash in Taishi's eye, which made his gaze narrow and frown at her.

A head poked out from behind Taishi. "Hey, Hey! The rest of the person slipped past Taishi and into the room, revealing herself to the group in stunned silence. The girl was beautiful, as tall as Yaoyorozu and her assets as stacked as hers and Serena's. She wore a deep ocean blue dress, the white-squared lined end of the skirt reaching halfway past her thick tights, displaying her long and graceful legs and more of her blemish-free skin. White cloth lined the collarbone of her dress and the end of her short sleeves, three white buttons leading down the collarbone to her large breasts that strained her dress. The girl's periwinkle hair was long, curling past her wide hips, and ended down to her knees, slight bangs swept to the sides of her forehead and an upward curl framed the sides of her face up to her wide and curious royal blue eyes.

The girl looked nothing short of gorgeous, an angel whose beauty rivaled and even surpassed Momo's, something acknowledged by the whole group, even Yaoyorozu herself. She left both the guys and girls blushing, one side mainly from her stunning beauty and the other mainly through jealousy.

"Oh, wow, he looks even worse up close," Nejire suddenly was found right beside Midoriya's bed, leaning her head over so that her face hovered over his. "He looks half dead. Is it because he used too much of his powers? Or was it because he caught a cold from Todoroki's ice? It was pretty cold just from the stands. Ooh, his freckles look like diamonds in that formation! Could that be a unique sign? And his hair looks so soft and comfy. I wonder how it feels like."

"H-HEY! W-Who do you think you are?!" Serena blushed in jealousy and quietly yelled, remembering to lower her voice after a brief glare from Recovery Girl.

"Hmm?" Nejire turned her attention to Serena and the rest, finally acknowledging their presence even as her hand drifted toward Midoriya's hair. Her curious eyes landed and analyzed each of them.

"That's enough, Young Hado," Taishi spoke up again. "Your boundless questions can come at another time perhaps."

"Y-Yeah Ma-I mean-Mr. Taishi, sir," Nejire corrected herself, standing straight and attentive, her hand ceasing its journey to savor the softness of Midoriya's hair.

"I'm sorry, but what is going on here, Professor Taishi?" Momo questioned, giving a suspicious look at Taishi and Nejire. "What do you mean that you will take it from here?"

"I mean that I will help in mending Midoriya's wounds and help him recover enough to compete in the festival finals," Taishi revealed to the surprise of the group.

"No offense, Prof but how can you do that?" Jiro raised an eyebrow.

"I'm afraid that I must be secretive about my methods, Ms. Jiro," Taishi steeled his gaze from Jiro's questioning look. "For now, I must request that you and the rest of your friends leave us to our work."

"Woah, woah, hold up!" Mina raised her voice before another glare from Recovery Girl made her lower it. "No offense, teach, but if you think that we're going to leave Midori alone with you and your 'secretive methods' you-"

"At ease, Young Ashido, Professor Taishi speaks true," Another boisterous voice sounded as another figure squeezed his way into the room: All Might. "He can help Young Midoriya."

"A-All Might?!" Serena squeaked in surprise, both fan-girlish and confused.

"I know he may not have worded it the best, but Professor Taishi has my full confidence," All Might vouched for the silver-haired professor. "However, I too must ask that you leave us for this to work. I vow to stay here and oversee your concerns."

With the endorsement of the Number 1 Hero, the group, despite their reluctance, slowly agreed. At All Might's and Recovery Girl's instructions, they would go to Midoriya's waiting room and wait for their green-haired friend when he awakes. Chiyo even had Blissey and Audino go with the students in case Kirishima and Ashido experienced any flare of pain or discomfort. Midoriya's Pokémon were the only ones to remain with the Symbol of Peace, Taishi, Recovery Girl, and Nejire. The last to leave were Serena and Momo, their gaze lingering on Midoriya, but the former put her faith in her idol hero and helped lead Momo out and toward the waiting room.

Now, alone, and with a nod from Taishi, All Might let go and deflated to his true form.

"Woah, A-All Might, is that really you?!" Nejire exclaimed as she stared at the Symbol of Peace with reawakened curiosity. "How did you do that? Is that part of your Quirk? Is this what you actually look like? Why are you so skinny? Are you an imposter using a shapeshifting Quirk?"

"Pupil Hado," Taishi spoke again with an air of authority.

"Sorry, Master Taishi," Nejire ceased her questions, calling Taishi by the 'Master' moniker at Taishi's use of her 'Pupil' one.

"So alike. Are all you guys the same?" Toshinori asked, finding a striking comparison between Nejire and Izuku, and their never-ending stream of word vomit and questions.

"Thankfully, no," Taishi sighed, relieved that wasn't the case. As much as he found Nejire amusing and wonderful to be around, he wouldn't imagine himself any more of a pleasant person if he had to tack on Nejire's curious nature to his own.

"Yes, yes, how wonderful, but tell me, Taishi, what is it that you intend to do?" Recovery Girl spoke up. "Despite your words and this oaf's vouching, you still haven't told me how you intend to heal Midoriya to the extent that he can fight in the tournament."

"Yes, I suppose you ought to know as much," Taishi sighed, sharing a look and nod with Toshinori. The silver-haired professor proceeded to remove his white coat and walk toward Midoriya. Looking over to Todoroki, he pointed and asked, "Is the boy unconscious, too?"

Recovery Girl nodded. Taishi nodded back and sent a look to Nejire. At her nod, she went over and drew the curtains between the two boys, separating Todoroki and his Pokémon from the others, despite the latter trying to peek and look over.

"The boy's current state is due to an exhaustion of Aura. He used too much in that last battle with Todoroki, and the blowback is stalling his recovery and producing this fevered state of his," Taishi unbuttoned and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, revealing a jagged scar across his right forearm. "This process would normally take weeks to recover, but Ms. Hado and I can 'speed things up'."

"Speed things up how?" Chiyo asked further. "While I trust in your knowledge of Pokémon, I believe you claimed yourself to be Quirkless and Ms. Hado's Quirk does not possess any healing abilities."

"Not through Quirks, but Aura," Taishi revealed, placing a hand over Midoriya's forehead, tracing his finger down the boy's face in a clear direction toward the boy's center of his chest. "Me and Ms. Hado can replenish his Aura with our own."

"You can do that?" Toshinori blinked, surprised.

"By myself, this process would only do so much as relieve him of his fever and heal his wounds, but with the both of us, we can heal and replenish his Aura enough to awaken him and empower him enough to compete in the finals," Taishi explained. "He will likely not be able to access his Aura for the fight and will have to rely solely on his Quirk, but the two of us can 'charge his batteries' enough for him to complete his goals."

"Even if what you say is true and can be done, the boy is already wounded and gone through enough," Recovery Girl barked, narrowing her eyes at Taishi. "As his nurse, I cannot endorse just sending him out to break his body again."

"Taishi, can you give us a moment?" Toshinori spoke.

Taishi nodded. "Be quick though, time is of the essence."

Toshinori nodded and led Recovery Girl to the edge of the room, leaning down to whisper to her. "Look, Chiyo, I am not fully onboard to send Young Midoriya into harm's way either, but we need to do this," Toshinori said.

"Why? What is so important that the boy needs to injure himself more?" Recovery Girl whispered harshly back, a sense of grandmotherly protection welling up for her patient. "Are you so desperate to flaunt the boy off as your successor?"

"This isn't about that," All Might's whisper was just as harsh and firm as Chiyo's, a look of affront and seriousness in the thin man's eyes. "I don't know much about what's going on, Nezu didn't share as much, but I know Young Midoriya has his reasons to try and win the festival, reasons that are not for his sake but those of his friends. If we don't do this then Young Midoriya might never forgive us. We have to try at least."

A few moments of reluctance occurred as Recovery Girl weighed the consequences of her decision. Ultimately, she sighed, nodding in acceptance to go through with Taishi's plan.

With a final look of approval, Taishi and Nejire went to work. "Pupil Hado, place your hands by his head, I will focus on his core, we will stabilize him first before transferring our Aura," Taishi instructed and Nejire nodded, the once smiling girl letting it fall to frown full of seriousness. "The four of you," Taishi turned his attention to Midoriya's Pokémon. "Your help will be needed as well. I need you to choose one limb of Midoriya's to touch. When I tell you to, I want you to concentrate on your bonds with the boy. Feel your connection with him link with his body and his to yours. When I say so, you are to not let go and stand firm against whatever happens. Understand?"

The four eagerly nodded in their drive to aid their Trainer. Combusken chose Midoriya's left leg, gently touching the injured limb, and Froakie the right one. Pikachu chose the right arm, while Eeve stayed by Midoriya's left side, next to Nejire, and took his left arm.

With all the pieces in place, Taishi and Nejire took deep breaths in and out, in and out, concentrating on the power within. Their eyes opened, Taishi's storm grey eyes glowing blue while Nejire's glowed a crystal blue. With a nod, they place their hands upon the boy, Taishi's by Midoriya's chest and Nejire's on either side of his head, cupping his cheeks with comfort. Nejire almost lost focus at the feel of his hair. 'It really is soft,' Nejire noted before brushing the discovery aside to focus on the procedure.

"Now," Taishi said, just as a veil of blue aura enveloped Midoriya. His Pokémon all concentrated, imagining their bond with Midoriya like a thread connecting them to him and each other. They felt their memories coalesce in these connections. Froakie remembered when he flung the Water Pulse to blind Wishiwashi, the fight where Midoriya caught him, and their training and bond growing strong. Combusken recalled when she was but a Torchic with the other rare Pokémon and was chosen above all by this green-haired boy who saw something in her, from how they trained, to how she evolved with Izuku looking on at her with pride and awe. Pikachu remembered saving Izuku from the flock of Spearow and Fearow, how he followed the boy like they called to each other, hung out and bonded with him and Eevee, and felt like they were partners before he ever got in that Pokeball. Eevee saw when he first hatched from his egg, played and trained together, and stood by him all the years of his life, to the day when Izuku got One For All, when they could finally speak, and Eevee could finally say that he believed in him, and always did. They felt that connection turn as hard as steel.

Taishi whispered in unknown language before switching to chanting out loud. "Vita, Fluere. Vita, Cresce. Aura, benedic cui munus largiris." Taishi and Nejire chanted in unison over and over. As they chanted, they willed their Aura to flow from themselves and into Midoriya. From Taishi, he imagined his core, a glowing tree, tall, strong, ever-growing, ever-reaching, illuminated in white light. He imagined the tree's glow brightening before a beam of light shot up into the air from the tree, trailing across an unknown expanse till it reached Midoriya's wilting tree. For Nejire, she imagined a clear blue sky, and in it, an ever-changing, glittering white cloud that glowed with heavenly light. She imagined it shining before the glittering rain fell, blessing the drying lake behind a dam, she imagined her rain filling Midoriya's lake.

Izuku's face flinched and scrunched in pain. His Pokémon shook and felt their Trainer's pain almost as their own, yet they held firm and refused to let go. Recovery Girl and Toshinori looked on with concern and anxiousness. When he saw the pain on his face, Toshinori felt a moment of faltering, a surge of protectiveness well up that nearly made him rush in and stop them. It was Recovery Girl who stopped him.

"Look," The nurse pointed and so Toshinori did, and his eyes widened.

Lines appeared all over Midoriya, like veins, and for a moment, the two thought it was his veins, but they were too intricate, too purposeful in their design. The lines trailed down toward his whole body. When they reached his broken arms and leg, the flinching grew worse yet the arms glowed like miniature blue suns, so much so they shined their form through the casts. They saw broken lines and fractures mend and close, they were healing.

Nejire saw Midoriya's eyes peek open, sleepy and half-asleep. She found the way they glowed sea blue-green, the rainbow light that peeked behind his iris, enchanting. Nejire smiled down on him, leaning down to whisper in his ear. No words came out of her lips, for it was not for ears, but the heart and mind to hear from within.

Finally, the light around Midoriya reached a climax, and with it, Nejire and Taishi ceased, their job completed. They cease their chanting, cut off the flow of their Aura, and the blue glow around Midoriya dies down. As the last light faded and they removed their hands from Midoriya, the two tell began to fall. Nejire steadied herself on the guard rail while Toshinori swooped in and held Taishi up.

"I-It is done," Taishi panted. "The boy is healed. Let him rest for a bit; when the time comes, he will be ready."

"Thank you," Toshinori said.

"Don't thank me yet," Taishi muttered. "The boy needs to be trained. He cannot be led astray. Such light cannot waver and fall to shadow."

"He will be," All Might reassured him. "After the festival."

"S-Such light, such depth," Nejire panted, Combusken rubbing her back while Eevee stroked her arms. "Is he really-"

"Yes, yes he is. He is everything he was foretold to be," Taishi swept strands of his hair away as he gazed at Midoriya with clear purpose and awe. "Reform that had been splintered, mend what had been broken, bring a new dawn both on high and low."

All Might didn't register much what Taishi rambled but from what he could, whatever this foretelling of whatever Young Midoriya was appeared serious. What was truly clear to the Number 1 Hero was that soon things would change drastically for Young Midoriya, and if everything Taishi said about him was true, he would be destined for a greater legacy than being the Symbol of Peace.

---

"Alright, Sports Fans, sorry for the long wait, but we're back and ready for business! Are you excited?!" Present Mic announced while the crowd cheered. "Now, that's the kind of enthusiasm I live for ladies and gents!"

"Get on with it, Blabbermouth," Aizawa groaned, many in the crowd chuckling at the name the insomniac hero gave to Mic.

"Ok, okay, geez. Anyway, after a long while of repairs and clean up from that wild first round, we're ready to move on with the last of the semi-final matches," Mic continued announcing, the crowd roaring at the reminder of the match beforehand. "Now, let's see which one of these future heroes will take on Midoriya in the finals!"

The images of the two fighters were shown on the monitors as both boys walked out their walkways and onto the field and toward the arena.

"Introducing in one corner, he's the dark warrior that's dazzling us with the power of his mighty shadow, he's two fighters in one, the Bird of Darkness, from the 1-A Hero Course, it's Fumikage Tokoyami!" Present Mic introduced Tokoyami first.

Tokoyami stared stoically, arms folded as he stared at his opponent...while also attempting to hide his displeasure at himself or Dark Shadow being described as 'dazzling'. "Revelry in the Dark," Tokoyami muttered.

A shiver ran down 1-B's Kuroiro's and Reiko's spines as they repeated the same phrase as if they heard the brother in darkness from their stands. It earned them confused looks from their classmates, and a teasing grin from Tokage toward her white-haired, gloomy classmate.

"And in the other corner, he's had a rocky start to the 3rd event, but he's proven that he's not someone to mess with. Also from the 1-A Hero Course, he's wild, he's mean, and he'll make one explosive match, it's Katsuki Bakugou!" Mic announced the latter fighter.

Bakugou grinned threateningly at his fighter, attempting to startle or frighten his opponent. His grin only widened in its mania as he heard the crowd cheer for him, as they should have. He had proven to those ingrates and extras in the stands just how powerful and worthy he was to stand above his worthless extras of classmates. They had dared booed and jeered him for putting that pink bitch in her place, but they changed their tune back to how everything should be when he took down that traitor, Shitty Hair. Now, they'll cheer for him when he beats Bird Brain and puts the guy in his place for daring to look down on him.

'And they'll cheer when I face and finally put Deku in his place, once and for all,' Bakugou thought, confident, continuing to send his wild grin toward his opponent to startle his nerves. Frustratingly, Bird Brain didn't move an inch, his face as stoic and unchanging as stone. It only served to piss Bakugou off more, believing him to still look down on him.

Up in the stands, Inko and the Bakugous looked concerningly at the field, or rather the one blonde brat preparing to fight. They all had uneasy and concerned looks when the crowd cheered for Bakugou, knowing this was only fueling and abetting his behavior as of late. Mitsuki, despite her concerns about the negative impression her son made, at least approved of the jeers and booing, hoping that enough of it could finally knock some sense into her son that his path was not a good or respectable one. Now, however, his fairer match with Kirishima had already wiped the brutality of Bakugou's actions against that pink girl from their minds. It was concerning enough that the bloodlust of the crowd for a good fight between basically children was enough to erase their earlier morals and cheer for the boy like a bunch of hypocrites.

What was even more concerning was that in cheering for Bakugou, they were doing exactly what Aldera and all the other schools, teachers, and students from the past always did with Bakugou. They were cheering and applauding him, giving him praise for his actions and brutality, approving of his view of the world, the same cheering, applauding, and bootlicking that made those people corrupt her son into the...

Mitsuki didn't finish the thought, she didn't have the heart to call her son the monster that he had become.

Masaru was in agreement with his wife about the switch-up of the crowd's opinion of his son, and what little good their earlier jeers would have done to correct his son's behavior. Masaru worked as a fashion designer, and he knew how influential the remarks of your peers and the wider public can have on a person. For a pair of shoes, if enough people say so, then they will overlook their concerns of price and be persuaded to buy them, or if enough people can say that one trend of clothes is out of style, then slowly more and more will drift away from it to what it newer and more 'trendy', as the youth would call it.

While Masaru didn't find it morally clean to use peer pressure tactics as a way to correct his son's path, it was likely the only way available to them now. Despite his son's words that he cared not for the opinions of 'extras', if that were true, he wouldn't have taken those children and teacher's words of praise to heart, he wouldn't have been persuaded to treat Midoriya as he did for so many years, he wouldn't act and behave as he did now. Or at least, that's what Masaru wanted to believe. He wanted to believe his son could have been more like his mother if he hadn't let the allure of fame and approval from his peers influence him, that his son would have been steered toward a better course, aided by the friend he had pushed away so long ago. It once more filled Masaru with guilt that he should have been involved in his son's life more, been firmer with him, then perhaps his son may not have become as cruel and hateful as he had become.

Inko too shared in the displeasure of the Bakugous of how the crowd's admiration and cheers of their son would only make his declining behavior worse, but what she didn't share were their beliefs that Bakugou could truly change, or have been better if the circumstances were different. As dismissive as it sounded in her mind, Inko knew that they couldn't see the situation with full fairness due to their love for their son. Inko knew that for as malleable as he was at an earlier age, Bakugou was always the confident kind, bordering and even blowing past the boundaries between confidence and arrogance with explosive degree. He was always a proud and smug child even before his Quirk came in, always good at all he did, excelling beyond his peers, a prodigy to some, and always so dismissive of those who fell behind, especially her son.

In truth, Inko saw that the monster he was now was always inside Katsuki Bakugou, it was within his nature to look down on others and see himself as superior. The praise and words of his peers so long ago only fueled a fire that was already there. And the older Bakugou got the less excuse he had for his behavior to be the work of others. He was 16 for Arceus's sake, already a grown and legal adult in the eyes of her country, he could think for himself, and he has been, he has acted on his own accord for a long while, and how the lesser if made him in her eyes.

But then again, was she any better than the Bakugous? Was she not biased in her views? Did she look at things impartially when the subject of her scorn and ire was the tormentor of her precious son? Inko knew the answer, yet like her best friend, she didn't have the heart to say it, for it felt to say yes was to somehow continue excusing Katsuki Bakugou and all that he did, and as the mother of his most tormented victim, she couldn't.

Over at the 1-A stands, Hanta Sero looked around to see how lacking and little their numbers had become as of late. More than half of his class were absent from the stands, most going off to visit Midoriya in the nurse's room, where Todoroki, Ashido, and Kirishima were also, and Tokoyami and Bakugou were down at the field ready to fight each other. That left Shoji, Sato, Aoyama, Koda, Ojiro, and himself. Looking at those around him now, he couldn't help but equate themselves as the outcasts of their class, or, more fairly and less insulting, the leftovers of Class 1-A.

He knew Midoriya wasn't at fault nor was it ever his intention, but Sero envied Class Rep for making his circle of friends so big. Serena and Momo, his friends before U.A. and the latter his Deputy Rep, Iida and Kaminari, one his appointed Chief Class Officer and the other his 'Pika Bro', Ochaco and Hagakure, the two of which were reportedly saved by Midoriya during the Entrance Exam and have been clinging to him like love-struck girls, Asui, who joined the same camp as the prior two after the USJ, and even Ashido, drawn in by Hagakure's friendship, Midoriya's charm, and his easy-to-tease nature. Midoriya had half the class following him and Sero couldn't be blamed for witnessing it and desire for a piece of that action, that connectivity.

It was partly what drew him to trying to form the so-called 'Bakusquad' at Kirishima's request. The redhead wanted to form a friend group of his own, with Bakugou as their fearless leader, and Sero was hesitant about that. Midoriya was the unquestioned head of his group, but still unofficially, and if you asked Midoriya he would likely be humble as say there wasn't any leader to their group, even though there was. For Kirishima to appoint Bakugou so prematurely felt almost desperate of him in Sero's view, like a lackey trying to please their boss. And yet he and Ashido went along with him, the latter because Kirishima was her friend before U.A., and himself because he longed for the same kind of friendship that Midoriya's group had. He had his Pokémon, and he would always cherish their friendship, but he also wanted the unique connection other people offered.

Looking back on it, Sero should have just asked to join the fun in Midoriya's group, but back then he was hesitant, self-conscious about how he would look trying to worm his way onto the group that just kind of seamlessly formed on its own, like a finely crafted tapestry. Now, after his 'affiliation' with Bakugou and how he played a hand in Bakugou's ascension to the 3rd event and all the acts he had done by then, he doubted he would be welcomed, at least without an air of suspicion that was too much the hassle.

The 'Bakusquad' was dead before it even truly started, exploded to pieces by the very namesake's hand. Ashido was likely to retreat fully into the 'Dekusquad' as Bakugou put it, Kirishima would likely wallow and be hesitant in forming another friend group after the first attempt went horribly awry, and you would sooner see a Lechonk fly than anyone want to form a friend group with Bakugou after all of this, and he sure as hell wasn't going to be that flying fool of a Lechonk.

But then who was left in his class? Todoroki, ironically, burned almost as many bridges as Bakugou, if not more, and Jiro was already in a small friend duo with Yaoyorozu, and Sero surmised it wouldn't be long until she was brought into the fold of Midoriya's group, too. Then were Tokoyami and Shoji, who also seemed to have formed a friend duo like the two ladies but more of a casual kind, the two only got as far as they did because they were both the silent loner types that just so happened to find common ground. Koda was too shy and meek to hang around them, mostly keeping to the company of his Pokémon, rather fitting thanks to his Quirk, Ojiro seemed to blend into the background more than even the invisible girl, Sato was just there as well, never making any deep impression or relationship, and Aoyama...as charming as his flamboyant personality was at first, it was quickly getting annoying, and they hadn't known each other for more than a month.

This was all he had left to form a friend group of his own, but Sero asked himself why he even wanted to form one so badly. There really was only one right answer, the same answer that led him at first to Bakugou's group, he wanted to feel like part of a group, a cliche, connected socially as much as much as his Quirk could connect and tie people together. Maybe he wanted to be just like his Quirk and tie himself to others too. Sero didn't know why it didn't sound as pathetic and needy to him as it should.

Back on the field, Bakugou and Tokoyami still gazed at each other, one stoic and the other angry. "I'm only going to say this once, Bird Brain. Give up now and I won't burn your tail feathers to a crisp," Bakugou threatened with the popping of miniature explosions. "As much as you look down on me, Deku is my main priority, you're just the stepping stone in my path to teaching that worthless Caterpie a lesson."

Midnight overhead and sneered at Bakugou distastefully. Overhearing, Aizawa and Nezu likewise frowned their concerns over a potential matchup of the finals all the grimmer a possibility and outcome.

"A stepping stone I may be to you, but if one doesn't mind your step amidst the wet stone, they'll fall and be carried through the waters," Tokoyami sagely retorted. "I owe it to my classmates and the people to stand firm against any obstacle, no matter how disadvantageous it may be. That is what a Hero does."

"Grr, you sound like the nerd," Bakugou muttered, hatefully, glaring at Tokoyami. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you."

The two took a stance, Bakugou crouched, the palms of his hands facing behind him. Tokoyami crouched lightly, arms unfolded and Dark Shadow ready to leap at his command.

"Fighters ready?!" Mic questioned as the two nodded. "Then let the final round of the semi-finals begin!" Midnight brought down her whip.

Dark Shadow rocketed out of Tokoyami's chest and forward toward an equally rocketing Bakugou, propelled by his explosions. The two met in a clash of Light and Dark, Explosion and Shadow, in the middle with a great boom.

---

Darkness. That was all Izuku could see after he fell unconscious, a sea of shadow and mist with no end. He felt like he was floating through the darkness, but he couldn't move, everything just felt too numb, too lacking to move. Izuku briefly pondered if he might be dead, if, after everything, he fell on his head, cracked his skull or neck, and ruined everything. It would be quite the anti-climactic ending for his journey.

But no, Izuku was still alive. He felt it at least. And he knew that he hadn't fallen on his head, he felt someone holding him just before he slipped out of consciousness. He knew this wasn't Hell or anything, he...he recognized this place. Not specifically, there was nothing around to see or identify, but he remembered experiencing this before. He remembered when he fell unconscious after defeating Bakugou in the Battle Training Exercise, he remembered waking up in the same empty black space, but back then he felt able to move his arms, sans for his right leg which felt numb.

Now, his whole body felt numb, too numb to even move an inch. If the situation was much the same, it meant he was likely unconscious, being tended to by Recovery Girl...and likely wouldn't be able to awaken for hours like back then. No, it could be worse. Back then, he had broken his arm and sprained his leg; this time, he had broken both of his arms and one leg and used up every ounce of that power within him that he could muster. There was a chance that he might not wake up for days...and completely sleep off the finals, the finals he needed to win, for Momo.

'You idiot,' Izuku chastised himself bitterly, his thoughts echoing across the empty expanse. If he could clench his fist and punch himself in the face, he would surely do so, multiple times. But just because he couldn't move his fists, didn't mean he wasn't still beating himself up with self-hatred and inner ridicule.

Izuku pondered to himself and simple question through all the self-admonishment: why? When he did, he knew why, all the reasons, all the people he tried to save at the same time, all he could do if he saved the least worthy among them all. But now, look where that got him. Unconscious, broken, exhausted, and even if he somehow woke up, he doubted Recovery Girl would let him fight with the extent of his injuries. He'd have to miss out on the festival final and either Bakugou or Tokoyami would win, and given what he knew about both students, the answer only made his bitterness and anger only that much heavier on himself.

Curse his Goddamn bleeding heart. He thought that he could offer Todoroki this one chance to get better, to look past his faults and save the broken boy inside crying for help, for all their sakes, and this is what it got him. He felt no better than when he turned the cheek so many times for Bakugou and had it blow up in his face again, like always. But what made it sting all the worse was it wasn't him who would suffer this consequence, it would be Momo, and he hated himself for that.

'I gotta wake up. I have to,' Izuku's voice repeated like a chorus around him as he tried willing his body, or he supposed his consciousness, to get up. 'I don't care what happens to me, just wake up, for her. I can't leave her to that stupid doomed fate. Even if I have to make it up to her for the rest of my life, I'll do it, I have to Wake. Up!'

And then, suddenly, there was light. Shining down on him, he could see a faint blue light in the distance, like a star, twinkling so far away. Then it grew closer and brighter. Izuku wanted to hold his hand out for it, and against all odds, he did. His arm came to his vision, spasming and glitching like he was made of faulty code. And when his glitching hand grasped the star, it exploded out and encompassed everything.

He felt it like a surging wave crashed all around him, a beam of light blasting into his chest, like blessed rain trickling down his body from above. There were so many sensations, so much energy, it was stimulating. He could feel the numbness begin to fade, his glitching body solidifying, he felt pain and his nerves were set on fire for a moment before it calmed down and was replaced by a soothing sensation. He felt hands upon him or rather paws. One clawed hand, a webbed palm, and two paws, one sparking and the other soothing. 'Guys,' Izuku recognized the sensations as his Pokémon, reaching out to him.

And then suddenly, the light began to brighten, and the visions began. They came down upon him like they were carried toward him by a river, so many that he couldn't see them all without some passing him by and fading into the darkness behind him. What he did catch still made no sense to him.

He was standing before Lake Verity again, he could see Wishiwashi and the Asui's boat from his peripherals. His gaze centered toward the misty center of the lake, how it parted as he gazed zoomed like a camera, and he saw the cave at the center of the small island, a pink flash of light and an inhuman cry calling out from the darkness. The light encompassed him and when it died down, he was still at a lake, but it was different. The land was not the same swampy forest as before, there were fewer trees, and the air was colder. When he looked out at the misty center of his lake, there was an island and a cave within it, but his vision didn't go down to the lake, it went to the water, and he felt himself falling and plunging into the icy cold embrace of the lake. He saw the faintest of a shape swimming up to him, it looked familiar, but yet different. He heard it cry an almost similar one to the one on Lake Verity before a flash of yellow light took him.

When it faded, he found himself in a dark alleyway, a single white light illuminating a figure slumped against the wall, both the man and the wall stained in blood, with a foul-smelling napkin sticking out of his pocket. He heard noises behind him and as his body turned, he saw a girl, wearing a school uniform, kneeling on the ground with a Mimikyu beside her, looking up at her. Izuku noticed her hands were stained in blood, and the girl was giggling crazily, but before he thought the worst, that giggling turned bitter, then despairful, and then the giggling faded into crying. The light from behind him illuminated the area further, consuming him and sending him into more visions, each one going faster and more confusing.

He saw an island made of metal, two lights dancing and soaring above it before a giant wave came and swallowed the island. He saw 18 sets of glowing, flashing lights in different patterns, all coming out of the darkness, he heard them beeping and whining. He saw a tear open up in space itself, a menacing roar call out from the other end of the portal, and a sick, evil smile grinning down from above. He heard a child's whimpering and crying, a tree made of crystal shining while a cry came out from the depths and from above, and a large mountain with a small city in its shadow, a glittering shining teal light at its peak. He heard familiar giggles and a dancing figure made of light reached out to him before it vanished.

Finally, the last vision didn't feel like a vision. He felt his eyes open briefly for it, and he saw a beautiful woman smiling down at him, she looked nothing short of an angel, those wide, crystal blue eyes. He heard a voice, her voice, whisper to him. "Rest my Kouhei, we will see each other soon. Please be it soon so we can share and dance in the sky, together." He tried to reach out to her as she began to fade, he wanted to call out to her, asking her not to leave.

Just as the light began to overtake all of him, he saw eyes peer out of the shadows. The same eyes as before, in his fight with Shinsou, those same multicolored eyes gazing at him, each one expressing a different emotion. Pity, Disgust, Sadness, Sympathy, Anger, Calmness, and Joy.

Just as the light consumed him entirely, Izuku felt a hand on his back, pushing him forward.

Everything turned to white, and he woke up.

---

Izuku gasped, his eyes shooting wide open. He panted as he blinked, the blue ceiling of Recovery Girl's room becoming clearer. Izuku tried to move his hands to rub his eyes, only to feel them heavier to move. Looking at them, he realized they were covered in thick amounts of wrappings, and so was his left leg, suspended in the air.

It was at this moment that his momentary confusion cleared up as he recollected his memories of the events of his last match. After realizing his arms and leg should be broken, moving them around and flexing them from inside the casts found that it wasn't the case. He was fully healed, and what was stranger, he didn't feel as exhausted as he should have been. He felt...normal, like he only just woke up from a deep and refreshing sleep. He didn't feel fully at 100% capacity, so to speak, but the broken, sore tiredness that he expected to be in was just gone.

Izuku racked his brain from how this was even possible. The prior times Recovery Girl healed him up, he was nowhere near as recovered as this, and from what he knew about her Quirk, the amount of energy that his body would need to burn to recover this much would literally kill him. So then, what happened to him? The image of that blue-haired angel flashed in his mind, momentarily wondering if she was the one responsible for his miraculous recovery.

Any further contemplation over it was halted by surprise cries. "IZUKU!" Midoriya blinked before differing bodies crashed into him. It didn't take long for Izuku to realize it was his Pokémon, surprised and overjoyed at his awakening.

"O-Okay, guys, thanks. Love you guys too. Ah! But please cool it, would you, before I break again," Izuku hugged back yet pleaded for space as the strength behind their hugs combined almost reached the level of his mom's bone-breaking hugs. Ironic that was the case, almost like his mom was training his body to get used to breaking its bones before he even heard of the Quirk.

Eventually, and with great reluctance, his Pokémon complied and stepped back, respectively enough, to give him some space.

"Izuku, are you okay? Are you hurt? Are your bones not fully healed?" Eevee fried a flurry of questions, the similar trait to himself almost making Izuku chuckle.

"Yeah, buddy, I'm okay," Izuku replied, offering a comforting smile since his arms weren't exactly useful. "No, I'm not hurt or feel my limbs are broken or anything, but I didn't want to risk it."

"That is well to hear, Master Izuku," Froakie croaked a sigh of relief that Taishi's and the girl's procedure worked as advertised.

"Gotta say though Boss, you really had us worried there," Pikachu crossed his arms and pouted comically. "At this point, we should get paid money every time you get yourself into these situations. We'd all be millionaires."

"Y-Yeah, sorry about that, guys," Izuku sweat dropped, a weight of shame falling on his head.

"You'd better be sorry," Combusken did the same as Pikachu, but she did way better in expressing her motherly disappointment. "You gave us a heart attack when you fell after you won the match. If it weren't for Midnight, you would have broken your nose."

'Huh, so that's how I didn't fall on my nose,' Izuku thought to himself. "Remind me to thank her after all of this. But what about the others? Momo? Serena?"

"They came by earlier while we were unconscious," A familiar voice spoke up from his left, giving Midoriya pause. Turning to the side, he was met with a blue curtain, one drawn back to reveal his fellow patient: Shoto Todoroki. "Midoriya." The teen offered as a greeting.

The acknowledgment of his presence triggered his memories as well of how their match went, from breaking his fingers, beating Todoroki down, the boy finally using his fire, and their final attacks that led them to where they were now. But with it, the good vibes he had with his Pokémon fell, as did his smile.

Izuku neutrally frowned at Todoroki, his jovial eyes now as cold and calculating as Todoroki's. "So, is it over?" Izuku asked, and the both of them knew what he meant.

Todoroki looked back toward his Pokémon, Drizzile and Darmanitan stood by his side while Ninetails stood at the end of his bed, looking uneasily at the one sitting at the foot of his bed. Vulpix had his back turned to his Trainer, and when called to him beforehand, the Fox Pokémon pretended he didn't hear him. Todoroki knew he wasn't asleep by the way his tail moved and his ear twitched, but he refused to look at him. The cold shoulder was an unpleasant switch-up, especially after everything he now knew, how horribly he misjudged his Pokémon's very existence in his party and purpose in his life.

'No,' Todoroki wanted to answer, he knew that whatever path he now took was only the beginning and it would be a long and difficult one before he could make it up to his Pokémon, let alone the classmates he had alienated in this Festival, and even less so with his family and himself.

"You were right," Todoroki instead said, gazing up at the ceiling and his raised left palm. "My father didn't gift me Vulpix, neither of them. It was my mother. I remembered everything. How my bastard of a father pulled me away from my siblings, how he trained me brutally, how my mother burned me."

Izuku sighed, exasperated, thinking it was going to be more of the same, that nothing was resolved. "But I now know that she was in the wrong," Izuku perked up and looked back at Todoroki as the teen stared at his hand with clear guilt and sadness. "No matter what my father did to us, she was the one that went crazy and burned me. I remembered so much of what I forgot about her. Her words, how she told me that my Quirk was my own, how I could use it in any way I wanted, how I could be the Hero I wanted to be. Not that bastard's, or what my mom wanted, mine."

Todoroki clenched his left hand into a fist, relishing the pain and hurt he felt from the sore hand, both a retributing pain as well as finally feeling something for his left side. The boy turned back to Izuku with grateful eyes. "Thank you, Midoriya," Todoroki said. "For saving me from myself."

"Don't thank me," Izuku replied coldly, turning away from Todoroki. "It wasn't for you."

Todoroki was silent to his ears for a moment before replying. "Despite all I did to you, you saved me," Todoroki started. "I targeted you, manipulated your friends to stand against you, used Yaoyorozu as a slave, humiliated Uraraka unnecessarily, disrespected all of you for not giving it my all, and yet, you still helped me. Even if it could have cost you the match and the festival, you still helped me. Why?"

Silence filled the room, neither teen demanding an answer or replying, and their Pokémon looked between their Trainers with unease. After a minute, Todoroki sighed and slumped his head on his pillow, unsatisfied with the lack of answers, but accepting the silent treatment from another person he wronged.

"Imagine you became a Pro and you let someone die," Izuku finally spoke.

Todoroki whirled his gaze surprised at Izuku. "What?" Todoroki asked, not knowing if he heard correctly.

"Can you imagine if you went pro, became the Hero that you wanted to spite your father, and it led to you letting someone die, how would you feel?" Izuku asked again, still not looking at Todoroki.

The white-and-red-haired teen looked shocked at what Midoriya was asking him, confused at the sudden question and its relevance. Before he could ask further what he meant, Izuku continued.

"Imagine it. You're a Pro, a full team of Pokémon, a list of sidekicks, and your own agency. You became exactly the kind of a Hero you were aiming to be, only using your right side, and barely your left at all," Izuku detailed a scenario that they both imagined before them. "Suddenly, you and your agency get called in. A Villain attack, they attacked and overtook a cruise ship full of passengers. You and your agency got out to beat them. In the chaos, the ship is heavily damaged, it's sinking and there is no way of saving it. You and your agency work to get the civilians and the captured Villains to safety."

Todoroki nodded, unsure of where this was going, but the expressed detail and random scenario Midoriya was proposing was intriguing enough that he didn't speak a word.

"Then, you realize that there is one only group left, a father and his son, trapped in a cabin," Izuku presented. "The door is jammed and blocked on both ends, water is rising and filling the halls and room. You go in alone, believing it was a simple job for you, but then a sudden fire explodes and starts spreading across the ship, keeping the rest of your team away. Your Pokémon are caught off from you and they and your sidekicks are busy with rescue. It's only you. You try to use your ice to punch through the wall with force or to cool the fire, but the added weight of your ice makes the ship shudder, further destabilizing it, including the ceiling above the father and son. You can't use your ice or risk sinking the ship faster or debris to fall and crush them. There's nothing you can do, you're alone with no one to help you, you can't do anything."

"Except you can. But it's the one thing you don't want to do: using your fire," Izuku revealed. "You could burn through the wall and use your ice at the last minute to keep the ceiling from falling or shielding you all in a dome of ice. You could burn your way through to save them. But you refuse, you won't use your fire, because you promised yourself you wouldn't be like your father."

Todoroki wanted to speak up at that moment to say that was ridiculous, that he would never allow that to happen...but then, the words wouldn't come out. His eyes widened as he realized the hard and painful truth, he would have done that, in how he was acting, the desperation of his goal and spite of his father would have led him to do that, and it filled him with shame and horror.

"And so, you try to use your ice anyway, and you failed," Izuku grimly continued. "The ceiling collapsed and crushed them, the ship sank further, and drowned them, either way, you flee for your safety, or you drown or die with them. If you do make it out, it's by yourself, and you let a boy and his father die. You return to the rest of the rescued civilians and your agency and Pokémon. A woman comes up to you and asks where her husband and son are, it's the wife and mother of the two you let die." As Izuku continued, Shoto's eyes began to tear up as he could envision it happening before him, the woman looking like his own mother. "You say that they died, and she wails in despair. She asks why, why didn't you save them."

"What would you do, Todoroki? Would you blame your Pokémon for not being there, cast the blame on them, and refuse to take responsibility?" Izuku questioned. Todoroki's Pokémon hung their heads and looked away from their Trainer, Vulpix's head dipped low, and Todoroki's fists clenched. "Or would you blame your sidekicks instead? Would you blame them for not being there to aid him, throwing their hard work, their efforts, and their careers to shame, treating them like a master mistreating his servants, treating them like slaves?" Yaoyorozu's sad/crying face came to both their mind, and Todoroki's teeth were shown grinding together as he held back a sob. "What would you say to the mother? I'm sorry, I couldn't save them and let them die because I wouldn't use my left side? Because I care more about my trauma than your husband and son?" A tear ran down Shoto's cheek, one filled with shame and pain.

"That's why I did it. For them, all of them," Izuku explained. "The people you would come to help if you became a Pro, your Pokémon like Vulpix, Momo, and everyone you would treat horribly, I did it for all of them. All my life, I wanted to be like All Might, a Hero who saves everybody he can with a smile on his face." Todoroki's eyes snapped open as he remembered him and his mother watching All Might. "I looked and saw for a way to help all of them, to save all of them with a single blow, a single goal that who lead to their safety as well. If I could do this one thing, I could help them, even if it was saving the least worthy person among them all." Todoroki flinched, but Izuku looked toward him again, stone-faced and unflinching. "I saved you because I wanted to save them."

Tears still ran down Todoroki's cheeks, though whether they were peaceful, sad, or both, he couldn't say. Still, Shoto nodded, accepting the answer and all it entailed. Nothing between them was forgiven or overlooked. In the grand scheme of things, his peace of mind was second to everything else, the least important objective in Izuku's priorities by comparison, and he was fine with that. Shoto agreed that he didn't deserve it, and for as touching as it would have felt that Izuku still cared enough about him to help him through his crisis of mind, it wouldn't be right, he wouldn't feel worthy of such care and help.

But if saving him was the price that needed to be paid to help all others, then Midoriya would go through with it, and Shoto would accept it because Midoriya was right. He has mistreated everyone around him in the selfish, misguided ambition of his goal, a goal that simply boiled down to spite his father. He treated Momo and Vulpix like slaves, he burned bridges with his classmates, bridges that might otherwise have led to friendship and aid in the future, and turned his mother into a martyr to which to excuse all his actions. So many mistakes, so many things to make right.

"Midoriya, you don't have to answer this if you want," Izuku's eyes perked. "Even after all I did, even after everything you said, I know there is a part of you that still saw me as someone in need of saving. Mariella quit the match between us because she knew that you would help me regardless. That's just who you are, isn't it? A Hero through and through." Todoroki's eyes looked down at himself before sighing. "If after all my mistakes and acts against you and your friends, manage to make amends, pay for my mistakes, and make things right, do you think we can still be friends?"

The look in Todoroki's eyes was sad and desperate. Izuku couldn't lie and say that looking at them wasn't like looking in a mirror, whether it was asking whether he could be a Hero or asking Bakugou to be friends again, to be Kacchan again.

However, Izuku looked away. "No," Izuku replied.

Silence once more stretched between them, the disappointment in Shoto's eyes unseen, but still felt by the green-haired teen. But he just couldn't do it. Todoroki was right, there was a part deep down inside him that still wanted to save him because he was someone in need, that was something All Might would do, something a Hero would do, damn if they were worthy of it or not. But that didn't mean he forgave Todoroki. Years of having second to umpteenth chances wasted by a certain blonde made the idea of doing it again with Shoto Todoroki sound unfavorable. But above all, Izuku couldn't trust him, he couldn't trust Todoroki not to make the same mistake. He gave him a chance of redemption, just the one, and he wasn't going to be handing out seconds, much less friendship. Serena taught him self-respect, taught him to think for himself, to be selfish for once, and so he did.

However...

Shoto sighed and slumped his head against his pillow, expecting that response, but it still hurt, nonetheless. "But" Todoroki opened his eyes and whirled his gaze back at a still-turned-away Midoriya. "Prove me wrong."

That didn't mean Izuku wouldn't give up the hope that things would be different.

Those words, those simple words, a flame awoke in Shoto's heart, a flame thirsting for redemption, a Flame of Hope. A Helping Hand. And Shoto would take it.

Shoto closed his eyes as a final tear fell. "Deal," he said quietly.

Izuku said nothing, only closing his eyes, hoping that Todoroki didn't make him regret this last act of charity.

Izuku and Shoto lay silent on their beds, looking aimlessly at the room while their Pokémon stood by awkwardly. One thing was clear though, whatever journey had now opened up here, it was just the beginning.

---

"Oh! BAKUGOU'S PINNED DOWN TOKOYAMI!" Present Mic announced.

True to the announcer's words, Bakugou knelt over Tokoyami's fallen body, one hand on the top of the avian-headed teen's beak and the other hand raised and constantly emitting bright mini-explosions. Tokoyami gritted his teeth as he lay defeated underneath the snarling, grinning Bakugou.

"Could this be the end? Could this be how far Tokoyami's shadow reaches in the Festival?" Present Mic continued announcing dramatically.

"Cut it down a few notches, you Drama Queen," Aizawa scolded Mic, narrowing his eyes at the two students, more specifically the one on top

"So, you found out about my weakness too?" Tokoyami groaned, eyes flinching.

"Wasn't as hard to figure out as you think," Bakugou bragged, memories of their confrontation in the 2nd event coming to both of their minds. "It was easy to see that your Quirk is empowered by how dark it is after that stunt you pulled with the fog. Then it was easy to figure out the workaround when piecing together how you reacted to light." Bakugou recalled when his explosions or any other bright attack struck Dark Shadow, how Tokoyami reacted in the presence of fire and light, especially recently when he spotted his flinching at Todoroki's bright flames. "Figured out quickly that where dark empowers you, light does the opposite. Makes this quite the unfortunate match-up for you two huh?"

Tokoyami could not lie in the face of such obvious truth. Gazing over to his Quirk to the side, Dark Shadow was small compared to his earlier state when the match started, whimpering and almost crying at the light emitting from Bakugou's explosions. 'I can see why he is quite a frustrating individual for Midoriya and Mariella,' Tokoyami thought. 'He barks excessively but his bite is just as deadly and deserving. Despite his ill behavior, he truly is a combat prodigy.'

"Yield," Bakugou ordered, threateningly making his explosions brighter. "I won't ask a third time."

Seeing no way to retaliate without a knock-out explosion to the face, Tokoyami sighed, defeated. He nodded, expressing his surrender.

Noticing, Midnight gave a dissatisfied frown, but as a ref, she had to remain impartial and adhere to her role. "Tokoyami has yielded. Katsuki Bakugou is the winner!" Midnight declared, and the crowd cheered in response.

"And that's all she wrote for Tokoyami, indeed. Light triumphs this time over Darkness, and Katsuki Bakugou has made it to the final round where he will face Midoriya for the crown of the Sports Festival Champion," Mic announced.

Aizawa found it ironic to refer to Katsuki Bakugou as the 'Light' in this metaphor Mic presented. Technically speaking, Bakugou's explosions were light-affiliated in their properties, that was as far as 'Light it would be to describe Bakugou. And now, with the screens showing who his next opponent was, whatever aspect of light Bakugou's explosions had looked dim compared to Midoriya.

Still, the fact that things had progressed as his worst fears dictated felt like Arceus himself was watching and laughing at them from above, but at who specifically. At Midoriya for having him face his life-long bully? Bakugou, facing his long-time victim now capable of fighting back? Or at him, thrusting both these Problem Children together in a scenario that would make him pull his hair out if he could grasp it? Maybe the answer was all of the above.

As Tokoyami and Bakugou stood up and met in the middle, Tokoyami extended his hand out for Bakugou to shake, but the blonde turned away to look at Midnight, feigning that he even saw the gesture, which both Tokoyami and Midnight knew he did.

"I'm ready! Send Shitty Deku out already so we can finish this!" Bakugou barked at Midnight.

"Calm down, Bakugou," Midnight narrowed her eyes at Bakugou, her frown unamused by his bloodthirstiness. "We have procedures to follow and it states for a waiting period to take place before the finals. Follow it or I will forcibly disqualify you from the finals. Don't test me, boy."

The way she growled out that last part as well as the fierceness of her glare was enough to get Bakugou to cease any further attempts to bark at the R-Rated Hero. Even Bakugou knew that while Midnight was a fine piece of work, she wasn't just eye candy, and Bakugou didn't want to test this dominatrix's temper. Thus, Bakugou kept his words inside his throat, his face swelling rage with pent-up anger, and huffed as he stomped away. Tokoyami shook his beak only slightly indignant at Bakugou's lack of honor or respect for his opponent and the presumptive arrogance of his to be able to order one of their teachers around like a servant.

"Man, looks like Firecracker down there's got quiet the short fuse on him," Setsuna snickered. "Wonder if he's overcompensating for something?"

The implications of her words made Kinoko giggle mischievously.

"What do you mean?" Pony tilted her head, confused.

"Setsuna means that Bakugou might try to act all tough because he's got a tiny mushroom," Kinoko giggled, pointing at her lower regions to clarify what she meant.

That was enough for even a socially naive and innocent girl like Pony to get the hint, causing her to blush and giggle too.

"Must the two of you be so vulgar and corrupt perhaps our most precious maiden in this school?" Ibara glared at Setsuna and Kinoko.

"Come on, Shio, lighten up," Setsuna brushed aside her glare with a shrug. "Better that she learns stuff from us than some heathen mongrel that would take advantage of her." Setsuna detached one of her fingers to hover and point at the back of Monoma's head without the blonde ever the wiser. However, Tetsutetsu and Kamakiri did almost give it away with how loudly their covered-up laughter was.

Sadly, Ibara couldn't argue with Tokage's words and just looked away with a huff.

"Debating the morality of teaching Pony 'mature' subjects aside, Tokage does bring up a good point about that Bakugou guy," Itsuka spoke. "He is quite temperamental, quick to anger, and doesn't seem to have any qualms about holding back. Even if the crowd forgot already, I still remembered what he did to Ashido in their match."

"Well of course, he is such a bad apple given the class of arrogant upstarts that he comes from," Monoma jumped in, beginning another rant of their rival class. "There is Todoroki and his needless collateral of his ice powers to show off to the crowd and Midoriya trying to look threatening breaking his fingers over and-" A chop to the back of the neck was the end of that rant, and Monoma's consciousness.

"Okay, that was my bad," Itsuka admitted to walking right into that.

"There is another concern that is to be made note of," Shihai Kuroiro, the pitch-black colored student, jumped in.

"How so, Kuroiro?" Sen Kaibara asked.

"It's Bakugou's match with Midoriya," Kuroiro pointed out. "Remember back when we fought against his team in the 2nd event? He seemed entirely consumed in defeating Midoriya's team."

"You know what, now that you mention it, it was only after Monoma pointed out and taunted that Midoriya saved Bakugou from the Sludge Villain that he went after us that hard," Sen cupped his chin in thought.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that," Togaru Kamakiri joined in, arms crossed. "All Might defeated the Villain but they said a civilian had pulled Bakugou out beforehand. Guess that must have been Midoriya."

"Wait, seriously?" Setsuna whirled her head to the guys with surprise at this news. "Greenie did that? And Bakugou still tried to go after him?"

"Yeah, Monoma taunted how ungrateful that made Bakugou look, really pissed the guy off," Kosei Tsuburaba shivered as he remembered the angry blonde blasting through his air barrier. "What did he call Midoriya again?"

"Deku, I believe," Kuroiro answered, an unsure expression on his face. "I am not quite sure what it means, but it sounded like quite a negative word from how Bakugou growled it. I could feel the venom from our ship. Revelry in the Dark." Reiko repeated Kuroiro's chant.

"Oh, it is," Manga Fukidashi, the 1-B student with a head that looked like a text bubble from a comic or manga (oh, I get it), pointed out, his text bubble showing an angry emoticon. "The kanji of the word basically means 'useless'."

"Well, that's rude," Pony pouted, her opinion of Bakugou falling further than before, as well as the rest of her class.

"Yeah, super unmanly," Tetsutetsu grumbled.

"I take it that as negative as the name is, the two must have a history together, a history that extends beyond U.A.," Jurota Shishida, the tall, glasses-wearing, hairy, beast-looking teen pondered. "But what could such a relation be that would have Bakugou brand Midoriya with such a name?"

As her classmates pondered, Setsuna did too in her own headspace. Setsuna frowned as the more she heard about Midoriya and Bakugou, more so how harsh and antagonistic Bakugou seemed toward Midoriya. While the thought came up that perhaps the feelings were mutual from the green-haired boy and was as much an antagonist to Bakugou, the thought was quickly dismissed. Even with so little personal interaction with him, from what she gathered from their talk and the Festival as a whole, Greenie was not the kind of guy to make enemies intentionally. He was the reverse of nearly everything Bakugou was. Kind, supportive, encouraging, and humble; those kinds of traits on a person made it hard for Setsuna to believe that Midoriya would ever be an equal aggressor to whatever beef he and Bakugou had.

Her thoughts turned back to the beginning of the Festival, all the way back to Greenie's speech and her eyes snapped wide as the memory came to her.

"For most of my life, my Quirk never came...and for 11 years I lived Quirkless and treated like trash for it," Setsuna remembered Izuku's words, and how he looked at his open palm with a faraway look in his eyes. "I was bullied, beaten down, mocked, laughed, spat on, and looked upon with disgust and ridicule for something I had no control of, for being born different."

The words had resonated with Tokage when she first heard them. Old, bitter, and sad memories popped up in Setsuna for a moment before she smushed them down, but they made her relate to Midoriya, even if she wasn't as mistreated as harshly as he implied. Midoriya made it sound like his life before U.A. was a nightmare, and if he was telling the truth that he was considered Quirkless up until a few months ago, a bonkers idea that Setsuna still didn't want to think possible, then she could she how and why that would be the case.

The Quirkless were barely thought about in their society as she was ashamed that she was part of that majority that didn't give them an ounce of thought, but what had heard about students that were diagnosed as Quirkless...let's just say they stick around too long in their schools, or anywhere else if you caught her drift. If Midoriya truly was thought Quirkless for so long, it was frankly a miracle he survived for this long.

But then, that came with the unsettling possibility of who one of those bullies may have been or still might be. Looking down at the field as Bakugou disappeared down the dark tunnel toward his waiting room, the dots did start to align and form a very unsettling image. Personal history outside of U.A.? Check. Negative reception of Midoriya? Check. Capability to inflict massive amounts of harm and pain with no remorse? A very big check. Insulting nickname? Check, check, and check.

Setsuna frowned with distaste as stared at where Katsuki Bakugou came from, hoping to Arceus that she was wrong. She didn't want to believe that the best Hero school in the country, perhaps the world, was blind or dumb enough to admit a bully into its halls.

---

Soon after Midoriya awoke, Recovery Girl returned with startled, widened eyes to see Midoriya casually sitting at the end of his bed, almost about to hop off of it before she came in. Her tirade of angry remarks and threats to wake him back into a coma was terrifying for Midoriya, and even Todoroki as a bystander to it.

All Might stood outside at the hall, the former mostly to keep Todoroki from seeing him in his weakened state. Technically, he could excuse his appearance in his buffed state as a concerned teacher looking after his students, but that would quickly fall apart if Todoroki found out the same consideration was not met by Ashido or Kirishima, who suffered just as grievous of injuries as the two. Plus, he didn't want to spend any more use of his time limit than he already did. He had the medal ceremony after this and he wasn't going to risk debuffing in the middle of all the thousands of Japa's citizens and Pros, much less an internationally viewed event.

He pondered why Taishi didn't want to stick around to check on Midoriya, perhaps even offer to explain his miraculous recovery, as Recovery Girl implied. The cryptic professor said that his presence was no longer needed and had full confidence that he and Hado were successful in their efforts to heal Midoriya. He also said that he had other concerns to look into, and when he said that, Toshinori saw how serious the professor's face was. It left the Symbol of Peace momentarily concerned but he brushed that aside for now.

Toshinori did perk up at the thought of Nejire Hado, and how she was the same as both Taishi and Midoriya. All Might thought back to all he knew about Young Hado, or as much as he knew given how new he was at teaching at U.A. 3rd year student, Class 3-A, currently an intern at Ryukyu's agency and known as the first and only intern for the Enigma Hero: Guardian. Quite the high and up-and-coming Pro. It was almost shocking that one of U.A.'s prestigious Big 3 was another one of these 'Chosen', as Taishi put it.

It made All Might ponder if Guardian or Ryukyu might also know this world that Midoriya has suddenly found himself a part of, or if one or both of them might also be 'Chosen'. It left the pro momentarily worried about how many of them were out there and in powerful positions of government, but All Might calmed himself down. Both the professor and Nezu made it clear that the organization they are a part of has no interest in conquest, government takeover, or ill-intent manipulation from the shadows, and if they are everything they claim to be, they deserve the badge of Hero more than most Pros today.

Finally, after waiting for enough time, Recovery Girl gave Midoriya the green light to head to his waiting room, though she made no mention of his friends already there. All Might chuckled. 'I guess the surprise waiting for him there is punishment enough,' The old pro thought, wondering how fiercely the boy was going to be hugged, coddled, and even strangled by his friends, especially Mariella and Yaoyorozu.

As Midoriya and his Pokémon exited the nurse's room, they saw Toshinori standing by the hall waiting with wide eyes.

"All-"

"SHUSH!" Toshinori quickly shushed his protege, more loudly than he intended. He silently directed a thumb to the wall beside them and the very much awake teenager who could hear them. Midoriya clasped his mouth shut and nodded, thankfully not visible by the door for Todoroki to see. Toshinori sighed as quietly and as exasperated as he could. He picked the perfect successor, but it's a wonder the kid hasn't spilled his guts about their secret all this time.

All Might silently directed the kid to follow him and Midoriya and his Pokémon nodded, following the pro to a much safer place to talk, the two hoping that Todoroki didn't hear anything.

Sadly, for them, Todoroki had good ears, hearing Midoriya's exclamation and the man's loud enough shushing easy for him to piece it was All Might from the sound of his voice. The scarred teen began to descend into his messed-up mind to ponder more about his patented 'Dad-Might' Theory, one that Recovery Girl and his Pokémon were all privy to hear and sweat drop over it.

After finally finding a safe space to talk, both Midoriya and All Might sighed. "Jesus, kid," Toshinori wiped the seat off his brow.

"I'm sorry," Izuku profusely apologized. "I was just so surprised to see you, my brain didn't connect that Todoroki was still there."

"It's alright, kid, I can't chastise you too harshly, given that you were unconscious not minutes ago," All Might understood.

"Didn't stop Boss from verbally laying one down on Scarface with that made-up scenario just a couple of minutes after he awoke," Pikachu snickered.

"Shush, you," Izuku rolled his eyes at the Electric Mouse Pokémon before turning his attention back to his teacher. "So, what is it that you want to talk about, All Might?"

"Just wanted to congratulate you for your victory over Todoroki, and see how you were doing," Toshinori stated. "Did you do what you needed to do?"

Izuku turned serious, head slumped down as he pondered. "Yeah, I did," Midoriya said. "After everything, I manage to get through to Todoroki enough to use his fire."

"I figured that was what you were trying to do," Toshinori nodded. "You could have blasted or knocked Todoroki out sooner, but extended the fight longer enough for a purpose other than winning."

"He was destroying himself and hurting everyone around him," Izuku answered. "Momo, his Pokémon, I wanted to make him stop what he was doing to them, stop what path he was going down before he hurt more people, I couldn't leave him like that without helping him."

"So, you sacrifice your own body over and over till you finally got through to him," All Might surmised.

Izuku nodded, lifting his right hand enough for Toshinori to see. The pro heard everything Recovery Girl said but didn't stop his protege from saying it again. "I broke my fingers on my right too many times. It should have been impossible for me to move the after one blast, much less use One For All on them again and again."

Midoriya's right hand was scarred and crooked compared to what it once was. Scarred lines appeared throughout the hand from his fingers to his wrist, and the fingers were slightly more crooked and stiff. Though they may loosen over time, Midoriya was still able to form a fist, which was good.

"Recovery Girl says the scars would be permanent, and it's hit or miss whether my hand will recover back to what it once was," Izuku revealed.

'I guess not even whatever Taishi and Hado did can repair that much damage,' Toshinori figured, but he wasn't about to sound ungrateful for the miracle it was that Midoriya was up and ready to fight.

"Even after learning Full Cowling, training myself up to this point, I'm still breaking myself over and over again," Izuku muttered bitterly. "What's the point of me getting so far if I'm just destroying myself no better than if I didn't learn Full Cowling in the first place."

"Hey, now, that's unnecessary," Toshinori lightly chopped Midoriya's head. "You did the best you could with what you had to use. I won't say it was right of you to break your fingers like that, even I believe it was excessive and reckless, but I saw how powerful Todoroki. If you hadn't done it, I doubt you have lasted a fourth of your match, let alone won. Just be more careful of yourself next time, alright? Even Heroes have to take care of themselves or risk an early retirement, or worse."

Izuku nodded, though Toshinori knew that a part of Midoriya didn't fully take his words into account. Toshinori sighed, further damning and cursing Bakugou and those bastards at Aldera for causing this much damage to Midoriya's psyche, the boy could hardly accept that his own body was something worth protecting or caring about. He may be the last person to think this, given how after the injury that monster gave him, he was up and fighting crime for three days straight with no stomach or lung. But perhaps that's the reason he should be saying this so that Midoriya doesn't end up like him.

"Look, kid, I know how U.A.'s motto, to Go Beyond, may sound like going past your limits is encouraged, but it isn't, not to the level that you were doing," Toshinori continued. "To Go Beyond means to push those limits of ours further and further, to never stop improving ourselves, even if you are at the top of the top. While we of course can't admonish you for doing everything in your power to save someone, think of all the people that you could still save but can't if you're in a hospital bed for life or missing an arm or leg. I may be the last person to say this, but you have to care about yourself, be a tiny bit selfish, at least so that those you care about don't worry about you."

Izuku stared at All Might with awe in his wet eyes. At the thought of his friends, Serena, his Pokémon, and his mother looking at him, bloody and broken, with crying, worried eyes, was like a guilty knife to his heart. He wanted to be a Hero for people to smile at and be okay and happy, not afraid and crying for him.

Izuku nodded and bowed before his teacher. "Hai! I will take better care of myself, All Might-sensei!"

All Might couldn't stop himself from smiling fondly and proudly at his successor. "For what it is worth though, you did an amazing job out there, Young Midoriya," Izuku gasped lightly as he felt All Might place a proud, comforting hand on his head. "Even though Todoroki didn't want it or ask it of you, even if he did you and your friends wrong, you still fought tooth and nail to save someone in need. Even if it isn't your business at all, even if they don't ask or want for your help, helping where you are not wanted is the essence of being a Hero."

Izuku's lip whimpered, and tears fell from his eyes to the floor. Izuku couldn't speak without potentially bawling so he just nodded. All Might smiled fondly.

'I sure did pick quite the crybaby for a successor, huh, Nana?' Toshinori thought, a sad glint in his eyes as he thought of his predecessor, the image of a strong and tall woman in a costume and cape, bellowing as the wind blew, standing tall over the horizon came to the forefront of his thoughts.

Eventually, after Midoriya could walk and talk without turning into a bawling mess, Toshinori escorted Izuku to his waiting room. As they got there, All Might wondered if he should warn Midoriya about his friends on the other side of the door, but then he also didn't want to get on Recovery Girl's bad side, or at least more than he likely was, already. So, he just bid the boy farewell and made his way back to the teacher's booth.

Listening to the cries that Midoriya was met with when he entered his room, and Midoriya's scream, did make Toshinori smile mischievously.

---

AAAAAANNNNNNDDDD SCENE! Phew, finally! Seriously, I wanted to get this out sooner than this, but hey when you're facing computer issues like I've been having, you do what you can.

Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter and can be appeased with the results of Izuku's battle with Todoroki now. Basically, if you are still confused over Izuku's fictitious scenario that he presented to Todoroki, basically it tells all the reasons why he wanted to save Todoroki, because saving Todoroki helps to save everyone else. If Izuku just reports Todoroki for Pokémon abuse and gets Vulpix away from him, that would run contrary to what Vulpix would want and doesn't stop how Todoroki treats others, especially Pokémon in general. If Izuku beats him and frees Momo from their 'engagement', yeah that's cool, but it doesn't solve how Todoroki treats and uses people to his advantage. If Izuku beats Todoroki and gets him off the ring without using his fire, then Todoroki will either get himself or others killed later down the line, and it would be on Izuku if he couldn't help Todoroki snap out of his funk.

To save all these people, currently suffering and potentially in the future, if it means saving someone who isn't worth it to some, then Izuku would do it, and he would regardless because Todoroki is still a person, a person that needs saving because he is not in the right state of mind, and Izuku has only met and has these transgressions with Todoroki once and thus he is giving Todoroki a chance of redemption, one chance, which compared to how many he had foolishly given to Bakugou could be seen as unfair, but Serena helped him be selfish, to think about himself, and to not give people who throw away seconds chances anymore piece of mind, so if Todoroki can redeem himself than good for him, but if he doesn't then he had his chance and blew it, and Izuku won't be giving any more.

And just because Izuku helped him and gave him this chance, does not mean that they are friends, far from it. As you saw, Todoroki has lots of bridges he needs to mend, both with his classmates and Pokémon and that is a journey that will long and hard.

Speaking of things that are long and hard, let's talk about the opposite with Bakugou. Yep, he won against Tokoyami. Boo, but I didn't show it because if it's going to be like canon, why bother. But his actions and attitude are definitely getting noticed, especially by his parents, Inko, Aizawa, Midnight, and even Class 1-B, with Monoma's taunts from the 2nd event finally paying off at this moment.

And then there are the consequences of Izuku's breaking of his fingers, yes it makes him getting Full Cowling early seem pointless, but then he was already breaking limbs constantly even after he got Full Cowling in canon, Izuku is willing to do that if it meant saving people, but at least here, we have people realizing how dangerous it is, he's already gotten told off and taught by Recovery Girl and All Might, and he will likely get told off more later on.

We also had the visions, and yeah, I will let you guys figure them out, they weren't exactly subtle.

And now, the final fight, Izuku vs Bakugou is soon to come, but that will have to be for another time. In the meantime, I hope you guys liked the chapter better than the last one, check out my other stories if you haven't already, Pokémon suggestions, blah blah blah, you guys get it by now. (Also, apologies if I sound extra testy and mad in this, my brother's arrogant ass is getting on my nerves)

Oh, and before I go, let's do another character update sheet! This chapter's selection: Fumikage Tokoyami.

Fumikage Tokoyami:

-Height: 5'3"

-Age: 15

-Birthday: October 30th

-Quirk: Dark Shadow

Pokémon:

1. Corviknight:

-Gender: Female

-Type: Flying/Steel

-Ability: Mirror Armor

-Moves: Steel Wing, Drill Peck, Swagger, Iron Defense, Pluck, Hone Claws

2. Honchkrow:

-Gender: Male

-Type: Dark/Flying

-Ability: Moxie

-Moves: Sucker Punch, Night Slash, Haze, Nasty Plot, Dark Pulse, Aerial Ace

3. Absol:

-Gender: Male

-Type: Dark

-Ability: Super Luck

-Moves: X-Scissor, Night Slash, Slash, Taunt, Detect, Quick Attack

4. Luxio:

-Gender: Female

-Type: Electric

-Ability: Intimidate

-Moves: Spark, Bite, Charge, Thunder Shock, Fire Fang

Anyways, this has been Zayden StormVoid, and I will see you all later, and as everybody's favorite Hive Lightbearer says: Walk in the Sky, Guardians.