AN: To clarify something some people seemed confused by last chapter, Momo's rubber bullets weren't flying at the speed a real one would. Real ones are propelled by guns designed for them which is why they travel those 70 meters a second. This is a technique Momo has only been working with since she started at UA where she makes a tube and makes gas to propel. It is far from the level of a true firearm and is still being honed.

AN2: And we get a large part from Bakugo's perspective finally, showing his thought process about this whole situation over the years. I've been planning this for a while now. Also, since I know some will bring it up otherwise I will say that the 'swan dive' comment didn't happen in this world.

A Fool's Bonds

Chapter 30

-Aizawa-

The second Izuku was declared the winner of the match, Aizawa slammed his finger down on the mute button for his microphone. He'd barely gotten his phone halfway out of his pocket before it started ringing form the very rat he'd been about to call.

"I saw." Nezu's voice was clear and just as upset as Aizawa's, he swore he could hear the principle's fur bristling "I'll start looking into the Todoroki house immediately."

"You're positive that's the source?" Shota's gut said it was, but he didn't want to assume, not about this where assuming wrong would have all kinds of consequences.

"No, but there are too many factors about it that I don't like and it's the best place to start." Nezu clearly hated not already having all the cards, all the facts and answers "I need to get this handled before the general public starts looking into things."

"Got it, then we'll continue as normal to not let anyone watching know something is up." Shota hated it but knew it was the logical move here "I'll make sure Midnight and Recovery Girl keep an eye on Todoroki if he doesn't go straight back to 1A." the cameras would let him see if his elemental student did so or not.

"Good. I'll keep you appraised of my findings." Nezu promised before ending the call, having things to do now.

"Mind explaining for the class?" Mic asked with a level of calm that showed just how serious the man knew this situation likely was, "There something wrong with what your kid just unlocked?"

"Not my kid." Shota grumbled as he collapsed into a chair "And it's not the form. That shape is…controversial in whether people view their story as that of a villain or a victim but no, the problem is the Arcana itself." Shota didn't even have to pull them up anymore, having studied ahead about what might get unlocked just as Nezu had "The Tower, more formally called 'The Lightning Struck Tower' is quite arguably the worst card to get from a tarot deck."

"Wait, the worst?" Hizashi's eyes widened "I thought this deck thing had stuff like 'Death' and 'The Devil', why would a tower be the worst thing?"

"That's a misconception." Shota shook his head "Death is more about endings and transformation, or resisting change. The Devil is about attachment vs detachment, inner thoughts and releasing yourself from limiting beliefs." He didn't go into everything, but it wasn't necessary for those arcana yet "The Tower upright represents sudden change, upheaval, awakening, revelation, and chaos. Reversed it embodies personal transformation, fear of change, and averting disaster. Those who get this card have either suffered badly, are currently suffering, or are going to."

As Shota spoke, he saw Hizashi's eyes flitting about, putting the pieces together "You and Nezu are worried people will have heard what Arcana he shouted, look it up out of curiosity, and then everyone will get an idea about Shoto's situation." Hizashi deduced "You and Nezu want to get the source dealt with yourself and quick so that the kid doesn't have the press and the public hounding him."

"Especially with how shaken he already looks." Shota nodded, "But with Nezu on the case…"

"Yeah, if it is Endeavor then he's ten shades of fucked." Mic snorted, as they glanced down at the ring Cementoss was repairing "He don't play nice. Speaking of 'playing nice' though, what form do you think Midoriya will use for this final fight?"

"I both do and don't know." Shota sighed in frustration.

"Yes, let the vagueness flow through you." Mic made no effort to hide them rolling their eyes.

"Midoriya plans to use his Chariot form." Shota sighed, able to tell what his student was thinking based off of what they'd discussed before "Since he got it from Bakugo. But I've never seen the damned thing. Hell, I don't even know what it is."

"Well…this will be entertaining for everybody then." Mic flipped on their Microphone "Well everybody, now's the time to run to the bathroom and grab any refills you want from concessions. We're giving our two big, bad, and burly finalists a thirty-minute window to rest up and be ready to see who's going to be our first-year champ! And for those watching from home be sure to stay tuned!"

-Izuku-

Walking up onto the concrete battle ring, Izuku stared at his opponent who wore a blank expression. Most would see Bakugo's current demeanor as apathetic, maybe simply calm at best. But Izuku knew Bakugo, had known him since they were kids and while he'd been in denial about several things growing up, he could still read the blond bomber.

Bakugo was battling something inside, had been since they started UA. The Bakugo he'd been seeing here was very different from the one he spent all those years with at Aldera.

"Are you boys ready?" Izuku barely heard Midnight's voice as he and Bakugo got to their starting points, "Anything you want to say to each other?"

"…No." Bakugo rolled his shoulders, Izuku noting the stiffness in them.

"Yes." Izuku's answer was different as he stared the blond in the eye, Midnight giving a signal to start when they were ready "Bakugo…for years I haven't touched my Chariot form. For years, I've remembered your words that day." He noted the slight flinch Bakugo did his best to suppress "But I'm not going to listen to them anymore."

Blue flames began to swirl around him as he called upon his Chariot, the form's eagerness for battle surging through him "You spend years trying to break our bond." His voice echoed as the blue flames surged more "So I'm going to burn down that broken bridge." 'Let's see if you're willing to build a new one.'

He didn't have to say his last thought out loud, Bakugo knew he was thinking it. The blond could read him just as easily. Taking a deep breath, Izuku prepared to transform, the words from so long ago playing in his mind.

"I am thou, thou art I. Thou hast acquired a new vow. I shall become the bearer of numinous wisdom, he who stands equal to heaven. With the birth of the Chariot Persona, you have obtained the power of redemption, that shall lead to victory and enlightenment."

"Number Seven!" Izuku's roar filled the Arena, "Chariot,-!"

-Bakugo-

Even down in the depths of the locker room he'd been assigned to use before his fight, Katsuki could hear the dull roar of the crowd in the stands.

Still wasn't enough to drown out his thoughts though.

He was about to head up to fight Iz-…Deku. Ever since that first training exercise when he'd seen what his old fr-…punching bag could do, memories he didn't want to think had been bubbling up to the surface, heedless of his desire to forget them.

Hearing the buzzer on the wall go off, Katsuki grunted as he got up, heading down the tunnel toward the ring. This fight was going to be for more than just the Champion title and a shiny bit of metal.

Climbing the concrete steps, he studied his opponent. They were ready, and clearly sensed the weigh this fight would have too.

"Are you boys ready?" Midnight's gaze and tone wasn't cruel, but it still pierced him and he could tell she could read more into them than he'd like. "Anything you want to say to each other?"

"…No." Bakugo rolled his shoulders, hating how stiff and defensive he felt right now.

"Yes." Izuku's answer was different as he stared the blond in the eye, Midnight giving a signal to start when they were ready "Bakugo…for years I haven't touched my Chariot form. For years, I've remembered your words that day." Bakugo did his best to suppress his flinch at his words, able to clearly remember them too "But I'm not going to listen to them anymore." He was honestly surprised they still had been since getting to UA.

Blue flames began to swirl around Midoriya as they stared Bakugo in the eye, green replaced with shining gold "You spend years trying to break our bond." Midoriya's voice echoed as the blue flames surged more "So I'm going to burn down that broken bridge."

But Katsuki could read one more sentence in Midoriya's face 'Let's see if you're willing to build a new one.'

"Number Seven!" Izuku's roar filled the Arena, "Chariot, Sun Wukong!" the azure flames swirled skyward as the green haired hero fanboy was replaced by the indomitable Monkey King. It made Katsuki remember back to when he'd first seen that form.

-Flashback-

"-that shall lead to victory and enlightenment." The voice faded away as he and Izuku staggered apart.

"The hell was that?!" Katsuki's palms crackled with explosions, the hair on the back of his neck standing up from what had just happened.

"Midoriya, was that your quirk?" their teacher asked Izuku, the rest of their classmates all excited at the sight of a new quirk. It was practically a holiday whenever anyone in their class had their quirk show up for the first time.

"No, his quirk was that Mo-, Momo-…that other thingy!" one of their classmates protested, pushing up thick glasses on the bridge of their nose, "We saw it earlier!"

"My quirk lets me change into lots of things!" Izuku declared eagerly, scrunching up their face as they focused "Chariot! Sun Wukong!" the transformation only lasted for a second, maybe two, and left Izuku with his skin pink like he was recovering from a sunburn. But Bakugo and their teacher had still seen it.

"The Monkey King?" their teacher was stunned, "Give it more practice at using it for longer and having Sun Wukong's powers will make you one amazing hero kid. I bet you're going to be a top ten one day!" Izuku had beamed at those words, but Bakugo had felt a cold spike in his gut at them.

-End Flashback-

'You don't have a real quirk!'

Those were the words he'd said to Midoriya back then, back to the person who was supposed to have been his best friend.

'All you do is take from the power of other people, from real heroes. I don't want to ever see you do that again DEKU!'

Bakugo's quirk had come in before Midoriya's, and everyone had praised him for how powerful it was. Had told him he'd be a great hero, easily able to climb the charts with that just like how Endeavor did.

Not All Might, like Endeavor, who never got higher than number two.

Then Midoriya's quirk came in and a single form gave him access to Sun Wukong. He'd gone online that day to look up that form and saw what their story listed.

Super strength, stone skin, clones, magic, illusions, super speed, flight, and layer upon layer of immortality.

They weren't unbeatable, and he wasn't sure where in the story Midoriya's form took the power from, but it was still a slew of quirks on its own.

And Midoriya was likely to get more than twenty others.

An insurmountable All Might to his Endeavor.

He'd cornered his 'best friend' before school the next day and said those words, terrified of being always known as number two, of not being the best.

Midoriya, now 'Deku', had complied and Bakugo took that as proof that what he did was for the best. Midoriya had a powerful quirk but if they were that willing to not use it then they clearly didn't have the mindset to be a hero. He was just making sure they didn't get themselves killed.

They didn't show it off at class anymore, and those who hadn't seen it didn't believe he even had a quirk if he wasn't willing to use it. People started forgetting what he'd shown, or assumed it was a one off, or not something he could even use given how short the transformation was that day.

As they moved up the years, their classmates changed and changed until nobody but Bakugo remembered that fateful day. And Midoriya continued to refuse to use their quirk…but kept trying to be a hero.

It pissed him off that they were willing to try and be a Hero while half-assing things, even at his 'command'. It also terrified him that they'd stop doing what he had told them, that he'd go back to that dreaded idea of being eternally number two, but now without a best friend he'd chased away. So, he kept trying to make Midoriya, now always just 'Deku', to completely give up on being a Hero. If they did, then he wasn't wrong in what he did. If he wasn't wrong…then he wouldn't have to apologize.

Then Aizawa had come to their class, telling their teacher that Midoriya had been attacked by a serial killer. One with a long list of victims.

That had bene when the cracks in his self-assured beliefs had started. Midoriya had almost died, maybe because he'd been listening to Bakugo's 'Advice'.

When he saw Midoriya in class with him he'd done his best to win, to convince himself that he was still the best.

But not only was the gear he'd spent so long designing more of a hinderance than an asset, he'd lost.

Midoriya beat him, Yaoyorozu beat him, and Todoroki could match his power if not surpass him.

He wasn't the best, he wasn't even sure if he was number two.

The vote for the Class President had come around and he couldn't muster up the nerve to vote for himself, nor was he brave enough to vote for who he wanted to. So, he voted for Yaoyorozu, feeling it was close enough, and maybe De-…Midoriya would know what he meant? He wasn't holding his breath.

The USJ, where Midoriya had turned into fucking Thor and went toe to toe with something designed to handle All Might.

The Speech here at the Sports Festival, where he swore he felt Sun Wukong's presence during Izuku's speech.

Each round, where he saw the power of the bonds that Izuku had formed here at UA, bonds that Bakugo didn't consider himself a part of anymore.

But now here he was, staring down at the charging Monkey King.

"FINE!" Bakugo roared, meeting the charge as powerful explosions shot from his hands, shattering the ground behind him as he rocketed forward, spinning into a kick toward the Monkey King's head "Let's tear that bridge down!" if he won, maybe he'd feel ready to reach out to Izuku again.

And if he lost…maybe Midoriya would choose to rebuild that bridge anyway, to help him be-

Shaking off those thoughts, Bakugo ducked under the swinging staff, using an explosion to try and dispel the cloud Sun Wukong was riding on. It didn't work, but he knew he had to try.

"Momotaro." The voice of Sun Wukong somehow seemed to echo with both sage knowledge and mischievous battle lust "Kronos. And Sun Wukong. Those are my oldest Arcana, my oldest bonds." As they spoke, more and more copies began to appear "You know what that means, don't you Katsuki?"

Refusing to react to being called by his first name rather than Kachan or his last, Bakugo just leapt back so he wouldn't get caged in "It means you've gotten the best at handling the strain." He'd been paying attention.

"Very good, gold sticker for you!" Sun Wukong clapped, actually pulling a damned golden star sticker from who knows the fuck where and slapping it on Bakugo's forehead despite his attempt to dodge.

His blast hit the clone which vanished in a small poof of smoke.

"Touchy, touchy." Sun Wukong grinned even as the clones charged at Bakugo, "Would you have preferred a smiley face?"

Bakugo wasn't able to respond to that, too busy blasting at clones as fast as he could, bouncing through the air like he was a ping pong ball. Each blast was able to take out a clone, but they seemed to be coming endlessly, even if he knew there had to be a limit to what Izuku could do with that power.

He needed something big, something powerful enough to get rid of all the clones at once! Blasting down and out to get rid of the clones closest, Bakugo shot higher into the air. Smoke from his explosions began to gather as he spun, using his blasts to propel him into a fast spiral, rocketing toward Izuku and the ring like a shooting star.

"HOWITZER!" Bakugo began to call out the name of the super move he'd already started working on, one that was built off an idea Izuku had suggested all those years ago before Persona came in…before Bakugo had opened his fucking mouth "IMPACT!" he struck the ground with a thunderous boom, his smoke mingling with the burst clones.

He landed in the heart of the explosion, the heat washing over him like a warm blanket but not hurting as he looked around at the flames that hadn't faded.

This wouldn't be enough to take out Wukong, but maybe he'd gotten lucky and at least blown them out of the ring? The Staff flying at his face was answer enough as Bakugo dodged, the metal rod suddenly changing directory to strike him in the gut.

"Gah!" Bakugo felt the air get driven from his lungs as he rolled, coming to a stop just inside the ring as he saw Sun Wukong still standing there, the staff called back to their hand. He barely looked singed from the best Bakugo could do right now.

"He…hehehe…HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Bakugo couldn't help the laugh that came from his face as he felt the wetness appearing in the corner of his eyes "I guess this proves it then." Extending his hand, Bakugo slapped the ground outside the ring, slow and deliberate. He wouldn't…couldn't, say the words of surrender.

But Midoriya knew him well enough to know it regardless.

"Bakugo is out of bounds!" Midnight's voice called out, Izuku Midoriya is the Champion of the First Year Sports Festival!" the crowd began to cheer, shooting to their feet form the spectacle but Midoriya ignored it all as he approached, extending a hand towards Bakugo.

"Come on, we have a lot talk about." Midoriya smiled as the visage of the Monkey King faded away, leaving a pink-skinned, green-haired, first year student smiling at knowing grin his way.

"…Yeah." Bakugo grasped Izuku's hand, letting the person who had once been his best friend pull him up, "I guess we do have a lot to catch up on, don't we?" as they walked out of the ring and toward Recovery Girl's office, Bakugo wondered about the weight that seemed gone from his shoulders despite the pain from the fight. He couldn't remember a time it hadn't been there.