Transformers MHA, Arc 2: Earthrise

by The Omni-Remnant

After a rather intense adventure and the U.A. Sports Festival approaching fast, Izuku and his friends have two important things to do; improve their Quirks in time for the festival… and hide a bunch of giant alien robots. That proves to be easier said than done, especially when enemies on Earth and from beyond the stars end up coming for them…

83. Yaoyorozu Rising

A/N: Uh… hey guys. As you can probably tell, I wasn't expecting to update today, but I managed to get this chapter wrapped up FAR sooner than even I was expecting. Of course, I expected these chapters to not be AS long as some of the more recent ones, but I also didn't expect to be done with THIS one so soon. But, in any case, welcome back to Transformers MHA Month! It's time to continue into the exams, though of course, it's also time to check back in with M.E.C.H. and see what they're up to. So on that note, this is…

Chapter 83: Yaoyorozu Rising

…..

Deep within a hidden bunker in the middle of North America, M.E.C.H. leader Silas was currently overseeing his organization's latest project. One that could see a MASSIVE shift in the balance of power between those with Quirks and those without. Before him stood two prototypes for personal mech suits, each one outfitted with different weaponry. One was more melee oriented, complete with hidden blades, bludgeoning weapons and other such artillery. The other, meanwhile, was more focused on ranged combat, with laser cannons built into the arms, missile pods in the shoulders, and leg-mounted rockets. Both were also complete with jetpack boosters, for added mobility. So far, they were coming along swimmingly… up until a week or so ago when his best asset had been repossessed by his "former employers".

Since the Decepticons had pulled Swindle back into their fold, the organization had hit a brick wall in the assembly process for these mechs. The con artist—as untrustworthy as he may have seemed—had been happy to aid them in acquiring the materials for these constructs… but now, things were much harder. There was more red tape to go through again, with none of them had the silver tongue that Swindle had. It was frustrating, to say the least.

Thankfully, they WERE able to complete the last bit of their prototypes… aside from one key factor; the element that was needed to power them. Energon. Swindle had promised that he'd aid them in finding some of the coveted crystal… but the Decepticons had collected him and Skullcruncher before he could. And now, they had hit a brick wall. And that was the latest problem that Silas had been saddled with; finding energon.

'Easier said than done.' The one-time government agent thought to himself. 'We have no idea where to even start searching.' Unfortunately, it was Swindle who had the devices necessary to even detect the energon in the first place, and of course, that would be no use to them now. 'We need to find SOME way to locate it, though, otherwise…'

*BWAAAM* *BWAAAM* *BWAAAM*

"Huh?" Silas jerked his head up as the alarm began going off throughout the entire base, causing his agents to scramble to their stations. "What is this?" He hurried toward the main control room, going up to the first agent he saw. "Report."

"Sir, proximity alert." the agent replied as he began typing into the main console. "Our sensors have detected something outside… or rather, someone. And you will not believe who it is…"

After putting in the command, the monitor switched to a live camera feed up on the surface… and Silas' eyes widened in astonishment and confusion. There, standing right in front of the camera… were Swindle and Skullcruncher. Almost like they had never left. Swindle leaned down and tapped the camera lens, peering into it as if he were looking directly at them. "Hello? Silas, you in there? We're back!"

"And… we've brought good news." Skullcruncher added with much less enthusiasm.

Obviously, Silas was cautious. He leaned down, pressing a button to activate the outer speaker. "…Is this some sort of trick?"

Swindle raised his hands innocently. "No tricks! None whatsoever!" He gestured between himself and Skullcruncher. "All we wanna do is talk. Because lemme tell ya, I've got something that will sweeten our deal like there's no tomorrow!"

The M.E.C.H. agent was just as skeptical as his boss. "There's something screwy going on here."

"I'm well aware." Silas affirmed. "Come with me. And bring the S.U.V. as well. I want insurance in case something happens." With one quick comm call, Colossus Rhodes, Nanosec, Angry Archer and Professor Princess had all gathered to the lift, ready to go up and meet the returning Decepticons.

"So, whaddya think this all is?" Nanosec asked as he leaned against the railing.

"Perhaps an underhanded trick?" Archer suggested. "T'would not surprise me with his name being "Swindle" after all."

Silas shook his head, though, not wanting to jump the gun. "While I won't rule out the possibility, I don't believe it's that simple. Something else is going on here, and I intend to get to the bottom of it."

Placing a hand on her hip, the young professor amongst them wore a sly grin. "Like, hell yeah. No Decepticon's gonna take US for idiots." Not long after, the lift finally made it up to the surface. Their base was situated in a heavily wooded area in the Midwest, which made it even more surprising that Swindle was able to relocate them in the first place.

"Hey-hey, Silas!" Swindle greeted with open arms. "It's been too long!"

"It's been a week and a half at most." Silas began, placing his hands behind his back. "But this is certainly unexpected, Swindle. I had thought for sure that you had been… disposed of by your contemporaries."

That got a laugh out of the trickster. "Ha! Parish the thought, my stone-faced friend." Swindle dismissed. "You think they'd just nix an asset like me? Not a chance." He grimaced as he added under his breath; "Though I'd probably nix a few of them without hesitating… ahem, anyways, what I said about sweetening our deal IS true. I can guarantee you that this'll blow yer… um… what're they called?"

"Socks?" Rhodes guessed, the old, frail man crossing his arms.

"Yeah, that's it! It'll blow yer socks off!" Swindle winked. "'Cause guess what? I've brought some extra help."

Silas furrowed his brow. "Help?" He received his answer when Swindle gestured up to the sky where, overhead, they saw three jets go shooting across before circling back around. As they came in toward the ground, Silas was naturally on guard. "Traitor! You told them where our base is!"

But Swindle wagged his finger as the three jets went for a landing. "Ah-ah, don't jump to conclusions just yet. Just please, here out my… urgh, commander first."

With his tone of disgust, Silas could tell that Swindle wasn't too happy about this arrangement either. Even still, he couldn't rule out THAT being a ruse as well, so he kept his guard up as the black and blue jets came to land first. As they transformed, he immediately recognized the black and purple one from the week before; Skywarp. However, his blue twin was new, as was the white and red jet that came in last. That jet transformed into yet another identical robot, who took center stage as he approached the military leader.

"Commander Silas, I presume?" he said with a sinister smirk.

Just from the vibes alone, Silas knew to already be very cautious about this one. "Who, might I ask, wants to know?"

"I do." The Seeker leader insisted with a theatrical bow. "I am Starscream, leader of the Seeker armada and second-in-command of the Decepticon forces." He sent the human an expectant look. "And, from what Swindle has told me, I believe we have much to discuss."

…..

Back in Japan, Mina was practically skipping through the hallway on her way to the Monitor Room, eager to see her friends. Kaida had kindly pointed her in the right direction… in exchange for some sensitive information. "Todoroki? Oh yeah, I think he's been hiding out in the bathroom." Upon the reveal, Kaida cursed under her breath… and then proceeded toward the bathrooms anyway. Of course, Mina couldn't help but make SOME joke about it at her expense, though Kaida insisted that it wasn't what she thought it was. 'Well, whatever it is, hopefully she doesn't get caught.' she thought slyly.

Once she made it to her destination, she immediately screamed joyously when she was met with Ochako already at the door. "GYAAAAAAHAHAHA!" the duo screeched and laughed as they embraced, which left Izuku, Bulkhead and the twins slightly deafened. "Oh my gosh, congratulations!" Ochako said with pure happiness. "Awesome job out there, Mina!"

"Thanks, 'Chako!" Mina beamed. "I'm glad we got through it!"

"Yeah, nice work!" Sideswipe said as he rubbed his ear. "Say, uh, where's Kirishima and Kaminari?"

"Oh, Kirishima took Kaminari to the break room for some rest." Mina jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "They're relaxing in there if you wanna see them."

Sunstreaker gave her a thumbs up as the two brothers exited the Monitor Room. "Thanks a bunch, Mina. We'll see you guys soon!"

Once the duo departed, that's when Bulkhead came up, smiling proudly down to his human partner. Her grin was a mile wide as he raised his fist to her and said; "Hehe… well done, young Wrecker. You're well on your way to earning your stripes." However, Mina didn't fist bump him back. Instead, she just skipped straight to hugging him with a shrill cry of happiness, taking him off guard. "Gah! Oh-ho-okay, so we're doin' this now…"

Nuzzling her head against his stomach, Mina insisted on the embrace. "DUH! You have no idea how much that means to me, Bulk! Thank you." She craned her head up to him, revealing tears welling up at the corner of her eyes. "And I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

"…Heh, you're welcome." Bulkhead gave her some reassuring pats on the back. "So, you excited to see how your classmates do? Pretty sure Momo's up next."

If possible, that made Mina even more excited. "Oh, heck yeah! She, Tsu and Tokoyami are in a team, aren't they?" She broke the hug and went up to the giant monitor. "This I GOTTA see!" She then noticed Izuku there as well, and gave him a nudge to the shoulder. "Oh hey, Midoriya, Kaida wanted me to pass a message along. She says she's close to getting Todoroki."

"O-Oh, that's great!" Izuku said with a relieved grin.

"Yeah, she just has to get him outta the guys' bathroom first." The silence was palpable when Mina let that slip out of her mouth… right in front of Recovery Girl. "…Oh. Probably shouldn't have said that out loud, should I?"

Red Alert pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "No, perhaps not." He turned and went out the door, waving his hand as he left. "I'll go to the lavatories and see about aiding Kaida in her… endeavors." As he left, however, a certain other pair of holoforms entered the room as well. "Ladies." he addressed.

"Heya, Red." Arcee greeted. "Where're ya headed?"

"To resolve an issue that could get a student in trouble." The doctor deadpanned as he promptly left, leaving the pink Autobot and Windblade both confused.

Windy raised a brow to the others. "What's his deal?"

"Uh… long story." Ochako grinned sheepishly before getting back on topic. "So, Windblade, I'm guessing you're here to support Momo?"

"You know it." the City Speaker confirmed with a confident grin. "Looking forward to seeing how our training paid off." She set her sights back to her pink comrade. "Though Arcee's also got a stake in this particular test."

Ochako tilted her head. "Really? What's that, 'Cee?"

With a short chuckle, the intelligence officer gave her human partner a wink. "Hehe, well, to be honest, I'm here to see how Tsu does. Not gonna lie, I think she's rather nice. You've got some great friends at school, Ochako."

"Aw, thanks!" the Gravity user brightened up.

"On that note, though, I do have a message for you from Tenya." Arcee continued. "He says that he finally managed to tear Aoyama away from the mirror, so they're ready to talk strategy. Just… get there before Aoyama finds the mirror again."

A bead of sweat could be seen running down Ochako's forehead as she gave a wincing smile. "Oh… great. Well, I guess I'd better get to it, then." Reluctantly, she went out the door, but not before giving the group one final wave. "Wish me luck, guys. I think I'm gonna need it."

Izuku wasn't too worried, though. "You'll do great, don't worry. Still, good luck, Uraraka."

"We'll see you soon." Arcee added, seeing the brunette off. With that, she approached the monitor as the scene changed again, this time to the interior of a rather extravagant building. It was a very open room that was cylindrical in shape, with a very high ceiling, multiple floors running along the inner walls, and was constructed of tan stone and marble, giving it an amphitheater sort of vibe. "So, this'll be where Momo's team take their test?"

In her seat, Recovery Girl gave a nod. "Yes, ma'am. And their goal is in the next hall over." Inputting a command, she brought up a feed showing said room, which resembled the first one in everything but color. This circular room was very blue, and the goal was situated in front of the exit. And in front of it stood Ectoplasm, already waiting for his challengers. "The students should be coming in at any moment…"

Sure enough, on the other screen, Momo, Tsu and Tokoyami came strolling through the entrance, taking their place at the center of the tan room. "Their test area is a lot smaller than ours." Mina noted.

"A confined space is gonna make it a lot easier for Mr. Ectoplasm to get the jump on them." Izuku agreed, seeing the teacher open his rather horrifying mouth to use his Quirk. "Hope they're ready for him."

…..

"Team Yaoyorozu, Asui and Tokoyami. Practical Exam. Ready—GO!"

Once the buzzer sounded, the three were already on their guard as a white, wispy haze began entering the room through every seam and crack, coagulating around them as they formed solid shapes. "Maybe you didn't understand…" Ectoplasm's deep, guttural voice echoed through as six clones of himself formed, surrounding the trio. "But we teachers are trying to crush you with everything we've got. No holding back."

Momo took a defensive stance, standing back-to-back with her teammates. "So we're clear on the plan, correct?"

"Yep." Tsu affirmed.

"Yes." Tokoyami replied.

The Creation user furrowed her brow as she began using her Quirk. "Right. Let's do it."

Ectoplasm narrowed his eyes. It was clear that they had formed a strategy… so now it was time to put it to the test. "Steel your nerves… and show me your resolve!" At his declaration, all of his clones swarmed them… only for Momo to thrust her arms out and sent small, black pellets scattering everywhere. Upon hitting the ground, they exploded into a cloud of thick, heavy smoke, which took Ectoplasm aback. "What?!"

"Now, Tokoyami!" Momo cried out.

"Dark Shadow!" Upon the bird-headed student's call, his shadowy Quirk emerged and shot out toward the girls, grabbing each of them in its talons and throwing them straight into the air. "Asui, your turn!"

Using her Quirk, Momo created a wrist-mounted grappling hook and shot it toward the railing on one of the upper levels, pulling herself up to it. Tsu, meanwhile, was tasked with getting their remaining teammate. "Got you, Tokoyami!" she said as she lashed her long tongue out and wrapped it around his waist, pulling him up with them to the next floor. "Glad we made a plan beforehand." The frog girl said as they landed.

"Yes, very well thought out." Tokoyami concurred, looking to Yaoyorozu. "Shall we proceed?"

Discarding her grappling hook, Momo took to the front. "Yes, but do so with caution. You never know where or when Mr. Ectoplasm will pop up."

In the opposite room, meanwhile, Ectoplasm could sense what the group were up to. "So you've chosen to avoid a fight. Good luck." On that note, he opened his mouth again, bringing forth more of his namesake.

…..

Back in the Monitor Room, the group were practically enthralled with how things were going. "Wow, did ya see that move?!" Mina exclaimed.

Izuku pumped his fist in excitement. "Yeah! That's something that only Tokoyami and Asui can pull off!"

"Not only that, but it's an example of great communication." Arcee noted, bringing the teens' attention to her. "Shows that they've really thought this through."

"Precisely, dear." Recovery Girl said, going off of Bulkhead's point. "Talking to each other may not seem like much, but it's IS important in this test. Real heroes need to be able to communicate with anyone, not just a sidekick or teammate that they match well with."

Windblade smiled in approval. "That's how it works with us Autobots, too. Out on the battlefield, if you can't communicate with others…" Her grin disappeared as several unpleasant memories came flooding back. "…You're far less likely to make it back." Her gaze drifted down to Izuku and Mina. "Take notes, guys. This won't only apply to your hero work, but it can also be used if you end up in another Decepticon attack, Primus forbid." Izuku and Mina nodded back solemnly.

"There's just one thing I don't get so far." Bulkhead spoke, scratching his chin inquisitively. "If these tests are really 'bout the kids' weaknesses bein' exploited, then what do these three have to work on that relates to the teacher?"

"…Yeah, now that you mention it, Bulkhead, that IS a good question." Izuku wondered as well. "I'm not sure how Mr. Ectoplasm's Quirk is a problem against them either."

"Oh? Well, it's not good… for Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu, at least." Recovery Girl vaguely explained.

If anything, that only left the others more curious. "Hm? Whaddya mean?" Mina asked.

The elderly nurse nudged her chin back to the screen. "Keep watching, you'll find out."

…..

After running along the path before them for a bit, Momo, Tsu and Tokoyami were once again stopped once more of Ectoplasm's clones appeared, with some even leaping up from below to intercept them. The trio took battle-ready stances while Momo clicked her tongue. "Tch, drat." she cursed. "Of course they could get up here." She pulled her elbow up and created a long katana, holding it with both hands. "We'll have to fight our way through, team!"

"Right. Go, Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami ordered, his sentient Quirk lashing out with a screeching roar. As he attacked from long range, Momo went in for more up-close attacks, slicing her sword through the clones with ease… at least, at first. It didn't take long for more of the replicants to come in, practically swarming her from all sides. Meanwhile, Tokoyami was set upon by them from directly behind, causing him to gasp.

…But, thankfully, their trump card was still in play, as Tsu batted away the overwhelming clones with her tongue from above. "Ribbit, got you covered!"

"Thanks. Now, Dark Shadow!" With that, Tokoyami repelled the last of the clones attacking him, while Momo unleashed a volley of shuriken from the palm of her hand. The throwing stars embedded themselves in the Ecotplasm clones' heads, leaving only a few left.

"Now! To the upper level!" From her stomach, Momo created a large spring board that she jumped on, its powerful coil sending her straight up to the next floor. Meanwhile, Tsu once again grabbed Tokoyami with her tongue, bringing them both up with just a couple bounces.

They had landed in front of a blue hallway that no doubt led to their goal, though Tsu was quick to point out; "There's no escaping them!"

Momo took a deep breath, steeling her nerves before continuing down the hallway. "Then we'll just have to keep going forward!" But before they could get too far, once again, even more clones emerged in the pathway, much to her chagrin. "Gah… scrap."

…..

"You see, Yaoyorozu can create almost anything for any situation." Recovery Girl said as they continued to watch the fight. "And Tokoyami is quick and can attack from afar, allowing him to keep his distance. Those two are not lacking in strength. But it's all about perspective. Given that Tokoyami can't move much while Dark Shadow attacks, that means he's more vulnerable at close range." Her sights shifted toward Momo as the two fended off Ectoplasm's clones, which didn't seem to stop coming. "Meanwhile, Ectoplasm seeks to overwhelm Yaoyorozu, to see if she can truly keep pace in tense situations where her mind might be racing to figure out the perfect counter."

"I see…" Arcee noted. "Since his clones can appear anywhere, it means that can swarm them without even needing to try."

Recovery Girl then moved her focus to Tsu, who was bouncing around the room taking out any and all opposition. "Meanwhile, there's Asui. A stellar student with no clear weaknesses. She can provide support to her allies—both emotional and physical—as powerful as they maybe."

"I won't argue with you on that, ma'am, but if you're asking me, I don't think you're giving Momo enough credit." Windblade said, which took everyone else aback.

The elderly woman tilted her head. "Is that so, deary?"

With a confident smirk, the City Speaker watched as Momo was set upon by a dozen or so Ectoplasm clones. "Just watch."

…..

Back at the battle, Tsu gasped at the sudden onset of clones, who all sought to dogpile onto Momo. "AH! Yaomomo, watch out!" She bounced off the wall, hoping to make it in time… but it was too late. Momo let out a shout as she was buried beneath Ectoplasm clones, who all began pelting her with sharp kicks. "Oh no!" Tsu gasped, while Tokoyami's eyes widened.

"Get them off of her, Dark Shadow!" On his orders, the living Quirk let out a shriek and went to rip and tear at the clones… but then, something unexpected happened.

*KA-BOOM*

Without any warning, a massive explosion blasted forth from the pile of clones, causing them all to evaporate into wisps and dust. Tokoyami and Tsu were sent into coughing fits as the smoke billowed out of the hallway, but once it was cleared, they were astonished at what they saw. "Yaomomo!" the frog girl smiled. "You're okay!"

Dusting herself off, Momo stood up and zipped up her top, the remnants of a bomb cluttered around her feet. "Edgeshot's Rules of Combat Number 6: Always keep something unexpected in the back pocket." She sent the group a wink. "It may come in handy later."

"Very impressive." Tokoyami grinned as well. "I believe that makes twenty-eight clones."

"Great work keeping count." Momo commended. "Now come, we're almost through!" The team got through to the other end of the hallway and peered down into the blue atrium, where they saw Ectoplasm and the goal down below. "There, the way out. And I can only assume that's his real body down there."

Tsu swallowed and let out a croak. "Ribbit… almost there."

It was then that Ectoplasm craned his head up, meeting their eyes and making them flinch a bit. "Excellent job getting past the others. But tell me… what will you do against THIS?!" One last time, Ectoplasm unhinged his jaw and spewed out more of the white mist from his gullet, enough to coat the entire floor of the room. From there, the mist coagulated upward… and formed into a giant version of Ectoplasm… or, at least, his upper half. The giant clone's head loomed over the three students, leaving them petrified. "Just try to escape… GIANT BITE DETENTION!"

…..

Once the teacher's final attack was revealed, Izuku and some of the others were left slack jawed… while others were somewhat unsurprised. "Oh, yeah. I forgot he could do that." Bulkhead remarked.

"WHEN did you see him do THAT?!" Izuku exclaimed.

"During the rescue mission." Mina clarified. "…Wow, that was a while ago, now that I think about it."

Recovery Girl hummed, regarding the giant clone. "Ectoplasm doesn't pull this move out often. He can't create anymore clones now that he's expended his Quirk."

Windblade pursed her lips, praying for the team to win out. "C'mon guys… show him who's boss—" *CRASH* Before she could even finish, the City Speaker's eyes widened in horror as Ectoplasm's giant clone crashed headfirst into where the trio were standing, leaving them completely speechless. …But even so, Windblade was smirking. After all, she had seen a flash of red escape the giant clone before it smashed into them. 'You go girl.'

…..

The teens' fate was revealed, however, as the clone pulled back, revealing Asui and Tokoyami trapped within its body. Down below, Ectoplasm gazed upon his handiwork. "I may not be able to put out anymore clones, but so long as I have you captured, this one is all I—" *shink-shink-shink* "Ah!" The teacher dodged away from a volley of shuriken, spinning around to see Momo dashing around the upper floors. "…And it seems I have one last target to apprehend."

"I do not intend to go down easily, Mr. Ectoplasm!" Momo exclaimed as she launched herself off a wall and down to ground level, her sword in hand as she swiped it at her teacher. Still, the man was able to deftly dodge, even on his pegleg feet, using them as weapons to counter her next incoming strikes. "Gah! Release them!" Momo demanded.

"Or else what?" Ectoplasm countered. "I control this behemoth, and you have no hold over me." He narrowed his eyes as he raised his leg at her to deliver another kick. "A better question for you would be why you keep fighting. The goal is right there, after all."

"Grr… even if I do go for the goal, I know you'll just try and stop me anyway." Momo explained, determination reverberating through her voice. "Even so, I don't intend on leaving my friends behind." She sparing a quick glance up to the trapped duo before going back to clashing her sword against his legs. "It's either all of us go to the camp or none of us!"

Ectoplasm gave a mock scoff, emulating his villain status to a T. "Such a valiant effort… but a futile one!"

As the teacher and student continued to fight down below, however, Tokoyami had noticed Momo's quick glance. That was the signal. Time to put the plan into motion. "It's now or never, Asui. Are you ready?"

"Yeah…" Tsu said as she began to… heave heavily. Almost as if she were trying to force something out of her. "Just don't look… urp… Mr. Ectoplasm might notice. Besides, it's—URP—really gross to watch me do this!" Tokoyami wisely glanced away, trying not to focus on the sounds of retching until she gave the word. "Okay, here…"

"Dark Shadow, take them." The bird-headed boy requested, summoning his Quirk.

However, the shadowy bird monster was hesitant. "…Do I have to?"

"NOW."

"Alright, alright, jeez…" Dark Shadow took the object in his claw and immediately shot straight down to where Ectoplasm and Momo were fighting.

The Creation user herself was beginning to lose steam, however, with the older man outpacing her at every turn. "Do you intend to keep this up until time runs out, Miss Yaoyorozu?" he goaded on as he kicked her into a corner. "What I want to see are students who can do away with an adversary no matter what!"

Countering his last strike, Momo slid back, landing in a crouch after putting some distance between herself and him. "And you will!" she screamed… before shooting him a small smirk. "I just had to buy some time first."

Ectoplasm gasped and spun around, sensing something approaching from behind. Sure enough, there was Dark Shadow, having pounced from up high and ready to deliver a hard strike with his talons. Ectoplasm raised his leg, countering the punch with a swift kick that repelled both of them away from each other. …But little did he know that was where things were over for him. "Huh? What is…"

"I figured that this would be the best way to pull a fast one on you, Mr. Ectoplasm." Momo explained as she stood up. "I also knew our likelihood of getting captured was high, so I devised a foolproof plan. Fun fact; frogs are capable of regurgitating their stomachs in order to clean them, so I asked Tsu to keep the cuffs stored in hers so that there was no chance of losing them." She snapped her fingers victoriously. "And when the time was right, I'd distract you long enough for either her or Tokoyami to slap them on you."

Sure enough, the cuffs had been clamped around one of Ectoplasm's legs, ending the test. "Impressive… I believe that is checkmate."

"Team Yaoyorozu, Asui and Tokoyami have passed the final!"

Upon the announcement, Ectoplasm dispersed his giant clone, freeing Tokoyami and Tsu so that they may join their teammate. "That was wonderfully clever. I must commend all three of you."

"I am truly humbled, sir." Tokoyami bowed graciously… only for his Quirk to unexpectedly pop out from his back.

"And it was all thanks to me!" Dark Shadow said, jerking a thumb to himself while resting his elbow upon his host's shoulder.

Tokoyami, however, sent his Quirk a pointed glare. "Ahem, AND Yaoyorozu's plan, Dark Shadow."

"He's right. We couldn't have done it without Yaomomo, ribbit." Tsu said with a bright smile toward the raven-haired beauty. "Your plan was really clever. I knew I could store things in my stomach, but I don't know if I would've thought about that until maybe the last minute."

Momo blushed, bringing a hand up to her face. "O-Oh, please, you flatter me. Besides, the plan wouldn't have worked without you both, so this is OUR victory."

Ectoplasm nodded in agreement. "Indeed. You all have grown so much since the beginning of the semester. You should be incredibly proud. Now, go get some rest."

"Yes, sir!"

…..

Back in the monitor room, many were giving sighs of relief after witnessing the finish to the match. Things had been worrisome for a while, but out of all of them, Windblade had remained fully confident in the team's chances. "You guys really gotta have more faith in my girl out there." The City Speaker stated.

"I-I never doubted her for a second!" Izuku insisted. "I just… knew that Ectoplasm was really experienced, so I was worried."

Mina put her hands behind her head with a cheeky grin. "Ah, I had faith in her… even though those clones didn't seem to stop." She shifted her focus over to Arcee. "But now we've got 'Chako's match next! Whaddya think her and Iida's odds are, 'Cee?"

The Autobot intel officer pondered the question with a hum. "Hmm… well, I know that the two of them are able to work together really well… it'll probably come down to how they work with that conceded glittery boy, I think." Her statement made almost everyone double over in shock.

"Gah! You're not supposed to say stuff like that out loud!" the teens chastised.

As Arcee blinked at them, Bulkhead sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Hah, this is gonna be an interesting one to watch…"

…..

Back in the American Midwest, Silas had just spent the past half hour hearing out Starscream's proposition, and needless to say… he was interested, but still cautious. The offer seemed too good to be true. The Seeker was offering technology beyond their wildest dreams—from another WORLD, no less—to aid them in their new world order. And all they had to do in exchange was aid the Decepticons in their battle against the Autobots and their hero allies. Of course, the fact that this would get rid of two birds with one stone was tempting, but still, the former government agent had been burned on good deals before. He wasn't about start being taken for a fool now.

"You honestly expect me to believe that you'll just LET us have your technology in exchange for helping you fight your enemies?" Silas questioned, his arms crossed as he addressed Starscream. "Pardon me if I don't necessarily believe someone with a high rank amongst the so-called "Decepticons"."

Starscream himself didn't seem to take much offense by that, though. "Ah, you aren't the first to point that out, Silas. Believe me when I say that carrying the moniker of "Decepticon" doesn't lend much trust upon first impression."

"Pfft, can't imagine why…" Nanosec rolled his eyes.

"Watch it, onesie." Thundercracker warned, his gaze hardening at the speedster. "You disrespect our brother by speaking out of turn."

Nanosec glowered back at the blue Seeker. "Oh, you did NOT just insult my costume! I have half a mind to—"

"Enough, Sexton." Silas chided with a swipe of his hand. "This isn't a time to be getting into petty arguments."

"And I will hear no more from you about it either, Thundercracker." Starscream scolded his younger brother as well. "Stand. Down." Both conflicting parties grumbled, stepping away from the proceedings. "Apologies, Commander Silas. My brother can get in over his head at times…" He placed a hand over his spark. "But mark my word; this deal of ours can be quite prudent to BOTH of our endeavors. Lord Megatron will see to it that it does."

Silas brought a hand to his chin. "The infamous leader of the Decepticons… is he trustworthy?"

"If yer on his good side, then yeah." Skullcruncher piped up. The older Predacon and Swindle had relegated themselves off to the side, allowing the two commanders to talk. "I've known Megatron for eons, and he CAN be an incredible ally if ya play yer cards right. Get on his bad side, though… and hoo boy, you'd better hope you can run fast." He wore a gnarled smirk as he nudged his chin toward Starscream. "Heh, just ask Screamer there. He's been on thin ice with Megatron since they first MET. Haha!"

Of course, Starscream didn't take too kindly to that, sending him and a cackling Swindle a threatening glare. "MMMM! What did Thundercracker JUST say about speaking out of turn, Skullcruncher?!"

Skywarp, however, wasn't about to let that slide. "Well, you can't deny that he's speaking the truth, brother." As he expected, he received a pointed look from Starscream, but he raised his hand. "HOWEVER… you've been able to return to being in Megatron's good graces every time it's happened, right?"

Despite his annoyance, Starscream could see that his brother was trying to get the conversations back on track. He sighed heavily and did so. "Hah, yes, I suppose you're right. In my attempts to further the Decepticon cause, I HAVE overstepped my bounds…" he explained as he went back to speaking with Silas. "However, Megatron is a firm believer in discipline, and in time, I have come to… understand this." Every word he spoke was killing him on the inside, but he NEEDED to convince this human of his sincerity. "So I ask again, Silas, will you aid us in delivering a requiem upon the Autobots and the heroes they fight alongside?"

"…I will admit, your proposal is interesting." Silas admitted, placing his hands behind his back as he paced away from the Seeker. "And the offer of further advanced technology seems too good to let slip by. However…" He turned his head back and narrowed his gaze at the Seekers. "If you even think of double-crossing us, I swear to you, we WILL acquire the tech you promised… in a much more painful way."

The Seekers, Swindle and Skullcruncher all eyed one another, and they smiled in amusement. "See? Told ya you'd like him." Swindle chortled.

Starscream let out a slight chuckle as well. "Hmhm… indeed." He knelt down in front of Silas and spoke further. "Commander Silas, I like the… er, what was that human expression… ah, yes. The cut of your jib." He extended his hand toward the man. "I will say this; the Decepticons ARE famous for our deceptions, yes, but there is another reason behind our name." He saw Silas raise a brow, clearly intrigued. "Before the War for Cybertron broke out, we as a people were led astray by a false profit who promised to make our society the greatest in the galaxy… when really, all he was doing was benefitting off the fruits of our labor. But then… Megatron rose to power, and he began a movement that sought to change everything. No more false profits, no more lies… if justice was a deception, then we would gladly wear that badge of honor."

"Pray, perhaps this Megatron is much wiser than we gave him credit for…" said the Angry Archer, completely enthralled by the story being told.

"Like, yeah." Professor Sutton remarked. "Sounds like he gives MAJOR revolutionary vibes."

Slowly but surely, Silas nodded, also liking what he was hearing. "Indeed… very well, then." He reached out and grabbed Starscream's pointer finger in a handshake. "I will agree to this deal, however… I wish to speak with your leader myself. I'd like to see what this high revolutionary is all about for myself."

"Consider it done." Starscream approved. "I will arrange a meeting with you over commlink as soon as possible."

With a final nod, Silas retracted his hand, only for the M.E.C.H. Agent to walk up to him from behind and say; "Sir, um… I've just been informed that Mr. Black is on the line. He wants to speak with you, a-and it can't wait."

Silas let out an irritated groan, rubbing his hand against his forehead. "Hmph, of course. Tell him I'll be down in a minute."

This caught the Decepticons' attention rather quick. "Mr. Black?" Thundercracker asked. "Who's that?"

"He's OUR employer." Colossus Rhodes explained, the tiny old man garnering their attention. "He also happens to be a substantial benefactor to Commander Silas' operation, so he loans us out to M.E.C.H. in order to aid in their goals." He looked over to Silas with a raised brow. "Better not to keep him waiting, though. You know how he gets."

"I am well aware." Silas grumbled, his eyes shifting back up to the Cons. "Though… I suppose if we're to be allied, then you should probably meet him as well. Follow me."

As the humans went back to the lift, the Decepticons all eyed one another. "You hear about this guy, Swindle?" Skywarp asked. "Sounds like a real piece of work."

"Oh, trust me, he is." Swindle said. "Though I never spoke to him personally, I hear he's quite… eccentric. Come on, we don't wanna keep Silas waitin'." On that note, the five Cybertronians joined the humans on the lift, which lowered back down into the base below.

…..

As she made her way to the Monitor Room to watch the rest of her classmates' tests unfold, Momo Yaoyorozu had her head held high, still feeling the incredible wave of self-confidence from her team's victory. At the start of this semester, she couldn't deny that she wasn't entirely all that assured of herself. She had been worried that getting into U.A. on recommendations would result in a clear divide between her and her classmates, the thought of them shunning her sometimes keeping her awake at night. And then there was the fact that, for as much as she could create with her Quirk, she wasn't the most creative person out there, ironically.

But then… her fears became unfounded when she made fast friends with Kyoka and Midoriya, both completely unexpected. Never did she think that they'd be first friends she would make, but she was eternally grateful that she did, because both of them proved to be true friends through thick and thin. And of course, from there, her friend group only expanded, with Windblade being among them. And between the training provided by the City Speaker and Edgeshot… it was like her confidence skyrocketed.

'If it weren't for my realistic expectations, I'd say I could do anything right now.' Momo thought to herself, finally reaching her destination. 'But there's a fine line between self-confidence and being self-obsession, and I'd rather not go over that line. On that note, time to express my gratitude to my friends!'

The automatic door slid open for her and, almost instantaneously, everyone's attention was brought to her. She was met with bright smiles right off the bat… as well as Mina practically launching herself at her. "AAAHH! Congratulations, girl!" the Acid user cried out happily, bringing Momo into an unexpected hug. "I knew you could do it, I just knew it!"

"Ah-haha… th-thank you, Mina." Momo stammered, returning the embrace slowly while trying to calm her down. "But please, it wasn't all me."

"Oh, no doubt. Tsu and Tokoyami were awesome out there, too." Mina winked and pointed at Momo's head. "Still, ya brought that big brain energy to the fight, and your plan out there was pretty awesome!"

"I have to agree." Windblade affirmed, stepping up to the raven-haired teen. "Momo… to think, the girl I helped train almost three months ago has already grown so much." Her smile became shaky as she placed a hand over her chest. "…If holoforms could cry, I probably would right now." the City Speaker choked out.

Momo's own hand covered her heart at the sentiment. "Oh, Windblade… thank you so much. For everything." She bowed in gratitude. "I'm glad to have trained under you. Otherwise, I don't know if I'd be where I am right now." It was then, however, that she noticed that there was something happening on the giant screen. "Oh? Is there already another test underway?"

Izuku peered back to her and nodded. "Yep, it's Uraraka, Iida and Aoyama's turn. Except…" He wore a wincing smile as he looked back to the scene. "…things aren't going too well."

It was only upon second glance that Momo saw what he was talking about, and the sight made her gasp. "Oh… oh dear."

"Yeah…" Bulkhead scratched his head. "Somethin' tells me this might be wrapping up soon."

Momo peered over to see Arcee watching on, biting down on her fingernail worriedly. Also next to her was Strongarm, the latter having joined just a few minutes before. And just like her teammate, she was displaying a bit of nervousness of her own, her leg bouncing up and down. "This isn't good." the latter muttered. "They need to find a way out and fast!"

…..

Meanwhile, in the USJ…

"GAAAAAAHH! Oh man! And we were so CLOOOOOOSE!"

The plan had been excellent, and Ochako had given herself a pat on the back for coming up with part of it. Before their test began, Tenya had resolved that the easiest way to win would be to head straight for the goal line by outrunning Thirteen. Her Quirk was powerful, for sure, but she wasn't exactly the most mobile hero, so he'd be able to easily outrun her before she'd be able to do anything. The only hitch to the plan was that both Ochako and Aoyama combined would be too much for him to transport. Which was where Ochako chimed in, offering to make both of them weightless so that Iida could dash them to the finish. It was nearly foolproof!

…Nearly. Unfortunately, they hadn't accounted for the possibility that Thirteen would set a trap to counter them beforehand. And thus, Tenya was now completely stuck to a floor made entirely of sticky adhesive, trying desperately to free himself. "I'M SORRY, URARAKA!" he screamed in regret. "I didn't account for THIS!"

As he continued to struggle, Ochako and Aoyama had actually been flung from Tenya's back after the sudden stop, leaving them to be completely at the mercy of Thirteen's Black Hole Quirk. The Space Hero was approaching them with her finger extended, while the duo were hanging on for dear life from a railing. "It's getting even stronger the closer she gets!" the brunette screamed.

"There's no way I'll let you get away that easily!" Thirteen said as she walked slowly toward them. "I may not be good at combat, but I am excellent at capturing!"

"Ah-ha… I guess you could say this situation really "sucks", doesn't it?" Aoyama quipped, seemingly blasé about what was happening.

"Are you serious right now?!" Ochako exclaimed incredulously. "We're in big trouble here!"

But Yuga Aoyama wasn't worried one bit. "Fret not, for my costume's not just chic!" He raised his armored legs, revealing two crystalline orbs that matched the one on his belt. "It can also channel the blasts from my Belly Button Laser!" On that note, he unleashed twin blasts from his knees, declaring; "So you'll have nothing to worry about, mademoiselle! Ah-hahaha!"

…However, the whole thing would end up being a dud. "…I can suck up your laser, too, you know." Thirteen deadpanned, much to Aoyama's shock as his red sunglass visor was sucked away from his face. And once it reached Thirteen's fingertip, it disintegrated into itty-bitty pieces before vanishing into the event horizon. "And break it down to a molecular level!"

"HM?!" Yuga became pale as the reality of their situation finally settled in for him, though he kept his smile all the same. "This is no joke..."

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" Ochako screamed.

Aoyama simply closed his eyes and said; "I have no flaws."

Off in the distance, Tenya shouted; "Not to be rude, but I BEG TO DIFFER!"

Ochako grit her teeth as her mind raced a mile a minute, trying to come up with something, ANYTHING to get them out of this mess. 'This isn't good. We're trapped! Gotta figure a way out. Okay, c'mon, what would Deku, or Momo, or OPTIMUS do at a time like this?!'

"Hey!"

"Not right now!" Ochako shouted at the glittery boy next to her. "I'm THINKING!"

"About Izuku Midoriya?" Yuga said knowingly. "How sweet." His words caught Ochako's attention, turning her head toward him confusedly. "Is it… because you like him?"

Those last two words echoed over and over in Ochako's head, her eyes wide in incredulous astonishment. And the more she thought about it, the only thing she could think to say was… "HOW COULD YOU ASK SOMETHING LIKE THAT AT A TIME LIKE—huh?" In her impassioned rant, though, Ochako ended up letting go of the railing, which caused her to go flying straight toward Thirteen. "GYAAAAAAAHH!"

However, this ended up taking Thirteen off guard as well, causing her to seal her glove back up before Ochako could get within disintegration range. "AH!"

Even as the black hole was sealed, though, the Gravity user still wound up about a foot away from Thirteen's helmeted head… and in that moment, she remembered something that her mentor had taught her; "You shouldn't fight on your opponent's field." Gunhead's words repeated in her mind. "Instead, make sure YOU have the advantage. Got it?" And just like that… something happened.

Ochako… was Locked. In.

Her eyes glazed over as pure instinct took over, feinting a punch at Thirteen's head. The Space Hero avoided it, but in doing so, she lost her balance, allowing Ochako to grab her left wrist and bring her the rest of the way down to the floor. "Ah! Where did that come from—"

"RECIPRO BURST!" *POP*

"Weeeee!" Just then, Aoyama and a now freed Tenya tackled on top of Thirteen as well, covering her right arm and legs respectively. "We've got you!" Yuga declared.

"Now, Uraraka! NOW!" Tenya cheered.

Taking out the cuffs, Ochako gave a; "HUAH!" as she clasped them over hers and Thirteen's wrists, officially ending the test in their favor. 'The lessons learned from Gunhead just so happened to come in handy here.' she said to herself, her inner voice sounding much gruffer. 'I'm a mini-Battle Hero.'

A sigh of relief escaped Tenya's throat as he stood up. "Excellent job, Uraraka! What an incredibly show of ingenuity!"

"Thanks, I—GYAH!" Ochako was then promptly knocked out of her focus when she saw the state of her friend.

"Ah, yes, do you think you could give me a hand?" As it turned out, Tenya had Recipro Burst straight out of his boots, leaving his legs completely bare from the knee down. "I seem to have left something important behind."

…..

Back in the Monitor Rook, Strongarm and the others were left staring awkwardly at the scene. But, never the less, the cadet was incredibly proud of her friend. "You know what? A bit of an unconventional win, I'll take it!"

"FRAG YEAH!" Arcee shouted as well. "High five!" the duo smacked their hands together while everyone else talked about what they had just witnessed.

"Uraraka's judgement was great!" Izuku commented. "I can't believe she used her opponent's power to get in close!"

Momo, however, wasn't too sure that was what exactly happened. "I don't know… it seems to me that Ochako just lost focus and let go of the railing."

Tapping her chin, Mina had also noticed the same thing. "Yeah, I wonder what she was shouting at Aoyama for? Too bad we can't hear their conversations…"

…..

After being congratulated by Thirteen, Ochako and her team had been sent along their way… though one thing still lingered on the brunette's mind. Aoyama's words were still going through on repeat, and it made her wonder; "Hmm… do I like Deku? …Nah, not in that way, I think. Just as a good friend." With that resolved, she continued smiling as if the interaction hadn't happened. 'Besides, I couldn't get in the way of him and Kyoka. Speaking of… I think her test is next. Wonder how she'll do?'

…..

A/N: Well, Ochako, we're gonna have to wait until next time to find that out. But there you have it! Uraraka, Tenya and Momo have all passed their exams with their respective teams! Though that said, while not MUCH changed from the scenes in those particular episodes, I did sprinkle little changes here and there to differentiate things. Like how Tsu swallowing the cuffs was Momo's plan from the start and Tenya's tentative idea to try and outrun Thirteen.

And as for M.E.C.H., it seems that they've made some new allies after all. Starscream actually managed to talk his way into a GOOD situation for once. Guess that boost to his own confidence is really making a difference. Though now, Silas has to meet Megatron, so that should be an interesting encounter. As should Mr. Black meeting the Decepticons. Look forward to that latter one next time!

Speaking of which, and now, the Preview! Time to go through more exams as Kyoka and her team take on a challenge that might be too LOUD to handle. And can the team of Shoji, Shinso and Toru take on a hero who never misses his shot? And then how are Kaida and her team gonna handle MIDNIGHT of all people? Next Time; Stripping the Varnish. Thanks for reading, everybody and I'll see you all next time! Stay safe out there, and as always;

GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!