Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or the Persona series

Chapter 36

What's up with these damn train schedules?!

It really hadn't been Bakugou's week. After the incident with the mugger, Bakugou had been placed on a 'mental health leave' as the school had called it. Something he deemed utterly unnecessary, but his mom made a big enough tiff about it that he didn't have a choice. So he took off two days from school, the most he was willing to do, before finally going back.

And when he got back, he couldn't help but feel like he had lost valuable time to train and learn. They had gone through more practical exercises like they had done the day before he left. Taking the time to train the students at USJ for 'hands-on' experience. More experience for guys like Fake-Glasses and Half-and-Half bastard to get over him.

All while he was forced to stay home and twiddle his thumbs.

To further add to his annoyance, someone thought it would be funny if his usual train schedule was once again screwed around with. Now, he was stuck in Asakusa and forced to walk home to Musutafu, which was a considerable distance away still. He'd have liked to use the opportunity to fly home and see how long he could keep up his repeated concussive bursts, but it wasn't worth getting stopped by a passing hero and getting a lecture about the law.

If I ever meet the asshole who crashed the trains, I'll blow them away! Bakugou ground his teeth in frustration, hunched over as he walked through the Asakusa streets. As he simmered in his anger, Bakugou's eyes began to drift around, notably scanning the alleys.

It hadn't been his first thought when forced to walk the streets, but he half-mindedly recalled hearing Asakusa come up recently. Namely from the police who had been arresting the dipshit of a mugger who attacked him.

They had been speaking in whispers and he likely wasn't supposed to hear it, but he caught wind of one asking if 'this guy was seen in Asakusa'. But that was all he could pick up. If the police were making inquiries like that, then it was likely that Asakusa was quietly becoming a hotbed for trouble. Strange, considering how many heroes were likely to be around. But Bakugou doubted it would be a problem for long.

But at the back of his mind, Bakugou felt a tingling sensation of concern. It came back after an hour, but in that time, Bakugou had legitimately lost his Quirk. When he informed the police, they seemed equally shocked to hear it and half didn't believe him at first. Regardless, they just took note of it in their report and nothing else seemed to come of it.

That was, until Bakugou had seen the news a couple days later. And his would-be assailant mysteriously disappeared.

Apparently during his transfer to jail, the transport was attacked and he was taken. All while the police were disabled before they could respond and were unable to see their attackers. No clues had been left on the scene, and many questions were left unanswered.

Bakugou had played it off as none of his concern, but it drifted through his mind time and again. Not that there was anything he could do about it.

They better handle it fast before it becomes a problem. Was all he could muster up. It was out of his hands now. The Pros would have to take care of it.

Bakugou came to a slow stop at the cross section, clicking his tongue as the light brought him to a halt. He boredly let his eyes drift once again, scanning the nearby stores and alleys for anything worth his time.

And that's when he saw Deku.

… The fuck?

Bakugou felt his brow raise, wondering if he was seeing things. Deku was sitting at a cafe and he wasn't alone. He was sitting across from several other people, all his age if not a bit older. He was sitting there with an obnoxiously amused smile on his face. And these people were laughing with him.

Somehow, Deku had gotten friends.

Bakugou felt his hand twitch, but he wasn't sure why he cared. Deku was a pebble in his road he'd kicked aside. Whatever happened to him from there on was none of his business. Something he should have been elated to know after his school made it known.

But the way Deku was forced out left a bad taste in his mouth. Something about the case screamed bullshit. After all, it was Deku of all people who got charged with assault. It should have been Bakugou who showed him the futility of his desire to become a hero. It should have been him who proved her wrong.

Tch. Whatever. Who gives a shit now. Bakugou tried to tell himself, dragging his eyes away from Deku and his supposed friends. The light was still red, though, and the explosive teen found his eyes drifting back.

He raised a brow, the group suddenly ceasing their laughter as a cat of all things crawled its way to their table. Bakugou wasn't sure what was happening but they suddenly seemed to become serious. And strangely enough, the cat seemed to be part of the conversation. Not that Bakugou could hear anything they were saying.

But as the conversation continued, a girl that had been hidden from his sight behind Deku stood up. And it only took Bakugou a second to recognize her.

Those red eyes. Her fair skin. Her short brown hair. Bakugou's fingers cracked as his hand shook at his side. That fucking quitter is there too?!

It was no exaggeration to say that he was seeing red. Deku had been one thing, but the quitter had left with things unsettled. Left without giving him a real answer. And the sight of her just pissed him off.

He turned to the next intersection, fully intent on ruining whatever fun time the group was having. Bakugou never intended to see her again, but here she was and he was planning to give her a few choice words. He had to wait for the light to turn green, but he could still see them from across the street. Strangely enough, they all got up together and began to follow the cat into a nearby alley, but Bakugou frankly didn't give a shit.

Oh no, you're not getting away that easily!

Bakugou stomped across the street the moment the light turned over. He had half a mind to propel himself forward, but he couldn't afford to get reported for misconduct now that he was at U.A.. He had enough self-control to avoid creating more problems for himself.

But it wasn't enough to keep him from following after the quitter and Deku.

He quickly followed the group into the alley, and he could see them at the end making a quick turn into another. Oh no you fuckin' don't! Bakugou marched on, making it to the end of the alley and turning into the same one. They were still steps ahead of him and were suddenly turning right into another.

As Bakugou's fury persisted, he was able to formulate one other thought. Where are these dipshits going?!

Bakugou sprinted to the next corner, turning on a dime and opening his mouth to shout. "DE-" Of course, they made one more turn before he could shout. Bakugou gnashed his teeth together and his left eye twitched. But as he made his way over, he proceeded more slowly, finding this little trailing mission to be suspicious. Where the fuck are they going?

They were far from the main street of Asakusa. They certainly weren't heading for the train station, and god knows what else hid in the corners of these alleys. He slowly proceeded this time, peering around the corner to see the group now stopped at the end of the alley. Bakugou narrowed his eyes when he saw the quitter, tempted to run up and say what he had to say. Whatever that was. But they were all whispering among themselves now, all while Deku fiddled with his phone.

Bakugou watched them a moment longer, feeling his confusion soon replace with annoyance as they stayed in the same spot for some time. Fuck this. Bakugou did away with his patience, beginning to stomp forward.

"W-Wait! It's taking us in?!"

"I-I didn't mean to! Be ready for anything!"

Bakugou raised a brow before a splitting headache suddenly hit him like a brick wall. He snarled in pain, hand clutching at his head as he momentarily halted. The next surprise that came was the unbearable rotten stench the wafed through the air, filling his nose. What the hell..?

Bakugou's eyes became owlish as he looked up and realized that the amber hue that once filled the sky was now gone, replaced by night. What the shit?!

Sweat trailed down his jaw as questions filled his mind. He shifted his gaze back forward to look at Deku and his friends, only to find that they had all completely changed their outfits. It took Bakugou a single moment to realize that it was them, but Izuku's bushel of green hair was unmistakable.

"What the shit?!" Bakugou finally voiced his confusion, and brought their attention to him. "What the hell is this, Deku?! Where the fuck are we?!"

Izuku couldn't think of anyone worse who could have come into the Metaverse. Setting the yakuza, Pro Heroes and the police aside, of course. It had to be Bakugou. He would have rather been ambushed by Shadows the moment they came into the Metaverse. Instead, they were going to have to deal with a clearly pissed off Bakugou. Someone he had yet to tell his friends about, which might complicate things.

"Huh?! Who the hell is that?!" Ryuji was the first to blurt out.

"Baka-chan?!" Makoto's nickname for Bakugou slipped from her lips. Judging by the sweat on her cheek, Izuku guessed she was no more thrilled to see him than he was.

"You know him?" Ann looked at Makoto in wonder.

"I knew that was you, quitter!" Izuku didn't fail to notice that Bakugou was sticking to that name for Makoto. "What the fuck do you and Deku think you're doing dressed up like that?!"

"Will you lower your voice?!" Morgana piped up before Izuku could speak. "You're going to bring enemies on us!"

Bakugou's eyes trailed to Morgana and his rage was momentarily shifted to confusion. "The hell..? Is that the cat from earlier?!"

"I am not!"

"K-Kacchan, calm down! We can explain…" Izuku raised his hands, hoping to halt his former friend's rage. Something he was good at failing at.

"You better! Where do you all get off dressing up like some fucking heroes?!" Bakugou's words stung, but Izuku had to set his personal feelings aside.

"What was that?!" Ryuji barked back this time, stepping in front of Izuku. "What the hell do you know about bein' a hero?!"

"I'm gonna be Number 1! I know a hell of a lot more than all of you, fake blondie!" It had been a while since Izuku heard Bakugou's childish nicknames for other people.

"Fake blondie?!"

"How's a loudmouth like you going to be Number 1 Hero?" Ann was the surprising voice to intervene, stepping up next to Ryuji in defense. "You look more like a villain than anything!"

"What was that, twin-tails?!" Bakugou seemed a little more than surprised to have several people standing up to him, his brow knitting in frustration.

"This is a friend of yours?" Yusuke seemed to be the least disturbed by his presence, eyeing Bakugou with curiosity rather than annoyance. "He's quite vulgar. Far more so than Skull."

"Eat shit, fox face!" Yusuke recoiled, seemingly offended.

"Hey, will you keep your voice down?! I just said we'll attract enemies!" Morgana tried to intervene once again, only for Bakugou to fix him with a glare this time.

"The hell do you mean 'enemies'?!"

"He means that if you don't keep your mouth shut, we're going to be in a lot of trouble, Baka-chan." Izuku felt his lips press into a thin line when Makoto stepped up to Bakugou, their red eyes boring into each other.

"You trying to start something, quitter?"

"You're the one starting something, Baka-chan." Makoto might have been a few inches shorter than Bakugou, but she met his ferocity with intensity. "If you have something to say, then let's at least get out of here."

A malicious grin spread across the dirty blond's lips as sparks started to pop in his palm. "You were the ones sneakin' around, all suspicious! Now you've got me wonderin' what you're runnin' from."

"The hell is all that racket?!"

Izuku cursed, spinning around to the alley's edge. Just as they feared, they had attracted more attention than they needed with their argument. A Shadow guard, dressed in a healthcare worker's white tunic and slacks, turned the corner.

"What the…" Bakugou momentarily forgot his rage, staring at the Shadow in confusion. It was likely only furthered when its body melted into a pool of sludge before reforming into one large Shadow enemy, a hideous horned demon with a mouth full of fangs dressed in blue robes and wielding a spear with a spade for a pommel.

"This was what I was afraid of!" Morgana groaned, spinning on his heel. "Get back, loudmouth! We'll handle this!"

"What the hell is that thing?!" Izuku had to ignore their guest for the moment, reaching up and ripping off his mask. "Carter!" His Persona burst out from blue flames, towering above and slamming its fist into the Shadow's jaw. It merely growled, quickly retaliating with a swing of its dual blade. Izuku willed his Persona to back off, soon seeing Captain Kidd launch a blast of lightning into the demon.

"It's resistant to physical damage! Use magic!" Izuku pointed out, drawing out his collapsible staff.

"Try to disable it with ailments!" Makoto advised, revving Johanna as she prepared to charge forward.

"Take-" Ann wasn't allowed to unleash her flames as the Shadow struck the ground with great force. A powerful wave hit them like a wall, staggering them for a moment with its pure force.

This Shadow is strong! Izuku grit his teeth as he spared a look back. "Kacchan! Are you-"

"Outta my way!"

Izuku's eyes became owlish as Bakugou blasted his way past him overhead, propelling himself forward with focused explosions from his hands. As the Shadow started to stalk forward, Bakugou quickly brought his hand up to its face.

"DIE!"

Izuku couldn't say he wasn't expecting this to happen. He hoped beyond hope that Bakugou would have actually listened, or perhaps been too confused to act. But of course, the explosive teen collected himself quick enough to join in the fray.

The explosion engulfed the Shadow's face, causing it to stagger back a step. But as the smoke cleared, its face showed little damage. Izuku felt a pang of fear when the Shadow tried to swipe Bakugou with his blade, but Bakugou didn't let the little damage he did phase him. He blasted the air beneath him and evaded the blow, launching himself over its head.

"Tch. Sturdy bastard…" Bakugou launched himself back at the Shadow, hand cocked back. "I'll just keep blasting until you're dead!"

"Now, Panther!" IMakoto's declaration shook Izuku from his stupor as Ann readied her Persona. Carmen lashed her whip as a purple wave flew out of her minions' speakers that washed over the Shadow. In an instant, the monster fell asleep, slumping over just before Bakugou unleashed another explosion.

The Shadow was in for a rude awakening, taking the blast head on and with its defenses down. It staggered back, this time falling toward the Thieves.

"Fox!" Izuku called out, not letting himself hesitate this time as he ran forward. Yusuke followed close behind, their Personas driving their weapons through its back, reducing the Shadow into a pile of black ooze that evaporated into thin air.

Izuku took a breath of relief, turning his attention to Bakugou. "Are you alright, Kacch-"

"Who asked for your help?!" Izuku took a step back as he was met with hostility (as per usual). "I had it under control!"

"A thank you would be nice!" Ann scoffed at his attitude. "You were barely doing anything until I put it to sleep!"

"What was that?!"

"That's enough!" Makoto finally decided to take charge, stepping up to Bakugou. "In case you didn't notice, we're not in a safe place. We need to get going before you attract more trouble!"

"You're the last one to tell me what to do, quitter!" Bakugou snarled back, looking to resume their previous staredown.

"She's right. The Shadows know we're here. And if you want answers, you're going to have to come with us." Morgana added, narrowing his eyes up at Bakugou.

"... Tch." Bakugou clicked his tongue, shoving past Makoto and the others. Izuku let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, looking around at the others in concern.

"This is going to be a problem." Morgana rubbed behind his right ear. "I guess we'll have to save reconnaissance for another day."

"Yeah…" Izuku already felt a migraine forming, having no idea how this discussion with Bakugou was looking to play out. It can't be helped. Please wait for us a little longer, Eri-chan.

The discussion with Bakugou about the Metaverse had been an uncomfortable one for all involved. He was constantly shooting glares and snide remarks Makoto's way with the occasional insult toward Izuku whenever he tried to calm things down. But his confusion and curiosity seemed to win out in the end, as he listened with a small bit of awe at hearing just what he saw.

"Well, I believe that's the Metaverse covered." Morgana put on a little feline smile, crossing his paws at Bakugou. "Having trouble understanding? I hope your brain didn't fry."

"Huh?" Bakugou's eye twitched as he looked at Morgana in annoyance. "The hell's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well you know, just from what we saw, we kinda figured the only thing goin' through your head was a bunch'a screamin' or somethin'." Ryuji gave a taunting grin, nudging the cat as they both chuckled.

"You can both eat shit! Any moron could understand all that!" Bakugou snapped, eyes narrowed. "Basically that world is made up of people's cognition and that specific place was created by someone whose cognition is warped as hell. Right?!"

Morgana and Ryuji's jaws dropped. "H-He got it already?!"

"As painful as it is to admit, Baka-chan isn't… dumb." Makoto tried to avoid what compliments she could give.

"He's actually always been just ahead of me academically too…" Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"This loudmouth jerk is smart?!" Ann blurted in annoyance, shooting Bakugou a disbelieving look. "That's so unfair!"

"Cry me a river!" Bakugou then snapped his gaze over to Makoto. "And you! Stop calling me that, quitter!"

"Then stop calling me quitter, Baka-chan!" Makoto stepped forward, her eyes locked with his.

"Huh?! Why would I do that?!" he took another step forward with a swagger in his step and a sneer on his face. " I'm just callin' you what you are!"

"It seems that he's rather brazen even when he's calm." Yusuke stroked his chin, turning to Izuku. "Are you sure this man is your friend?"

"W-Well... " Izuku sheepishly stroked his arm, unsure how to answer.

"Can we please get back on track," asked Ann. "We're not getting anywhere like this." Makoto and Bakugou backed off, but their gazes remained fixed on each other like boxers about to square off.

"... Alright then. Tell me," Bakugou shifted his scathing gaze over to the rest of them. "What were you all doing in that place? And why the hell were you all dressed up like that?"

That took a moment for everyone to answer, each looking at the other before ultimately looking at Izuku. He was reluctant, but he knew that there was no way to avoid answering it at this point.

"We were going to change the cognition of someone in that world. A yakuza boss named Kai Chisaki." Izuku explained, Bakugou shifting his gaze to him and hiding little of his malice. "We're going to change his heart."

"I'm sure you've heard of the Phantom Thieves of Heart by now?" Morgana puffed up his chest proudly. "You're looking at them."

Bakugou stared at the cat for a moment before his eyes trailed to the side in a momentary lapse of thought before looking back. "Who?"

"What do you mean 'who'?! There's no effin' way you haven't heard of us before!" Ryuji snapped, pointing a finger. "We've been all over the news!"

"Like I give a rats ass about what crap they go on about!" Bakugou snapped back vehemently, glaring at Ryuji from the side.

"Hey, keep it down!" Ann hushed them all, looking around. "We obviously can't just announce that to the world!"

Bakugou raised a brow, his eyes scanning around. No one really seemed to pay them any mind, and it took a moment for it to click in his mind. A malicious smile spread across his lips as he specifically eyed Makoto and Izuku this time. "Oh, I get it… I remember the extras from my class talking about it. You're those guys that made the assholes on TV confess. You're the illegal group that the cops are lookin' for, huh?"

The group paled at his wording, each of them hesitating to answer. Izuku knew they couldn't hide it from him at this point, and decided to speak up.

"Yeah… that's us. We've been acting as vigilantes by going into that world to change people's hearts who've been hurting others."

Bakugou's grin slowly fell, replaced by irritation. "So you're still tryin' to play hero even after you got that stupid shit on your record, huh?"

"Hey, we're not 'playing' hero! We are heroes!" Morgana stepped up to him with a glare. "More than you are, clearly! At least we're doing something!"

"What was that, cat?!" Bakugou snarled, turning his glare down at Morgana.

"We're takin' down real threats. People who abuse their power and are hurtin' those that can't reach out for help!" Ryuji snapped, drawing Bakugou's gaze to him. "We're not lettin' shitty adults walk all over us anymore!"

"And we're giving courage to people who feel ignored! People who haven't been saved like others!" Ann stood next to Ryuji, the two standing their ground.

"Tch! You should leave that to the real heroes!" Bakugou scoffed, crossing his arms as he stuck his chin up. "You're all just gonna get your asses pinched if you keep this up!"

"Please. There's no way for them to find that world. We've got our bases covered." Morgana argued their case.

"But you can drag people into that world. Doesn't look very covered to me." Bakugou wore a cocky grin when he said that, Morgana only able to click his tongue as he found it difficult to argue.

"If it were as simple as going to the police or heroes for help, we would. But it's not." Bakugou's smile faded the moment he looked at Makoto, their red eyes meeting. "We're dealing with threats hidden behind the scenes. People who the law hasn't touched yet or won't move on for whatever reason."

Bakugou grit his teeth at her. "You quit trying to be a hero. But now you're doin' this shit?"

"I quit for the sake of my sister. But I'm not going to be idle and ignore what I want to do anymore. Not even for her." Makoto declared, never breaking their staredown.

"That goes for me, too." Bakugou was reluctant to break eye contact, but shifted over to Izuku. He was apparently having trouble deciding who to loathe more. Izuku felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek but he didn't falter under his scrutiny. "I lost my chance to become the hero I wanted to be. So I'm going to be the hero I can be."

Bakugou raised a brow, momentarily taken off guard by the resolve he saw in Izuku's eyes. That quickly shifted back to anger. "So… you assholes think you're better than heroes?"

"None of us have said that." Bakugou whipped his head to look at Yusuke. "But we know that they're not perfect. They cannot be everywhere or save everyone. But as the Phantom Thieves we will not allow the unnoticed to go unpunished."

"The hell do all of you know about who they can or can't help?!" Bakugou snapped, suddenly becoming defensive.

"Because we were those people." Ann stepped up to him this time, her eyes trembling with fury. "We were forced to suffer in silence as the adults around us kept getting away with horrible things! But we decided that enough was enough and to do something about it!"

"And we know we weren't the only ones hurtin' like that out there. So we're gonna keep takin' down assholes like Kamoshida and Madarame. We're gonna hold all those bastards accountable!" Ryuji nudged Ann's arm affectionately, showing his support of her words.

Bakugou seemed momentarily taken off guard by their declarations, cocking a brow at her as he hesitated to follow up. Izuku wasn't sure if it was wise, but he knew he had to speak up while the explosive teen was quiet.

"Kacchan," Bakugou's eyes snapped to him with a quickness, "you know how important heroes are to me. To Koto-san. We believe in what they do as much as you. But we're stopping people they can't. And more than anything, saving people who can't call for their help."

Izuku wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say. Bakugou's teeth gnashed as he struggled to find his response to that. "Don't give me that crap! You and the quitter are just playing dress up because you missed your chance!"

"What do you know about why they're doin' it?!" Ryuji stepped up next to Izuku, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's our leader and a damn good one at that! We'd be way worse off right now if we didn't have him! Same goes for Makoto!"

Bakugou seemed completely taken off guard by that. "This nerd is your leader?!"

"Correct. And as the newest member of the Thieves, I have witnessed his resolve as our leader personally." Yusuke crossed his arms over his waist, turning his shoulder to Bakugou as he regarded him. "Whatever you might feel you know about him, we can all attest to his bravery and leadership."

Bakugou stared across the group in utter disbelief of what he was hearing. Izuku never had anyone stick up for him like this aside from Makoto, but his friends stared down the angry, explosive teen as a show of their support. He looked almost cornered, unsure how to answer after what he just heard. Izuku knew this would be his only chance to get a word in and had to strike.

"Kacchan. Our target right now is the leader of the Eight Precepts of Death, a yakuza group." Bakugou slowly pulled his gaze back to Izuku, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "They're supposedly committing petty crimes and robberies right now to fund themselves under the radar, but they're building to something much bigger. If we're going to take them down we… we need you to keep quiet about who we are."

"... Huh?" A vein popped on the dirty blond's forehead. "You're askin' me for a favor? To keep my mouth shut?"

"Yes. Please… lives are at stake, Kacchan." Izuku swallowed the gathered spit in his throat as he tried to persist. "A girl named Eri… supposedly the daughter of their leader. I met her a few days ago now, and… I think she's under terrible treatment. She asked for my help, but… but I had to let her go back with him."

"Yeah, and one of your student 'heroes' had to let her go with him!" Ryuji pointed out, causing Bakugou to raise a brow.

"The hell do you mean by that?"

"A provisional hero showed up… but all they did was give her back to her father." Izuku's fist tightened at his side. "He said that it wasn't the end of it, but… all I know is that terrified girl was going back to that monster. And he handed her right back to him."

"Couple that with their group being the likely culprit behind these Quirk Erasing bullets we've come upon, and you have the perfect target for the Phantom Thieves. We'll do what the heroes hesitate to do!" Morgana puffed his chest out as he hopped on the table next to everyone.

But Bakugou's attention seemed more taken by what Morgana said. "Quirk-Erasing bullets? Those assholes are behind them?"

"You know about them?" Makoto asked despite the glare he shot her way the moment she spoke.

"... Tch. It doesn't matter." Bakugou huffed, gritting his teeth and turning his back to them all. "If you losers wanna keep playing hero, I don't give a shit. I'll just have to show you all up when I become Number 1 Hero." But as relief started to come over the Thieves, Bakugou turned a malicious smile back at them. One specifically aimed at Makoto. "But. Don't think I'll keep my mouth shut for free."

Izuku felt his stomach churn, afraid to hear what Bakugou had in mind. "Okay… what do you want?"

"Yeah, what the heck can we even give you?" Ryuji scratched his head, looking at the others. "Not like we're rollin' in cash."

"I don't want your money!" Bakugou snapped before raising a hand and pointing a finger directly at Makoto. "I want to fight her. One on one."

Makoto's eyes became owlish for a moment before her brow furrowed. "I was wondering if it would come to that. But if that's what you want, I accept."

"Whoa, wait a sec-you're actually going to fight?!" Ann's head snapped between the two. "Why would you guys even fight in the first place?!"

"We've got a score to settle! Stay out of it!" Bakugou snapped at her, turning back to Makoto. "I hope all this work as a Phantom Thief has kept your strength up, quitter."

"You have no idea." Makoto raised her hands and cracked her knuckles. "So, are we doing this now? We'll have to find somewhere appropriate to do this. Don't want to get your squeaky clean record damaged, right?"

"H-Hey, is this really okay?" Ryuji asked, looking at Izuku. "Ain't there some other way to convince him?!"

"N-No… I don't think so…" Izuku answered honestly, looking at the others as sweat beaded down his cheek. "This goes a long way back with them. We… don't have any other choice but to let them fight."

"Damn straight. You want me to keep my mouth shut, this is the price." Bakugou snarled as his hands shook with anticipation. "But I can wait a day. Gotta find the perfect place for it or else I'll get shit." He looked at the others, scoffing at them. "You extras don't need to be there, but if you want to see me thrash this quitter, I'd be happy to have an audience!"

"Oh, we'll see just who's about to get thrashed, Baka-chan." Makoto stepped up to him, looking him dead in the eyes with fire burning in her gaze. "Tomorrow, then. We'll have your stupid fight."

"Good." Bakugou grinned like a villain. "We'll meet tomorrow at Shibuya Station. I know you losers go to the school near there. You better be ready to set the record straight, quitter."

Bakugou and Makoto continued to stare the other down until he reached the end of the alleyway. They watched his back as he continued down the sidewalk, waiting for him to be out of earshot.

"What the hell, that guy is a total asshole!" Ryuji blanched finally, looking at Makoto and Izuku. "How the hell was that guy your pal?!"

"It's… a long story. One we should probably talk about another time." Makoto sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Can we trust he'll keep his word and not inform the police?" Yusuke asked, voicing his doubts.

"Kacchan is a lot of things, but he's not a liar." Izuku said, scratching the back of his head as he looked at Makoto. "Are you okay? I didn't think he would single you out like that."

"I'm okay. I guess it's just the price I have to pay after how I left you guys." Makoto rubbed her elbow, frowning. "Still, if the only thing we need to do to keep him quiet is to fight him, I don't mind. He was pissing me off enough to make me want to fight him anyway."

"Well, you're definitely strong enough to handle anyone from what I've seen." Ann gave a half amused giggle before frowning. "Still, I guess we won't be diving into the Palace just yet, huh?"

"It doesn't seem like it. After all that happened, I think it's best if we wait until we have this sorted out before we go back in." Morgana suggested with a withered look. "The last thing we need is to be distracted while we're on the job."

Izuku frowned, frustration bubbling up in his stomach as they were set back by their trip up. But he knew Morgana was right. As he was, and likely the rest of the team, he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about what would happen with Bakugou. For now he would have to bear with their mistake.

"I guess… we'll just go home for the day." Izuku relented, looking at the others. "We'll meet again tomorrow before Koto-san meets with Kacchan."

"Damn it! Right when we were gettin' ready to take on a new Palace, this shit happens! What the hell?!" Ryuji raked the back of his head in frustration.

"Forget it. There's nothing we can do about it now. Once we've dealt with this guy, we'll be back to work." Ann tried to encourage him, though she sounded equally frustrated.

"That does beg the question; would you prefer us to come and watch this duel or would you like to keep it private?" Yusuke asked, turning to Makoto. "This does seem like a personal vendetta he has against you rather than our team. It seems only right to ask for your permission."

"It's… it's fine. You all should come. I think it's safer that way, since I'm planning to take him to Mementos for the duel." Makoto explained, looking around at them. "We'll probably need you guys to act as lookouts for Shadows while we hash things out."

"Why Mementos? That's kinda dangerous ain't it?" asked Ryuji.

"We'll keep it at the first level. I just want to go somewhere we won't have to worry about police or bystanders."

"Well, I guess it's not the worst option. But remember that we have to keep track of time. Too long on a single floor and we'll have to worry about the Mementos guardian." Morgana reminded her, his expression grave. "And trust me when I say that your friend will be the least of our problems if it shows up."

"Right…" Izuku remembered Morgana's warning from before about it and had no desire to test that out anytime soon. "Let's get going, then. No reason to stick around now."

The group begrudgingly turned around, heading for the train station. As Izuku walked forward, Makoto fell in line next to him, a small frown on her lips. "Can we talk, Midori?"

Izuku had an easy guess as to what this was about. He answered with a hesitant nod, and the two soon broke off from the others.

Makoto stirred her milkshake numbly, her and Midori having decided to relocate back to the diner in Shibuya. It had been a quiet trip back, and Makoto struggled to open up like she wanted. She felt compelled to be the more mature of the two and didn't want to put her issues on him. Even though they had agreed some time ago to try and rely on the other when in need.

"Koto-san…" Makoto drew her gaze up to Midori, somewhat glad to hear him speak up first. "Are you okay with all this? What happened with Kacchan today was…"

"No, I'm… I've been better, honestly." Makoto let her straw stick in her shake. "I didn't think that a reunion with Baka-chan would turn out quite like that, that's for sure. You weren't kidding when you said he wasn't happy to hear we met again."

"Yeah… Kacchan still hasn't let go of what happened." Midori lowered his head, eyes focused on the table. "I didn't think he would go looking for a fight like this, though."

"It doesn't surprise me. I did leave on a win, after all," Makoto tried to make light of their last fight, but the levity faded quickly as she frowned. "And… hearing him call me a quitter… it stung quite a bit."

"It wasn't your fault, though. After what happened to your father…" Midori hesitated to continue, looking at a loss for words.

"I thought that if I did as my sister asked, I would be able to fill the hole dad left in our family." Makoto's fist balled on top of the table. "But… all it did was leave me feeling empty."

"Koto-san…" Makoto met his eyes, seeing his concern. He likely wanted to say more to help, but he didn't realize how much he was by being here to listen.

"In a way, Baka-chan is right. I am a quitter." Makoto's fist loosened up on the table. "Becoming a hero was my dream. It was all of ours. But I let it slip away from me. I turned my back on it for a false sense of happiness with Big Sis."

"... But you didn't quit." Makoto blinked, eyes meeting his. "You're doing your best as a Phantom Thief like the rest of us. You've still become a hero!"

Makoto opened her mouth to deny it, but hesitated. She hadn't thought of it that way. After all, what were her and Midori doing? They had taken down a fake artist and were now trying to put a stop to the criminal activities of a yakuza group. And saving a young girl in the process.

Makoto felt a small smile form on her lips. "Heh. I guess you're right. Even if we're on the wrong side of the law, we are still heroes."

"That's right. No matter what Kacchan or other people think, we know what we're fighting for." Midori clenched his fist in front of his chest. "So let's not doubt ourselves now and keep pushing on!"

Makoto observed Midori's confident smile and determined eyes. The young boy she used to protect and fret over had almost vanished before her eyes. She was now looking at a young man she could rely on.

And for a brief moment, she felt a flash of admiration for him and… something else. An emotion she couldn't identify nor ever associated with Midori before. Her face felt warm, and she felt herself fluster up a bit. She beat the feeling back, shutting her eyes before opening them. The feeling faded, and Midori was that young boy again. But thankfully, it didn't erase the motivation he had given her.

"You're right. Sorry if I sounded doubtful for a second there. I won't let what he said get to me." Makoto pushed her bangs out of her face, giving a more appreciative smile. "Thanks, Midori. I guess I needed a little reminder."

"Of course! I'm glad I was able to help."

Makoto didn't realize it at that moment, but their bond had become stronger.

"Still, one step at a time. First thing's first, I'm going to have to beat some manners back into Baka-chan. Just like old times," Makoto let a proud smile spread across her face, eliciting a small laugh from Izuku.

"I guess you did leave with the record in your favor. Though you can't underestimate Kacchan. He has been getting trained in U.A.'s hero course." Midori reminded her.

"True. I'm sure he's been through quite a bit of his own training." Makoto held her arm up though, flexing her toned biceps. "Still, I'm representing the Phantom Thieves. I'm not going to lose!"

"Do us proud, Koto-san!" Midori gave a supportive smile, but after a moment it faded into a thoughtful frown.

"What is it?"

"It's… nothing, just… the last time I saw Kacchan, he just seemed… different." Midori Looked back up at her. "He was quiet. Almost calm… well, for him at least. It kind of… reminded me of the first time you beat him. And for a little bit after you left."

Makoto raised a brow, recalling Bakugou's short period of aloofness. She had beaten him in a one on one fight after he picked on Midori, and she recalled seeing him several times after. He didn't run away or cower from her, he was just reserved and quiet. It wasn't until he challenged her again that she saw that same bombastic attitude come back.

"Is that so? I wonder what could have happened." Makoto held the tip of her chin between her fingers. "Well, if he's at U.A., there is a chance that he lost in a fight to someone. Baka-chan is talented as we know, but that doesn't mean he didn't run into someone better than him at the moment."

"Yeah… I thought of that too. I hope he's doing alright…" Makoto almost laughed when she heard him say that.

"Even when he's put you through hell, you're still concerned for Baka-chan. Same old Midori," she smiled, shaking her head. "Well, I wouldn't worry too much. Even when Baka-chan is down, he's never out for long. It's one of the few annoyingly admirable things about him." Makoto offered in comfort.

Midori still looked concerned, but gave a slow nod in acceptance. "Yeah, I guess you're right…" he suddenly stiffened though, his jaw clenching. "Oh no…"

"What is it?"

"I hadn't thought about it earlier, but…" Midori slowly looked back up at her, eyes wide as plates. "Since Kacchan went into the Palace with us… he's probably got the app on his phone."

Makoto frowned. Midori was right. She hoped that he wouldn't make the discovery for himself, or things could get more difficult than they already were.

"Hello, Trickster. How goes your rehabilitation?" Was the familiar greeting that Izuku heard as the prison of his heart came into view.

"It's… going well, I guess." Izuku wasn't sure how to start things off, gripping the bars tensely. "I have a favor to ask if it's possible."

"Oh? Am I to correctly guess that it has to do with your most recent visitor to the Metaverse?" Nothing seemed to get past Igor.

"How careless of you, inmate. You really messed up this time, huh?" Caroline taunted as she sneered up at him.

"Your rehabilitation could face a setback if this is handled poorly, inmate. I hope you're aware of the consequences." Justine was no more sympathetic, her golden eye peering into his with disdain.

"I-I know. I was so focused on the Palace, I didn't make sure we were clear." Izuku owned up, looking away from the twins to look back at Igor. "But you said you're the one who gave the Metanav to us, right?"

"Correct. And it is now on your estranged friend's phone as well."

"That's what I thought." Izuku sighed, his lips falling into a frown. "Is it possible for you to take it off?"

"Oh? You wish to revoke my gift from your friend?" Igor leaned on the table with his hands linked in front of him.

"How dare you try to take back what our master has given, inmate! You've got some nerve!" Caroline stomped, glaring up at Izuku.

"Please, it's for his own safety!" Izuku pleaded, sweat trailing down his jaw. "If Kacchan was to go to the Metaverse on his own, I don't know what could happen."

"Oh? Are you not concerned that he might use it to make the authorities aware of your activities?" Igor asked, apparently curious.

"No. I… I don't believe Kacchan would rat us out like that. It's not something he would do." Izuku shook his head. "But I could see him using it for other reasons. And I don't want him to get hurt if he does."

Igor gave a dark chuckle in response. "I see. So you wish to revoke it out of concern? An admirable notion. However, the gift I have given cannot be withdrawn."

"Wh-What? Why not?!" Izuku tensed up in panic.

"I have granted this tool to those who may help you along your journey. I believe this may become beneficial to your growth. When obstacles are placed in your path, it is up to you, Trickster, to circumvent them."

"B-But I…"

"You heard him, inmate! You're going to have to deal with your friend yourself!" Caroline gave his cell a solid thwack, causing Izuku to wince.

"If that is all you had to ask, it is best if you take your leave inmate." said Justine.

Izuku opened his mouth, hoping he could persuade them to change their minds. But he had nothing to offer, and it seemed Igor was set on leaving things be. Izuku let out a sigh in defeat, silently hanging his head as he left the Velvet Room.

"What the hell…?"

Bakugou couldn't help but observe the dreary landscape of Mementos as he followed Deku and his friends. They offered the place up as a secure location for them to fight. He hadn't realized they would be going back into the strange world he briefly bore witness to the day prior, but so long as it let him cut loose, Bakugou wouldn't complain.

He was ecstatic in fact.

Good. Bakugou grinned as he watched the quitter's back. No losers can get in our way here.

"Now, remember. Your fight has to have a time limit. If we stay on the same floor for too long, we run a huge risk of encountering Mementos' guardian." Bakugou scoffed at the cat's reminder.

"Yeah, yeah! You don't have to tell me twice!" Bakugou sneered. "I won't need that long."

"Oh? Planning to grovel and ask me to stop, Baka-chan?" Bakugou felt a vein pop on his forehead as the quitter sent a sideways smirk his way.

"What was that, quitter?! I'll bury you before you know it!" he snarled back.

"Chill out, would you?! You're gonna be fightin' in just a sec." Fake-blondie got in his way. Bakugou let out a grunt in irritation, but kept himself under control.

Yeah. I'm about to rip her apart anyway. Bakugou cracked his neck as his shoulders tingled with anticipation. I'll show you who the real loser is, quitter. I'll beat you and all those bastards in my way!

"Here should be good." The cat brought them to a halt. Bakugou spared a look around, and it was like they were standing on an empty train platform. Just on the other side of the wall, Bakugou spotted what looked like a group of people getting onto a train that soon took off. "Don't worry, the trains don't come on these tracks."

"Tch. Whatever." Bakugou focused on the platform that would act as their battleground. It was wide open and only had two entrances, the exit they came from and the forward gate that led to a winding tunnel he couldn't see too far down into.

"We'll keep an eye out for Shadows." Deku grated his ears with his concern, looking back at him and the quitter. Bakugou expected some words of empty encouragement, but he instead left in silence.

Good. Keep it to yourself, nerd. Bakugou swung his arms around to stretch his muscles, grinning as he watched the quitter walk to the opposite side of the platform while her friends stood off to the side."You're gonna wish I never saw you again, quitter."

"I already am, Baka-chan." he scoffed at her answer, watching as she stomped her foot into the ground, assuming what was a familiar battle stance to him. It was almost nostalgic, despite the road warrior costume the quitter was donning. "You better keep your promise."

"Yeah, yeah! Like I give a shit about whatever you losers are doing. All I care about is settling the score." It was almost insulting that she thought he was lying. But he honestly didn't care either way.

"To keep things fair, I will referee this contest. You will start on my go." Bakugou snapped his head toward Fox-Face. "Makoto has agreed not to use her Persona or weapons, and will be restricted solely to her fists and Quirk."

Bakugou narrowed his eyes. "The hell does that mean? You underestimating me?!" Bakugou snapped his head toward the quitter.

"You don't have a Persona. It would be unfair. Besides," The cocky smirk on her face was making him shake in anticipation. "Who says I need it?"

Bakugou gnashed his teeth hard enough to break most jaws. "We'll fuckin' see about that…"

"Ready…" The short delay fox-face put in felt like an eternity for Bakugou.

"Begin!"

(My Hero Academia OST: Spear and Shield Match)

Bakugou blasted the air behind him, sending him sailing forward at the quitter as he reared his right arm back. "DIE!"

But she stepped into him at the last second. Or rather, just slightly to his left. She perfectly timed his approach and anticipated he would start with his right hand. Baukugou's eyes bugged out of his head as he felt her hands grip into his forearm and shoulder, using his weight against him to flip him over her shoulder.

Shit! Bakugou felt the air rush out of his chest as she slammed him into the concrete floor, spit coughing out of his mouth.

He got too caught up in the moment, and led with one of his most practiced starters. Something the quitter was well practiced in anticipating. It had been long enough that Bakugou had forgotten that she knew some of his signature moves and knew exactly how to counter.

I got too damn excited! Bakugou cursed himself, watching as she attempted to end the fight by slamming her fist down. But Bakugou had long since practiced getting out of that bad position, launching himself backward through the air to avoid the blow with a quick double explosion. He rolled back, shoes scraping against the concrete.

"Get him, Queen!"

"Hell yeah! Show him what the Phantom Thieves are made of!"

Bakugou sent a scathing glare towards twin-tails and fake-blondie. "Eat shit!" They answered by sticking their tongues out and pulling their eyelids down.

Damn extras! The fuck do they know?! Bakugou turned his heated gaze back to his opponent, eyes trembling with fury. She's the one who quit!

Bakugou rocketed forward once again, the quitter dashing his way with an arm reared back. But it was his turn to recognize one of her moves. She's gonna feint with a left and throw a right hook!

But Bakugou reminded himself that she caught him in his old habits. She's faking hers! Bakugou skidded his feet across the ground to stop himself short and just barely leaned back out of the reach of her right cross, the blow grazing his cheek. But it was certainly enough to make him stagger, and he soon realized that her arm was already converted into steel.

"Tch!" Bakugou massaged his jaw as he took a brief pause, examining the quitter's skin. It had the dull sheen of tarnished steel across her face. Looking down revealed her gloves discarded at her feet He made the easy guess that she absorbed the steel from one of the tracks nearby. It didn't deter him of course, but he was more wary of close combat. It was clear to him that she hadn't lost a step.

Her time limit when we were kids was two minutes, but I doubt it's still that short. Bakugou burst forth, refusing to give her any time to rest. I'll wear her down 'til she breaks!

Makoto moved to meet him, her fist reared back again. But Bakugou wouldn't make himself an easy target. Don't think I didn't learn anything new, moron!

This time, Bakugou changed his trajectory in a split second, blasting the ground beneath him as he flew forward so that he completely evaded her by flying overhead. He followed up with a quick blast to her back, causing the quitter to stumble forward.

"Ack!" She cried out but stayed on her feet, quickly spinning on the ball of her feet to face him. That's right, loser! Don't you dare look down on me!

Bakugou propelled himself forward again, not wanting to stop the pressure. Don't think you can-

His thoughts were brought to an abrupt stop when Makoto sent a fist flying at him, her arm stretching like rubber. He cursed, avoiding a blow to the head by ducking it. But what he didn't expect was for her extended arm to retract like a fishing line and catch his shoulder before he could stop it.

"HYAH!" Bakugou raised his arms to block his face as Makoto dragged him into the ground. As his skin scraped against concrete, Bakugou snarled in pain. Not wanting to let her drag him further, he raised a hand to her arm and blasted it with an explosion powerful enough to send waves of throbbing pain down his arms and shoulders.

It did the job though, the quitter letting out a cry as she let go of him and retracted her arm back. Bakugou heaved for air as he climbed to his feet, staring daggers back at the older teen. She was nursing the arm that he blasted, a single eye closed as she winced in pain.

This damn quitter…

Bakugou took a step forward, forearms scraped and back stiff.

She keeps looking down on me.

"Hurry up and die already!" Bakugou flew forward with a barrage of explosions. The quitter moved to do the same, fists tightened as she dashed.

Her! Deku! Fake Glasses! Half and Half Bastard!

Bakugou didn't dodge this time as he traded blows with her, an explosion engulfing her body while a metal fist rang his head like a school bell. He stumbled back but stayed on his feet, vision becoming blurry for a moment. But just in the nick of time, his vision steadied to see her running at him again, arm once again extending for a long punch. But this time, as weaved out of the way, he made sure to close the distance so that she couldn't catch him like before, blasting at her midsection with another blast.

He could see her wincing in pain. Her defenses were weakening and her absorption wasn't going to last much longer. Bakugou grinned, turning to blast her with another, but he was met with a steel foot to the stomach, knocking the air out of him again as he was thrown several feet backward. He nearly fell to one knee, but urged his body to stay standing.

I'm not going down!

Bakugou eyed her with disdain, the quitter brushing off her ribs as she stared him dead in the eyes.

I'll show her. Her and everyone else that I'm the best!

"Pathetic."

Bakugou felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Just hearing that struck a chord, pulling him right out of his concentration. He spun around furiously, teeth bared. "Who the hell said-"

The words died in his throat, his arms slowly falling at his sides.

Standing there, right in front of him, was himself. But looking upon him now, Bakugou noticed that his eyes were a brilliant gold and his expression was sullen. He hugged his arms like a weakling, hunched over in place.

"What the hell..?" Bakugou grit his teeth, looking around at Deku's friends. "Hey! Which one of you is pulling something?!"

"That's not us! But that's…" Fake-Blondie's words trailed off.

"That's your Shadow." The cat finally answered, causing Bakugou to raise a brow. "That's your inner self."

Bakugou quirked a brow, snapping his head back to his supposed other. Why did he look so weak? So pathetic?

"Look at you. Trying to make yourself feel better after getting embarrassed time and time again." Golden eyes peered into his as it straightened up. "You think beating her will put you back on top? How desperate can you be?"

Bakugou's entire being shuddered as his breath hitched in his voice. The Shadow's words twisted his guts like nothing else. It was like this other self was peering directly into his soul and reading it like a book.

"Get back, Kacchan!"

He hadn't realized they had moved, but Deku and his friends had gathered around him with weapons in hand. "Don't listen to what it's saying! We don't know what could happen!"

Bakugou stared at Deku's back. That same, weak, Deku, the pebble he'd long since kicked aside, was trying to protect him?

"Deku's eyes always pissed you off. Hated his guts for believing what Makoto used to tell him even after she left." His Shadow gave him an all too familiar snide grin. "And now look. Here he is, still looking down on you… protecting you because you're too weak to protect yourself. Guess we know who the real loser is after all, huh?" The Shadow started to chuckle, only for it to slowly rose into booming laughter that echoed down the walls of the subway.

What the hell?

Bakugou's shoulders trembled. His vision blurred. The stupid voice that was and wasn't his was rattling something in his soul.

This thing…

"What the hell…" Bakugou clenched his jaw as he hunched forward. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW?!"

"Kacchan, don-"

Bakugou didn't give Deku a chance to stop him, blasting the air behind him and rocketing past him and his friends. He reeled his arm back and let out a painstricken roar before unleashing a blast at the supposed Shadow.

But he didn't expect it to retort. It blasted the ground beneath it and avoided his attack. And just as Bakugou looked up to try and catch it, the Shadow's palm was already in his face. A concussive blast soon followed, and Bakugou found himself slamming back into the concrete with a vicious thud.

Bakugou slowly raised his head to look up at the Shadow. It stood above him, looking down in contempt. "Was that enough to convince you? Can you see it now? I am you."

Bakugou grit his teeth as the Shadow let out an exaggerated sigh.

"And you're just pathetic."

Something snapped inside Bakugou and he started to see red again. With a roar, he raised his arms and unleashed an explosion that made his arms feel like pincushions. The dark, sooty cloud left in its wake enveloped the train station exit. Bakugou sucked in ragged breaths, arms shaking as he kept them extended.

"Was the truth too much? Figures."

Bakugou's shoulders stiffened, watching the smoke clear only to find the Shadow several meters back, out of the blast radius of his attack.

"Hey! Get back here, bastard!" Bakugou snarled as he attempted to climb to his feet.

*CLINK*

The rattling of chains echoed through the air, loud enough that Bakugou couldn't help but hesitate. Every one of the dimly glowing white lights lining the ceiling flashed red and the air stretched around like a mirage in a desert.

"Oh no, we've been here too long!" The cat said, making Bakugou snap his head back to Deku and his friends. "We've got to go, time's up!"

"Screw you! I'm gonna destroy that damn thing first!" Bakugou spat, turning back around to look at his supposed Shadow. It gave him a half-amused smile despite its dejected stance before turning around and heading down the train tracks. "Hey! Get back here, damn it!"

"Kacchan, we can't stay here!" Bakugou pulled against the hands that grappled his shoulders, dragging them forward. "You'll be in danger!"

"Screw off! I don't need you all telling me where I can and can't go!" Bakugou growled as he wrested himself from their grasp, getting enough space between them to hit the ground with an explosion to keep them back. He snapped his head back around and blasted forward, giving chase.

"I can't let you!"

Bakugou wasn't expecting a giant hand to wrap around his waist, eyes bulging in shock. He struggled to break free, looking back to see Deku's so-called Persona holding him back.

"Let go of me, Deku! I'll kill you!" Bakugou blasted at the Persona's face to try and get it off, but to his shock it looked unfazed by his attempt.

"I'm sorry, Kacchan. But we're leaving!" Bakugou snapped his gaze to Deku, hoping to make him submit with a death glare. But he was met with a stalwart gaze that left no room to argue. It made the explosive teen's blood boil, both Deku's defiance and Bakugou's inability to stop him.

"Look at that." Bakugou felt his ears burn when he heard the Shadow's voice. "You really are too weak to stop Deku."

Bakugou twisted back around, howling out furiously, "COME AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE, BASTARD! I'LL TEAR YOU APART!"

But try as he might, Bakugou couldn't break free from the Persona's grip, and could only snarl and claw as he was dragged from Mementos.

Izuku breathed deeply as the world around them melted back into the reality they knew. Kacchan was on the ground, trembling with fury as he stayed on his hands and knees, staring at the subway entrance. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Izuku dared to speak first.

"Kaccha-"

"What the hell was that, DEKU?!" Izuku recoiled with how fast Kacchan turned on him, hand grabbing his shirt as he stood up. "Who do you think you are, getting in my way?!"

"Hey, back off!" Makoto shoved Kacchan back, standing between the two with Ryuji taking up the other side. "He did that for your safety!"

"Yeah, chill out, asshole! You woulda got yourself hurt or worse if you stayed there!" Ryuji snapped, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What do you morons know?! I was going to squash that damn thing!" Kacchan snarled, eyes scanning across Izuku's friends. He wanted to step up and try to stop them, but at this point Ann and Yusuke were now next to Ryuji and Makoto as if forming a wall.

"That thing was your Shadow! If you had hurt it or worse, destroyed it, it would have had terrible consequences on your own mental state!" Morgana spoke up, the cat at the feet of the others in front of him. "You could have caused your own mental shutdown! Not to mention the Reaper could have killed you before that!"

"That thing wasn't me! Don't you dare say otherwise!" Kacchan pointed a finger at the cat.

"Maybe you don't know yourself as well as you think you do?" Ann scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You should really take a good look at the mirror."

"Indeed. Denying your own feelings will only burden you in the long run." Yusuke declared. Bakugou's eyes bugged out of his head when he heard that, staring at Yusuke in utter disbelief. "A Shadow may be twisted, but it is still a part of you. If you truly wish to improve yourself, you should heed its words."

Bakugou stood there, speechless. That scared Izuku more than anything. "You think what it said was true..?" He muttered as his hands shook at his side.

"Hey! What are you kids doing?!" Izuku's attention snapped over to see a truancy officer approaching them, arms crossed over his chest. "What's all the ruckus?!"

"A-Ah! Sorry, officer! We were just having an argument," Makoto spoke up for the rest of them.

"Well, try to control yourselves. You should all get home before this argument gets out of control." The officer huffed. Izuku spared a look around, now taking notice of all the passive stares they were getting from the people around them. He looked back at Kacchan, only to find the explosive teen walking away from them already, hunched over and trembling with anger.

"Kacchan…" Izuku muttered, unsure what to make of the situation. They heard some rather bizarre things from his Shadow, and he had no idea what to make of it. I knew Kacchan looked down on me for believing her, but… it seemed like more than that...

"Well, as long as that's the end of it, I'll be on my way. The rest of you should do the same," the officer brought Izuku out of his musings, tipping his hat before walking away. Izuku, and visibly the others, relaxed somewhat when the officer left.

"Man, that was some weird shit we saw," Ryuji was the first to speak up, the group forming a circle. "I didn't think we'd run into that guy's Shadow like that."

"Well, Mementos is the home to all Shadows. I hadn't thought about it, but it certainly was within the realm of possibility." Morgana sat on the ground, looking down in thought.

"All those things it said… are Shadows always like that?" Ann asked, looking at the cat. "I didn't think it would attack him so personally if it was."

"It was strange. I would have thought a Shadow would be more defensive of their real self. But it seemed quite the opposite. Antagonistic, even." Yusuke pointed out, stroking his chin.

"Tch. Guy gets so bad around people, he'll literally fight himself!" Ryuji huffed, scratching his head furiously. "I don't know what to make of all this…"

"Well, at least we did what he asked. Baka-chan will likely come looking for a fight again, but… after that, I'm not sure if he'll be so quick to do it." Makoto sighed, rubbing her arm.

"Are you feeling alright? You and Kacchan really went at it…" Izuku asked in concern.

"I'm okay. Morgana healed the both of us before we left."

"Thank goodness…" Izuku breathed out, putting a hand on his stomach. Still… I don't know how to feel about how this ended… He certainly had a few questions of his own left from Bakugou's Shadow. But it was unlikely that they were going to get any answers.

Looking up at the others, Izuku reminded himself of their original goal. "Well… I think we won't have to worry about Kacchan for a little, at least. Starting tomorrow, we should focus back on going to the Palace. We'll call it a day from here and regroup tomorrow."

"Right. Regardless of this bump, we still have a mission." Morgana supported his decision. "It's time we got back on track."

"Right." The others agreed, walking together now toward their transfers. Izuku hesitated a moment, eyes drifting to where Bakugou had stormed off to. He heard just as loud as the others what his Shadow had to say, and it made him question just what Bakugou was going through.

Maybe when this is over… we can help Kacchan figure it out.

Everything that thing said was bullshit.

Bakugou shoveled his food into his mouth, his mother having prepared a generous bowl of teriyaki chicken and rice for him. He had taken her food without a word and marched up to his room, in no mood to say anything to his mother. The only thing he wanted was to fight that Shadow.

Weaker than Deku?! What kind of bullshit was that thing spewing?!

Bakugou raised the bowl up so he could shovel the remainder of his dinner into his mouth before slamming the bowl back down on his desk. It was only because it was a plastic bowl that it hadn't cracked on impact.

He hunched over in his chair, hands on his knees as he stared directly into his vanity mirror, his own face looking back at him. "What horseshit… None of that shit was true!"

"Katsuki! What are you screaming about?!"

Bakugou clicked his tongue when he heard his mother's voice, looking over his shoulder to answer back. "Nothing, old hag! Can it!"

"Can it, brat! You'll wake up the neighbors!"

"Bitch…" Bakugou snarled silently, dragging his gaze back to the mirror in front of him.

But as he looked into his reflection, what he saw wasn't a mirror image of himself. It was the yellow eyed image of him. The same hunched over, dejected looking being that dared associate itself with him.

Bakugou stared with owlish eyes, standing from his seat. "The hell…"

"You'll never be good enough."

Bakugou's entire being shook, his fingers curling as those words whispered into his ears. He blinked to clear his eyes, and as quick as it appeared, the thing disappeared. Bakugou looked at his reflection, the red irises staring back confirming that it was indeed just his reflection.

What was that? Bakugou leaned forward on his desk, fingernails digging into the wood. And what does it mean 'good enough'?!

Bakugou felt his blood pulsing in his wrists as the muscles in his arms tightened. "DAMN THAT THING! I'LL BLOW IT AWAY WHEN I GET THE CHANCE!" He stood from his chair, screaming at the top of his lungs. His chest rose and fell as he heaved for air.

"I'm going back to that place." he growled, eyes looking back up into the mirror. But just saying so didn't make it so easy. "Shit. But that means I'll have to go to Deku and his damn friends…"

Bakugou couldn't allow himself to do that, cursing silently as he tried to think back. They used a phone app to get us there. How the hell does that work? Bakugou doubted the possibility, but he drew out his phone to take a look. As he opened it, he heard a tone he didn't recognize, causing him to raise a brow. An app materialized at the center of his screen, a strange red icon with an eye in the center. Bakugou stared for a moment longer before a dark grin began to spread across his lips.

"Man, talk about a messy start before a Palace." Ryuji huffed, leaning back against the station railing.

"It has been a bit complicated. We haven't even seen what the Palace looks like yet." Makoto let out a half amused chuckle.

"Well, once Yusuke gets here, we can finally do our thing. That Bakugou guy can be a problem for another day." Ann encouraged, leaning on the railing next to Ryuji.

"Yeah…" Izuku mumbled. But his mind was elsewhere, his arms crossed..

"Come on, man. Stop thinkin' about that guy. I know you were pals and all, but… he's kind of a dick."

"A-Ah, sorry! It's just…" Izuku apologized, looking to the side.

"Still thinking about what his Shadow said?" Makoto guessed easily, giving a half smile. "I get it. The relationship you guys had was complicated for sure, but… there was a time when we were able to get along, more or less. Friendly even, if competitive."

"Yeah…" Izuku nodded, looking back at her with wistful eyes. "I've never been able to say everything I've wanted to him, but… I'd like to go back to that."

"You guys haven't said much about what happened between the three of you," Morgana pointed out, poking his head out of Izuku's bag. "How come he's like this?"

Makoto bristled at the question and Izuku was hesitant to answer, even as Ann and Ryuji joined in the cat's curiosity.

"Sorry for running late." But before they could get their answer, Yusuke arrived, walking up and joining them. "I hope you all didn't wait too long."

"Nah, it's fine. We were just talkin' about their asshole friend is all." Ryuji pushed off the rail. "Well, we'll talk about that later. We ready to go now?"

"Ah, speaking of your friend, I saw him on my way here." The entire group paused, looking at Yusuke with wide eyes. "I didn't speak with him, but I saw him passing through the station."

They all looked at one another, an uneasy feeling rising in all of them.

"What's he doin' here? His line shouldn'ta come through Shibuya, right?" Ryuji asked, clearly concerned.

"W-Well, maybe his transfer got blocked? The trains have still been having problems, after all." Ann suggested hopefully.

"Wait… I see him!" The group looked at Makoto who stood by the railing and looked through the glass overlooking the station square. The others quickly joined her, all following where she pointed. Bakugou was standing at the station tunnel, glaring intently at his phone.

"Oh no…" Izuku swallowed hard as dread filled him. "Please tell me he isn't…"

"Isn't what?" Ann looked at him in concern.

"We think he might have gotten the app on his phone the first time we took him to the Palace. If that's true…" Makoto surmised for them, causing the others to tense up.

"You don't think he's tryin' to…" Ryuji suddenly became worried, looking at Bakugou's back.

"M-Maybe he's just trying to find his transfer? I mean, it is a pretty big station…" Ann suggested hopefully. That was dashed away immediately when Bakugou's entire body faded out of existence.

"He's gone." Yusuke so eloquently put.

"That moron! What does he think he's doing?!" Morgana cursed in frustration. Before the others could say anything, Izuku was already beginning to sprint down the hallway.

Damn it, Kacchan! What are you thinking?!

Where is that damn thing?!

"DIE!" Bakugou blew away another one of the Shadows that formed in his path, gritting his teeth as he landed on his feet. These creatures seemed to only get stranger and stranger the more he encountered them. Bakugou had done his best to avoid the majority of them with his single target in mind, but some fights had come before he could stop them.

What a pain in the ass! Bakugou huffed as he spared a look around, searching for his next path. He stood at a crossway with three different routes to take, each one making his search all the more aggravating. He drew out his phone to look at the map. It didn't give much indication as to where to go, or even an outline of the floor he was on.

How the hell do Deku and his stupid friends even navigate this place?! He snarled, stuffing his phone away. Before he could choose a path, he heard the towering steps of a Shadow approaching from the left route, causing him to curse and finally choose. He went to the path just ahead of him, propelling himself forward again.

I'll find that damn thing! I'm not leaving until I do!

He could still hear it. The whispers from their exchange. The taunting look on its face. On his face as it spoke utter lies.

I'll silence that thing for good! The thought of it alone made his head pound. He needed to find it already and put it out of its misery.

"Looking for me?"

Bakugou stopped mid-flight, shoes skidding across the ground as he snapped his head to the left. The Shadow stood at the side by another pathway, watching him with that same, disgustingly weak disposition that did nothing to match his image. Just seeing its pathetic form made his blood boil.

"That's right! Thanks for comin' out so I can blow you away!" Bakugou grinned ear to ear, fingers curling as explosions set off in his hands. "You'll eat the shit you were spewing yesterday bastard."

"Still don't buy that I'm you, huh?" The Shadow's low chuckle just served to further piss him off. "Doesn't surprise me. Well, if you're that desperate, I guess you can try me. Come on."

The Shadow turned around, heading into the pathway it stood by. "Hey! Get back here, bastard!" Bakugou blasted himself forward, closing the distance between himself and the dark corridor. As he turned the corner, he could see the thing just ahead of him, cornered in a cut off alley. He grinned. It was a dead end. There was no escaping him now!

But as he rocketed toward his quarry, a pile of black ooze erupted from the ground in front of him, forcing him to hit the brakes by throwing two explosions in front of him. Two creatures sprouted from the muck, the first being the familiar red demon he had fought on his first trip to the cognitive world, while the other was unknown to him. It stood just as tall as the other, and held a massive double-sided club. Its skin resembled tiger's fur that had been dumped in purple dye. Its craggy face had a sunken hole where its mouth should be, draped on either side by a mop of long, oily black hair..

"Tch! More of you bastards…" Bakugou glared past them at the Shadow, the golden eyed copy of him watching with a bored expression. "I'll tear these assholes apart to get to you!"

It only remained silent, ever watching with its absent expression. It just pissed Bakugou off more, causing him to spring into action. "DIE!" He performed a double explosion to the faces of the demons in his way before quickly launching himself up to get over their heads. He knew that it wouldn't be the end of it, and decided to target what weak spots he could find.

These big bastards won't be able to touch me!

The red Shadow was the first to move, spinning like a wild dervish to catch him on its double-ended blade. But Bakugou was quick to react, blasting the air above him to propel himself toward the ground. He took aim with his other hand directly at its knee, letting out a vicious explosion. These things were essentially false beings, so he saw no reason to hold back.

The Shadow groaned in pain, its leg giving out under it and falling to one knee. Bakugou wanted to follow up, but kept the other large Shadow in mind. It swung its club down to crush him underneath, but the hero-in-training was already on the move.

"You assholes think you can touch me?!" Bakugou grinned from ear to ear, propelling himself toward the purple one this time. "I'm gonna eat assholes like you for breakfast when I'm Number 1!"

He unleashed a concussive blast directly to its face. These things can take damage, alright. Gotta keep them off balance! Don't give them a second to-

"Hard to become Number 1 when you're so weak."

Bakugou's attention was swiftly taken away, eyes darting back to the thing with his face. Standing there, taunting him. He momentarily forgot the enemies in front of him, and let out an aggravated snarl.

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S WEAK!" Bakugou blasted away from the Shadows and directly for the thing. He cocked an arm back, ready to blow it to kingdom come. All while it stared at him with that same blank expression.

You keep looking at me with those DAMN EYES! Bakugou's hands sparked as they prepared to unleash a muscle stinging explosion. I'm TIRED of them all looking at me like that!

"Moron."

Bakugou didn't have time to retaliate to the taunt as something ice cold crashed into his back. He sent hurtling to the ground, rolling across the gravel until he slammed into a wall..

"Shit…" He cursed, pushing weakly off the ground to stand up. But as he struggled, a foot smashed him back down, the weight of the Shadow crushing him against the ground.

"You're not looking much like the Number 1 hero from down there." Bakugou coughed as he strained to look up, that thing with his face crouching in front of him. "You're where you belong. Below everyone else."

"Fuck… you…" Bakugou snapped, raising his hand to try and blast the thing away. But it stepped on his hand, causing him to grunt in pain. "Gah!"

"KACCHAN!"

Bakugou's eyes bugged out of his head, but he was unable to look back. "Deku..?"

"Right on time." The thing said, standing up to look past Bakugou. Treating him like an afterthought.

"Get… outta here… Deku…" Bakugou coughed out.

Don't look at me…

"Izuku! Makoto! You're just in time!" It ground its heel into Bakugou's hand. "Just in time to see how pathetic I really am."

Bakugou felt his eyes well up, unable to fight the angry tears that were beginning to form. He could feel their eyes already. The disgust. The pity. Looking down at him like all the others.

He fought as hard as he could to stand, but the weight pressed him back down.

"Now you all can see how weak I really am. Past all the screaming and fighting, I'm still the same as always. I've never changed." The sneer on its face burned an even deeper hole into Bakugou's gut. "Still just trying to cover up all his doubt."

"Don't! If you kill him, you'll die too!" Bakugou could hear it, the damn quitter's pity. Just how low had he fallen?

"Better than living this pathetic existence, isn't it?" The thing continued on, once again crouching in front of him. Bakugou felt the Shadow pinning him begin to stir, the club it held inching toward his head.

"If you're Kacchan's Shadow, I know you don't believe that!" What did Deku think he knew? This thing couldn't be him!

"Just get out of here you damn… nerd…" Bakugou coughed as his lungs were being crushed from the weight on his back.

"He can't even accept your help when he obviously needs it. Isn't that stupid?" It grabbed his hair, pulling his head up to force their eyes to meet. "All that pride holding him up. Only for it to collapse under him. And now, here you are, eating the pavement."

Bakugou clenched his jaw, smacking its hand away from his head. It was the only resistance he could muster up from where he lay. "I'll rip you… apart damn it…"

"Let him go! Hurting your true self won't do anything!"

Damn it, quitter! I don't need your damn sympathy! Bakugou's hand balled into a fist as he grunted in pain.

"Listen to them beg for you. Because you won't even allow yourself to ask for help. It really is pitiful," the thing scoffed, once again pulling its attention back to Deku and the quitter. "Since this is his last goodbye, why don't you two say some last words? Tell him how you really feel. Tell him why you always had your eyes on his back."

"We won't let you!" Bakugou heard the sound of chains cracking, but the pressure on his back only intensified, forcing him to let out a scream of agony.

"You can't save him. Not this time." It said, golden eyes glaring past him. "So just say it. Tell him the truth! Before he goes and dies already."

"Like hell… I'll die like…" No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move. Couldn't get off an explosion that could mean anything. But he couldn't give up. He wouldn't.

But doubt lingered in his mind. And as he struggled to even breathe, he finally thought;

Is this really it?

"Kacchan…" Bakugou's diminishing hope came to a brief pause when he heard Deku's voice. "I… I always followed you. Always chased after you because… you're one of the most amazing people I've ever met!"

Bakugou's body stilled and his eyes widened like plates. Huh?

"We both admire All Might. We both looked up to him. But since I could only admire him from afar… I admired the person right in front of me!"

What… is he saying? Bakugou severely struggled, but he forced himself to look back. Looking just past the Shadow's leg, he could see Deku. The nerd stood there with his mask drawn off and his jaw clenched.

And for the first time in a long time, he felt like he could understand what he was saying.

That nerd… he…

"For everything I hated about you, I also saw all the amazing things you did that I never could." Deku continued, looking almost nostalgic. "Even now, I'm still jealous. So no matter much you tried to bully me and push me away, I always respected your drive to win!"

"I hated you when we first met." Bakugou pulled his gaze away from Deku to the quitter, who stood next to him with a hand over her chest. "But as we fought, I understood what he saw in you. Why he looked up to you no matter how much you pushed him away." she pulled her own mask off, revealing the vulnerability in her expression.

"But after I left, you had no one to compare yourself to. A friend to support you at your lowest. A rival to challenge you at your best. That's why I tried to get you both to become real friends! Because you'd only improve with the other around!"

"No one wants to win more than you. No one wants to be a hero more than you. Everything you did to make your dreams a reality was an inspiration to me!" Tears pooled at the edges of Deku's eyes. "So don't give up now! Get up, Kacchan!"

Bakugou's jaw hung low, taking a long moment to process their words. He didn't see it. That look as if they were gazing upon some bottom-feeder. Neither of them.

"Do you finally get it?" Bakugou slowly drew his gaze to that thing. His Shadow. "They've never been looking down at you. You knew it, too. But you pushed them away. Because you couldn't trust Makoto's words anymore. Because it hurt to lose one of your real friends. To see someone you respected give up on their dream."

Bakugou's voice caught in his throat, mouth agape as his Shadow looked more sympathetic, no longer mocking him. "So you jumped back on your high horse. Instead of confronting your pain and insecurities, you buried them beneath the pedestal you built for yourself. And because of that, you were never able to grow. To truly become strong. That pedestal has been kicked out from under you and you're sinking fast. But now you know the truth. Will you accept it?"

The Shadow offered its hand to him. Bakugou stared at it, his heart leaping in his throat. He wanted to bat it away. To tell it to screw off. But to do so would be to ignore what has been made clear.

"... Fine. I get it."

Bakugou weakly raised his arm and clasped his hand with it.

"I'm weak."

Blue flame erupted around him, and the two Shadows were sent staggering back. The weight lifted off of Bakugou, and he slowly stood from the ground, helped up by his Shadow.

"That's right. You're weak." The Shadow gave a small smile. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"If you're me, you know damn well what." Bakugou grinned ear to ear. "I'm gonna climb up and overcome that shit. I'm not gonna let it hold me back! I don't care what anyone has to say about it, either! "

"Good. But don't forget who you have to thank for that." Bakugou's grin fell as his Shadow gave him a knowing smirk, his eyes drifting back. Deku and… Makoto stood there, eyes wide in awe. "Try not to shut them out again. You can still learn a thing or two from both of them."

Bakugou's eyes trailed to the ground, his pride bubbling up again. But he pushed it back down. "Tch… I'll see about that."

"Heh. I know you will. And now that you've accepted that…" The Shadow slowly dissolved into motes of ethereal light that joined with its original self. "You'll finally be able to push forward."

*POUND*

"GAH!" Bakugou folded over, gripping his forehead as an intense migraine hit him.

It's about time, boy. Thought you'd never open your eyes.

The voice Bakugou heard blasted his ears and echoed in his head as he slowly staggered back to look at the Shadows.

But now you see it. Riding alone never got you anywhere. Let this gang of rebels back you up when you fall short.

Bakugou suddenly felt something on his face take shape. A mask not unlike the one he wore as part of his costume.

Face your weakness! Trample it as you ride into the sunset!

He could feel it. The urge to strip the mask from his face. His hands clutched the edges. It was glued to the skin. Tugging at it burned worse than any of his explosions. He pulled and pulled, his skin gave way before the mask did.

Whaddaya say we get this contract in writing? I am thou… thou art I...

"GRAAAAGH!" Bakugou tore the mask from his face, and felt the unfathomable pain that accompanied it. But the pain faded and the blood dissipated as blue flame engulfed him and the air around him.

Your anger, your frustration, your indignation… load it all into the chamber and settle the score! It's high time for you to bring justice to the world YOUR WAY!

Bakugou could feel it. The power. The strength of his heart finally realized. The flames ignited change everywhere they touched. His U.A. blazer melted away to reveal a jet-black waistcoat over a rust orange dress shirt. Baggy trousers became pinstripe slacks, brown loafers transformed into dark, leather-strapped boots with golden spurs whirring at his heels. In his hands, he held two rusted tomahawks.

And hovering just behind him in a pillar of blue flame, was his Persona. It wore a black wide brimmed hat. Its skin looked like it was made of solid stone, its chilling blue eyes glinting with excitement from beneath the shade of its hat. It held a deck of playing cards in its right hand and a triple-barrelled shotgun in the other.

A cigar hung from its mouth with the tip ever burning, and the ends of its long handlebar mustache lit like the ends of a fuse. Its tattered black longcoat was decorated with an enormous sheriff's star on its chest, the golden buttons in the shape of the four playing card suits. Three bandoliers packed to the brim with shotgun rounds wrapped around its waist and thighs.

"That's right. I'm not gonna ignore just how weak I was." Bakugou grinned as he brandished the tomahawk in his left hand at the Shadows that dared to stand before him. "I'll face it all head on! And I'll start by blowing you assholes away! Let's smoke 'em, Tombstone!"

To be continued…

Phew, now THAT was a hefty chapter. Thanks goes to reppuzan for his awesome help.

But here we go. It was clearly a controversial decision, but the truth of the matter is I've ALWAYS planned for Bakugou to get a Persona. People may or may not agree with it, but it's what's happening. I went pretty hard this chapter with reppuzan to get his awakening just right because, clearly, it couldn't be the same as the others due to his attitude and nature. I considered breaking it up into several chapters, but doing it in one sitting allowed us to really jam on the character development going on rather than putting it off for future parts.

Now I'm sure I still won't please everyone with my decision, but that's fine. I'm standing by it and will continue to write what I please in regards to this decision. I do hope you'll all accept it. If not, then sorry to hear.

As for Bakugou's Persona, let me make its origins clear: Tombstone is based and designed off the old western tales of Wyatt Earp, a Sheriff who took the fight to the cowboys back in the day and delivered justice on his terms. Here, I'll lay out his strengths and weaknesses!

Tombstone:

Resist: Nuclear, Gunshot

Weakness: Psycho, Light

Repel: Darkness

His strengths are a bit of a combination of Makoto and Haru, his powers relying on Nuclear and Gunshot abilities. It'll be cool putting this new Persona to work. Especially with what's to come and the Palace we'll be tackling.

Well, with that, you all have a clear idea of where this is going, I'm sure. It might not be as clear cut as you think, so look forward to seeing what happens next! Please be sure to leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind! Check out my twitter page MN0Luffy if you want to see some of the art done for the story and other stuff I've written. Especially since I'll now be posting art of Tombstone and Bakugou in his Thief outfit!

That all aside, please take care and have a good night!