"Today we're going to be doing some good, old-fashioned roleplay!" All Might announces when everyone's gathered in the fake city for Foundational Hero Studies. "Featuring everyone's favorite game: Pokémon!"

"PIKACHU!" Kaminari yells in lieu of a cheer. Anything that gets Kaminari riled up in under a second probably isn't great to turn into a Hero Studies class. Shouto looks at Aizawa-sensei's retreating back for a clue, but he's just shaking his head in what looks like equal parts disappointment and exasperation. Helpful.

Shouto leans into Yaoyorozu's space, on his way to ask her what Pokémon exactly is, because her eyes are shining with a barely suppressed sparkle so she must know something, but All Might comes to his aid before he can prompt hers. "Now, I'm aware that not all of you have fluent knowledge of this game, so I'll sum it up for you!"

Movement catches the corner of Shouto's eye, and he sees Midoriya thrumming with excitement.

"The world of Pokémon is very vast, but we'll only be using the battle simulations for this lesson!" Ojirou, standing not far away, wants to know how this specifically will help their hero skills, but says nothing. Unbeknownst to Shouto, he's just shoring up his tolerance to withstand any Mankey joke that may be cracked. (Middle school was fun for him.) "In battles, two trainers direct their teams of Pokémon to defeat each other, most commonly in a one-on-one battle! A trainer can have up to six Pokémon in their team at a time. You all are going to divide into four trainers and their Pokémon, and pit yourselves against each other! Feel free to educate your classmates and assign yourselves to specific Pokémon if you wish!" He holds up a box of lots. "Two Pokémon take turns attacking each other, and switching takes a turn-" he continues explaining as his hand rattles around the spheres inside, "but if one of your so-called Pokémon get too worn out for battle, declare them down for the count!" In a smaller voice, he says, "I'd really rather no one faint. My ears can't take another one of Recovery Girl's lectures.. Ah! Yes! And the trainers are…" He holds up a sphere with a D on it. "Ah. I suppose I need to assign you all letters first."

All the students line up in a long row at his instruction. He reads out the English alphabet, pointing at each of them, then nervously laughs again as he ends on the letter T. "The rest don't matter! Alright, the first trainer is…. Letter R! Step on up!" Hagakure steps forward and pumps her fist. "Letter… F!" Ojirou sighs in relief. "Letter C!" Tsuyu croaks happily. "And finally, letter-! Oh, that's W, knew it would happen, okay… H!" Yaoyorozu looks like she wants to squeal in delight. Her reaction is surprising to Shouto, since she's usually mature in class, but this does sound fun and it's nice to see her totally hyped for something.

"All right! Hagakure, Yaoyorozu, Ojirou, Tsuyu! Pick your Pokémon and fight to your team's best! Remember not to overwork yourselves, and have fun! It is friday, after all! START!"

"I'M PIKACHU!" Kaminari screeches as soon as All Might's done speaking. Sero laughs and pats his shoulder, halfheartedly trying to tame his excitement, but he's already buzzing. Kaminari points across the crowd. "Jirou! You're Exploud!"

"No way in hell!" Jirou sticks her tongue out at him, walking to Yaoyorozu's side and locking their arms. "Don't assume my species! I'm totally Noivern, they're way cooler."

"Does this mean you're on my team, Jirou?" Yaoyorozu asks, cheeks red with excitement for the activity. "I would've made a great Ditto, but being a trainer works well for me, too!"

Shouto, too lost among these names of things he's never heard of, walks around Kouda towards Midoriya in hopes of explanation- he never fails to be knowledgeable- but runs into Asui. "Would you like to join my team, Todoroki?" She says to him.

She looks like she has plenty of knowledge regarding this activity, but still Shouto tugs at his own sleeve and finds himself asking, "Who else is with you?"

"Midoriya, Kouda, and Iida, so far." She says. It only took the first name to convince him.

"Sure."

"No, Uraraka, someone else has to be Breloom! I know I could pull it off and it's a fantastic Pokémon, but I really think Riolu would fit me better. And they have cooler moves," Midoriya says as he approaches Asui with his friend in tow. "Hey, can Uraraka join us?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for not asking you earlier, I saw you talking with Hagakure and assumed you had joined your team instead." Asui says.

Uraraka shrugs. "I was just reminding her which moves only affect status conditions 'cause she hasn't played in a while."

In the near distance, Kaminari insists on being 'earned' by a team by being battled and caught like a "-true Pokémon! This Pikachu ain't no starter!" while Tokoyami crouches on the ground cawing loudly. Shouto's confusion intensifies.

Midoriya, the saint that he is, catches wind of his plight and sidles up next to him. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or Tsuyu. She's been playing since she knew who All Might was, and I'm no wimp myself."

"Uh," Shouto flounders, because he doesn't know where to start, but he figures he could narrow it down, "Which one am I?"

Midoriya takes a step back and supports his arm holding his chin in his fingers with his other arm, looking him up and down. "Hm. If you could be two at once, I would say Alolan Vulpix and regular Vulpix, but that's not the case… you wanna pick based on fire or ice?"

"Ice," Shouto replies instantly, then winces. He's trying to work better with his fire, and he still reverts to same old, same cold. Whatever.

"Okay, then how'd you feel about Glaceon?"

"I honestly have no clue."

Midoriya snickers, then pats his shoulder. "Todoroki, my friend, my buddy, my pal, you are going to learn so much today."

"Oh," Kirishima breathes, hopping back and holding out a freshly softened hand. "I'm so sorry, Todoroki! I didn't mean to hit you that hard, are you okay? That looks really nasty, usually bruises don't show up that fa-"

"It's fine. That isn't your fault." Shouto touches his partially covered cheekbone bruise lightly with his fingertips, making sure not too much concealer is gone. He considers forgoing Kirishima's outstretched hand to get up by himself, but the guy looks genuinely worried, and just a moment ago he was body-slamming him with no intention of pulling punches. He'd just worry and stress out over nothing because he cares too much. Shouto takes his hand and Kirishima pulls him up, all too gently. He has to suppress his slight blip of annoyance on his iced-over Feeling Radar™. He isn't made of glass.

"Where did you get it, then?" Kirishima asks, gesturing to his own cheek. Shouto's twitches. He wants to wipe at his chin and cheekbone, or maybe cover his entire face from the Kirishima's searching eyes, but that would just rub more makeup off.

"Got hit by a dumpster." He replies with full honesty. This elicits a surprised bark of a laugh out of Kirishima, which easily lifts the mood. Shouto doesn't know how he does it. He probably gets the hint, too, because he doesn't push Shouto any further.

"Well, I'm glad you made it out of there alive, bro," he says, giving him an enthusiastic thumbs up. He hops backwards, closer to his benched team and 'trainer'. "Yao-momo! What's next?"

She doesn't hesitate. "Another Bulldoze, Sandslash!" Yaoyorozu calls.

"Use Icy Wind, kero!" Asui ribbits at Shouto.

I don't understand half of this, Shouto thinks as he chucks softball-sized chunks of ice in Kirishima's general direction as fast as he can make them. At least no one's complained about my improvisation. His hardened classmate charges right at him, and it's on instinct that he launches himself to the side with a boost from a quick buildup of ice under his boot. He almost falters, looking back at Asui to see if that move was allowed, because there was no way evasion fit into the suggested criteria of Icy Wind, but she's grinning at him proudly. Kirishima narrowly avoids tripping on the small chunk of ice coming from the floor and ends up slipping on it instead. He rolls to soften the fall.

"Glaceon avoided the attack!" Asui cheers.

"Wait, I can do that?"

"Yes," Asui replies, "but not too often."

Shouto quickly assures the well-being of Kirishima(who's still on his ass, laughing) before proceeding with the exercise. Distractingly, the rest of Yaoyorozu's team stand behind her hold a thumb war tournament. Bakugou looks like he's winning, but looks to be having a bit of trouble following the rule of "don't let go" with his slippery glycerin-coated hands.

Shouto doesn't care. He's focusing on the match.