Final transition before we hit the Finale of Season 2! It will only be maybe 2-3 chapters depending on how I feel about their length. Can't give a very specific timeframe for the release because holidays and whatnot. But if I'm not back in time, Have a Happy Holidays everyone!

Season Two, Episode XIX

Course Correction

. . .

Sen Shi

. . .

I was already sweating, the tension setting in as I stood in the silent grove. Listening for anything, but he'd gotten pretty damn good at staying quiet. Even the slightest breath, the faintest twitch might give him away if he wasn't careful. And he had to be very careful, he was up against me after all...

"THERE!" My aura exploded around me, as I turned heel and launched towards a nearby thicket in the blink of an eye. I drove my fist into the bushes, striking something hard and leathery. My eyes widening as I realized my mistake. "Uh oh."

The blast from my impact had blown away much of the underbrush, and standing before me meeting that punch snout-first was the scaly bastard himself. "What? My camouflage making you jumpy?" Adachi asked, flashing a toothy grin beneath his pale, bony face. He tried to swipe at me with clawed hands, but I jumped back to get clear and gain some distance as he charged out of tattered bushes.

Dammit, I was so convinced he'd try to sneak up on my in his stealth form I let him catch me off guard with his new offensive one!

His body was a bit larger than it was in his base form, skin pale in color turning to a gray instead of black around his body. While his face was more of a bony white, and the horns and feathers on the back of his head had converted into a spiny frill rolling down his spine. And jutting from the end of his nose, a sharp three inch horn was protruding. As far as strengths went, I know it wasn't quite as powerful as his croc form, but he also had much better speed and durability than his base form like this.

"I must be getting pretty good at sneaking around if you couldn't catch me like this!" He declared, slashing at my form with sharp reptilian claws again and again.

I minimized my aura, only protecting the areas that were hit before focusing the energy around my fists. "Don't get overconfident!" Aiming low, I tried to deliver a full power punch into his stomach but he crouched just in time! Another explosion of force releasing between us as I struck his bony face, the hide around that horn was much more dense than the rest of his body like he was made for ramming into things head on. "Dammit! I've heard of face tanking but this is ridiculous!"

"I know right!" Adachi was grinning, sharp serrated teeth flashing in the afternoon sun. Turning fast, his long tail slammed into my ribs. The aura only just barely forming in time to protect them, still the impact knocked the wind out of my lungs and had me sliding back. "That increased bone density is incredible! And my scales are so thick around the head I can barely feel it!"

"You've definitely improved," I noted with a nod, slowing my breath. I just needed a moment, and this fight was over. "But you aren't the only one picking up new tricks!" I planted both feet, aura focusing around my hands and upper arms. "Now lets go!"

Adachi's pupils narrowed to slits like a predator about to pounce. "You'd better not hold anything back!"

But just as he lunged forward, a familiar figure appeared between us.

It wasn't Suru, no, it was her victim.

I mean, it was Yin.

Falling from the sky just a few feet up and landing on her butt in the grass, "Gah! Ow! Dammit!" She huffed in annoyance, rubbing her backside as she stood up. Her outfit was damaged, mask cracked and her breath haggard. "That was a cheap shot at you know it!"

Popping back into existence, Suru stood beside me. "No such thing when you're fighting a villain." She shrugged, "Besides you weren't really getting anywhere with your attacks, hate to say it Yin but I think I've outgrown you~"

Uh oh...

"LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE SHI-"

"YIN!" Exclaimed Yang as she emerged from the treeline nearby, "Language, sheesh... So easy to get under your skin." She sighed, shaking her head. "You know she's baiting you right?"

"I do and I don't care!" Yin barked back at her, before taking a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down. "Fine, training over, you've pretty much mastered what we had in mind anyways... Just needs some fine tuning."

"And you two have grown exceptionally well also," Yang offered as she approached. "Your mastery over your new forms is quite impressive Adachi, I didn't even see your Tokay Gecko." She chuckled.

To which he nodded, rapidly shrinking down. His body shifting shape to a much thinner frame with larger hands, his scales changing colors to a bluish gray with orange spots all over. He only stood at about five feet tall, and had big wide eyes. "That is the point after all!" Skin colors flickering through various different mimics of the surrounding foliage.

I chuckled lightly as he returned to his base form. "And you've certainly learned how to properly use the strengths of that iguana form." I added.

"Cyclura Cornuta, the Rhinoceros Iguana," Adachi corrected, "Very different from a regular Iguana."

Yang waved him off with a roll of her eyes, "Alright, lets get back to the camp and rest up, I think we can call your first season of training here complete."

All three of us looked between one another, "Really?" Suru asked, "Three weeks has passed by already?"

"That's right twerp," Yin nodded, taking off her cracked mask and flashing a grin. "You'll be getting picked up in the morning and returned to school."

It was hard to believe, but we'd all just been so focused on training, the brutal training. Every morning, from sunrise to sunset we were pushed to the very limit. It got worse once Aizawa had left, the Zodiac Twins held nothing back and wanted us to break through every single limit we could find. It was painful, but our powers... We'd all gotten so much stronger.

While the others exchanged a few words, I bowed respectfully to our teachers. "Thank you, Yin and Yang, for taking us this far."

The duo quirked eyebrows, looking down at me somewhat confused before Yin waved me off. "Yeah yeah whatever, gotta foster the next generation and all that..." But I could tell she just didn't want to admit enjoying the praise.

"Come on," Adachi patted me on the back as I rose, "Lets get cleaned up and find some food, I'm starving."

. . .

Kaiji Adachi

. . .

Leaving the camp, it didn't feel like we were really saying goodbye. We'd be returning in another few weeks to continue our work, but I don't think the Zodiac Twins would be joining us for that. Which was a real shame, they were good teachers even, if their methods were kind of intense. It was all physical training, and the strain they put me through helped me adapt and draw out these new forms. I had to wonder how much more I could change into, but for now I would continue focusing on improving my current skills.

For now though, we had to prepare for our exams. We'd gotten in plenty of bookwork between the gruelingly difficult physical training. The Pussy Cats made sure we didn't fall behind academically, and honestly we'd probably been working harder on the books at camp than we had back in classes. Rather than just covering fundamentals and basic hero law, we were getting into the advanced studies. I felt like we'd really started making progress, both physically and academically we were all on a whole other level than we were at the Sports Festival...

Hard to believe that was almost a full month ago... I wonder what Ryoko is doing now? I know Mr. Aizawa mentioned recommending her to a disciplinary school, hopefully she was doing better.

After a long bus ride, we were back at UA. I thought we'd be dismissed immediately to head home, but Aizawa stopped us before we could get very far.

"Before you head home and enjoy your week off," He began with a casual tone, "You should know, there will be another evaluation with the coming exams."

"So the exam isn't an evaluation?" Suru questioned curiously.

"Sort of," Aizawa scratched the back of his neck, "The exams will cover your academic skills, but there is a practical portion." Before he took in a deep breath and sighed, "I know I shouldn't be telling you this but... Perform well enough, and Principal Nezu is considering moving you all to the main Hero Course Classes."

My heart skipped a beat, eyes widening. "R-Really? You mean we might... Finally become real hero course students!?"

"If you perform well enough," He repeated, "Don't get your hopes too high, the evaluation will not be easy... And here, take these, fill them out and leave them on my desk before you head home." Before handing each of us a few pieces of paper.

The form was strange, all about measurements and specifics on materials. "What is this?" Sen questioned, voicing my thoughts. "It looks like the kind of form you'd fill out for a tailor-made suit."

Before the realization hit me, "Or, a costume." I said in a tone barely above a whisper. The others caught on, gazes darting from me to Aizawa rapidly, as did my own. "We're getting costumes!?"

He released an exasperated sigh, "I knew I should have waited to tell you... Yes, you'll need them for part of the evaluation, don't take too long designing them." He waved us off, preparing to walk away before pausing briefly. "One last thing." When he looked back at us, my cheer faded, seeing what I could only say was a pained look in his eyes. "Have any of you had contact with Ryoko since the Sports Festival?"

Suru shook her head, "Nope." Before vanishing with her form to fill it out.

"I haven't either." Sen added.

The question took me off guard, "Uh... No, why?"

But he simply nodded, "Good," Before he finally started walking away. "You don't want to get mixed up with someone like her, trust me..."

I felt a knot forming in my stomach. Because I knew he was holding something back. I swallowed nervously, eyes drifting back down to my paper, "R-Right..." I didn't have the courage to press for an answer though.

. . .

What did he mean by that?

Had something happened? What wasn't he telling us?

The thoughts plagued my mind all the way home.

I'd left the completed form for my costume at the school, and left without much word to my friends. I just wanted to go home, see my mom and try not to think about it. I knew trying to push these thoughts down wasn't going to help me, but maybe there wasn't anything to worry about and I was just overthinking it? Maybe Mr. Aizawa was just talking about her behavior at the festival... And nothing else.

Pushing open the door to my apartment, I noted there weren't any lights on. "Hello? Mom?" She knew I was getting home today, didn't she? Making my way into the kitchen, I spotted her passed out at the table, snoring loudly. Just seeing her filled me with a sense of relief, "Hey, mom?" I nudged her lightly, patting her on the back.

"Hmm?" Her head lifted, turning sideways to face me. "Huh? Oh! Kaiji, you're home already..." She groaned, trying to wipe the sleep from her eyes. "I thought you said... You'd be back at the school by 3:00?"

"Uh, its almost 6pm, Mom." I replied, "Are you feeling okay?" Her messy hair, the bags under her sunken eyes. "Have you been sleeping alright?"

"I'm fine I'm fine," She waved me off, getting up and stretching out. "Just worked a late shift last night that's all..."

"Oh, okay... Here, let me help you to bed, we can talk later."

"Whoa, Adachi, you really filled out." She pointed out, as I helped her along to the bedroom. "Since when were you this ripped?"

"Training at the camp was pretty intense, I guess I never really noticed." I replied with a chuckle, stopping as we made it to the doorway. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah I'll be alright, just need some sleep." She promised, a faded smile on her face. "Left some money in your room, feel free to do whatever... Let me know if you need something."

"Yeah... Will do, thanks."

Why was everyone so intent on lying to me today?

In case anyone was worried, during the Exams we'll get a more direct look at exactly what developments the class has gone through as far as their quirks go. Adachi's were pretty straightforward, but Sen and Suru have got some fun tricks to show you X3

I just wasn't very interested in doing a "Training arc" This early in the series. Especially since we'll be back at the camp later anyways lol