Chapter 24: The Exam! (Part 1)
Uraraka's P.O.V
The remaining days we had for training came and went.
We got off the bus and made it to the area we were having the exam; Takoba National Stadium.
Some students were getting nervous, while others were pumped.
"I wonder if I'll be able to get my license," Mineta said.
Aizawa bent down to his level.
"There's no wondering, just go in there and get it," Aizawa said.
He looked at the rest of us.
"Should you pass this exam, you'll no longer be eggs, but you'll start to hatch and become semi-professionals," Aizawa said, "Do your best."
Kirishima approached us.
"Alright guys, let's do it," Kirishima said, "PLUS…"
"ULTRA!" Someone said startling him.
Someone approached him.
"Inasa, it's not wise to jump into someone else's group huddle," he said.
Inasa bowed down.
"Pardon my apologies," he said.
"Wait a minute," Starla said, "You guys are from the neighboring hero school, Shiketsu High!"
"That we are," said another student.
She was tall and had long blonde hair.
"My name is Camie," she said, "And my quirk is Glamour."
Hagakure approached Aizawa.
"Do you know that student?" She asked.
"He's pretty energetic when it comes to heroes, and he admires UA, but for reasons unknown, he rejected admission."
Bakugo scoffed.
"Dumbass," he whispered.
"Well, it looks like UA's top students are taking the exam finally!" Someone said.
It was a woman with green hair who looked Aizawa's age.
"Everyone this is my friend, Ms. Joke," he said, "But you all should know her as Ms. Fukukado."
Deku and I grinned.
Her students approached us.
One of them was super energetic to meet us and then bowed to Deku.
"You had guts to take on All For One good sir," he said, "For that, you have earned my respect."
Deku chuckled.
"Looks like the news has gotten out to other schools about your heroics," Aizawa said.
Later we were in costume and listening to someone give a speech about the exam.
There were so many heroes from all over taking the exam.
"So each of you will have 3 targets," he said, "Those of you who get at least two spots will pass the first round. The first 100 students shall pass the exam."
Many other students were shocked by this as it was about only 5% of us.
Deku was determined to be one of them and so was I.
As we were spread out, Deku, Starla, Bakugo, and I decided to stick together while others went to specific spots around the battlefield.
"With your illusion quirk we should be able to fool them," I told Starla.
"Good plan," she agreed.
"3, 2, 1!"
The exam officially began.
The balls were being pelted by us.
Deku jumped up and did one of his new special moves.
He spun around kicking them away giving us time to run.
"Run for it!" He said.
We ran off.
Some balls were coming from underneath and he sensed them.
Jirou did one of her special moves to keep them from coming at us.
Aizawa was amazed by our progress.
One student had his eyes on us and did his special move shaking the earth.
Deku fell and I caught him with my grappling hook.
"Thanks," he said.
"Now we're even!" I said pulling him up.
"You're no match for Shindou," he said to us.
Deku grinned.
"You want a fight, you got one," Deku said before turning to me.
I smiled knowing what he was planning. Shindou used his quirk on us again and we dodged. Deku started to fly at him and I followed suit.
Bakugo got back up after the quake.
"What the hell," he said.
Someone jumped over him at an instant.
It was Camie.
"You," he said.
"Looks like I get to know about you in person," Camie said grinning.
"Big mistake toots," Bakugo said, "You've just came face to face with the hothead of UA."
He used his quirk on her but she vanished at an instant.
"What the…."
She was close to tearing off one of his weak spots but he evaded in time.
"Shit, she's quick."
"So is there a reason why you wanna be a hero? For pride, glory?" Camie asked, "I wanna know."
"I'm doing it to be better than my father," Bakugo said.
Bakugo kept avoiding her keeping his weak spots intact.
"Bakugo!" Shouted someone.
It was Starla.
"Hurry!"
"Hurry my ass!" Said someone.
They knocked her down off the platform.
"Starla!"
Bakugo used his quirk to boost himself closer to catch Starla.
Deku and I watched.
"Nice job Bakugo!"
The two of them made it somewhere safe.
"Are you alright?" Bakugo asked.
"Yes," she said.
He could tell that Starla's voice sounded strange.
"Toy wouldn't happen to be from the other school would you?" He asked.
He noticed the ball on 'Starla's' hand and quickly kicked it away.
"The Starla I know could've used her quirk to fool those guys and possibly me, but you didn't even use it at all," Bakugo said.
Starla's face started to melt into Camie.
"You're really trusting of her aren't you?" She asked.
A ball was thrown at her.
It was Starla in her hero costume.
"Are you alright?" She asked Bakugo.
"I am now, thanks to you," he said, "Now let's kick some ass!"
Deku and I were in the air about to do our move.
"Now!" He said.
I spun him around a few times and he flew down with balls each in his hand.
He threw them super hard with enough force to take down Shindou and two other students.
He also used his Clone Semi quirk to defeat two other students giving us an advantage.
There was a technique he developed in which each of his clones would use a different aura semi-quirk.
I smiled and said "You never cease to amaze me."
"Wow," Ms Joke said, "You really taught these students well."
"There's something special about those two," Aizawa said, "All Might favors them quite a lot."
Other students were giving it their all such as Kami fighting off that one student who had a strange quirk.
Todoroki's attack pattern was pretty scary using both fire and ice.
Afterwards all of UA passed the exam with a few students from the other schools passing as well.
We were working very hard to achieve our goal.
Kirishima approached Deku.
"Dude, that clone technique you came up with was manly!" He said, "Even more manly than what I can do."
Some of the students from different schools started to acknowledge his strength.
"Well it was Ochako who helped me develop them," he said pointing to me, "So if anyone deserves credit it's her."
I smiled and approached him kissing his cheek.
Students went, "Oooooohhhh."
Mina was looking for Momo.
"Hey has anybody seen Yaomomo?" She asked, "I need her opinion on something."
Deku and I shrugged.
Momo's P.O.V
After the first portion of the exam, most of us seemed a bit tired.
I was impressed by how hard everyone was working to get their license, but… there was one person who was on my mind.
Shouto seemed a bit different with his exam training. But fortunately he didn't kill anyone. I decided to approach him.
"Todoroki?" I asked.
He turned around to face me.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I was just wondering if I could talk with you for a minute," I said, "We have a few minutes until the next portion of the exam."
"Sure." He turned around and I sat by his side. "Is something the matter?" I asked, "I noticed how your fighting style was different from others during the battle portion of the exam."
He remembered the fighting he did using both fire and ice which was something he would never do unless it was necessary.
"I will admit my fighting style was a bit…. Extreme," he said looking down.
"Not that it was bad," I said, "I just noticed how the students from other schools seem a bit…. intimidated."
"Intimidated?" Todoroki asked me, "…They hate me."
I was shocked that he said that.
"No," I denied him, "No they don't."
"Yes, yes they do, I can feel it," he said, "They shun me for being the son of Endeavor."
He turned around.
"I wasn't always this stubborn and uptight when I was younger, in fact there was a time where I was creative and knew how to have fun," Todoroki said, "But you can't be fun and be the son of a pro hero who is second to All Might."
Listening to what he was telling me I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. It must be hard to live up to someone's expectations, especially to someone who was second to the symbol of peace. But still, he shouldn't be forced into this kind of thing. I could tell he was special in his own way, and he just wanted his father to see it.
"When it comes to my father's expectations on being a hero, he doesn't mess around, and if anything goes wrong, if I make one single mistake, he'll come down on me like an atom bomb," Todoroki said, "I was always made to believe that I couldn't make a mistake, that I had to be perfect. His pressure turned me into something I never wanted to be… A bastard."
"No," I said, "You're not a bastard."
HE turned to me.
"Really?"
"Of course not, you're special, and you just need someone to see that," I said, "Like I see it. Honestly, I think you're amazing the way you are."
He smiled.
"Instead of worrying about what you need, maybe you should worry about what you want."
"All I want is for my father to see I can be a pro hero in my own way, instead of following tradition and procedure," Todoroki said.
I grinned.
"Isn't this something," I said putting my arm around him, "Doesn't it feel good to talk about feelings, encourage each other."
I was caught off guard when he started to hug me back.
"It feels….. nice," he said.