Izuku was shaking in his seat as he and Bakugou sat side by side for the orientation process presented by the pro hero Present Mic.
"Hey there listeners, can I get a HEY!?" The voice hero exclaimed to the crowd.
Only to receive an awkward silence.
"Wow, tough crowd. Well listeners you better listen up because I'm about to lay down the rules for your exam." Present mic went on to explain the rules of the practical exam.
"Oh man Kacchan I can't believe this is actually happening." "What am I doing here again?"
Bakugou scoffed and bumped Izuku with his elbow.
"Quit whining and listen."
"Your exam will have a ten minute time limit, during this time you will be let loose in a faux city filled with robots acting as villains each robot you destroy will earn you one, two, or three points." Present mic explained as a giant screen behind the hero showed the different types of enemies the young hopefuls would encounter. "Also remember this is a HERO school so violence against your other examinees will NOT be tolerated."
"That's simple to understand, it's almost like a video game." Izuku said before donning a confused expression. "He totally lost me."
Bakugou however was looking over his handout sheet rather than the screen.
"My ID number is right after yours but we're being put in different areas."
"They probably did that to make sure people who went to the same school don't help each other out." Izuku guessed.
Bakugou shot Izuku a knowing smirk. "Either way it won't make a difference for you huh?"
Izuku shared his friend's smile. "Nope!" "It'll be a pain in the ass." Izuku said dejectedly.
"Excuse me sir but I have a question." A tall boy said raising his hand while standing from his seat with a spotlight shining on him.
"Hit me." Present Mic said with enthusiasm.
"Thank you, there seems to be 4 faux villains on this sheet! Such a blatant error, if it is such, is very unbecoming for U.A. Also you! With the curly hair!" The boys said pointing directly at Izuku.
"You've been mumbling this entire time, stop it, it's very distracting if you're not going to take this seriously then leave."
"Oh uh s-sorry." Izuku nervously apologized bowing his head.
As soon as the apology left Izuku's lips the green haired hero to be stood up from his seat with an angry expression and raised a fist towards the boy. "Why don't you come up here and make me you four eyed D-lister."
The boy looked absolutely taken aback from the sudden outburst.
Izuku immediately shot back into his seat covering his mouth with his hand.
"Pfft hahah nice one." Bakugou laughed offering his friend a high five.
Izuku shot Bakugou an annoyed look "You know not to encourage me." Izuku said before his other self eagerly accepted the high five.
"Hey now listeners, how about we save that energy for the exam yeah? Now as for you question the fourth robot is worth zero points, it's mostly just there as an obstacle you can destroy it if you want, but there's really no point." Present mic explained.
"I see I apologize for the disruption." The tall boy said sparing one last glance towards Izuku before sitting down.
Once Present Mic finished his presentation all the potential hero course students began exiting and making way to their designated starting spots.
After Izuku and Bakugou parted ways Izuku stayed back in the presentation room waiting until most of the students were gone before walking up to Present Mic, whom was in the middle of leaving himself.
"U-um excuse me Present Mic sir." Izuku meekly asked
Present mic stopped his exit to see the nervous looking green haired kid.
"What's up little listener." The pro hero asked putting on a cheeky smile.
"I had a quick question about earning points." "I didn't understand a thing."
"Sure thing, but you could asked earlier during the presentation like the other kid." Present Mic pointed out.
"I know that but it's kind of a specific question that would have taken too long." Izuku explained. "It'll be quick."
Izuku sucked in a small breath before asking. "If my quirk made a copy of another applicant and that copy destroyed a robot who would get the points?"
Present Mic brought his hand to his chin as he mulled over the question leaving the two in an awkward silence.
Presen Mic then snapped his fingers. "I got no clue." He said confidently.
"W-wuh?!"
The pro hero then placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "But don't worry listener we have a top notch panel of judges to determine your performance, I promise you'll be judged and rewarded fairly." Present Mic assured.
That actually did make Izuku feel a bit better.
Is what Izuku would like to think, however the pro hero didn't actually answer the question rather give him the equivalent of 'someone else will figure it out'.
Without waiting for Izuku to respond Present Mic walked past the green haired doubler to the observation area.
Izuku let out a sigh and made his way to the designated starting area.
Izuku nervously looked round at the other participants seeing that they were all doing some kind of exercise to either prepare themselves physically via stretching or trying to remain calm under pressure.
Amongst the applicants Izuku spotted a familiar head of brown hair.
"It's the girl that helped me earlier." "Wifey!"
The girl in question seemed to be practicing punching in the air dawning a determined look on her face.
"She looks like she's focusing, I should let her be." "Go up to her and ask her if she wants a destination wedding."
As Izuku continued having split thoughts as a hand placed itself on his shoulder causing Izuku to tense.
Looking back Izuku saw the owner of said hand was none other than the tall glasses wearing boy that had called him out earlier.
"Hey it's the guy you insulted!" "Don't blame me for what you do!"
"I see you looking at that girl, I don't know why you seemed so determined to sabotage the other people here who are actually taking this seriously but I won't stand here and allow you to prevent anyone else from doing their best, do you understand me." The boy firmly explained.
With a loud gulp Izuku answered "Y-yes-s l-loud a-and clear." "Mind going over that again."
The bespectacled teen was about to respond, presumably in anger, but was interrupted by the loud announcement from Present Mic.
"AND GO!...What were you expecting a countdown villains don't wait so get a move on!"
At that all participants, including the glasses boy who decide not to finish chastising Izuku, raced forward into the mock city eager and ready to destroy any and all robots.
Much like those around him Izuku ran forward and broke off from the group charging forward.
"If I stay close to the group I'll have to fight through the crowd to get to any robot that shows up, it'll be easier if I split up and pick off stragglers without having someone to compete with." "This is making everything harder dammit."
Izuku was about to turn a corner of a building but jumped back behind the wall once he saw a roaming two pointer.
Luckily for the green haired boy the machine didn't seem to notice him.
With his back to the wall Izuku raised a hand and began making a copy of Bakugou. Since Izuku had much experience creating Bakuclone the cloner had a near perfect image of his childhood friend in his head, which in turn led to Bakuclone having the quickest creation time out of anything Izuku could make. In the span of two seconds Izuku was staring eye to eye of an exact copy of Katsuki Bakugou.
"De-"Anything Bakuclone was about to say was cut off by Izuku covering the copy's mouth with his palm.
"You're a clone so don't even ask." "What's it like being real?"
Understanding that he wasn't real, in other words expendable, Baku-clone swallowed the large amount of pride he had inherited from the original pride and was ready to take orders.
"So what did the teachers say? Do any points I get go to you or what?" While he may be a copy Baku-clone retains all memories the original had from the last time he and Izuku interacted with one another, and that includes the memory of the two friends discussing their plan before parting ways.
"He wasn't really clear, said that the judges would decide." "He was such a big help."
Baku-clone scoffed. "Useless dumbass, okay so what's the plan then."
Izuku paused for a second to think it over. "Can you keep the robot distracted while I sneak up on it, if what I use can't break it I'll need you to help me, this way I'll know for sure i can get some points." "Go in there and blow yourself up I'm gonna hang back and chill."
"Tch if I wasn't a fucking clone I'd kick your ass for using me as just a distraction."
After confirming the plan both Baku-clone and Izuku waited for the two pointer to get into position.
Baku-clone used explosions to propel himself forward while also making bright flashes causing the robot to focus its mechanical eye on the copy.
As the robot began shooting (hopefully nonlethal) projectiles at Baku-clone, who was avoiding all the shots by flying through the air via explosion recoil, Izuku dashed towards the robot and extended his arm. From the palm of his hand Izuku's quirk activated sprouting the goop and from the time Izuku ran from his hiding place to the robot the goop formed a crowbar.
To ensure that he was prepared for the physical part of the exam Izuku took the time to memorize the specifications certain items that would help him from a baseball bat, a large rock to throw, and of course a crowbar just to name a few.
With a mighty swing Izuku attacked the robot, and much to the green haired boy's surprise the crowbar that despite only having half as much durability as the original smashed through the metal plating that made the machine's armor with relative ease.
The robot turned its attention away from Baku-clone to its new attacker, however before it could act Izuku quickly let loose several more swings from his duplicated crowbar onto the machines head effectively dismantling it.
Baku-clone quickly ran to Izuku's side looking down at the broken pile of metal and circuitry.
"Wow these things are even weaker than your shitty clones."
"They probably made them fragil to give people who don't have combat oriented quirks a chance." Izuku reasoned. "So unfair!"
Not wanting to waste any more time the duo set off finding other robots and using the same strategy of Baku-clone distracting them while Izuku snuck behind them for the kill.
In the observation room all UA teachers sat staring at screens showing all the participants.
"Quite a lively bunch we have this year, all that raw power is getting me excited."
"Indeed, that one boy has already accumulated thirty villain points."
"That's nothing the blonde kid has forty-five points."
"Fort-five already? Such tenacity."
"Blonde kid? Wait a second, what the? Are you guys seeing this? How is that kid in both area B and A?"
"I believe that can be attributed to his friend." A cheerful voice answered before pressing a couple buttons as one screen showed Izuku's file.
"It seems this particular candidate's quirk allows him to make clones of people, this also says both him and the boy in question went to the same school."
"So he used his quirk to make his friend to help him rack up point? Pretty smart."
"Should we really allow that? I mean the whole point of splitting people up like this is to keep them from helping each other."
"You're just nitpicking, the guy used his quirk like any other applicant."
"Come now let's not start fighting, after all the real show is about to begin." The cheerful voice said once again as he pressed a big red button.
Izuku and Baku-clone had managed to round up thirty-one points. Baku-clone had gotten a little 'enthusiastic' and destroyed a few robots on his own volition.
Izuku still wasn't sure if he'd get those points but he can't waste time worrying about that.
While running around with his friend's clone Izuku once again spotted the brown haired girl who was running toward three two-point robots.
The girl, with impressive speed, ran forward quickly touch each robot with her hand and to Izuku's amazement each robot began floating up into the sky. Then the girl pressed her fingers together and the airborn robots plummeted into the pavement below shattering into pieces.
Izuku desperately wanted to take the time to go over what he just saw and write an ocean of words into his notebook going over all possibilities of the quirk he just witnessed.
Izuku was shaken from his thoughts at the loud rumbling sound along with the sound of many other applincants running away.
Looking up Izuku saw a colossal robot several stories tall carving a path through the streets running over anyone and thing in its way.
"Oh hell yeah now THIS is what I'm talking about." Baku-clone said before blasting off again towards the mechanical behemoth.
"Wha- Baku-clone wait!" "Go get it buddy I believe in you!"
"What's the point of making a clone to help me if he runs off?!" "But look at him, he looks so happy."
When Izuku made clones of people the clones were exact replicas in both appearance and personality. Thus Izuku should have expected this while Bakugou was his friend Bakugou, as much as he denied it, had his flaws. One said flaw was rushing into danger to prove himself tuning out the rest of the world.
Izuku was about to run off in the opposite direction of his clone partner but stopped when he noticed something.
The blue haired boy from before was standing completely still staring at the zero pointer in shock unmoving.
The boy was also too stunned to notice the falling debris above him.
Izuku felt his body move on its own. It was different than the few moments his other self took over, it was hard to explain.
"Get out of the way!" Izuku shouted as he used his body to slam the boy out of the way leaving the rubble to fall on him.
Izuku closed his eyes as the debris fell upon him trapping him. As Izuku laid trapped under a pile of concrete he clenched his eyes anticipating the feeling of melting, or falling apart, or whatever clones felt. But the feeling never came as Izuku opened his eyes, only seeing the debris surrounding him, he started to feel happiness swell up in him does this mean he was real? Izuku's excitement was short lived as he noticed the lack of severe pain.
Moving his body in what little way the enclosed space would allow him Izuku realized two things. One being that he was indeed stuck. And two being that despite having debris fall on him Izuku was relatively unharmed, in fact it feels as though all he may have gotten was a sprained ankle.
"Man talk about lucky." "More like bad writing."
Izuku was feeling a rollercoaster of emotion. First he thought he was dying. Then he thought he was real and the internal turmoil he had been dealing with over the years had come to an end. then he had realized he wasn't hurt enough to make a clone fade. Back to square one.
And now he here was about to be run over by giant robot treads stopping his hero career before it even started.
Under the rubble Izuku felt a chill go down his spine.
"And there goes Baku-clone at least he died doing what loved l, blowing stuff up and presumably angrily yelling." "Meanwhile I get to die trapped and just as pathetic as ever." "What do you mean? We're free as a bird." Izuku ignored his other voice as he had gotten so accustomed to over the years.
Instead Izuku took solace in the fact that the whole reason he was in this mess was because he pushed the other boy out of harm's way.
"I guess in some way I got to finally be a hero." Izuku thought as the sound of the approaching robot got louder and louder.
"At least the other guy is safe, better it be a copy that gets run over than someone real."
Izuku was pulled from his thoughts, not by the sound of the imminent robot, but rather the sound of someone shifting the rubble that was on top of the green haired boy.
"Are you alright?! Can you move?!" A panicked voice asked.
Izuku blinked as he recognized that voice. Peering through the slim openings of the debris Izuku confirmed the boy that was speaking to him was indeed the very one who he pushed out of the way.
"W-what are you doing?! You need to get out of here?!" "Stand still!"
The boy moved another chunk of rubble with a grunt before answering "I can not in good conscience leave you here when you pushed me out of the way, you helped me despite our previous altercation if I leave you as you are how can I call myself a hero?!" The boy asked moving another large piece of concrete allowing a small pathway to Izuku to open up.
"Can you move?" The boy asked.
Seeing that the boy was dead set on helping Izuku didn't argue hoping the both of them could vacate the area quick enough to avoid the impending murder machine.
"N-no my legs stuck under something." "Super limber down here no problem."
"Er wait so you can move?" The boy asked confused.
Izuku was internally cursing his other voice "Rude."
"I-i can't, grab man hand mabey you can pull me out." Izuku reached out his hand and grabbed the pther boy's hand.
Despite pulling with his full strength the boy wasn't able to get Izuku out from underneath the pile.
unfortunately for the duo the zero pointer had closed in on the paur and was about to flatten both applicants.
Until both Izuku and the blue haired boy heard a shrill female scream as a glowing pink blur shot through the air and impacted the zero pointer crushing its armor plating and knocking the bolted behemoth down with a mighty shockwave rippling through the air.
the shockwave was so powerful it knocked the tallee boy back and enough of the lose debris off of Izuku freeing the doubler.
Pulling himself out of the rubble Izuku looked at the remains of the zero pointer wondering what kind of power was able to destroy such a foe.
looking up Izuku began panicking as he saw whomever his savior was plummeting from the sky.
Izuku panicked before remembering something he had made sure to memorize a week prior.
"Are you almost done?" Bakugou angrily asked.
The pair of friends had been at the mall with one week before the UA entrance exam Izuku had wanted to get measurements of certain tools and objects that may come in handy during the practical exam. Currently the pair were in the outdoors section.
"Almost, just give me one more minute." "Hold on I haven't even started." Izuku replied.
Bakugou scoffed before leaning against a wall. "I don't see why or how you would ever need this fucking thing."
Getting the last bit of measuring done Izuku looked back to his friend. "It's more or less I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it."
Before Bakugou could give a retort a mall security guard called out to the two boys.
"Hey you two, get away from that floor model!"
With time being limited Izuku immediately ran forward to where he saw figure falling toward and extended both his arms and began forming a large amount of his signature mud like substance focusing on forming his creation as quick as possible.
Soon enough the goop took the form of a giant ten by twenty feet trampoline.
Without a moment too soon the figure collided with Izuku's trampoline copy stretching the material leading to the figure being bounced in to the air a few times.
When the figure was launched back into the air Izuku recognized the figure as the nice girl from the entrance. The very one who had helped as he was about to fall and now she had just helped him again! Scratch that calling it 'helping him' was undermining what she had done she had just saved his life.
The girl's bouncing had come to a stop and was merely laying on the trampoline. Izuku had climbed onto his creation and crawled to the sprawled out girl. Once Izuku was next to her he let out a horrified gasp as he saw the girls limbs. Her left arm and both legs were a deep purple and looked mangled as if her bones where shattered into p, which they probably were!
hearing the girl groan Izuku made his way to her side and gently lifter her up.
The girl had dazed expression and seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness from sheer pain.
looking up she was met with two deep green eyes looking at her with a mix of adoration and worry.
"Y-you...were stuck." The girl weakly said.
Izuku blinked out of surprise that the girl was talking. "Y-yeah I-i was about t-to get crushed but you saved me." "Pretty sure I died because I'm looking at an angel."
If Izuku hadn't been propping the girl up he would have slapped a hanf over his mouth out of embarrassment. Instead his face turned bright red as the girl gave a small smile.
If the girl had heard the last part she hadn't given any indication more than likely being too delirious from the pain.
"Good...saw...you stuck...had to...help." the girl said making Izuku freeze.
This girl had launched herself at a giant robot, broken her body, and would have died without his intervention all to save him.
To say Izuku was stunned would have been an understatement. The next few seconds were spent in silence as Izuku thought about what to say. But anything he would have said was cut off as the girl let out a groan as her face grew pale. Izuku was about to ask what was wrong but was interrupted by the girl vomiting directly onto his chest.
After the sour smelling fluid made contact with Izuku the girl passed out from the pain leaving Izuku once again speechless.
"Well...it can't get worse than this right?"
"Pretty sure this is as easy as we're going to get it."