Had this written up for a while and just needed to type it and post it. Hope you enjoy!

And I have a discord you can find me at: discord .gg/zGAvS4eHXm

I groaned, pushing myself up off the ground and wearily blinking to battle the aching throb behind my eyes. What… happened? Where…? A quick look around showed me I was in a dark dingy alley and I soon pushed myself upright, walking out into the street beyond. Wasn't I…walking home? I remembered getting hit upside the head and winced, rubbing the area with a grimace of pain. But this isn't familiar. Was I kidnapped? Then, why leave me here? It was then that I noticed the grubby sign in Japanese and the others hanging up and down the street.

"W-What? You're kidding. Am I in J-Town? How?"

A chill went down my spine as I picked a direction and began walking. When I found a busier street, I understood where the chill came from. Everyone was speaking Japanese. This isn't right. This can't be right. Japan? I-I'm in Japan? Midst my mental breakdown, I was shocked once again as someone green walked past. Then, someone with wings and a partial pig, and no one reacted.

I faltered back and leaned against the wall as my breath caught in my throat. No. No, not Japan. S-Some weird alternate universe. B-But how did I get here? It wasn't until hours later that I had managed to calm down from a near panic attack and began to try and break things down. O-Okay. Alternate universe where I'm the only one speaking English. F-Fine. No problem. Well, bit of a problem. I have nowhere to go. No food, no money, no one to contact and no shelter. A rumble echoed overhead, and I cringed. And a storm on its way. I need to go.

I ran around in search of somewhere to take shelter and for a discarded bottle of some kind. If I was going to be on the streets for a while, water was a top priority. Rain was clean and drinkable, but I would need to get some first. I managed to snag one from the top of a trash can and winced when rain began to pour down. Quickly, I ran into the alley and ducked under a back awning with a bit of cardboard box over my head to stop the water from hitting me. Water, check. My stomach growled. Food is next. Or, well, money first.

An internal debate welled up in my mind then. Do I steal? I don't have any talent, so it would be regular street begging otherwise, and I doubt I'd get much. I'd like to avoid it though. The people out there aren't all… human. They could sense me pickpocketing, probably, and jail doesn't sound nice. I settled down under my protection and let out a soft sigh. I've got no choice though. And jail is probably better than being out here, as terrible as that thought is. Begrudgingly, my eyes began to drift closed. I'll figure it out tomorrow… God, what the hell happened to get me here?

"Scram, brat!"

I winced as another object was thrown at me, having gotten a rude awakening from the owner of the shop whose back porch I'd napped on. Once out onto the street again, I took a minute to catch my breath. Okay. Now, what? My stomach grumbled again, and I grimaced. Food, right.

For the first two days, I tried my hand at begging. It didn't go well. I made only a few yen and the cops were constantly shooing me off. After that, I began to get desperate. I would snag a few leftovers from the trash if I saw that they were mostly protected from the rotting waste. I wanted something warm though, and convenience stores were the only way and that required stealing—either from the store itself or from people. And when things began to get harder and I'd gone without a proper meal for five days, I gave in.

I never took much and only targeted those I thought could afford it. Just enough for a decent meal every couple of days. Not even every day, and typically nothing more than a cup of soup or a warm bento. After a few weeks though, things began to change, and I started to notice things, people and a particular person on the televisions in electronic store windows.

"I am here! Plus Ultra!"

It shocked me to realize that I had ended up in a fictional world where superpowers existed. What shocked me more, was when I discovered my own Quirk a few days later.

"Get back here, you thief!"

I had botched a job, gotten spotted by the person I'd been attempting to steal money from and he was fast. It wasn't the first time I'd been spotted, but it was nearing the point where it would be the first time I got caught. I can't let that happen. I need to get away. I need to hide! I need—I slipped into a dead end just as warmth flooded my body. It was a strange feeling, but when I turned to see the man look my way, I froze and… hissed?

"Damn, lost 'em."

The man walked off with a huff as I realized that my perspective of the world had changed, and I was really close to the ground. Am I…? I was. I had changed into a cat and that wasn't the only animal I could change into, but there were limitations and consequences to my new-found abilities. The biggest one being that I couldn't choose what I turned into. I once spent an hour—the time I was forced to remain an animal—hiding in the back alley as a grizzly bear. It did prove helpful in getting away from people though until I picked the worst possible target.

Ruby red eyes stared down at me in half-lidded annoyance as I cowered away in the scarf-like wraps holding me in place. How I didn't recognize the Eraserhead was unknown to me. Maybe I got lazy after four months of being able to get away with minor stealing. Whatever it was, I was caught now, and I doubted he would let me off easily.

"Not very smart, are you, trying to steal from a pro hero."

I wanted to disappear, and I felt the familiar warmth the up inside me, only to fade as soon as it came while trapped under his gaze. He sighed and started walking, dragging me along with him.

"W-Where are we going?"

"Police station."

I groaned, muttering under my breath. "I was just hungry."

"Where're your parents, kid?"

In another universe… I thought sadly, trying to push aside the depression after having mourned for my past life months ago.

"Dead," I answered, not technically lying.

"Where do you live?"

I shrugged, ignoring the look he tossed me over his shoulder as we neared the station.

"Name?"

"Hotaru Mirai."

"Hm," he hummed, turning down a street and making my brows furrow. "What's your Quirk?"

"I can... change into animals. Hold on, isn't the police station the other way?"

"Possibly. What limits does your Quirk have?"

"Dunno, why are you asking so many questions? And where are we going?"

"I have a meeting in ten minutes. Taking some brat to jail will make me late, and you were very talkative. If I were a villain, you might be dead."

I bristled. "I'm not stupid. You said you were a pro-hero."

"A villain lies."

"And a smart one doesn't hesitate to finish their target."

He eyed me from over his shoulder. "And which one are you?"

"I'm not a villain!"

"Says the kid stealing from people."

"Once a week for food! I don't even take that much, and I give the wallet back! I have no choice!"

"Which is why I'm dragging you to my work and not prison."

I scowled. "Why? So, you can lecture me to death? I live on the streets. What do you expect me to do? Change my ways and starve instead?"

"I expect you to keep your mouth shut during my meeting and maybe I'll buy you some lunch."

I stiffened, the mental balance in my head shifting back and forth. Food or sass, food or sass? Begrudgingly, I huffed.

"Fine."

He cracked a smile and I couldn't help but stare in shock as we passed through a set of gates. It was U.A. The school looked bigger than I imagined, and I didn't even feel that annoyed at the amused look Eraserhead gave me as he dragged me into the school. I was tugged into an elevator and then into a conference room where I stiffened as a number of eyes landed on me.

"Hm? Who's this brat?" Vlad King questioned as Midnight purred.

"She's kinda cute."

"Didn't take you as the kid type, Eraserhead," Snipe mused as Eraserhead took his seat and dropped me in a chair beside him—still bound.

"I'm not," my captor grumbled. "Caught her trying to pickpocket me."

"That's bold," Snipe replied, eyeing me as I bristled.

I went to snap at them, annoyed with how I was being discussed like I wasn't in the room with them, but there was a glint in Eraserhead's eyes that made me slowly close my mouth. Just remember, there's food on the line. Sweet, delicious food. A full meal… God, I wanna sass someone. Pleased that I was restraining myself, Eraserhead turned to the principal at the head of the table.

"She won't bother us. We can start."

"Start? She'll overhear," Present Mic complained.

"I figured you would have something for that."

"On it!"

If I wasn't annoyed before, I was now as sound-canceling headphones were placed over my ears and the room went silent. Present Mic gave two thumbs up and their meeting commenced now that I couldn't hear anything. Instead, I scanned the room and was surprised to see All Might in his less-than-mighty form. He was paying more attention to the meeting than me, so I was able to eye him unnoticed. He really does look sick, doesn't he? He's not much bigger than me and I'm only this way from being stuck on the streets. His eyes met mine then and I went rigid before sound suddenly returned, and the headphones removed.

"Hotaru, yes?"

My gaze shifted from the blonde to the white mouse at the head of the table. Who…? Oh, right. That's me. Wonder what they'd think if they knew I got the name from a ramen container… I glanced at Eraserhead who gave me a nod. I was allowed to respond.

"Yeah?"

"Eraserhead has informed us of your situation. Do you know where you're at right now?"

I blinked, unable to resist being a bit sassy now that I was allowed. "Tied up in a conference room."

Eraserhead smacked the back of my head, making me glare at him. "Don't talk back."

I huffed, grumbling under my breath. "I'm at some fancy hero school, right?"

The principal, Nezu, smiled like I hadn't just been scolded.

"That's correct. You are currently standing at the center of U.A. Academy, which has helped produce some of the world's greatest heroes."

Whoo… I thought sarcastically, but Eraserhead must have known what I was thinking and smacked me again.

"We're actually about to have our entrance exams soon," Nezu mused.

What is he getting at? "Okay, and?"

"Would you like to take them?"

My mind fizzled to a stop, leaving me slightly dumbfounded until my brain restarted. "W-What?"

"Would you like the opportunity to try and enter U.A.?" He repeated.

"M-Me? You're joking, right?"

"No. I am very serious."

I blinked. "You think some thieving street rat can be a hero?"

He placed his interlocked paws on the table in front of him. "I believe anyone can be a hero. The better questions is: do you believe you can be a hero?"

I hesitated. "Never thought about it."

I could read it in their faces. What sort of kid never thinks about becoming a hero?

"Well, now you have the chance to."

My brows furrowed, considering the offer and seeing the obvious flaws. "I can't afford a uniform if I get in."

"I'm sure we can provide you with one," he smiled, not commenting on the way my statement made it sound like I was confident I'd get into the school.

"I'm hardly in shape and my Quirk isn't that great."

"You can change into animals, right?" All Might said, holding up his hands in a shrug. "What's not great about that?"

I shot him a bland look. "I can't choose what I change into and I can only change twice before I'm stuck for an hour. You try being inconspicuous in alleyways when you're stuck as a 140 kg grizzly bear."

He sweatdropped. "Right…"

"Either way, the decision is up to you," Nezu hummed. "Although, if you do make it in, a room will be provided for you on campus and a weekly allowance for food and other necessities. We can't have our students living on the streets."

I narrowed my eyes. "You heard he offered me food to behave, didn't you?"

Nezu smiled innocently and I looked away with a huff.

"Fine. I'll take your exam. When is it?"

"The written exam is tomorrow."

"T-Tomorrow!"

His smile grew. "Good luck."

I groaned as I heartedly stuffed my face full of food more delicious than I could imagine. Eraserhead—Aizawa—simply watched me with a slight look of disgust.

"I understand not having much food, but do you have to eat like you're starving?"

"I am starving," I countered, sipping at my water and earning a raised brow. "Sorry, water's always been hard to get. Doesn't rain enough in this stupid city."

Aizawa had come to realize rather quickly how nonchalant I acted about my situation and never commented on my occasional verbal remarks about it. My situation was poor, but he never pitied me or anything and I loved him for that. I was upset about being homeless, and complaining was my way of expressing my displeasure, not get sympathy. That being said, I hadn't expected him to try and hunt me down a few days after the written exam. He'd given me lunch, as promised, the first day we'd met, but found me today to inform me I'd passed and got me food to celebrate. Or, as close to celebrating as he could get.

"The practical exam is tomorrow. Have you prepared at all?" He asked, and I raised a brow.

"I change into animals. What's there to prepare for? And despite trying to save my food, I've been homeless too long to suddenly grow muscles and be fit."

"So, you have been exercising."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, yes. I'm not stupid, but again, I can't exhaust myself or risk not having enough resources for later. Especially if I don't pass."

"No confidence in yourself?"

"I'm a realist. I won't discount the chance that I won't get in."

Aizawa sighed, eating some of his own food. "Have you worked on extending the limits of your Quirk?"

I groaned. "Don't ruin my appetite."

"And?"

"Still can't choose what I turn into. Even when concentrating, I've only increased it slightly. One-in-three chance of getting what I want in three changes and it doesn't always work. I was stuck as a capuchin monkey yesterday while trying to become something that can fly."

He snorted around a mouthful of sushi and I shot him a bland look.

"You're lucky I was forced to stop taking money from people. That monkey would've been perfect."

"You're trying to be a hero, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. Though, if I'm back on the streets, I'm just gonna return to my usual routine."

"If you're back on the streets, I'll find you once a week and buy you lunch."

I froze, sushi dropping from my chopsticks inches from my mouth. "Really?"

He shrugged. "One meal a week won't punch a hole in my wallet."

I grinned. "Thanks, Aizawa!"

"It's Eraserhead, brat."

"It's Hotaru, Aizawa."

"Brat."

I chuckled, unable to help it after so long of having nothing to even smile about. And if I get into U.A., then I'll have a whole lot more reasons to grin.

"Welcome one and all to my live show! Everybody say, 'Hey!'" Present Mic shouted to the crowd of students who remained silent. "I've got shivers down my spine too, listeners! All right, examinees, I'm gonna give you the low-down on how this will go down! Are you ready! Yeah!"

The place was still silent, though Midoriya was near hyperventilating in his amazement at being addressed by the pro hero.

"Now, pay close attention, listeners!" Present Mic went on, unaffected by the lack of enthusiasm he was being presented. "We'll be testing your mettle by running a ten-minute practice run at our replica city-district! You can take whatever you like! Everybody gather at the designated meeting area after the presentation, ya dig!"

Someone groaned to Midoriya's left and he blinked in surprise at the bored-looking figure bundled in coats.

"Can't they just ask if there're any questions about the rules they handed out?" The young woman grumbled, waving the stack of papers everyone had received. "It'd save us a hell of a lot of time and energy."

She looked to him, dull grey eyes latching onto his green ones and Midoriya swore there was a hint of recognition and annoyance in her eyes before she muttered an apology, turning her attention back to Present Mic. Do I know her? M-Maybe we went to school together? I don't recognize her though.

"Excuse me, may I ask a question!" A dark-haired student shouted, drawing him out of his thoughts. "On the handout, there are clearly four types of villains listed! Such an error would be the height of embarrassment for a top-tier national academy of U.A.'s caliber! The reason we are seated here today is because we seek guidance on the path to becoming model heroes!"

"You tell 'em, Glasses." The girl beside Midoriya smirked before the man whipped around to point at him and scold him for his previous excitement.

"Okay, okay! Thanks for the segue, much-appreciated examinee 7111!" Present Mic called out as Midoriya sank into his chair in embarrassment. "The fourth type of villain you'll encounter is worth zero points! Let's call them 'arena traps!' Have any of you ever played 'Super Mario Brothers' before? You remember those things that'd go thwomp on you? There's a thing like that in each area! Their 'gimmick' is that they rampage when crowded!"

"Troublesome," the woman sighed, twirling a pinky in her ear for a moment.

"Y-You aren't worried?" Midoriya asked, immediately flinching when she glanced at him in surprise. "A-Ah, sorry! I shouldn't be bothering you."

"I don't mind and I'm not that worried. The fourth villain seems like one of those 'leave me alone and I'll leave you alone' types. You see it, you run. No point in engaging. Waste of time. There's probably a catch though. They wouldn't put it in without making it special somehow. So, it's troublesome."

"I see…"

They were dismissed and Midoriya hastily stuck out his hand.

"I-I'm Izuku Midoriya."

She hesitated before shaking his hand.

"Hotaru Mirai. Good luck, Midoriya."

He managed a shaky smile. "Y-You too."

I picked at the tracksuit Aizawa had given me to use during the first task and unzipped the jacket. I'll keep it on but leave it open. I can use the jacket as a distraction if need be but wearing this is pointless. I'll just change into an animal—hopefully, something useful—and the uniform won't matter anyway. Glad clothes aren't torn apart when I change though. It's hard enough getting resources as it is. I stretched my arms and legs, knowing that running will be my top priority. I could save people too for more points but seems a bit of a cop-out. Already knowing the rules is a pain. Though, I won't exactly stand by if there's someone close who's in trouble. I sighed.

"Heroes, huh?"

I glanced over at Midoriya as Iida got a hold of him once more and people started to stare and murmur. No one would think he would be the one they all start to look up to. Something in my chest ached, but I pushed the thought aside. Jealousy is an ugly demon to have. Being envious of Midoriya? Suppose it shows just how bad my situation really is.

"And start!"

Everyone turned to the tower Present Mic was shouting from, except me. I bolted onto the scene and grit my teeth as warmth started to fill me. Come on. Give me something good. Powerful. My body shifted as I slipped into an alleyway out of sight as the rest figured out we'd started and burst in. I grinned though, sharp teeth shining under black, whiskered lips.

"Perfect," I growled, shaking out my fur and testing my claws on the concrete. "Got something good on the first try."

My ears perked as a robot moved into the alley to my left.

"Target lock-on."

Muscles rippled under my black coat, long tail flicking back and forth as a feral grin stretched across my lips.

"Target indeed. Hello, level two."

I rushed towards it and jumped, landing on the metal and easily sinking my teeth into the covering around the components in its neck. No metal to break my teeth here. Two points to me. The robot fell as I spat out the wires and bits, heading out of the alley to find more in other crevices. I took out a number of others, keeping to the shadows as much as I could and frightening a few in the process. A black beast my size in the dark only meant they saw my bright, light-catching yellow eyes as oil from the robots dripped from my jaws like blood. One of those people just happened to be the main hero himself.

"W-W-What! A-A panther? Here? H-How!"

"Quirks are interesting, yeah?" I smirked as his eyes widened more at my speaking and I slipped back into the dark.

Then, the earth quaked, and my eyes turned to the giant robot that had been released on us. This is why I said it was troublesome, I mused with a sigh. I rushed out of the way as its clumsy hand destroyed the top of a nearby building by the alleyway I was in—dropping large amounts of debris. It was easy for my slim, lithe body to dodge the falling bits, but I begrudgingly knew I needed to get out so the alleys and out in the open or risk getting crushed when the adrenaline wore off. I'm already getting tired. I'm not fit enough to do much more of this. I skidded out onto the main road as wanna-be heroes rushed away from the giant. The only one who wasn't was the frozen Midoriya. I went to hurry past him, but stopped, groaning.

"Dammit." I doubled back and nudged him with my head. "Oi, unless you wanna get crushed, you better move, Midoriya!"

He finally turned away from the giant to blink at me. "W-Who?"

"Not the time!" I grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him away from a large falling piece of concrete.

"T-Thanks!" He stuttered out as I let him go before my ears perked up at a groan.

"O-Ouch."

It was Uraraka, who was exhausted from overworking her Quirk and in pain from being tripped and hit by lighter falling rubble. Do I go get her? The robot was already moving closer. But this is Midoriya's time to shine. It was even closer as Midoriya started to charge up some power in his arm and legs. Goddammit! This is why I didn't want to get involved with him! I growled, rushing toward the fallen student and calling to Midoriya.

"Go! Take care of the robot while I pull her out of the way! Go, Midoriya!"

He jumped, screaming as he swung his fist at the giant and I was glad I had chosen to grab Uraraka. While Midoriya had stopped the robot, he'd knocked it into nearby buildings and pieces of it and them were already rushing for her. I slipped my head under her arm, startling her.

"Hold on, quickly!"

Her arms wrapped around my neck and I bolted away from the dangerous area, dodging debris as I went. Then, I heard Midoriya's scream. Shit! I forgot! Uraraka is supposed to save him! I turned and rushed towards where he was falling, speaking quickly.

"I'm going to jump after him to catch him, but if I want to make it in time, I need your help. You can control gravity, yeah?"

"I-I have anti-gravity. Anything I touch floats."

"When I jump, make me lighter to reach him faster. Then, reach out and touch him so when I grab him, we won't plummet to the ground and my legs won't break. Can you manage that? You've already overworked your Quirk."

Her expression went serious. "Yes."

"On my cue!" I ran up a piece of rubble and just as my back legs pushed off the rock, I shouted. "Now!"

I was weightless, but rushing at Midoriya fast, just as I hoped. I grabbed his tracksuit in my teeth and Uraraka carefully landed us on the ground. She thankfully rolled off my back before vomiting and I let out a soft sigh as Present Mic's voice called out.

"The test is over!"

Midoriya dropped his head and I hesitantly went over, nudging his head as everyone gossiped in shock at what he'd accomplished.

"Oi, you conscious, Midoriya?"

He let out a grumble, informing me that he was more moping and in pain than anything, and I sighed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," I huffed, lying down beside him and being careful not to bump his injuries. "Saving someone is worth more than some stupid exam."

He quivered, uninjured hand clenching and the scent of salt reached my nose.

I looked away awkwardly. "D-Don't cry. You're a hero, moron."

"T-Thank you," he breathed out and I grunted as he fell unconscious.

I eyed Aizawa as he hopped along in his sleeping bag towards the classroom. "Remind me again why I'm here?" I questioned, tugging at the tie around my neck. "And did they really have to wait so long before sending the results? That was another month on the streets for me with only garbage to eat until you all let me move into the dorm."

"You passed, and we didn't have an address to send you that information. So, they sent me to find you." He yawned, making me smirk.

"Took you longer than usual then? You must have been looking for me all morning."

An arm snapped out and smacked the back of my head before vanishing.

"I didn't have to find you, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I am eternally grateful, sensei."

His eyes narrowed but I nimbly dodged another hit only to bump into someone.

"Sorry," I apologized to a surprised Uraraka.

"Oh! It's fine!"

"If you're gonna be hunting for buddies, do it elsewhere," Aizawa grumbled from his position on the ground behind me where he'd fallen over. "This is the department of heroics!" He slurped an energy drink as the students murmured uneasily, standing and shedding his sleeping bag. "I'm your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta. Pleasure meeting you." He reached into the sleeping bag and pulled out a uniform. "Wear these, immediately. And then shove off to the PE grounds."

The uniform was shoved into my hands and I sighed as I headed back out of the class to do as he said. Once there, he stunned the other students by explaining the second test to ensure our positions in the school.

"A Quirk apprehension test?"

"What about the ceremony and guidance counselor meeting?"

"If you want to be heroes, we don't have time for frilly niceties. You all understand the school's reputation for freedom on campus," Aizawa grumbled. "Well, that 'freedom' goes for us teachers too."

I scratched the back of my head as he rattled off some of the tasks we were going to be doing, yawning until something whacked me in the forehead.

"Pay attention, Hotaru."

I rubbed at the reddening spot with a grumble of complaint, glaring at the ball on the ground that he'd thrown.

"Bakugou, pick up the ball. How far could you pitch a softball in middle school?" Aizawa asked as the angry blond picked up the ball at my feet and moved towards the softball pitch circle.

"Sixty-seven meters."

"Try using your Quirk this time around. As long as you don't exit the circle, anything you do is fine. Don't hold back."

"You got it." Bakugou chucked the ball with an insane amount of force. "Die!"

The group blinked as it became a smoking speck in the sky. I hope someone catches these things before they club some unsuspecting pedestrian.

"Before anything else, one must know what they're capable of," Aizawa said, showing us the meter that measured the distance of the ball thrown. "This is a rational metric that will form the basis of your 'hero foundation.'"

The students around me grinned, thrilled to be allowed to use their Quirks, but Aizawa darkened.

"It looks fun, you say? So, you were planning to spend your three years here having a good ol' time? What happened to becoming heroes? All right, then. In that case, new rule. The student who ranks the last in total points will be judged 'hopeless' and instantly expelled."

So? Like I care, I mused, before it hit me. Wait. I get some crap animal in three shots, I fail. I know Aizawa won't expel anyone, but… that could change with me, couldn't it? And if I get expelled, no dorm, no food. I'll be back on the streets. Aizawa probably won't go looking for me either. I… I would be alone on the streets again. I'd be powerless when things go to shit with the League of Villains and Stain. I… I can't be expelled. I grit my teeth, fists clenched at my side as my mind whirled.

Okay, think. There were eight tasks Aizawa mentioned and I have three chances to get something good. Very few animals could do all of these well, so I need one that could do well in a majority of the tasks. I could get three duds. Hell, I could get something good last try and by then, it'll be too late. Do I risk changing three times if my first one isn't good?

"Hotaru, you're up."

I grimaced, stepping up to the fifty-meter dash and making a quick decision. Won't use Quirk for this one. I'm quick without it thanks to running away from people I pickpocket. Trying to get a fast animal would be pointless. I'd only need it for this and the endurance running. I dashed the fifty meters and let out a breath at the end, hardly winded.

"5:45."

Nice. After this is grip strength. Again, no point in using my Quirk. I'd need a monkey or ape with opposable thumbs. I managed twenty-seven kgs barely, having not built up enough strength while out on the streets. From there, I stepped up to the standing long jump. Ugh, something that jumps? Rabbit, kangaroo, frog… I suppose anything that pounces might work better than me. I'll have to change. I can use whatever I get for this and the next challenge, the sideways jump. Closing my eyes, I concentrated as warmth filled my body, ignoring the murmuring of curious students behind me. Come on, jumping animal. Good at jumping and not tiny.

"Awe, it's so cute!"

I opened my eyes and scowled as I stared at my slow-moving, long arms with claws. "A sloth? This is the least helpful!" I snapped to the snickers of a few of the guys and I forced myself to change again.

"That's even cuter!"

Thankfully, what I changed into this time around looked like it'd jump decently far. What am I? Some kind of tiny goat-deer?

"It's a Klipspringer!" Iida exclaimed, making me blink. "It's a pro at jumping up cliffs, so this challenge should be a cinch!"

I was a bit uncertain but took his word for it and jumped. I was stunned to discover I jumped a good thirty-five to forty meters and stuck around as a tiny deer for the sideways jumps as well. Unfortunately, the ball pitch was next, and I couldn't throw as a hooved animal, so I was left hoping that my final change would let me throw and leave me flexible enough for the other exercises. I already had some hope of doing well with the endurance running, so I wasn't concerned as much with that. Let's just pray I get something good. A monkey would be great right about now. I stepped up to the ball pitch and changed once more, opening my eyes and growling at the sight of what I was.

"Goddammit! Can't I just change into something useful!" I cursed, stomping a foot heatedly into the ground over and over again in my frustration.

The others were getting a kick out of it though, snickering opening as some of the girls cooed. It seemed my previous need for wanting an animal good at jumping had carried over and I huffed as I crossed my arms over my furry white chest. A rabbit. A damn rabbit! What use is this! The ball is nearly half my size and I'm stuck this way for the next hour! Aizawa passed me the ball with an amused look himself and my brow twitched in annoyance. I snatched the ball, leaned back and kicked it as far as I could, still ending up with the lowest score. Midoriya wasn't even using his quirk too Damn, I might end up on the bottom the way this is going. Good on the two jumping tasks, average on the running, and shit on the rest. I might get average on the seated toe-touch and the endurance running, but it won't put me high up, that's for sure.

I grimaced, struggling with the upper body exercises as a rabbit and by the end of it all, I was more than frustrated with the limitations of my Quirk. I'm last. I have to be. Even Midoriya should have done better. He beat me with the grip, the pitch, upper body exercises and barely passed me on the endurance running. I didn't train enough. Couldn't, with my situation. I could be expelled, I… should be expelled. I didn't even want to be a hero. Why would they keep me?

"Time to present the results," Aizawa called out, though I stared at the ground in frustration. "The total is simply the aggregate sum of each of your scores. If I recited all your scores, it'd take a million years, so I'll disclose them all at once."

And now, I'm expelled.

"Oh, yeah. That whole 'expulsion' thing was a lie. It was a logical ruse to pull out your best performances."

"What!"

Doesn't matter. I don't deserve to be here.

He passed Midoriya a slip to see Recovery Girl as my gaze finally lifted to look at the hologram displaying our scores. Rank twenty-one, Hotaru Mirai… dead last… I turned to where Aizawa had walked off and hopped after him, stepping around the corner as he spoke to All Might.

"I can kick out anyone whose chances drop below that mark at any time. It's not a cruel thing to end the half-assed chasing of a dream."

"So, why didn't you expel me?"

He and All Might both turned to me, though I ignored the slightly surprised gaze of All Might.

"Do you want to be expelled?" Aizawa asked evenly.

I clenched my fists. "You said it yourself. Kill the half-assed dream. I don't even have a dream to be a hero. I'm not like Midoriya or the others. I can't control my Quirk. I got the lowest score. The only reason I tried was because I don't want to lose what you're giving me. I only tried for food and a damn roof over my head. Why didn't you expel me?"

They were both silent for a moment as my anger grew, bringing with it the familiar sting of tears to my eyes.

"Do you know why you passed the initial ceremony?"

"What does that matter?" I spat. "Passing that doesn't mean anything if I can't get expelled here."

He narrowed his eyes at me, them flaring red and allowing me to return to being human once more. "Answer the question."

"I don't know. Because I got enough points? You didn't explain anything to me when you brought me here this morning."

"The amount of points you had would have allowed you to pass, which I'm sure you knew. You're not idiotic enough to not keep track of how many you were earning," he said, still eyeing me. "However, even knowing that you could pass, you doubled back when the zero-point robot showed up. You stopped without needing to, to ensure Midoriya could get up as well."

"So? We met earlier. He was spooked. I didn't want him to get stepped on."

"That's no consequence of yours." He shrugged. "Everyone else left. Not only that, but you worked together with him to save someone you didn't know. Was that a fluke too? Or should I bring up the fact that you saved Midoriya again after that?"

I grit my teeth, knowing he'd gotten me there, and he sighed.

"Despite how far you go to deny it, you do have the capacity to be a hero and think like one. You might act selfish, but you have shown selflessness as well—a quality expected in heroes."

"But I failed this test."

"And we are both aware of your Quirk's limitations. A one-in-three chance of getting something useful and the percentage of that happening being low to begin with."

"So, why—"

"Because," he cut me off, "despite your limits, you were able to discern the best possible tests to attempt to use it. Because I know from the ceremony that you have the selfless drive to be a hero and think quickly to come up with the best possible uses of your Quirk, I have passed you."

I flinched when he reached out, but instead of the usual whack to the head, he just pushed it into a slight bow.

"No one was expected to be perfect on this test. You're all still learning about your Quirks and what it actually means to be a hero. Working on improving yourself is what we're trying to accomplish, so if you go around trying to get yourself expelled, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought."

"I hate you."

"Not surprising."

"You're a lazy, cranky, sleeping-bag covered wrinkly old man who talks too much."

"Brat—"

"Thank you," I murmured, "for everything."

He let me go and scratched the back of his head with a yawn. "Don't get cocky, kid. I only picked you up cos I was bored."

"Sure thing, old man," I chirped, making his eye twitch as I lifted my head with a cheeky grin.

I was nearly thrown to the ground though when All Might slapped my back good-naturedly.

"Haha! I look forward to seeing you try your best, Young Hotaru!"

"C-Can't do that if you break my back the first day, you over-powered nut job!"

I was promptly smacked upside the back of the head by Aizawa.

"Respect your teachers, brat, and go get changed. If you're quick, I'll pay for dinner."

My eyes lit up. "Really?"

"I doubt you've had enough time to shop for supplies and—"

"Whoo! I'll be right back!"

I raced off as Aizawa sighed, missing All Might's grin widen.

"You have a good student, Aizawa."

"She's your student too," he grumbled.

"That she is!"