Shortly after their night together ended, when the written exams properly arrived and indentured everyone at U.A. into three days of torture, Jomei Nishimura realized something. That something being that words couldn't adequately describe how thankful he was that Akiko had dragged him to Yaoyorozu's study session.

Only fifteen minutes into his first exam, and he'd realized yet again how much more wisdom Akiko possessed wherever her academic pursuits were concerned. Jomei had never intentionally underestimated the difficulty of the hero curriculum, but it was clear that Akiko and Yaoyorozu's joint tutelage had saved him from missing out on Class 1-A's summer camp. Practically half the questions he would've had no chance whatsoever of figuring out without their lessons, and even those that he didn't recall how to solve, Jomei still provided rather solid educated guesses upon. On another positive note, even his more problematic subjects among mathematics and science were conquered without too much trouble.

Admittedly, English thrust upon him a decidedly different basket of issues amid the second day of examinations, but he willed himself to persevere. Although his subconscious thoughts lingered around wondering if the educational establishment was founded upon the principles of inflicting pain and suffering upon its students, Jomei didn't let those lessons he'd received during the study session go to waste. Foreign language or not, Jomei refused to let some nonsense sounds and syllables thwart his chances of participating in Class 1-A's summer camp.

Halfway through the third day, Jomei spontaneously realized that considering he was enrolled at the most prestigious hero academy in Japan, his subconscious might've been onto something. If his hero academia wished to continually create the best and brightest prospective pros each year, then it wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe that its curriculum would indeed be intentionally designed to test their mental strength, right?

When that third arduous day's written exams concluded and the practicals were finally upon the horizon, though, Jomei disregarded that useless line of thinking. Instead, he wholeheartedly embraced the triumphant mood that seemed to infuse everyone in Class 1-A. Nobody would receive results until next week at the earliest, but nobody left their classroom feeling anywhere near disheartened or academically lackluster. This statement rang particularly true for several individuals whom Jomei had extensively interacted with since arriving at U.A.

Denki prided himself upon not leaving any questions blank, eagerly proclaiming himself as a completely 'new man' with a smile when he turned his papers into Aizawa.

Akiko's contentment concerning her performance was comparatively tame, her humble nature preventing her from doing anything more than smiling sagely while her classmates turned their respective exams in.

Kyoka maintained her characteristically blasé attitude when the written examinations ended, but even her often-impenetrable demeanor betrayed some considerable amount of relief that their intellectual nightmare was officially behind them.

Jomei didn't bother hiding his relief behind excessive exuberance or simple stoicism, and instead threw them all a cheesy smile and thumbs-up, now that their written exams had been vanquished.

Everyone else among Class 1-A expressed themselves with concrete confidence, although some conveyed that confidence more charmingly than others.

Aoyama's confidence bordered on arrogance. Ashido's was expectantly charming, innocent, and friendly. Yaoyorozu's was flavored with honest humbleness, with the class deputy even thanking everyone else who'd participated in her study sessions for the life experience and opportunities they'd provided her.

Jomei would've likely caught many more reactions from his classmates, too, had their collective sensei not then told them that their practical exams necessitated 1-A changing into their costumes sooner rather than later. Congratulations and abundant excitement faded into brief and temporary goodbyes, and Class 1-A's members soon dispersed into their respective locker rooms to follow Aizawa's orders. Amid this brief interim, Jomei modified his costume ever-so-slightly, but still observed that Iida's costume was completely repaired before he marched back outside and to the designated exam area.

Situated in the dead center of a spacious parking lot far from U.A.'s main campus, Jomei had never entered the concrete-and-glass structure looming before them. Jomei wasn't different from anyone else at U.A. in assuming that the building was perhaps the teachers' clubhouse or office building, but their teachers' intentions for bringing them here didn't matter much. What did was the unexpectedly large quantity of teachers that awaited them there.

Remembering the entrance exams' action-packed portion, Jomei fully expected that there'd be some teachers proctoring their practical exams. Jomei didn't expect to stumble across eight teachers total: Snipe, Midnight, Cementoss, Power Loader, Ectoplasm, Present Mic, Thirteen, and Aizawa all standing stalwart before Class 1-A in its entirety.

Nor could he have anticipated Midnight throwing him an exceptionally sultry look that seemingly flew beneath everyone else's notice.

'Why me…?'

"Now then, let's begin the last test," Aizawa began.

Thankful for the distraction, Jomei intentionally angled his gaze away from Midnight. Aizawa landed in the center of his vision, but the expressions on his classmates' faces didn't escape his periphery. They hadn't come this far to suffer failure now.

"Remember, it's absolutely possible to fail this final," Aizawa warned. "If you really wanna go camping with everyone else, then don't make any stupid mistakes."

"Uh, why are all the teachers here?" Kyoka asked.

Aizawa glanced in her direction, but otherwise continued without any direct explanation. "I believe some of you might've gathered information or accurately speculated about the practical exams, and that you might have some good ideas about what's happening here today."

"We're fighting those big ol' metal robots!" Denki enthusiastically shouted.

"Fireworks! Smores! Here we come, camp!" Ashido added, excitedly pumping one fist while the other pointed itself skyward.

"Actually, this year's test…" An unfamiliar paw sprung from somewhere within Aizawa's many scarves, smooshing into his cheek before its animalistic owner emerged immediately after. "Will be different for various reasons!"

"Principal Nezu!" Class 1-A announced.

"You're changing things?" Yaoyorozu worriedly noted.

"Exactly right! These tests will have a new focus," Nezu explained, casually rappelling down Aizawa's body with his various scarves. "There'll be hero work included, of course, but also teamwork and combat between actual people! So what does that mean for you? That means you students will be working together in pairs and your opponents will be one of our esteemed U.A. teachers, isn't that fabulous?"

"Oh," Jomei uttered.

"Shit," Denki whispered.

"Wait, we're fighting the teachers?!" Uraraka exclaimed.

Present Mic grinned wildly. "You got that right! Didn't see this coming, didja?!"

"Additionally, your partners and opponents have already been chosen," Aizawa elaborated. "They were determined at my discretion based on various factors such as fighting style, grades, and interpersonal relationships. First, Yaoyorozu and Todoroki are a team… against me."

Aizawa smiled mechanically. Yaoyorozu's eyes widened while Todoroki's narrowed, betraying either intense analysis or immense suspicion. While Jomei silently mulled over the implications of what everyone else would be going through if the two recommendation students of their class were already caught-off-guard, Aizawa opened his mouth again.

"Then there's Midoriya and Bakugo," Aizawa continued, ignoring the exaggeratedly surprised exclamations they almost instantly made. "Their opponent is…"

Laughter boomed through the air, and the individual whose voice those iconic chuckles belonged to became silhouetted against the sun before crashing onto the pavement. His twin tufts of blond hair thrust upright, and All Might mimicked the motion an instant later.

"I am here!" he declared, "Here and ready for another rumble!"

Against all reasonable probability, Bakugo's and Midoriya's responses to the newcomer's arrival emerged exactly the same. "We're going against All Might!?"

"Indeed," All Might confirmed. "You're gonna have to work together, boys! If you want to win."

"U-uh…?" Midoriya uttered, shaking his head. "Uh, of course! Kacchan, h-how about we strategize and-"

"Shut up, Deku," Bakugo growled without even looking at him. When Midoriya quieted, he threw his rival an intimidating sidelong look. "You aren't bringing me down all because you're some loser that can't fight worth crap, alright!? Once our practical exam begins, you better shape up or stay the hell outta my way! Got me?"

Midoriya sighed. "That's about the closest thing to saying 'let's work together' as you ever have, so… yeah. That works."

Bakugo scoffed and looked away. Although their dynamic, dysfunctional argument continued, Jomei tuned them out to listen for the third match-up set announcement. Doing some speedy calculations in his head concerning the teacher-to-student ratio still assembled before him, his thoughts were interrupted by Akiko.

"Excuse me, Aizawa-sensei?" she asked.

"Yes, Takara? What is it?"

"Even with everybody you've assembled, ten teachers aren't enough to completely accommodate Class 1-A's numbers without overlap."

"Observant," Aizawa replied. "That is something we've already taken into account, however."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jomei wondered.

"It means they haven't introduced everybody yet!" a new voice sounded somewhere overhead.

With their attention brought abruptly upwards, aimed toward the feminine voice, Jomei and Akiko found their mouths falling agape at the sight of Class 1-A's final challenger. Translucent, liquified gold rolled outward midair into a distinctly rectangular shape, instantly manifesting itself as a makeshift bridge between the staff building's rooftop and the pavement. From their position framed by the bright blue sky behind them, someone Jomei hadn't imagined meeting again so soon slid down and leaped heroically before the assembled teachers.

Her armor rustled as she stood upright, hefting an arming sword over one shoulder as her eyes immediately encountered those of her ex-interns.

Dawnbreaker had arrived.

"No way…!" Jomei uttered, smiling brightly.

"It's actually her…" Akiko whispered. "It's almost impossible to believe, but she's here…"

"Wait, who is she?" Sero asked.

"That's Dawnbreaker!" Midoriya exclaimed. "Nishimura and Takara's hero mentor from the internships!"

"What? No way!" Ashido gushed. "That's awesome!"

"This is Dawnbreaker?" Kyoka said. Dawnbreaker glanced in her direction, and her barrier disappeared into thin air behind her. "Whoa. Intense."

"Intensely cool, you mean!" Denki corrected.

Dawnbreaker chuckled quietly. "I'm liking these kids already, Snipe."

"When have I ever lied about anyone that's training to get licensed here?" Snipe appeared beside his ex-vigilante companion. "Class 1-A are some of the best and brightest heroes-in-training I've seen in years, now, and that's saying something."

"If there's one thing you're good for, Snipe, it's that you never lie, but… I didn't think they'd be so amusing right off the bat." Dawnbreaker looked at her two pupils again. "Nishimura? Takara? It's great seeing you two, again. Really. Hope you're both holding up alright."

"Absolutely!" Jomei proclaimed. "Thank you."

"Again, we can't possibly thank you enough for everything you did during our internships, ma'am!" Akiko added, bowing slightly.

"There you go with those formalities again, Takara." Dawnbreaker halfheartedly feigned annoyance with a sigh. "I'd scold you, but… now isn't exactly the right time for that."

Akiko smiled, gracefully exiting her respectful bow.

Jomei found himself doing much the same. "So, you'll be helping out with the practicals, huh?"

"Precisely right!" Nezu answered. "Dawnbreaker here has graciously taken time away from her hero duties to fulfill this task, but there are many other reasons she's being included into our fold as well!"

"Our fold…?" Ojiro wondered.

"Familiarize yourselves with this face, Class 1-A," Dawnbreaker said with a dangerous smirk. "Because from this point forward, I'm gonna be another one of your teachers here at U.A. High School. My alma mater."

Nobody among their class, not even Bakugo, could prevent their shock from escaping in a singular, unified voice.

"WHAT!?"

When Meridia was called in to U.A. High School to participate in one of their evening staff meetings when she could've been out on another patrol, she found herself being unusually fine with the disruption. Since the open discussion that Snipe and she had been throwing back-and-forth ever since she created her own independent agency was finally being taken seriously, Meridia figured that she couldn't reasonably demand that U. her personal schedule. Still…

After standing outside their staff meeting room for nearly thirty minutes now, even her patience was being pressed to its limits. If she'd had a watch installed upon her costume, she certainly would've been checking it pretty annoyedly, right about now. Meridia then reminded herself about the importance and purpose behind the meeting though, and forced her mild frustration down into submission. She couldn't completely overcome it though, since having to constantly strain her hearing to hear whatever was said through the door was amazingly annoying, but still, she'd survive.

Meridia sighed. 'Business meetings…'

"With the connection between the Hero Killer: Stain and the League of Villains, it's possible that villains everywhere will become much bolder," Nezu commented, his voice muffled through the thick wooden door.

"It'd be best if we prepared for that before it happens," Snipe's voice suggested, wisdom and insight from someone beyond his years within his tone. "As a school, we should be taking every possible precaution. If fights with villains are gonna intensify in the future, then having students fight against robots ain't practical. Originally, we used them to avoid complaints about students getting injured during the entrance exams, but they're just not challenging enough."

"We can ignore the complaints," Aizawa grumbled. "Let the people say whatever they want."

"This sounds like it could be rather problematic," Midnight said.

"I understand why you wish to change the practical examinations, but having the students fight us?" Cementoss paused. "Even if they're placed into teams of two, is that a good idea?"

"Yeah, I think it's a bit unfair," Thirteen put forth.

"If we win too easily, we won't really have accurate grades for them, yo," Present Mic observed.

Meridia's remarkable self-control was all that kept her eyes from rolling at the assembled staff members' collective concerns. Those who'd monitored and conducted the lessons around U.A. immediately after her immigration weren't anywhere near this conservative and narrow-minded. Meridia considered herself rather fortunate that she would probably have some influence upon the discussion when she finally entered the room.

Snipe's insight would have to manage by itself, in the meantime.

"We could always take that into consideration and give the students an advantage, somehow," Snipe advised. "Handicap ourselves, maybe."

"Principal, what're you thinking?" Aizawa asked.

Fabric shuffling sounded through the door before he responded. "I believe I agree. We should change the practical exam to more accurately reflect the current times. How do we avoid putting the students in life-threatening situations? The answer is simple. We must all push them, thereby making sure they're as strong as possible, moving forward."

"That makes sense," Midnight said.

"I agree," Thirteen concurred.

Ruffled paper preceded Aizawa's tired voice. "Right, then let's talk about teams… after one final order of business is discussed."

"Hm?" Midnight asked.

"Whatever do you mean?"Ectoplasm's unusually deep voice added.

"As you might recall, I requested that we have this meeting include only ten members of U.A.'s main staff. Class 1-A consists of twenty-two members, which means we're still down one posse member if we wanna split things up evenly."

"Y'know, I was wondering about that," Present Mic said. "It's pretty whizzy-whack, right?"

"Mic?"Aizawa deadpanned.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Stop that."

"Aw…"

Nezu chuckled. "Please continue, Snipe."

"Alright. You already know about my connection to one certain vigilante-turned-hero who's made a name for herself ever since my overseas excursion several years back," Snipe began. "With your permission, I invited her here tonight to participate in the discussion."

"And who is this mysterious hero?" Power Loader inquired.

Meridia straightened up. 'That's my cue.'

From the moment her hand even twisted the door handle, Meridia's instincts informed her that everyone's eyes inside that room would land upon her when the door opened. She'd be damned if she didn't make her entrance a memorable one.

"That'd be me."

Nailed it.

Aizawa's analytical gaze hardened. "Dawnbreaker."

Positioned firmly at the furthest-right corner of the u-shaped table, Meridia noticed that sweat had beaded up around All Might's emaciated brow. Exactly opposite the number one hero, Snipe passed along a prepared collection of copied reports concerning Meridia's exploits ever since her arrival in Japan several years prior. Everyone else in attendance regarded her with equal curiosity and mild suspicion.

"Excuse me, but are we sure that she should've been invited, seeing me like this?" All Might quietly stressed.

"Now, now, All Might, you needn't worry whatsoever," Nezu reassured, raising his distinctly different report on Dawnbreaker while passing along the other pile to his left. "Snipe saw fit to inform me extensively about Dawnbreaker's nature, personality, and moral compass before this meeting was ever even announced. As another trusted, experienced member of U.A.'s respected staff, Snipe's judgment of another individual's character is something I trust implicitly."

"Well, if you think this is alright…" All Might relaxed into his chair. "Then I don't have any complaints. Sorry for the interruption, everyone."

"It's quite alright," Snipe said.

"Now, more related to the matter at hand…" Ectoplasm glanced between Dawnbreaker and Snipe. "Were there any particular reasons you requested that Dawnbreaker be used to help proctor the end-of-term practicals?"

"Absolutely," Snipe said. "After all, there aren't many members of U.A.'s faculty that have the skills required to completely and fairly analyze every possible combination of students in Class 1-A, even with handicaps placed upon them. I believe that Dawnbreaker's definitely the right woman for the job."

"You speak as though you already have a student pair in mind," Midnight inferred.

"That he does," Meridia offered. "Nishimura Jomei and Takara Akiko."

All Might narrowed his eyes, staring at Snipe's reports. "It says here that they were your trainees before their encounter with that Akuma Alpha villain forced you into releasing them from their internships early."

"They were," Meridia replied. "Thus, I'm intimately aware of their strengths, weaknesses, and fighting styles. There's nobody better equipped to handle them during this practical examination than their personal mentor."

"Besides, Dawnbreaker has the perfect combination of mobility, durability, and technique that'd most effectively neutralize those pretty substantial advantages Nishimura and Takara's Quirks give them," Snipe continued. "They'll be forced into acting as an even more cohesive unit than ever before-"

"Against someone who knows an incredible amount about what they're capable of right from the beginning," Aizawa finished. "Logical choice."

"Thanks. Knew that you'd have my back," Meridia jabbed. "Just like last time, right, Aizawa?"

"If you're referring to your participation in the lava villain capture several years back, then understand that my analysis of this situation is completely unrelated to that," Aizawa asserted, slowly throwing a warning look over her direction. "I'm simply making the most rational decisions possible that'll substantially benefit my students' growth."

"Likewise," Meridia returned.

"Now, with everything thrown onto the proverbial table, I completely agree with Snipe's suggestion to include Dawnbreaker in the practical examinations process!" Nezu said, throwing his paws above his head, as if cheering. "Objections, anyone?"

Ectoplasm, Midnight, Cementoss, and Thirteen shared neutral looks between themselves. Power Loader looked about ready to either drop dead or begin tinkering with some small device in his even smaller hand, but otherwise interacted little with anyone. Present Mic shrugged, Aizawa remained motionless, and All Might's attention alternated between Nezu and Dawnbreaker.

"It looks like you won't find any here, partner," Snipe announced.

"Very well, then," Nezu said. "Dawnbreaker?"

"Yes, sir?"

"If it isn't an unreasonably cumbersome bother, I'm afraid that we here at U.A. High School will require that you join our staff in some capacity," Nezu informed. "If you're to become another one of our educational establishment's prestigious participants, we need to have reassurances ready for the public that we aren't allowing mere strangers to influence our students. That, and proper code of conduct necessitates this course of action, too – you will be compensated for the added workload, of course, in addition to any other miscellaneous duties you might find yourself with some responsibility for."

"That sounds reasonable enough," Meridia responded. "I don't have any problems with a heavy workload, and besides, if I recall correctly, Snipe has recommended me for a teaching position at this school previously."

"It's a miracle you've finally obliged," Snipe commented.

This time, Meridia didroll her eyes. "Alright. When do I start?"

"Immediately." Nezu gestured to a vacant seat nearby Snipe's. "There's much planning to accomplish regarding everyone else within the hero course, after all!"

Nodding an affirmative, Meridia made her way across the room and took the vacant seat. Even without looking in his direction and with his face hidden behind a gas mask, Meridia could feelSnipe's smuggest grin being aimed her way. While she fought against the urge to send an annoyed, halfhearted glare his direction, she focused most of her conscious efforts on paying attention to the proceedings. After hearing a tremendous deal about U.A.'s best and brightest first-years, though, Merida's mind wandered, eagerly anticipating the moment she'd meet her new students.

And more importantly, she eagerly awaited an imminent reunion with her old ones, too.

"WHAT!?"

"Indeed! Today, Dawnbreaker here has become a part-time assistant instructor at U.A., and most dominantly, within foundational hero studies alongside All Might!" Nezu informed.

"In the middle of the school year?" Iida asked. "Is such behavior acceptable coming from a hero academy as prestigious as U.A.?"

"Is there even a precedent?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"While not common practice, it isn't unheard of for certain hero programs to hire additional hero teachers to help out, whenever necessary," Aizawa explained.

"With that last explanation behind us, we should probably return to the matter at hand," Nezu said. "Class 1-A? Rest assured that you'll have ample time to familiarize yourselves with your new teacher after the practical examinations are finished."

"Hey, hey!" Ashido appeared beside Jomei without warning, tugging on his sleeve. "Nishimura, did you know about this?"

"Yeah, Dawnbreaker was your hero mentor during the internships," Tsu recalled. "Wouldn't she have told you about her being hired before the practicals, ribbit?"

Momentarily feeling unsure about how he should word his response, Jomei twisted around and looked toward his partner. Akiko simply provided him an unmistakably coy smile and looked purposefully back at their assembled teachers, leaving him to defend himself. It was then that he realized the meaning behind her behavior.

'Wait, this is totally retribution for when Ashido basically glomped Akiko during Aizawa-sensei's Quirk apprehension tests, huh?'

Jomei wrested his arm away from Ashido's grip and threw his hands up into a mock surrender. "Listen, we knew literally nothing about this."

From somewhere among the teachers, Jomei heard Dawnbreaker snicker with half-suppressed amusement. It almost took everything Jomei had within himself to suppress an annoyed sigh – only ten seconds into his mentor seeing him interacting with his classmates, and his grand first impressions were that he was a bumbling idiot whenever his friends were around.

Honestly? That wasn't quite the optimal outcome he could've hoped for.

"Now, let's announce the teams and teachers they'll be fighting with in order!" Nezu merrily declared.

Wherever the projectors had been hidden away, Jomei couldn't guess, but the holographic screen appeared behind the teachers all the same. Harkening back to the Sports Festival with complex visual designs, thrilling music, and excessive speed lines, he couldn't help but pay close attention to the combinations as they were revealed.

First, an incredibly durable matchup.

"Well, there's the results! You ready, Sato!?" Kirishima shouted.

"I was born ready!" Sato asserted.

"Remember that this battle isn't all about brute force, kids," Cementoss advised.

Second, an oddball onslaught.

"It would seem that fate draws us into an alliance, then," Tokoyami observed.

"Yep." Tsu tilted her head thoughtfully. "It looks like planning's gonna be really important for this practical exam, then."

Ectoplasm nodded approvingly. "Indeed. Don't underestimate your opponent."

Third, superstars of the strait-laced variety were pitted against each other.

Iida bowed. "No matter the outcome of this examination, I thank everyone involved in advance for giving it their all!"

"Calm down there, class rep, don't act like I've done something crazy amazing yet…" Ojiro nervously chuckled.

"Well, you're gonna have to pull some crazy amazing stunts to defeat me!" Power Loader aggressively lowered his stance, grinning.

Fourth, incredible power-wielders versus the living anti-meta of their exceptionalities.

"Knowing Aizawa-sensei, he explicitly partnered us against him because his Quirk cancels ours out completely," Todoroki thought aloud. "This won't be easy."

Yaoyorozu inhaled slowly. "R-right!"

"Never think that your powers will save you in every situation," Aizawa warned, lifting his scarves into a vaguely menacing pose. "Then again… your success or failure hinges entirely on factors only you two can influence. This'll definitely be an interesting matchup, no matter what."

Fifth, fighters with eyes forever drawn toward either the stars or stardom itself.

"Even though this practical might not be what you were expecting, don't panic!" Thirteen encouraged. "Believe in yourselves, and you might even impress your classmates when these exams are over with!"

"Impress my classmates, you say?" Aoyama laughed haughtily. "Believe my claims or not, but both I and my partenaire have left them far behind already! Être prêt!"

"Wait, what…?" Uraraka uttered.

Sixth, an encounter that'd become infinitely more complex over time.

"Eh, this'll be easy!" Ashido dismissed. "It's just Principal Nezu!"

"Yeah, it's Principal Nezu!" Denki harshly exclaimed. "Quantum Shinobi taught me to fight smarter not harder, but how're we gonna fight smarter than him!?"

"Quite the dilemma, indeed," Nezu said simply.

Seventh, an exam that'd likely become decided by sound's sometimes-subtle influence.

"Oh, so we are against you," Kyoka noted, unsurprised. "This isn't-"

Whatever Koda silently signed, it stopped whatever Kyoka would've said dead in its tracks.

"This matchup's gonna be a megamix of some wild super-soundwaves!" Present Mic yelled, his body language positively screaming with enthusiasm. "Now ain't the time to take it easy, so prepare to play some seriously killer tunes! Alright? Alright!"

Eighth, an unexpectedly simple assortment of fighters thrown into battle together.

"It seems that information-gathering will be incredibly important for this encounter," Shoji immediately inferred.

"Don't forget about super-strong stealth attacks, either!" Hagakure reminded.

"Don't forget about unavoidable firepower, either," Snipe said. "That makes for three important factors y'all will have to remember throughout your exam. Don't sabotage yourselves because you forgot who's mastered which."

Ninth, an endeavor that nobody regretted that they couldn't observe.

"We gotta find a way to destroy Midnight's costume!" Mineta proudly proclaimed.

"You're such a scumbag…" Sero commented.

"Even though that might be the case…" Midnight licked her lips seductively. "You should know that I absolutely adore that youthful vigor inside you, boys."

Tenth, the second verbally announced battle before the hologram ever appeared.

Bakugo didn't say anything.

Midoriya didn't either.

"Seriously? Nothing?" All Might glanced between them. "Alrighty then. Next!"

Then the eleventh and final fight was given its moment of visual fanfare.

"This wasn't unexpected, but…" Jomei hesitated.

"Dawnbreaker already knows all our moves," Akiko finished.

"Which makes me your perfect opponent," Dawnbreaker added dangerously. "Don't disappoint me because you've underestimated my moves, though."

Before anyone could analyze the predicaments they were being imminently thrust into, the hologram flickered away, and U.A.'s prestigious principle wasted little time.

"Listen closely, everyone! For your respective teams to complete this exam, you'll have thirty minutes! Victory relies upon putting these handcuffs on your teacher," Nezu explained, holding up some sturdy-looking, high-tech hexagonal handcuffs. "Or you can acceptably win if you can escape from your assigned combat stage."

"Okay, so we've gotta either capture the teacher or run away…" Denki mused. "It's basically like that combat training session with All Might during the beginning of the year."

"Yeah, but is it really okay to just jet?" Ashido asked, her hand raised.

Nezu provided her with a thumbs-up. "Yep!"

"It's gonna be much different than that combat training from earlier! After all, you're against people way better than you!" Present Mic taunted, dramatically crossing his arms over his leather jacket.

"Better?" Kyoka echoed. "Really? Aren't you just an announcer?"

"Hey! Watch yo' mouth girl, have some respect!" Present Mic demanded.

"This time your exam will be very similar to a real battle!" Thirteen placed their hand over their heart. "Strange though it might seem, please think of us as villains!"

"Assuming you come across your enemy, if you think you can win against them, then fight," Snipe advised. "However…"

"In instances you're completely outmatched, it could sometimes be smarter to run away and find help," Dawnbreaker continued.

"Todoroki. Iida. Midoriya," Aizawa named. "I'm sure the three of you understand."

Midoriya nodded. "Completely, sir. We either fight or run away to win."

"That's right! It's a test of your decision-making skills! But with these rules, you're probably thinking that your only real choice is strategic retreat! That's why the support course made these super-clever accessories for us!" All Might held up a deceptively simple-looking metal cuff adorned with several darker metallic rectangles further inwards.

"Behold!" Present Mic skidded to the legendary hero's side, throwing his arms aside to showcase the item in question. "Ultra-compressed weights!"

Shortly after the showcase, seemingly identical weights were dispersed among the teachers, who started the process of securing the innocuous devices onto their persons.

"These babies will add about half our body weights to our physiques! It's not much, but they'll consume our stamina and make moving around much more difficult!" All Might twisted some key-shaped attachment into place, and his arm nearly hit the pavement. "Oh, shoot! These are heavier than I thought! Well, anyway… we had a competition to come up with these designs, and Hatsume ended up winning it!"

"Oh wow, good for Hatsume!" Midoriya said.

"You think we need a stupid handicap against you?" Bakugo seethed. "Well, think again."

All Might laughed, but his expression turned disconcertingly dark. "This'll be fun."

"They're completely dead, aren't they?" Denki whispered.

"Not unlikely," Jomei deadpanned.

"Against All Might?" Kyoka paused. "They died before Bakugo opened his mouth."

"We should probably hope they don't get mauled too terribly…" Akiko said.

"Okay, let's begin," Aizawa stated. "Since this exam is being recorded from all applicable facilities, they'll all be administered simultaneously. Behind you, several buses will escort all assigned student pairs and teachers to their respective battlegrounds."

Collectively, Class 1-A turned around and saw several buses had arrived in the previously empty parking lot, doors opened in anticipation of their passengers' impending arrivals. Either stunned from surprise or still processing their matchups' reality, few student pairs moved before their teacher opponents dispersed first. Hardly thirty seconds later, and the assembled thirty-three action-ready exam participants had nearly vanished entirely from their previous positions.

Dawnbreaker's distinctly armored footsteps brought the last remaining pair's attention back to the staff building, though.

"Well then," Dawnbreaker began. "It's been a while, but it's exactly like Principle Nezu said – there will be plenty of other opportunities for idle discussion after the practicals. Nishimura, Takara. Are you prepared?"

"Against someone like you…?" Jomei trailed off.

"We'll give it everything we have!" Akiko firmly claimed. "We won't fail without a fight!"

"Yeah, that!" Jomei agreed. "That pretty much works, right?"

Dawnbreaker smiled. "For now? Sure. For the future? That attitude will take you incredibly far, when you acquire proper hero licenses."

"It's awesome having you back, Dawnbreaker," Jomei said.

"It's awesome being back around you kids, again," Dawnbreaker returned. "But that's about all the sentimentality I have left in me right now. Everybody here's still on the clock, and we're not any exception. Our private transportation awaits."

Upon passing between them, the inseparable students watched Dawnbreaker confidently stride toward the last unoccupied bus available. Akiko threw her partner an encouraging smile and wandered after their mentor. Jomei watched them both advance for another moment longer before starting that same journey himself.

Dawnbreaker's unexpected reintroduction into their lives had sparked an incredible amount of happiness inside Akiko's chest. Simply knowing that the hero who'd saved her and Jomei's life only weeks ago was around again filled her with boundless positivity. Once upon a time, Akiko had viewed the future as an enigmatic, uncertain entity that laid in wait to assail its victims with soul-shattering experiences, but she'd changed since then. Now, thanks to her support network and personal investment in becoming a mentally stronger version of herself, Akiko was eagerly looking forward to seeing what tomorrow would bring – even moreso now that Dawnbreaker was around.

On an intrinsically related note, Akiko found herself thinking about what her mentor's interactions with everybody would look like.

Despite his being the living embodiment of heroism in society, All Might was something of an oddly incompetent teacher even within the hemisphere of his own combat-centric classes. In contrast, Dawnbreaker's time spent personally training her interns lasted only a fraction of the same time All Might had spent with Class 1-A in total, yet she'd accomplished so much more. Dawnbreaker had revolutionized Akiko's approach to how she utilized her power, and provided Jomei advice that had – among other things – spurred him into recontextualizing his pursuit of heroism from its foundations.

If Dawnbreaker's personal style of educating others had caused such substantial change within her interns, then that also likely meant that Class 1-A as a whole would stand to gain much from her teaching them. Perhaps she wasn't hired as the new main teacher of foundational heroic studies, but the impact Dawnbreaker would have on Akiko and Jomei's peers would be doubtlessly interesting to behold.

Dawnbreaker's personal interactions with her other twenty students would likely qualify for a similar statement, too. Akiko hadn't known her mentor for long, but she understood enough about her to soundly assume that much.

Compared to Class 1-A's preexisting teachers, there weren't many individuals at U.A that were anything like Dawnbreaker. Only Aizawa even came close to displaying any similarities to the swordswoman, and even he wasn't as unique as Akiko's personal mentor. Where Aizawa hid his heart beneath tiredness and several combat scarves, Dawnbreaker's always felt like it was fully on display. Dawnbreaker had once even offered to inform Akiko about her checkered past, but she'd refused the offer. That wasn't changing anytime soon, but the fact remained that Akiko couldn't quite imagine Aizawa being so readily open to his students about what transformed him into the proficient pro he was today.

On that same note concerning lifelong transformations, Akiko calmly returned to reality in recognition of another individual who'd changed her world. While Dawnbreaker relaxed with her eyes closed near the front of the bus, Jomei's pleasantly warm presence hadn't vanished from Akiko's side since they boarded. Akiko's heart warmed when she saw that simple, peaceful expression on Jomei's face whilst he gazed outside his window. That wasn't all she noticed, though.

There, embedded into every outline of Jomei's costume were familiar neon light strips… that, unfamiliarly, laid completely dormant. Their rhythmic thrums had disappeared, rendering the flashiest element of their owner's costume into simple, if attractively bright, inert yellow outlines.

"Jomei?" Akiko said softly.

"Hm?"

"Those neon lights inside your costume," Akiko pointed out. "They aren't working anymore?"

"Nah, they were working alright," Jomei answered, still not turning around. "I fiddled with them earlier, though. Deactivated them myself, since it's just… I figured that I sorta needed that kinda change, you know?"

Akiko sighed fondly. "You deactivated them because it'll help distance you from being that same glory-seeker you once thought you were."

"Something like that," Jomei admitted, shoulders slumping slightly. "It'll probably help me stay slightly stealthier whenever I'm not using my Quirk, too. Even if stealth missions don't look like they'll be my forte anytime soon, I'll keep them deactivated permanently. It's better this way. For everyone."

"Jomei…"

When he didn't respond, Akiko's finger poked into his cheek, causing him to turn his face toward her.

"That's better," Akiko stated.

"Better?" Jomei echoed.

"Better," Akiko reaffirmed. "Jomei, I think you've forgotten that our little mind-reading bond goes both ways. You aren't exactly known for staring dramatically out windows while you're carrying out conversations. What's on your mind?"

"It's-"

"And don't say strategy," Akiko warned. "Or I'm definitely poking you again. Hard."

"Okay, I wasn't thinking about strategy, then," Jomei excused, scratching the back of his head while smiling nervously. "Actually, I wasn't thinking about this practical exam business all that much, either."

"Then what were you thinking about?"

"Something Dawnbreaker once told me about herself," Jomei said. His hand slipped into his jacket pocket, and his smile faded. "That she always operated completely alone during her vigilante missions. That the loner attitude she became really accustomed to almost got her killed when she walked knowingly into what might've been her final fight."

Had Akiko not already been familiar with their mentor's background, she imagined that she would've been far more surprised with what Jomei said. In reality, though, her reaction was little more than an abrupt inhale. Dawnbreaker offered once to explore her past with Akiko, but she'd declined. Jomei being offered that same privilege wasn't the most outlandish possibility she could've imagined playing out during their internships.

It also wasn't that difficult to realize what had influenced Jomei into thinking about that now, right before their practical exams were nearly ready to finally begin.

"But Dawnbreaker did live through that battle," Akiko observed. "There were reasons she did."

"Yeah," Jomei said. "Heroes. Dozens raided the place, and saved her."

"Exactly," Akiko said. "And just like there were reasons she survived that battle, there's no reason we might ever find ourselves in a situation like that. Because unlike her, we don't fight by ourselves. Luminous and Crystalarium are an unstoppable team. Partners."

Jomei smiled ruefully. "Don't know about unstoppable…"

"Now you're just focusing on semantics," Akiko contested, rolling her eyes "If you're really so worried that we won't pass this practical exam for whatever reason, don't be. We can overcome anything that comes next, together."

"When did you become the encouraging one?" Jomei joked.

"When you decided to become moody, suddenly," Akiko quipped.

"Then if you really believe all that stuff…" Jomei checked if Dawnbreaker's attention had wandered near them before stealing a kiss upon his partner's cheek. "That must mean that I have to, too."

Entirely unable to suppress herself, Akiko's face and crystal core both blushed in tandem, and she bashfully twiddled her fingers while she looked downwards. If there was anything Jomei could be relied upon for, it was his stellar sweetness whenever they were together.

"Well, since we're still not wherever our practical will happen…" Jomei paused, straightening himself against their seat. "I'm kinda wondering what Shinso's doing, right now."

Akiko's blush vanished. "Hitoshi? What makes you bring him up?"

"Nothing much, really," Jomei said with a shrug. "It's just that finals aren't exclusive to the hero program, you know? Makes me wonder how he's been holding up. What his finals are like. If he's been training or something crazy preparing for whenever he next shot into the hero course shows. Stuff like that."

"It would make sense if he trained himself physically…" Akiko mused. "If Midoriya wasn't stronger than him by default, even without his Quirk, then he probably would've made it through the tournament's first round, after all."

"Think he might be doing that, then?" Jomei questioned.

"Maybe," Akiko answered. "We were both there after his loss, and he even told us that he'd probably be busy focusing on himself from that point forward, so…"

"Probably, then."

Akiko nodded. "Even if it'll probably still be a while before we see him again… I know that it'll have been more than worth the wait. Hitoshi's never disappointed before."

"You've got that right," Jomei agreed. "Nearly beating Midoriya one-on-one? Basically winning enough points that we made it into the finals single-handedly? Makes you wonder if the entrance exams will change once he proves how broken they really are."

"Maybe," Akiko answered absentmindedly. "Scratch that. Hopefully."

"You were thinking about how you prevented him from becoming a pancake that one time, weren't you?" Jomei guessed amusedly.

Akiko sighed. "Yeah, basically…"

Before their conversation could continue, their bus suddenly began to decelerate. Even without their discussion reaching any substantial conclusion, Akiko took solace with the knowledge that Hitoshi was someone who would endure anything along the road to admittance into the hero program. Akiko needn't concern herself with thoughts about him or his exams' difficulty anymore, right now. What mattered more was that his friends passed their finals, today.

If nothing else, their victory wouldn't disappoint Hitoshi, whenever they saw him again.

"Alright, the ride's over!" Dawnbreaker called, bringing their attention toward where she stood near the exit. She then hopped from the vehicle, though her landing was considerably more sluggish than usual on account of Hatsume's weights. "No point in much more banter."

"You think she heard what we were saying?" Jomei asked.

Akiko, thinking about his kiss moments prior, shuddered. "Hopefully not."

"Oh…" Jomei hesitated. "Oh, right…"

Akiko snorted with amusement and proceeded after their teacher-slash-opponent. Jomei followed behind, which left the bus naught but an inconsequential memory as they mimicked their mentor, hopping from the bus and onto the pavement. Behind their mentor, inanimately awaiting their arrival, was a battleground unlike anything they'd seen yet during their tenure at U.A. High School.

Surrounded by nothing more than an unappealing, all-encompassing concrete cube-slash-canopy, an enormous gate with Principal Nezu's likeness served as the battleground's entrance. Enclosed within the impregnable concrete that effectively emulated nighttime for the battleground therein were dozens, perhaps even hundreds of buildings with flashy neon signs indicative of casinos and nightclubs… with distinctly different levels of reputation insofar as the imaginary law within the artificial urban sprawl was concerned. Akiko immediately imagined that Tokoyami might've felt right at home within this particular battleground, but then again, she was standing right beside the master of all things neon.

Valiant efforts to conceal his amazement aside, Jomei seemed borderline elated that this battleground, whatever it might've been officially called, had been chosen for their practical exam.

"That…" Jomei paused, shaking his head. "That is the most amazing battleground I never knew I needed before right now."

Dawnbreaker smirked, stretching her arms. "Figured you'd say something like that. It's why I recommended this 'casino district' battleground be constructed for your practical exam."

"Wait, this was built really recently, then," Akiko said. "Just how quickly are these battlegrounds made, exactly?"

"Thanks to the superhuman society we live in these days, and this school's obscene budget as Japan's number one hero academy, absurdly faster than you'd initially expect," Dawnbreaker answered, her limbs falling heavily back down to her sides. "Now, since there's still another few minutes before the others arrive at their battlegrounds, I'll remind you about the fundamentals of this practical exam, okay?"

Akiko nodded. "Of course."

"Okay, then for starters…" Dawnbreaker threw handcuffs identical to the ones Principal Nezu had shown earlier toward the two teammates. "You'll be needing these. Whether you decide that strategy escape or pitched combat is your best option for passing this practical, it's only logical that you have those on your person. Additionally, since it's been a while since we last saw each other, understand that I'm fully expecting to see some significant improvement from you both."

Jomei crossed his arms, still holding onto the handcuffs. "Basically, these practical exams are meant to push everybody to their limits, right?"

"Exactly," Dawnbreaker confirmed. "And considering you two have more genuine experience fighting villains than almost anybody else in Class 1-A, you should show me that you're more than capable of handling situations like these acceptably. Remember what you said, did, and felt during that battle with Akuma Alpha… and make those lessons count."

Despite noticing that unexpected, yet familiarly intimidating element in their mentor's eyes, Akiko held her ground. "We won't let you down!"

"It won't be like last time," Jomei reassured. "This time, we're totally ready for fighting another super-strong villain!"

"That's what I like to hear, though understand that unlike that battle with Alpha, you two aren't in any genuine danger of permanent injury." Dawnbreaker raised her sword, drawing attention to the peculiar attachment around its razor-sharp edges. "Dawnbreaker's been outfitted with what's essentially an ultra-rubber outline that eliminates its capacity to inflict any serious injuries. That said… it'll still hurt, a lot, if you actually wind up getting hit by this thing."

"Okay…" Jomei almost smirked. "You'd think they wouldn't allow weapons into this thing."

"Denki was allowed to bring his transforming tonfa into his practical, though," Akiko said. "It's only fair that the teachers be allowed the same privilege. Even Snipe… who happens to use an actual firearm in battle…"

"Which is armed with rubber rounds instead of live ammunition," Dawnbreaker reassured. "Besides, what can we teachers say? Pain's an excellent motivator in combat, sometimes."

Jomei shuddered. "You've got that right."

"Now!" Dawnbreaker shouted, firmly fixing their attention only upon her through the ferocity of her voice. "Luminous! Crystalarium! Your mission for this practical exam is to defeat the villain known as Dawnbreaker! Once the signal sounds, your success hinges entirely on your decisions inside the casino district! Head into the middle of the battleground, and await the announcement telling you to begin your practical!"

Sharing little more than a nod between themselves, Akiko and Jomei broke out into steady jogs that matched each other's pace beat for beat. Dawnbreaker watched them pass but said nothing, leaving them to ponder what might be running through her head as they approached the sunlight-squashing concrete canopy over their combat stage. Akiko's crystal core thrummed a determined orange, while Jomei's smile momentarily outshined anything his Quirk could've brought into being.

"Oh, and just so you little heroes know…"

Dawnbreaker's voice stopped them some few meters short of their battleground's entrance.

"We villains aren't holding anything back," Dawnbreaker warned. "So don't think you'll be winning this practical exam mission easily. Understand me?"

They responded in unison. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Then that'll be all from me!" Dawnbreaker shouted. "Next time we see each other, you two will be fighting for your lives once again!"

Energized by the encouragement, Akiko and Jomei's journey resumed with added alacrity. When the concrete canopy consumed them and the sunlight was obscured, Akiko almost laughed with nervous excitement.

"You're excited, I assume?" Jomei guessed.

"Definitely," Akiko answered. "This will be our first time proving ourselves to Dawnbreaker since the internships!"

"And with our tickets to summer camp counting on this exam, we can't lose this!" Jomei declared. "You ready to bring down another villain, Crystalarium?"

"Whenever you're around, Luminous?" Akiko said. "Always."

And again, as they neared the casino district's center, they spoke with one unified voice.

"Then let's take down Dawnbreaker!"

Authors Note: Cough. Umm… yeah, this chapter occurred. Unlike another of its preceding arcs in the Sports Festival, not much besides tons o' talking occurred prior to the practical exams' beginning, but there were indeed some moments I feel rather proud to have written out here! Before that, though, it's kinda obvious but the matchups are exactly the same throughout the canon Class 1-A crew for good reason. Unlike the Sports Festival or Battle Trials, I didn't really feel the necessity for drawing out the Final Exams arc (which was already kinda conceptually mediocre) any longer than necessary. As such, only a select few of the total eleven battles will be included in this arc. Time will reveal what battles (and what order) those battles will be, however… *spooky noises.*

In substantially less boring news, Dawnbreaker's back BAYBEEEE! Ever since she was conceptualized and commissioned, I knew that she'd return as a mainstay for WFAF, and trust me when I say she isn't going to lose her relevance anytime soon. She'll have more heroism, more sass, and even character growth to come as this story continues to unfold further! Shinso's also mentioned again after forever… which is always nice. Poor guy's still got a while before he returns full force, but he's coming back! Eventually…