Summary: Pyrrha feels like her time at Beacon so far has gotten her nowhere, so when she's forced to fight her new friends, she isn't exactly excited. The same can't be said about Yang though, Yang is ready to kick some ass and chew bubblegum. Of course, she still has gum, but that makes the ass-kicking all the more fun. Izuku just misses his friends at UA.

Chapter 3: Doubts

The early morning sun shined on the hardwood floors in Team MRNN's dorm room, giving it an elegant glow. The cream-colored wallpaper further complimented the enticing shine of the dorm. Birds chirped, light winds blew, and soft breaths filled the room as Team MRNN got their well-deserved rest after yesterday's events.

Ren slept calmly, dreaming of new opportunities as a Huntsman with his best friend. Nora chuckled and rolled over, drooling, dreaming of Ren making her enormous stacks of pancakes and eating them together (Not "together" together, of course. That'd be weird). Pyrrha snuggled into the warm hug her silk blanket provided, dreaming of her new friends.

Each team member dreamt their dreams in tranquility, enjoying the peaceful morning.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Too bad all good things must come to an end.

Pyrrha slowly opened her lids and rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. She stretched out her stiffness, yawned into her hand, and blanched. Ugh, morning breath. Slipping out of her bed, she placed her slippers on and noticed Ren slowly shaking Nora awake.

"C'mon, Nora. We need to get up."

Nora groaned. "Five more minutes."

Ren sighed. "I recall you saying 'sleep is for the weak' just last night."

Nora pouted and crawled out of bed. "Fine! But you better make me some pancakes!"

Ren smiled. "Of course, Nora."

Pyrrha chuckled under her breath. Her new friends were quite the pair. Pyrrha put on her slippers and got her uniform, ready to start her day, until she noticed their leader's bed empty.

"Pardon me, but do either of you know where Izuku is?"

Ren shook his head. "I haven't seen him this morning. Maybe he got up early."

"Ooh! Our courageous leader is probably out making awesome new super moves!" Added Nora.

Pyrrha rubbed her chin. "That could be the case. But where could he possibly be training this early?"

Answering her question, the door to their dorm creaked open. Izuku stepped into the room with a towel hanging off his shoulders. His hair hung down from his sweat, and his shirt and shorts reeked of must. "Oh. What's up, guys?"

"What'd I say! No one who smells that bad couldn't not be training!" Said Nora.

Izuku turned his head and blushed. "Sorry. I just got back from my run. I would've been here earlier, but…." Izuku rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "I sorta got lost."

Everyone in the room covered their noses. "It's fine," Ren said. "Just please go take a shower. And don't raise your arms."

"S-sorry," Izuku bolted to the bathroom and slammed the door shut, allowing the rest of the team to have some fresh air.

"Thank God! He smelled like garbage," Yelled Nora.

The door opened, and Izuku popped his head in. "Um, I need my clothes-"

BOP!

Nora threw his uniform at his face and yelled. "Stay out!"

"AH, OKAY! I'M SORRY!"

The door shut again, and Nora laughed. "What a fun guy."

Pyrrha shook her head. "We should get ready."

Nora perked up. "Okay!" The girls grabbed their hygiene products and uniforms and made their way out the door. "You coming, Ren?" Nora asked.

"I'll catch up with you guys. I'm going to see if we have what we need to make pancakes." Said Ren.

Nora grinned. "Yep! You better get on with that! See ya, Ren!" Nora shut the door behind her and caught up with Pyrrha.

"So what's on the agenda today, Pyrrha!?"

"Well, we have our first day of classes…."

Nora groaned. "Right, those things."

Pyrrha smiled. "I'm sure they won't be that bad. Maybe they'll even be fun."

Nora let out a wild grin. "Hopefully, I get to break someone's legs!"

Pyrrha tittered. "I don't think that would be the best idea."

Nora rubbed her chin. "You're right. That would be a little mean. Oh, I know! I'll break their arms! At least they'll be able to walk to the infirmary that way!"

"I think not breaking any bones is the best option."

Nora shrugged. "Whatever you say."

They made their way to the bathroom with only the sounds of their echoing footsteps in the corridor. It remained that way for a few seconds until Pyrrha spoke up.

"Hey, Nora. Have you noticed anything weird about Izuku?"

"If you mean besides the fact that he has multiple semblances, then nope. Why? Is something wrong with him?"

Pyrrha hung her head. "Not 'wrong' per se. But I've noticed during initiation he seemed… disconnected."

Nora tilted her head. "Isn't that how everybody is during initiation? We're all told that some random stranger is gonna be our teammate for the next four years. I was lucky enough to be paired with Ren, but many people weren't as fortunate as me. Maybe Izuku is one of those people."

Pyrrha looked downcast. "But I thought we were all friends."

"Personally, I think you guys are great, especially Ren. But maybe Izuku just doesn't feel that way yet." Nora shrugged.

Pyrrha hummed as they finally reached the washroom. "He said that his hometown was destroyed some time ago…."

Nora blanched, completely freezing in her tracks. "He-he said what?" she whispered.

"Nora…?" Pyrrha reached out to her friend. "Are you-"

"I'm fine! I'm… I'm fine. Let's just get ready for class."

Pyrrha slowly lowered her hand, "I'm sorry."

Nora smiled, "It's okay, Pyrrha! It's not your fault! But, it's… something I don't want to talk about."

Pyrrha nodded. "I understand. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Nora waved her off. "Like I said, it's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm sure Izuku is fine too! The only thing we should do is focus on kicking butt on the first day of classes!"

Pyrrha nodded. "Right! Let's do our best!"

Nora nodded and walked into the bathroom, not noticing the frown on Pyrrha's face.

"Monsters! Demons! Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. But I merely refer to them as prey!"

The Beacon students felt compelled to die of boredom as they tried and failed to listen to Professor Port's lecture. It went through one of Pyrrha's ears and out the other. All the portly man did was ramble about his "tales of manly manliness" anyway. There are much bigger things Pyrrha needed to be worried about. Mainly her partner and leader, Izuku Midoriya.

Despite him confiding in her a few nights ago, Izuku's stand-offish nature made it somewhat challenging to get to know him. That's why Pyrrha insisted on the Aura training. She knew that he's already insanely powerful, but the time spent training could help her figure out why he's always so dismissive. Plus, it never hurts to help a friend, does it?

Speaking of said friend, Pyrrha watched as Izuku scribbled Professor Port's lecture word for word like a Bible scripture. Odd if you asked her. It's mostly just general information about their world that they already know, so why bother explaining.

Izuku seemed to disagree with that sentiment, though, looking genuinely fascinated by "the Grimm exploits of Peter Port." Each detail provided raised his admiration even more. Izuku's mouth gaped, his brows furrowed with anticipation, and he wrote more ferociously in his notebook. His head buried so far in it you would think he forgot his glasses.

Pyrrha smiled at the sight, finding it endearing. Izuku's dorkiness, abominable spirit, and heart of gold made up for his aloofness. Seeing little bits like these revealed the pure passion hiding beneath his meek exterior. Even she fell victim to underestimating him because of his appearance. Pyrrha now knew well that when the underlying conviction lurking in his heart would come out to play, it would no doubt get the victory.

Not to mention it's insanely adorable.

Pyrrha continued to admire Izuku from a distance, enticed by his subtle yet boundless show of determination. More and more, she watched, noticing his minor features. His tiny, dot-shaped freckles in the pattern of diamond on his cheeks. His short yet bulky stature. The way his messy green hair perfectly complimented his bright green eyes. Very innocent looking indeed, yet all of this contradicted Izuku's experience and prowess on the battlefield, shown by the many scars dawning on his right hand. Hopefully, Pyrrha could get to know the boy on their adventures as students of Beacon Academy, although it seemed unlikely at the moment.

"Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot defend themselves! From what you may be asking. Why, the very world!"

clap clap clap clap clap clap clap

The students turned to the sound of clapping coming from the corner of the room. Izuku blushed and ducked his head behind his arms.

Professor Port chuckled. "Now, now, no need to be embarrassed, young man. Tell me, what is your name?"

Izuku stood attentive. "My name is Izuku Midoriya sir!"

"Well, then, Mr. Midoriya. Do you care to set an example for the rest of class?"

"What exactly did you have in mind?"

Professor Port smirked. "Why, I'm glad you asked!" He gestured toward a sizable, shaking metal cage. "This here is a Boarbatusk I've captured just for the occasion. This assignment will serve to evaluate if you embody the necessary traits of a Huntsman. A test, if you will."

Izuku looked a bit concerned. "With all due respect, are you sure this is safe?"

"Rest assured that this is perfectly safe! But just in case…." Professor Port pulled out his weapon, a blunderbuss outfitted with a battle axe, and hoisted it on his shoulder. "I'll be on standby if any is to arise. So, young Midoriya, are you up for the challenge?"

Izuku sorta gaped for a second, like he was reminded of something. He then clenched his fist and smiled. "I'll do my best!"

"Now that's what I like to hear! So gather all of the combat items you need, and we'll get started immediately."

Izuku, now in his repaired combat suit, stood in the front of the classroom in a fighting position, awaiting his Professor to open the cage.

"Woooo! Go, fearless leader!" Nora cheered.

"Do your best!" Said Pyrrha

"Kick his butt Izuku!" Said Ruby.

"Yeah! Knock it's block off Mop-Top!" Said Yang.

Blake waved a tiny flag. "Fight well!"

Ren didn't say anything, but he offered his support as well.

Izuku nodded at the cheers and got into a fighting position. "Ready whenever you are, Professor."

Professor Port nodded. "Excellent! Then let the match commence!"

Clank!

Professor Port chop off the lock on the cage, opening the latch. There stood a heavily armored, bloodthirsty Borabatusk. It lowered its head and stomped its front foot on the ground, like a bull ready to attack. Four red eyes glared at Izuku, and the beast squealed, its high pitch echoing in the room. Izuku stared the creature down, just daring it to attack.

Pyrrha's heart raced, watching her friend look danger in the eye with no fear to speak of. What if he couldn't beat it? It's a ridiculous thing to be concerned about, but she couldn't help it. Despite his strengths, that Grimm in the forest threw him like a ragdoll. Although he did defeat it with no problem immediately after, it still is terrifying knowing how dangerous these Grimm are. What could this one do to him? Run him into the ground? Ram him into a wall? A tusk through the heart!?

Pyrrha shook her head. He'll be fine, she thought. If he could easily take down a Nevermore, then some Boratatusk should be a piece of cake, right?

Right?

*SQUEAL!*

The Grimm charged Izuku at high speeds, it's head down, ready to penetrate its tusk through him. Each piercing, agonizing second raised Pyrrha's anxiety ten-fold. How long has it been since the match started? Four? Five seconds? More like an eternity. She couldn't watch. She covered her eyes and waited for the match to end.

She didn't have to wait long. The boar finally reached Izuku, intending on finishing its prey as soon as possible. But unlucky for the Grimm, Izuku planned for the same exact thing.

Bam!

He sidestepped its charge and slammed his foot into the boar's stomach. The iron soles of his shoes empowered the kick, forcing his foot further into the Boratatusk belly. The Grimm flew into the air squealing in pain, but it stopped as soon as it began. It landed on its back with a thud, never to move again.

…

…

…

"...*Ahem* I was uh…. I was not expecting that." Said Professor Port. "Nonetheless, young Midoriya here embodies all the traits of a Huntsman to a tee. Strategic, well-educated, and wise! He showed all of these traits and more through a simple move! Well done, young man!"

"Woohoo! That's our leader for you!" Said Nora.

Pyrrha sighed in relief. Of course, she was worried for nothing. Izuku had strength beyond comprehension, so something like that couldn't lay a scratch on him.

"I'm afraid that is all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and most importantly, stay vigilant! Class dismissed."

After gaining approval, Izuku walked out of class to change back into his school uniform.

Pyrrha grabbed her things and jogged down the steps to the hallway where Izuku was. "Izuku, wait up."

Izuku turned his head and smiled. "Oh, hey, Pyrrha. What's going on? Do you need anything?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "Nothing like that. I'm just wondering if you wanted to walk to our next class together."

"Oh uh, sorry. I still have to get changed. I'll catch up with you."

"That's okay. I can wait."

"You should go to class, Pyrrha. I don't want you to be late because of me after all."

"It really is no big deal. I'm sure you won't be long."

Izuku sighed. "You really should just go without me. I'll catch up, I swear."

Pyrrha frowned and hung her head. "Well, if you insist."

"Great! I'll catch up, I promise."

Pyrrha walked to her second class of the day alone.

Team RWBY and MRNN sat at the hardwood tables in the cafeteria as Nora recounted her tale of danger and excitement. "So there we were in the middle of the night…."

"It was day," Ren added.

"We were surrounded by the biggest of Ursa!"

Ren took a sip from his mug. "Beowolves, and they weren't that big either-"

Bam!

Nora banged her fist on the table to emphasize the true danger that she and her best friend encountered. "DOZENS OF THEM!"

"Two of them."

"But alas, they were no match, and Ren and I took them down! As a matter of fact, I still have some money from the Ursa skin rugs we sold!"

Ren sighed. "She's been having this dream for over a month."

While this was going on, Izuku sat with his palm against his cheek, playing with his food, appetite nonexistent. Chatting with Ruby and Co brought back memories of him laughing and joking with his friends. Remembering their bright smiles usually pushed him forward, and they still do, but now he could hardly think of his friends without remembering his situation, both in Remnant and Japan.

It isn't all bad. Izuku's friends in Remnant reminded him a lot of his friends back home. Friendly, lively, and determined. And the classes at Beacon were sorta like UA's. Plus, even if it was clearly contrived, Professor Port's 'feats of manliness' brought Izuku a lot of joy. There are many things to enjoy here, and in several ways, Izuku did feel at home.

But it isn't home. These people aren't class 1-A. And this isn't UA. Just once, he'd like to forget, but it seemed even this universe set out to torment him.

"Is everything alright, Izuku?" Asked Pyrrha.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." Izuku replied.

"Well, it's enough to make you start brooding again, so…." Ruby chimed in.

"Look, guys, I'm okay. Just a bit… homesick is all." Izuku gave a smile to ease their concerns. "There's nothing for you guys to worry about."

No one looked convinced. "Izuku…." Pyrrha began. "You know you can always ask us for help, don't you?"

"Yeah… I know." Izuku picked up his tray and got up from the table. "I'm gonna go. I'll see you guys later." He walked off, shoulders slumped from heavy stress.

"I don't like seeing our fearless leader all sad. We should cheer him up. Oh, I know! We'll give him some pancakes! That should cheer him right up!" Said Nora.

"I'm not sure Izuku shares your love of pancakes, Nora," Ren said.

"Good riddance if you ask me," Weiss grumbled.

"C'mon, Weiss. At least try to be nice." Said Ruby.

Weiss scoffed. "Who cares if he's homesick? Let him sulk somewhere else. His negative energy was ruining my meal anyway." to

"You're one talk." Said Blake.

Weiss humphed. "Fine! Since you all clearly don't want me here, I'll just eat my lunch somewhere else." She got up with her tray and stomped off.

"Man, why is she always like this? What does she want from us anyway?" Said Yang.

Ruby groaned. "I don't know, but I wish she'd tell us."

"Well, it seems both our teams have their problematic members," Ren said.

"What do you mean, Ren? We're fine! We just got to get Izuku to open up a bit more. Then we'll be breaking legs in no time!" Nora said.

"But the question is how can we do that when he doesn't talk to us?" Asked Pyrrha.

"Ruby, you seem to know him best. Is there anything we should know?" Ren asked.

Ruby looked surprised for a second but then sighed. "He's… been through a lot. I'm not sure if he's told you this, but he recently lost his home."

Ren gave a look of understanding. "Now I can imagine why he'd be so dismissive."

"Do you know what happened?" Blake asked.

"It was a single person who destroyed his home," Pyrrha answered.

"He told you, Pyrrha?" Said Ruby

Pyrrha nodded. "Yeah, he did. He also told me he was supposed to stop himself. I think he still carries the guilt of not being able to defeat him."

"Do you know what the person looked like?" Blake asked.

Pyrrha shook her head. "Unfortunately, I do not. He only implied that he was powerful. I really wish we could help him."

"Look, guys," Ruby said. "Izuku may have been through some crazy stuff, but he wouldn't want us to worry about him. He's a really nice guy. I'm sure he'll come around eventually."

Pyrrha smiled. "I'm sure you're right, Ruby. He's strong. He'll be sure to come around."

Pyrrha's words didn't match any of her thoughts.

"Hello and welcome to your first combat class of the semester." The first-year students at Beacon lined up for their last class of the day on the edge of a football-field-sized arena taking instructions from Glynda Goodwitch. "Today, you will take part in a battle simulation with the partner you were assigned during initiation. This test is designed to evaluate your individual skill, adaptability, and teamwork in a given scenario. Are there any questions so far?"

Nora raised her hand. "Yes, Nora?"

"Are we allowed to break any bones?"

Goodwitch rubbed her temples. "Although I'd advise you not to, if any accidents were to occur, we have emergency medics on standby."

"So I just have to make it look like an accident…." Nora whispered.

Goodwitch sighed and tapped a series of buttons on her scroll, and a large blue screen slowly rose up from underneath the stadium. "As I was saying, this screen will display the landscape, the objective, and the match-ups chosen for each match. One team will be targeting the relic appointed, and the other team will be defending it. Members of each team will be eliminated if you lose your Aura, surrender, or get knocked out of the ring. The match ends if the capturing team obtains the relic, the defending team renders the other team unable to battle, or the timer runs out. Does anyone have any questions?"

Weiss raised her hand. "What will this be graded on?"

"It will be graded on your proficiency, decision making, and overall performance. Are there any more questions?"

Nora raised her hand.

"Good! Let's get started." Goodwitch tapped her scroll, and the screen flashed through random groups and landscapes. One by one, the students tensed up. Anxiety filled the air as the names displayed on-screen constantly changed, each person recognizing their names.

Pyrrha grasped her heart, praying she wouldn't be picked first. She knew well she would have to fight her fellow classmates but knowing and actually doing are vastly different concepts. She came to Beacon to build meaningful relationships and fight for a real cause, not to fight her friends. And things had gone so well at initiation too. She met new people, people who didn't see her for her celebrity status! Pyrrha finally had friends! Well, she thought she did….

Nora and Ren were great, but they mostly just stuck around each other. Pyrrha tried to stay close by. After all, any company was good company, although there was only so much she could participate in. But that's why she had Izuku, her first connection.

Everywhere in Minstral, people would ask for autographs, wishing they could be her and trying to get on her good side. It was all a massive blur to Pyrrha. She didn't even feel like a human being at times, just something for the industry to abuse. But Izuku changed all of that. He acknowledged her as a teenage girl and made her feel wanted. For the first time, she finally had the chance to build a meaningful relationship.

So what went wrong?

Now it seemed like Izuku was avoiding her. He didn't even talk much at lunch, only eating his food and walking off. Just like that, Pyrrha was back to being an object. And with this battle exercise, she was essentially at square one again. Even the thought of Izuku by her side didn't ease her heavy heart.

Tik, tik, tik…. Every sound of the names cycling squeezed Pyrrha's heart, fueling the tightness in her chest.

Tik, tik, tik, tik…. Ding!

The cycling stopped revealing the landscape and match up.

Forest Biome

White Knight

Izuku Midoriya & Pyrrha Nikos vs. Blake Belladonna & Yang Xiao Long

Pyrrha's soul left her body. Of course, she wasn't that lucky. She looked over to Izuku, and he gave her a smile. Pyrrha forced a smile back, though she could feel it faltering.

Yang nudged her partner. "Looks like we got the first win of the day, eh Blake?"

As if on instinct, Izuku replied. "But me and Pyrrha are gonna win."

Team RWBY and MRNN looked at Izuku, surprised at his challenge. Yang gaped a little longer before she smirked. "Don't get cocky, Mop-Top. We'll win this easily. And don't you go easy on us either!"

Izuku smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."

The once empty stadium slowly turned into a healthy forest. Tall, luscious trees and long, fresh grass sprouted on the field. The screen now sported four green bars, each with the selected student's photo above them. "This bar indicates aura. Right now, each of them is green, signifying that all the members have a complete aura. However, once the bar drops to red, you will no longer be suited for battle and will be out of the match. Now, you will be using these earpieces as communicators." Glynda pulled the communicators out using her semblance and gave them to Izuku, Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang. "With that being said, will the selected teams make their way to their respective sides of the field. The rest of you will meet up in the stands," Glynda Goodwitch said.

The selected members made their way to the field, ready to give it their all.

Well… most of them anyway….

Blake and Yang, huh? That would definitely be a tough fight, Izuku thought as he and Pyrrha made their way to the clearing on the other side of the forest. Thankfully Izuku had experience in this sort of exercise. Unfortunately, though, he didn't know much about Yang's nor Blake's fighting style. Yang seemed to be the brawler type. Punch first and ask questions while punching. Izuku never saw Blake fight, but she seemed to be the Shinobi type based on her chain scythe and clothes. He and Pyrrha would have to watch for any stealth-based attacks. Well, Izuku would be OK, thanks to Danger Sense, but he didn't know about Pyrrha.

Speaking of which, they needed a plan. Izuku is confident he could take both Blake and Yang. Hell, he's sure he could do this whole exercise without Pyrrha, but she was along for the ride, so he has to find a way to include her. Pyrrha was skilled, so everything should turn out okay. But that's the problem. He wasn't looking for "okay." Izuku wanted the undisputed victory.

The war... It ended so badly... His home left in ruins... Villains, free to mercilessly kill anyone they wished to... Civilians frightened to even think of leaving their homes...!

All because Deku failed to live up to his name.

All of the aftermaths of the war were on him and him alone. All For One and Tomura Shigiraki were meant to be his responsibility! Yet, everyone else paid the price for his shortcomings...

Well no more. Izuku would never lose again. It didn't matter what the occasion was, a life-or-death situation, a tense rivalry, or even a friendly competition. Izuku would come out on top, because if he couldn't even expect himself to win something as minor as this...?

Then how could he ever even show his face in Japan ever again?

Izuku and Pyrrha finally reached the clearing, sunlight shining on the open field. Navigating the massive forest would be difficult. But a challenge never killed Izuku. As Izuku was taking in his surroundings, Glynda Goodwitch's voice spoke over the announcer. "Now that both teams are on their sides of the forest, you both will have five minutes to prepare. Once this timer goes off, it's anyone's game."

Izuku rubbed his chin. "Alright, Pyrrha. We need a plan. I think we should…." Izuku looked up at Pyrrha and noticed her distant look. "Pyrrha?"

"..."

"Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha jerked. "Oh, I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

Izuku frowned but continued. "I was saying we need a plan. From what I've gathered, Yang isn't the type to sit idle and guard. She'll likely bring the fight to us. This means that Blake will either stay behind and protect the relic or follow Yang, waiting for her time to strike. Assuming I'm right, I need you to back me up. I'm confident I can take both of them, but I need you to cover my back. Do you think you can do that?"

Pyrrha faltered a bit and said. "Well, we can avoid the fighting if you can just go for the relic, right? This is graded on proficiency after all."

Izuku stared at Pyrrha before saying. "Pyrrha, what's one of the things heroes are most known for?"

"Saving others?" She answered.

"Right. But also…." Izuku clenched his fist. "They always win! No matter the circumstance, a real hero will find a way to come out on top! So when I win, I want everyone to know that I'm the victor, no questions asked!"

Pyrrha gaped a bit before she nodded her head. "I…. I understand. So how are we going to locate the relic? The forest is vast. It'll be quite difficult to navigate it."

"The relic is likely in the clearing on the other side of the field. We have about two, maybe three, minutes, so I'll scout ahead. Then, when I come back, be ready to move out."

Pyrrha looked reluctant. Izuku smiled. "Don't worry, Pyrrha. We'll win this for sure." Izuku crouched and put on his mask, body glowing with green electricity, and he dashed into the woods, bouncing and flipping through trees, leaving a green trail in his wake

Izuku activated Blackwhip and started swinging like a certain arachnid hero. He'd make the best of this situation. This would only be the first step to a brighter future everyone deserved.

He only needed to keep moving foward.

So the possibility of just getting the relic and winning the match was out of the question. Izuku's conviction made sure of that. Did she have to fight her classmates, though? Izuku's speech on heroism held a lot of weight, don't get her wrong, but there are so many better alternatives that involve nobody getting hurt. So why couldn't they switch to one of those?

But isn't this what being a hero was? Making hard judgments for the betterment of mankind? Pyrrha's heart clenched. Why did being a Huntress have to be so complicated? It's usually as simple as fighting Grimm, creatures with no soul, and saving innocent lives. But now she couldn't help but think about the later circumstances; Failing to protect an innocent. Giving up your comfortable life for someone else's sake. Killing….

Pyrrha's stomach churned. No! Don't think about those things! Huntsman and Huntresses don't fight criminals anyways. They fight the creatures of Grimm and protect the innocent…. Which involves possibly taking down criminals and having to make a tough decision….

Pyrrha shook her head of those thoughts. She needed to focus on the match, Izuku's counting on her! Maybe if she does well here, he won't be so distant!

Green streaks came out of the woods, and Izuku hopped in front of Pyrrha. "I found the clearing. Both Yang and Blake are still there, guarding the relic. It won't be that way for long though, get ready for a- Woah! Are you okay? You're really pale."

So sweet! Worrying about her even in the middle of an exercise. "I'm okay. This is just my skin complexion!"

Izuku raised a brow. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Well, I am a bit nervous about fighting, I suppose."

Izuku's eyes lit up in recognition, and he offered a smile. "I understand. I was the same way on my first day at erm, combat school."

"R-really?"

Izuku nodded. "I remember my first day like it was yesterday. I had never fought a day in my life, and I had to fight against two of the strongest students in the class. I was really nervous, scared even. But I stepped up and fought anyway, and all things considered, I was proud of my performance. Then, of course, I sorta got my butt kicked toward the end, and I lost control of my powers and destroyed a building…." Pyrrha held her hand to her face to hide her snickers. "But I was still satisfied knowing that I did my best and that I was one step closer to my goal. But even after that, I got nervous doing anything, but the words of my master helped me get through it all. Do you wanna know what he told me?"

Pyrrha nodded.

Izuku smiled brightly. "He told me to keep on smiling and fight for a better future!"

Pyrrha smiled a bit before she frowned and crossed her arms nervously. "It still is rather nerve-wracking. Fighting like I did back in my tournaments, it's something I don't want to relive."

Izuku frowned and hopped down from the trees in front of Pyrrha. "It's because you don't want to hurt them, right?"

"That's part of it…."

Izuku smiled. "Whatever the reason, I'm here to listen."

Pyrrha tensed up but smiled a bit. "I…. I…. It feels like I'm just back to where I used to be."

Izuku tilted his head. "Like Deja vu?"

"It's sort of like that…. What I mean is, back home, all people cared about was my celebrity status, so having any bonds was a rare occurrence. I was so happy to come to Beacon and finally make real friends I can count on! And for the most part, I've gotten my wish! But I feel so distant from everyone. With you avoiding me, Ren and Nora doing their own things, and the way everyone is watching us right now, I'm afraid things will end up exactly the way they used to be."

Izuku stood in silence. He pulled off his mask, revealing his wide sympathetic eyes. "Y-you think I've been avoiding you?"

Pyrrha blushed and covered her mouth like she hadn't already let that leak.

Izuku hung his head in shame. "I-I'm really sorry, Pyrrha! I hadn't realized you felt this way! I'm just…. I really miss my home."

"Do you mean…?"

Izuku nodded. "Yeah…. But that's no reason to ignore any of you guys! But you all remind me so much of my friends that I can't help but feel at home." Izuku frowned. "The thing is, though, I know this isn't home. Every time I see you guys, I remember all the fun times I've had, and I think about how things could be if I…. If I had just…!" Izuku shook like a madman as he clenched his fist and shut his eyes, fighting a losing battle with his tear ducts.

How could she be so selfish!? Had she never actually thought about Izuku's immense burdens? She's been worrying about something so trivial when her friend has been going through so much torment! His friends, his home, and his family, all of it destroyed by a single person, and she was sad that she wasn't getting a bit of attention? Pyrrha did the only thing she felt was the appropriate apology and glomped him into a hug, her tall frame completely wrapping him up like a warm blanket.

"I'm so sorry! You've been through so much, but I'm going on about my trivial issues."

Izuku gaped and slowly wrapped his arms around Pyrrha. "There's no reason to apologize. Everyone has their own problems. It doesn't matter how trivial something seems to someone else. The only thing that matters is that it holds significance to you. Besides, I haven't exactly been open about my past. So from now on, I'll try to be more social with you guys."

Pyrrha hugged him tighter. "That would be nice. I'm still a little nervous about fighting our friends, though."

"Think of it this way. This will be a learning experience for all of us. This is what this is for, right?"

Pyrrha smiled. "Right!"

Ring!

The bell rang, signaling the start of the match, and much to her dismay, Izuku broke the hug. "We need to get moving," Izuku smiled and looked at Pyrrha. "Are you ready, Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha gave him a determined look, readying her spear and shield. "Ready whenever you are Izuku."

Izuku nodded and put his mask back on. "Try to keep up!" He jumped onto a tree with Pyrrha following behind him, set on winning the match.

Izuku bounced and swung from the tall trees, making sure every so often that Pyrrha was still behind him. She kept up surprisingly well. He could still hear her fast and steady footsteps behind him, along with the creaks of the branches he made contact with. Up ahead was nothing but trees and bushes. The shadows and subtle hints of sunlight made the journey feel all for not. Even with the sounds of their footsteps, the forest was eerily quiet.

Izuku made sure to keep his guard up. Danger Sense may act as a sixth sense, but that's no reason to ignore the other five. Yang and Blake could be coming from anywhere, so staying alert was vital, though not many things could catch Izuku off guard these days.

"Except those Grimm. Why would I use 100% for those things!? I'm such an idiot."

But he knew now wasn't the time to question his controversial decisions. Right now, he needed to focus on winning this match, no questions asked.

Buzzzzzzz!

And it looks like that mission starts now.

Boom!

Yang came, heads blazing, blasting a cannon toward Izuku and Pyrrha. Anticipating the attack, both of them dodged it, Izuku standing in front of Yang and Pyrrha a distance behind.

Of course, she'd try to blindside them. Izuku chuckled. "I had a feeling you'd do that, Yang."

Yang's boisterous laughter rang throughout the forest. "So you think you got me figured out, huh?! Think again, Mop-Top! I don't know if you know this, but I've never lost a single fight at Signal, and I sure as hell don't plan on ending that streak anytime soon!"

Yang's body was betraying her words. "You're trembling, Yang."

Yang smirked. "You think I'm scared!? Try again! I'm shaking with excitement!"

"If that's the case…." Black tendrils flew out of Izukus's back as electricity crackled around his combat suit. His green irises gave Yang a challenging gaze, and he got into a fighting stance. "Then come at me with everything you've got!"

Boom!

No other words were uttered. Instead, Yang blasted her way toward Izuku, preparing a right hook, but Izuku was ready. He easily dodged it, and Yang flew over him into a shoulder roll. Then, persisting, Yang flew toward him again and went for another hook.

Constant pursuit, huh? Izuku expected nothing less. This time, Izuku grabbed her arm with a black tendril and threw her across the forest.

As her body crossed the field, he noticed the surprised look on Yang's face. She bounced once twice, thrice, each time with a thud, before finally finding her footing, crouching on the ground, sporting multiple bruises, and she smirked, "You sure are quick. I'll give you that….

Boom!

She fired another blast behind herself and flew at high speeds. "But that won't stop me!" Yang raced to Izuku. In response, Izuku did the same, catching up to her at a much faster rate.

Izuku got closer and closer to Yang, and her smile faltered. Izuku internally cheered, knowing he caught Yang off guard.

Buzzzzzzzzzzz!

But his hopes were quickly squashed like a bug as Danger Sense flared in his skull. Yang savagely grinned and shot a cannon at the ground, stopping Izuku in his tracks and front flipping herself behind him.

"Gotcha!" Izuku watched as Yang's weapon condensed a fire dust cannon blast. The orange light glowed like a mini sun, gradually becoming larger and brighter. Yang's long, golden blonde hair flowed behind her as she hovered. Her bruised smile and her violet bloodshot eyes stared into Izuku's soul like she was a madman, and honestly, that didn't seem far from the case.

Izuku smirked. He recognized that look. Yang's thinking she's already got this in the bag.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Yang fired the cannon, and a giant ball of fire zoomed toward Izuku, the heat making him sweat a bit. Now, If he were anyone else, evading this would be nay impossible. The match would've been decided at this very moment.

But Izuku is far past being just anybody….

BOOOOM!

He activated Black Whip, latched onto a branch, and pulled himself up as fast as possible, avoiding the blast radius. A torrent of heat exploded in the forest, destroying the surrounding bushes and bark. The nature that wasn't destroyed blew from the winds the collision produced, pulling the strong smell of burnt firewood into Izuku's nose. Soon, the winds died down, Izuku could still hear the sizzling from the fire. Smoke rose from the twenty-foot crater Yang created, now obscuring Izuku's vision.

So this was Yang's most powerful attack. Well, he's assuming anyway. Izuku wouldn't put it past her to have something else up her sleeve. He still didn't know her semblance after all. Nonetheless, the canon was quite potent, judging from the damage. He needed to check on Pyrrha. She could've possibly been caught in that.

Izuku activated his communicator in his ear. "Pyrrha. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay!" She answered.

Izuku sighed in relief. Good. Pyrrha was pretty tough, so something like that shouldn't have gotten her down for good. Still, he needed to check. This next part relied a lot on her skills.

The smoke from the crater cleared, revealing a frantic Yang, staring at the hole with red eyes. She was on edge. Why wouldn't she be? He had evaded her strongest attack after all. And as much as he wanted to indulge her, it's time to exploit Yang's biggest weakness.

Her anger.

One big difference between Bakugou and most others with a temper is that, unlike them, Bakugou could channel his anger and use it to his advantage. Yang is a perpetrator of the latter, often falling victim to her own rage. For example, she almost lost it when a piece of her hair fell out of place in class, so battle shouldn't be an exception. They'd get her riled up. She'd be bound to make a mistake sooner or later. That would be when Izuku struck and finally take her out of the match.

"Pyrrha, do you think you can fight?"

"I… I believe so!"

"Good. I need you to take on Yang, get her angry. We'll be able to take advantage of any mistakes she makes then."

Pyrrha hesitated. "That sounds like a large gamble. Are you certain of this plan? Time isn't exactly on our side."

"I'm completely aware of that. But I think it's the best way for us to take her out the quickest."

Why not just take her out and end this? He did have extraordinary power, didn't he? This is true, but he couldn't just use it willy nilly. Going 100% on those Grimm was utterly unnecessary. There were much better solutions to the problem, just like now. Like the Sixth told him, all these quirks are tools to use to his advantage, not the power he should be abusing. Izuku is just putting that into practice.

"If you're sure, then I'll do my best!" Pyrrha replied.

"That's all I can ask for. Good luck." Izuku crouched on his branch and watched Yang look every which way for her green-haired friend/opponent. Of course, if push came to shove, he'd just end the match. But he's confident in his plan.

Either way, he'd win, no questions asked.

Weiss watched the match with Ruby and Team MRNN's remaining members on the edge of their seats. It seems Yang finally got the drop on Izuku. There is absolutely no way he could dodge something like that after all. But something wasn't sitting right with Weiss. He'd displayed unbelievable strength and speed levels during initiation, along with some ingenuity in Professor Port's classroom this morning. Yang may be strong, but she couldn't hold a candle to Izuku. So something like that catching him off guard is a bit contrived.

"Do you think it got him?" Said Ren.

Nora let out a belly laugh. "Don't be silly, Ren! That wouldn't even be enough to bring me down, let alone our fearless leader!"

Weiss crossed her arms. "If you ask me, this entire fight is entirely unnecessary. If Izuku is so strong, he should've taken down Yang easily. Or better yet, go straight for the relic. And Yang should've stayed behind and guarded the relic, rather than rushing the person who took down a Nevermore with a single blow. Instead, they're both being incredibly reckless."

"No one asked you though…." Said Ruby under her breath.

"What?"

"What?"

Weiss narrowed her eyes. What a brat! Why was she made leader again? "Regardless, both of them are being illogical. Izuku should be abusing his immense power in situations like this, not stalling for whatever reason."

Ren rubbed his chin. "You do have a point. This is a bit reckless on Yang's part, and Izuku could end this match incredibly quickly. But I wouldn't exactly call it illogical. Yang going on the attack like this buys her and Blake some necessary time to run the clock. Also, keep in mind, Izuku never initiated an attack, and we don't know where Blake is. He may be trying to draw both of them out."

Weiss nodded. "That is entirely plausible. I suppose Yang fighting within their own circumstances would be a better alternative than vice versa. And as much as I loathe to admit it, Izuku isn't dumb. Reckless, maybe, but he is definitely not dumb. So I guess we'll have to wait and see."

They didn't have to wait long. The smoke cleared up. An enormous crater was left in the ground, but no sign of Izuku.

Ruby fell to her knees. "Nooooo! Yang disintegrated him! He was so young!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. Honestly..."Calm down, you dultz! He obviously dodged the attack."

"...Hehe. I knew that. I was just joking."

Weiss pinched her temples. "Whatever. Now, we'll see what he plans to do."

Normally, Weiss wouldn't be interested in seeing some no-name fight her undesirable teammates. But Izuku's power, along with Pyrrha fighting with him, piqued her interest. His meek and distant personality made him look like a complete wuss. But on the battlefield, that was entirely on the contrary. Multiple semblances, battle scars, and practiced skill proved there is much more to him than meets the eyes. Of course, Weiss isn't interested in Izuku's personal life, far from it, but someone with this sort of strength would undoubtedly have been documented, but she'd never heard of anyone like him. Ever.

"I've got my eyes on you, Izuku Midoriya."

Damn it! How could he possibly have dodged that? That was the biggest blast she could do!

Yang glared at the crater in the ground, teeth gritted in frustration. Mop-Top's reaction time was impeccable! The only way for him to have dodged that would be to know she was going to do it before she did. She wasn't that predictable, was she?

No, of course not! Izuku is just insanely strong. She told him not to hold back on her after all. Yang wanted nothing but his best if she was going to prove herself. She felt so useless during initiation! All she did was irritate that overgrown bird and make the situation worse. But Izuku took out the Nevermore and the Deathstalker easily!

Yang wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was a bit nervous about fighting Izuku. He was clearly the stronger of the two of them, but Yang had taken on plenty of opponents stronger than her. Losing wasn't an option, not if she wanted to prove she's the best. A real Huntress will always pull through in the end, right?

Well, she'd prove that here and now!

"Yang! Are you okay!" Blake asked through her communicator.

"I'm fine! I've got this! Just keep guarding the relic!"

"Are you sure!? Because-"

Clank!

A shield collided with the back of her head, cutting Blake off. Yang gripped her head in pain, now feeling incredibly dizzy. She looked at the perpetrator and glared. "What the hell!"

Pyrrha spun her spear and readied her shield. "I'm sorry! But you were in the way."

Yang growled. "Are you gonna just stand there, or do I have to finish what you started!?"

Pyrrha answered her question by rushing her at fast speeds. Yang followed suit, clenching her fist and throwing a punch. Pyrrha easily dodged then countered with her own. Yang deflected the blow and threw another punch, which Pyrrha blocked with her shield, creating a shockwave just from the collision. Sweat gathered on Pyrrha's brow as she fought against Yang's brute strength. Yang slowly but surely getting past her defenses.

It seemed she had the advantage until Pyrrha gathered her bearings and pushed her shield up, throwing Yang off balance.

Now with the upper hand, Pyrrha threw her shield into Yang's chest. The impact echoed through the forest, knocking the wind out of Yang and sending her flying back. As Yang struggled to catch her breath and ignore the ache in her chest, Pyrrha finished her combo by kicking Yang in the chin with a flashkick, putting Yang in the air before landing on her back with a thud.

Pyrrha put her spear against Yang's chest, an unreadable expression on her face. "It'd be best if you surrendered Yang."

Yang growled. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she didn't match Izuku nor Pyrrha's skill and power. Since the start of the match, Yang has been outmaneuvered, outsmarted, and outmatched. Maybe…. Maybe it was time to give up….

…

…

…

"LIKE HELL!" Something fierce awoken in Yang as she gathered fire dust in her cannon, the glow highlighting her feral look.

Yang always grew up having to fight for everything, winning every single bout no matter the cost. But getting her ass kicked like this made Yang realize something she'd never given any thought to.

She hated losing with a passion, and she'd be damned if she lost under any circumstance.

Pyrrha's eyes widened like someone was forcing them open. Evading this attack wasn't possible. She was barely a foot in front of Yang. No matter what she did, it'd be a direct hit.

Yang smiled a bloody grin. The win was all her now. She wouldn't lose this fight even if time itself stopped.

BOOOOOM!

Yang fired the cannon, closing her eyes to not be blinded by the bright light. She heard the tree's in the distance being incinerated and the sizzling of fire. Soon the fire died down, and the only sound left was Yang's heavy breathing. She opened her eyes to admire her handy work, only to realize Pyrrha wasn't where she left her?

"There's no way in hell!" Yang desperately looked everywhere, spinning around and staring up into the trees, tensing up for an attack. But, instead, she saw nothing but green in each direction she turned, making her panic, thinking Izuku was charging at her. Yang's heart beat inside her chest like a drum, mixed with the ache in her ribs and shortness of breath, it made her unstable.

Rustle!

"What was that!?" Yang looked into the trees only to find nothing but green once again.

Rustle!

Yang whipped her head around only to be met with an empty forest once again.

Yang's shook. This time, it wasn't from excitement. Instead, her breath became short and heavy, sweat dripped down her face like a waterfall, and the pain in her chest now became more prominent. What the hell were they doing!? Were they hiding!? Did they go for the relic!? If they did that then….

No…. No. No, no, no, no, no, NO! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

Yang gripped her eyes shut and screamed to the heavens. "STOP HIDING FROM ME AND FIGHT ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT, DAMMIT!"

Whoosh!

A green streak came flying out of the bushes faster than Yang could register. She hardly had the time to feel shocked before Izuku's boot slammed straight into her stomach, spilling the spit in Yang's mouth. While airborne, Izuku jumped onto a tree, bounced off, and kicked Yang across the face, leaving a bruise. He then bounced off another tree, repeating his last action, kicking her in the back this time, shortening her already lackluster breaths. This process repeated for a while, Izuku beating Yang to a pulp, each strike hurting more than the previous. Izuku seemed to move faster with each bounce as he kicked Yang around like a pinball. Green lightning danced across the forest like water, creating a sphere of dark green around the trees, with Yang's limp body in the middle constantly getting struck.

Finally, after a multitude of pain, the beating seemed to stop. Yang relished in the freedom of falling, thanking the Gods that she was released. She opened her eyes to at least take in the environment. Maybe she could make a comeback. Yang doubted it, but she wouldn't be Yang Xiao Long if she didn't try, right? But as soon as Yang opened her eyelids, she immediately felt them widen. There, Izuku floated above her, iron soles as intimidating as ever while he positioned himself in an overhead kick. Shadows covered his face, leaving only his whitened eyes glaring at Yang. She could swear she felt the electricity prickling on her skin while he brought his foot down to meet her torso.

Welp, she asked for his best, didn't she? The ever-so-formidable-Yang, losing to the Mop-Top of hair and Ms. Invincible herself. Yang should've expected this. This is the same guy who took out two powerful Grimm like they were pretty girls. Yet, she couldn't help but be angry with herself. Losing isn't in her blood. That's why it never happened, not until now, at least. Yang felt her blood boil, knowing she was as helpless as a Giraffe who was afraid of heights. She couldn't even use her Semblance, seeing as her strength and Aura at this point are non-existent. Now, she was sure of it. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind….

...Yang lost.

"Manchester Smash!"

BAM!

Izuku pummeled his foot into her abdomen, the force being enough to create a shockwave and blast up winds. Yang rocketed toward the ground, almost exploding the very dirt upon the impact of the kick. She barely fought the urge to throw up today's lunch, although that didn't stop a little from coming out.

The open forest, rock, grass, and dirt all filled her vision as she used her last seconds of consciousness to contemplate her situation. Surprisingly enough, none of Yang's bones were broken, but she'd definitely have lots of bruises in the morning.

Yang wouldn't call herself a sore loser, mostly because she never lost. She wanted to take this loss with grace, but she left with a bag of salt. Yang soon lost consciousness, hearing words she never once thought she'd ever hear.

"Yang's Xiao Long has been eliminated by knock-out and Aura depletion!"

"Yang Xiao Long has been eliminated by knock-out and Aura depletion!"

The students of Beacon watched, bewildered at the skill of both Pyrrha and Izuku. Yang's limp body laid out in the middle of the forest, rubble made of dirt and grass surrounding her. Once violet eyes shined no more, only showing completely white. If the students didn't know any better, they would think she was dead.

"...IS SHE DEAD!?" Said Ruby.

...Well, everyone developed at their own pace.

"Fortunately, Ms. Xiao Long is only unconscious. So we only need to send out medical units for her to ensure she recovers quickly."

Our red-haired Huntress didn't catch any of that. The only thing she was focused on was the previous fight, if you could really call it that. Izuku really didn't hold back at all, did he!? And Yang! Oh God, Yang! Is she okay!? She's not too hurt, is she!?

No. Calm down. Ruby has seen Yang get up from falling off a cliff like she slipped in a pool of marshmallows. She'd be fine!

Still… Ruby would go see her in the infirmary after the match anyway. After all, they're sisters. They looked out for one another!

Speaking of looking out, Izuku is a crazy good fighter! He and Pyrrha kicked Yang's butt like it was up on display. That's the first time Ruby had ever seen Yang lose a fight, and he did it so easy too! Is everyone in his world that strong? It's no wonder Ozpin wanted him to come here for….

Wait? What did Professor Ozpin need Izuku here for…?

Whatever it is, Ruby would be by his side regardless, fighting along with him. Any hardships he faced would have to get through her first!

Well, not like she's been doing a good job of that, though…. What had she done again? Charge a Deathstalker because she wanted to prove herself to some snob? That couldn't be it, right…?

Right! She fought those bad guys at the Dust shop! That counts for something, doesn't it?

Now that she thought about it, though, they were sort of cannon fodder. Ruby didn't even fight them on her own, she had Izuku with her, and they never did get the bad guy in the end….

Ruby…. She hasn't done a single thing since coming to Beacon, has she? Everyone during initiation did something. Even if it was trivial. All she did was constantly make situations worse and act like a child. So how was it that both Izuku and her became team leaders?

Izuku: Charismatic, Smart, Fights like a beast, Never hesitates, Passionate, Has a cool Bunny Mask.

Ruby: ...She has a scythe? It turns into a gun, though!

Izuku is clearly more qualified. Actually, Ruby is pretty sure anyone would be more qualified, even someone like….

Ruby looked over to the ever-so-smug Weiss, who was staring at the camera like she was looking for the last piece of a puzzle. Maybe Weiss had a point…. Ruby acted childish all of her time at Beacon and has yet to impress her peers like she'd hoped. Yet, in only two days, Izuku has already proved to be the strongest Student, maybe even Huntsman in the school.

So what Ruby got into Beacon early? If there's a reason that this didn't happen often, she'd be the reason. Childish and unfocused, that's all Ruby is. She couldn't even be a good student, let alone the leader of a group of Huntresses.

Maybe Ozpin could send her back to Signal. At least she had her other friends there. Ruby couldn't make a name for herself here even if she wanted to. Coming to her dream school earlier than she imagined didn't do anything for her. If anything, it held her back.

No matter what Ozpin or anyone said, Weiss was right about her. Ruby isn't anything special, just a child who snuck her way into Beacon.

Ruby, you've been blessed with so much talent. Pretending you don't have it isn't going to get you anywhere. Who cares about what other people think?

...Ugh! Even in her head, Izuku found a way to be remarkable. He was right! She shouldn't be moping around! Go away, doubts!

…

…

…

...She said BEGON DOUBTS!

…

…

…

...yeah, that wasn't happening. But it was okay! It's just like Izuku said, the only thing she needed to do was keep sight of her dream, and she'd be there in no time! The first step, becoming a good leader!

"Hmm. Seems he did have a plan after all." Weiss said.

Starting with making friends with the crabby rich girl. If her stories had taught her anything, it's that the hero could always talk anyone into being their friend, no matter who they were!

"Of course he would! Izuku is really smart!"

Weiss rubbed her chin. "I suppose he is rather focused. His plan was likely to bait Yang into giving into frustration. Although it was a bit of a gamble, it is a good plan under these circumstances, given Yang's character. All of Izuku's decisions were likely planned from the beginning from the way he pulled them off. It is quite easy to see how he was made a team leader, unlike some people."

Weiss said that last part under her breath, but Ruby heard it loud and clear. Ruby's eye twitched, but she kept her smile. "I know! He's everything a Huntsman should be! Smart, strong, nice to his teammates."

Weiss growled. "Yes, he has displayed those skills. With the added bonus of not being a child."

Okay! Ruby's already had enough! "What's your deal with me! I didn't ask to be the leader."

Weiss scowled. "Where do I even begin? First off, you couldn't even lead a car down a one-way road, let alone be in charge of three people's futures. Second, how you even got into Beacon in the first place is beyond me because you've not displayed one useful skill since I've met you. All you've done is whine and tried to show off to prove God-knows-what! You haven't taken anything seriously either. In class this morning, you were sitting there goofing off during his lecture like some kind of third grader! You should just leave so you're not a distraction to the rest of us who actually want to be here. You obviously don't belong here."

Ruby felt all the eyes in the stadium on her, giving her a nervous sweat. Then, hoping to gain some control of the situation, Ruby rebutted. "I do belong here! I worked my butt off at Signal Academy, and even Professor Ozpin thought I had a chance! So why should I listen to you?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "There you go whining again. If what you said is somehow true, Ozpin clearly made a mistake putting you in this school. Because honestly…" Weiss's icy eyes froze on Ruby, glaring. "You've got to be the worst Huntress candidate in this school."

Ruby felt a sword pierce her heart, the cruelty of what she already knew twisting and turning a knife in her soul.

Whispers made their way into Ruby's ear as her classmates talked about her current predicament.

"Wow! She is pretty young!"

"Yeah, but she is super childish. I heard she didn't even do anything during initiation."

"Really! I thought she'd be really good. Do you think she cheated her way in?"

"Probably. I don't buy Professor Ozpin let her in for a second! How else could she possibly get into this school? She must have cheated!"

No! This is exactly what she didn't want to happen. Ruby's world spun as more and more whispers made their way into her ears.

'Child.'

'Fake.'

'Fraud!'

"I have to go to the bathroom!" Ruby yelled out.

Glynda nodded, her eyes full of understanding. "Go right ahead."

She didn't need to be told twice, and Ruby took off out of the arena.

Glynda gave the students a pointed gaze. "Quit your gossiping. You should be watching this match unless you want me to go through a step-by-step evaluation of initiation and judge each of your performances. And trust me, those left a lot to be desired."

The students had the decency to look sheepish. Others not so much. Some kid in silver armor continued to smirk like he just invented sliced bread. Weiss humphed and crossed her arms and begrudgingly obeyed Glynda's orders.

Meanwhile, Ruby rushed off to anywhere but the bleachers, still someone feeling the heat of everyone's stares. All the gossip in Ruby's head played on rotation. Surprisingly, also unsurprisingly, words hurt so much more coming from other people, even if you already knew every last bit of what is said.

Sticks and stones could break bones, yes. But those bones are useless when your mind is surrounded by toxicity.

"Yang Xiao Long has been eliminated by Knockout and Aura depletion!"

Blake didn't know what Yang expected to happen when she charged two of the most powerful students in the classroom. Although, Blake isn't going to say it was an entirely lousy plan. It honestly probably was a better idea to bring the fight to them rather than have it be on their terms. But given their opponent, Blake opted for them to stay back and guard the relic to the best of their ability. For some weird reason, though, Yang decided to charge them anyway. So, in the end, the two partners just decided to stick to their own individual plans.

Just look how that turned out.

Well, the bright side was the match wasn't over yet. So all Blake had to do was guard the relic. She thought about hiding it, but that'd be really foolish. All that would do was ensure her defeat because they didn't have to get the relic, just defeat the opponents.

All in all, Blake isn't in a pretty spot right now, more like murky sewage water. But it's not like she cared too much about the match anyway. It's only their first class. They'd have plenty of chances to prove themselves. Only God knows…

Well, maybe a few others know how much Blake needed to prove herself.

Blake heard the rustling of leaves from the spot she stood in her clearing. Oh well, the solitude was fun while it lasted, but it was time to get this over with.

Izuku zoomed out of the bushes and flew toward Blake, readying a roundhouse kick.

"St. Louis Smash!"

Blake barely made a shadow clone to push herself out the way before Izuku's foot swept the air, the force being enough to create wind pressures. Jeez! Did she really have to fight this guy and Pyrrha Nikos?

Usually, Blake wouldn't quit so quickly, but honestly, it would be the logical decision. Both of these opponents were difficult to take on by themselves and having them work together!?

Yeah…. Blake would rather take the bad grade.

Set on her decision, Blake readied to wave her white flag, that was until she got a look at Izuku's face.

The bunny mask… The dark eyes… The chilling aura… Could he…?

Before she got the chance to finish that thought, Izuku dashed to her and struck her with a flashkick, leaving her airborne.

"Pyrrha!" Izuku yelled.

Seeing her cue, Pyrrha jumped off Izuku's back and expertly swiped her spear at Blake mid-air. Blake quickly gripped the sword on her back and countered her strikes, red streaks clashing with purple.

They landed on the ground, and before she knew it, Izuku bunny mask glared at her, the iron soles of his boots ready for action.

Blake narrowly ducked the attack and was immediately met with another from Pyrrha and her spear. Blake brought her sword out just in time to clash with the spear, the clanking of metals echoing across the open field. After that, red and purple clashed, displaying their skill as Blake ducked and weaved Pyrrha's expertly thrown attacks.

Suddenly, Pyrrha jumped back, bringing their fight to a halt. Blake looked up, seeing Izuku preparing an overhead kick. Blake created an explosive shadow clone and backflipped to create some distance.

Boom!

The clone exploded, sending Izuku flying out of the smoke like a ragdoll. He soon found his bearings, though, and activated his black tendrils and wrapped them around Blakes's torso, pulling him to her and kneeing her in the stomach.

Electricity crackled on Izuku's. His dark green eyes stared her down as shadows perfectly reflected off his body, giving him a dark look.

He couldn't be working for that bastard, could he? Blake didn't need to be fighting some match...

"I surrender." She said

...She needed answers.

Izuku's eyes flashed in surprise, and he released his grip on Blake.

"Blake Belladonna has surrendered, meaning that Izuku Midoriya and Pyrrha Nikos take the victory! Both teams will return to the arena and receive any medical attention they may need."

Izuku stood there frozen for a couple of seconds, annoying Blake. "You can get off me now." She said more aggressively than she wanted.

"Oh, sorry." He said.

Blake got up and dusted herself off. "Whatever, let's just get out of here."

Izuku pulled his mask off. "Right."

Blake reattached her weapon to her back and asked. "So what happened to Yang."

"She's still somewhere in the forest. I don't know if she's still unconscious."

Blake nodded, not saying anything for a while, content with standing. Finally, she said. "After the evaluation…." Blake's gold eyes pierced Izuku's green ones. "We need to talk."

To his credit, Izuku hardly reacted, only nodding, looking aloof as ever.

"Are you guys coming?" Pyrrha asked.

"...Yeah. We're coming," Izuku replied.

They walked off into the forest, and Blake stared at the back of Izuku's curly hair, ready to expose all of his secrets.

Yang slowly opened her eyes and grimaced as a light flashed in her sensitive pupils. Jeez, she had a massive headache. Yang took a few seconds to catch her breath before slowly but surely raising herself out of bed.

Yang didn't expect to see much waking up, and to her credit, there wasn't much. But the person that was there surprised her.

"...Izuku?"

Izuku, still donning his combat suit, smiled and said. "Yeah, I'm glad you're alright."

Yang stared, surprised for a second, before she huffed and turned her head.

Izuku frowned. "I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now. But-"

Yang cut him off. "Whatever you want to say, don't even bother. I already know I'm an idiot for trying to take you on. "The Almighty Izuku" vs. Yang "Talk All Day" Long! Who's gonna win!? Oh, looky there! Unsurprisingly, Izuku beats the ever-so-stupid Yang!" Yang ended her rant by throwing her arms in the air and falling into her bed, staring into the ceiling.

Izuku's eyes flashed with sympathy. "Yang, you're not stupid just because you wanted a good fight. I've known plenty of people like you, and they're some of the smartest people I know."

Yang scoffed. "Well, now I know I'm not one of them. I don't even know what I was even thinking! Hey! Let's rush the strongest guy in the class with no plan! While I'm at it, I think I'll jump off a building with no gear whatsoever! I'm sure that'll go well!" She said sarcastically. Yang rolled over in her bed to stare at the empty infirmary walls and said. "Maybe I shouldn't have even been a huntress in the first place."

Izuku jolted, "Don't say that! Look, I understand your frustration more than you'll ever know, but you can't just quit after one failure!"

Yang scowled. "I know you understand! It's why you're even here in the first place! So what am I here for!? Because I thought it'd be fun!? Face it, Izuku, I'm a joke, and I shouldn't even be here with the other people who take this way more seriously!"

"You belong here just like everyone else does! I've seen people who want to be heroe- erm Huntsman and Huntresses for way more selfish reasons than yours! Trust me! Doubting yourself like this will only stunt your growth!"

Yang groaned. "Just can it, Izuku. Believe it or not, not everyone wants to hear your infinite wisdom. So just leave me alone."

Izuku stared at Yang for a while before sighing and finally getting up. "Fine. I don't even know why I bothered to come here anyway. My negotiation skills are almost as bad as your fighting skills."

Yang raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I've fought with children with better skills than you."

"...Izuku, if the Huntsman thing doesn't work out, for God's sake, please don't be an actor."

Izuku snarled or attempted to snarl anyway. "What're you talking about?"

Yang sighed. "Izuku, I may be dumb, but I'm not that dumb. Making me lose my temper is how I lost the first time. It's not going to work again. And even if it did, your baby face isn't intimidating in the slightest."

Surprisingly, Izuku smiled. "See! You're already learning from your mistakes! That's more than a lot of other people can say!"

Yang deadpanned. "Really?"

Izuku threw his hands up. "I'm serious! I know someone who's just like you, you know?"

"If he's anything like me, you're either lying, or you think way too highly of me."

Izuku frantically shook his head. "Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, he's actually brilliant!"

"How so?" Yang asked.

"Well, first off, he's an incredibly fast thinker. So even when he's clearly outmatched, he can still think of something to turn the fight in his favor. He also has an amazing battle sense. It's almost like he's a natural-born fighter. But the thing that made me admire him the most was his determination."

"His determination?"

Izuku nodded. "When Kacchan wanted something, he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. It's been that way since we were kids. If he felt like he was owed something or that something was a way it shouldn't be, he'd do everything in his power to make things go his way. In some ways, it was a bit… unethical. On the other hand, it's what made Kacchan Kacchan. It's a real shame he used to be the biggest bully I knew."

"What, hold on! You're comparing me to a bully!?"

"Of course not! I'm just telling you that because... I used to be one of his targets."

Yang jerked up. "Seriously!? You have that kind of power, and you let someone bully you like that?"

"That's just the thing, Yang. I didn't have those powers back then. As a matter of fact, I couldn't even use Aura back then. So I was essentially powerless."

Yang stared in shock. True, everyone started from somewhere, but she could hardly imagine Izuku not having God-like strength.

"Kacchan, on the other hand, was the toughest kid on the block. Strong semblance, popular, good-looking Mom, and he always had the best snacks. Everyone thought Kacchan was so cool, including me. I thought he was basically the chosen one because he was so good at everything. But with all of those things came the constant unearned praises of everyone around him. It all ended up going to his head, and he started looking down on those he deemed inferior, mainly me."

Yang's eyes soften. "I'm really sorry to hear that, Izuku."

Izuku smiled. "It's okay. I'm over all of that now. In fact, that was one of the main things pushing me to keep going."

Yang raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but bullying isn't usually a motivator."

"No, no! I hated all of the bullying, but as many times as he humiliated me, knowing he thought so little of me made me want to prove him wrong. So when we finally got to the combat academy, and my first match of the year was against him, I was actually excited, mostly nervous, but also pretty excited. And you know what? I actually won! Well, I won the match, I wouldn't say I won the fight, but for once in my life, I'd won something fair and square."

"What'd Kacchan do?" Yang asked.

"Yeah! What'd he do!?"

"Shhh, Nora! Be quiet!" Came Ruby's behind-the-door voice.

"Yeah, you dunce! Now he knows we're all here!" Said Weiss.

"Well, now he does! As far as he knew, it could've just been us three!" Rebutted Nora.

"Great going guys, now he really knows we're all here." Said Blake, leaning against the doorframe.

Ren sighed. "No use in hiding now. C'mon out, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha popped her head through the door. "Hello again!"

Izuku tilted his head. "Um, guys?" Everyone turned to look at him. "Are you guys here to see Yang too?"

"Well, we were, but then we heard you talking to Yang about your childhood, and we didn't want to interrupt. But then we sort of got curious, and to make a long story short, now we're invested. By the way, what the heck Izuku! You never told me you got bullied!" Ruby said.

"To be fair, it isn't exactly a conversation starter." Said Izuku.

"Ugh, who cares about any of that! Just finish the story." Said Weiss.

"Wow, Weiss. I didn't know you cared so much." Said Yang.

"I don't. But I've found myself curious as well. So if you would please…."

"...Right. As I was saying, after so many years of enduring his torment, I finally beat Kacchan at his own game. I thought I'd be the happiest person in the world! But it felt… wrong. Like it was forbidden. I don't know why, but I felt obligated to help him after that, thinking he may have lost his fire because of me. But he proved me wrong the moment I tried to talk to him…."

"Enjoy your win Deku! Because you won't get another!"

"Those were the exact words he said to me." Izuku continued. "He basically called me an idiot for even doubting him. In retrospect, I don't see why I expected anything else, still, though, his words stuck with me and reminded me why I admired him so much despite everything he'd done. From that day on, Kacchan only kept getting stronger. He would always find ways to improve, whether by finding a new way to use his Quir- erm, Semblance, or just growing as a person. Kacchan had come a long way. He grew to be something way better than a bully; he grew to be one of my most reliable allies."

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

"A truly inspiring story, if I've ever heard one." Professor Ozpin walked into the nurse's office, the sounds of a cane hitting the ground with each step.

"Professor Ozpin! What are you doing here?" Izuku said.

"I just wanted to check up on our student who was put in the infirmary." Ozpin directed to Yang, who grunted and turned her head away.

"Okay, I get it. I got my ass kicked. No need to rub it in." She said.

"My apologies Ms. Xiao Long. I, by no means, meant to insult you. I only wanted to make sure you were in a good mindset."

"Good mindset? What? You thought I had brain damage or something?"

"Nothing of the sort. But I do know that any flesh wound doesn't compare to shots to one's pride. And judging from your attitude, yours has taken quite the beating."

Yang growled. "It's not about my pride! It's about knowing that maybe…. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this whole Huntress thing."

Before Professor Ozpin could speak, Ruby chimed in. "What are you talking about, Yang!? You're one of the coolest huntresses I know! And you're not even a huntress yet!"

"Yeah! Your legs are totally worth breaking!" You can guess who that was.

"Nora, please stop with the broken bones. ("Aw, c'mon Ren!") I do agree with Nora, though, well, disregarding the broken bones. Although rushing two of the strongest students here may not have been the best idea, I feel if they were anyone else, they'd be hard-pressed to win against you."

"It's true! Even I struggled against your strength." Said Pyrrha.

"Besides, your idea wasn't nearly as bad as you think it is. Heck, if we weren't fighting Izuku and Pyrrha, I probably would've followed you." Blake said.

"..."

Ruby nudged Weiss. "C'mon! Say something!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Fine. Despite being an incredibly undesirable teammate, you still have… some skill."

"That's…! *sigh* That's close enough," Ruby said.

Ozpin smiled. "See, Ms. Xiao Long? You have plenty of people willing to argue on your behalf, me included. You may not be the best Huntress in the building or even in your class, but you're not supposed to be. Mine, Ms. Goodwitch, and the rest of the teacher's job in this school are to help make you the best Huntress you can be. The rest of your growth is up to you and only you. It could be from learning new moves, making a new weapon, or simply becoming a better person. Please think about that next time you doubt your own skill."

Everyone…. Did they really…? Yang struggled against her tears and was failing miserably. "Someone must be cutting onions in here." She joked.

"You know it's okay to cry, Yang," Izuku said. "Trust me, I know that better than anyone. I've cried so many times, but I've never let it stop me! As long as you remember your goal and never stop striving, you can cry as much as you need to."

That really did it. Yang willingly let tears fall from her ducts, wiping her eyes with her forearm. "You guys, *sniff* are so sappy."

Blake smirked. "Says the one crying."

Yang laughed, sort of. "These aren't tears. My eyes are just sweaty."

"That's really gross, Yang." Said Ruby.

Izuku watched as Ruby's group members continued to converse. Although, yeah, Yang would bounce back, it'd probably take a while before she'd really be herself again.

"Oh, and Mop-Top, don't think for a second this means I've given up on kicking your ass! Next time we fight, I swear it'll end differently!"

...Izuku doesn't know why stuff like this always comes as a surprise to him.

But… "I won't hold anything back!"

Either way, Izuku never backed down from a challenge.

"You better not! I won't take anything less than your best, you got that!"

Izuku nodded. "Right!"

Yang got her fighting spirit back and would probably come out stronger than ever. So, welp all's well that ends well then….

Buzzzzzzzzz!

Izuku felt a tight grip on his shoulder, making him tense up. He turned his head to meet the cat-like eyes of Blake Belladonna, her glare enough to pierce mountains. "You haven't forgotten about our little talk, have you?"

Izuku did his best to keep a straight face. "Where do you want to meet?"

"Right in the hallway is fine." Blake got up, walked to the door, and gestured her head toward the door.

Izuku looked over at Yang, putting Ruby into a noogie and the rest of his team and Weiss, just staring in amusement (some for different reasons than others). Guess now would be the best time before anyone noticed.

Obeying her suggestion, Izuku followed Blake out the door. While they walked, the echoing sounds of their footsteps pounded into Izuku's ear's and the cold air from the hallway gave his skin goosebumps. As stoic as ever, Blake walked through the hallways calmly, seemingly unaffected by the tense atmosphere.

Finally, they reached the end of the hall. Blake just stood there, barely even acknowledging anything. The deafening silence rang for a while until Blake finally spoke up. "That's a nice combat suit you have."

Izuku tilted his head. "Thanks?"

"In fact, it's so nice…." Then, faster than a normal eye could perceive, Blake unsheathed her weapon, purple streaks following the blade, and pinched the sharp edge scarily close to Izuku's unflinching throat. "I hate the fact that you're even wearing it."

Golden cat eyes and glowing green eyes stared at each other down in the dark hallways. Blake pushed the blade's edge even close to Izuku's voicebox, drawing blood from his neck. "Unless you want your body to end up in a river, you're going to tell me right now…." Blake's once calm golden eyes turned bloodshot, hatred in her eyes evident, and she growled the words. "Who the hell are you, Izuku Midoriya?"

Authors notes: This chapter was a long time coming. Sorry it took so long to come out. I just wanted to make sure it was truly ready before I released it.

In the meantime, thank you all so much for the reviews and critiques. The majority of the stuff you've asked me I haven't forgotten about, but I wanted to so those things for later on in the story. Most people were disappointed with the initiation in the second chapter, and I was too. I should've taken the time to rewrite and revise the chapter, but rest assured, Izuku breezing through initiation wasn't for no reason. I wanted the fight to have some consequences, mainly Ruby not able to step up as a leader and Team RWBY not really learning to work together.

Now onto the main goal for this chapter. I wanted to highlight some of the parallels between RWBY's cast and Class 1-A just to make Izuku suffer just a tiny bit more. I also wanted Yang to learn a little early that she can't just punch her way through everything. I'm not going to lie though, the last bit with Blake came to me while eating some Trix cereal. I saw the bunny mascot and thought about Izuku's costume when I realized that Blake could mistake it for symbolism for the White Fang. It's a bit far-fetched, but would you also not being suspicious? Especially since his supposed "hometown" was destroyed, he came out of nowhere with this immense strength, multiple semblances, and just so happens to wear a bunny mask?

Yeah... I'd probably be on my toes a bit too.

But let me know what you liked about this chapter. Also, what you disliked, what you thought was stupid, or what you want to see from this story. Believe it or not, all the reviews help give me the insight I need to keep the flow of this story going. Until next time readers, happy reading!