As someone who'd always possessed an aptitude for the skills required by his chosen career, it wasn't any surprise that his astute observational skills endowed Snipe with abilities in parallel processing. While his trigger finger worked in unison with his Quirk to keep Hagakure and Shoji guessing when and where his next attack would strike, his mind made some observations about their practical examination performance thus far. His first pertained to their setting.

Team Hagakure and Shoji's battleground was unlike most others. Where most combat stages were practical districts heroes could anticipate an encounter during their careers, Hagakure and Shoji's was perhaps the most niche, being designated a 'cistern' district. Snipe thought the title was rather poorly bestowed though, as other than the large puddle that formed in its depressed center portion, aesthetically, the area more resembled an underground sewer system with grand hallways and oversized concrete pillars.

Ever since the practical examination had begun, Snipe had been raining hellfire on them from the relative safety of his position blocking their arena's only escape gate. His bullets might've been replaced with rubber replications rather than the real thing, but without either Shoji or Hagakure having ranged capabilities to counterattack, they were effectively forced to take cover behind the district's many concrete pillars. Unbeknownst to them, those support structures weren't designed with sustained durability in mind; after all, this practical exam was meant to push Class 1-A beyond their preconceived limits.

Which was why it only took around a handful of rubber bullets before the pillars came crumbling down. Once Hagakure and Shoji's third protective pillar started showing signs that it'd topple in due time, Snipe watched as they sprinted behind yet another.

Yet another advantageous feature of his Quirk's abilities was that that Homing nearly guaranteed that his opponents wouldn't evade his notice. Considering the smokescreen of dust and debris the latest pillar's collapse had kicked up, Snipe was grateful that his Quirk let him continue attacking until his weapon's impressive magazine required reloading. Why?

Because Shoji was making the most of his metahuman ability, likely monitoring every move that Snipe made. If Shoji saw a reasonable opportunity to turn on the offensive, Snipe knew that he'd run straight into harm's way without hesitation. Still, that didn't mean he'd triumph. Hatsume's immense weights drained the stamina of those that wore them, but Snipe's custom-made weapon would help him triumph, in time.

Not that this diminished the fun he was having, here – he and his opponents were all masters of their respective trades.

Shoji was the quintessential master of information gathering. Unlike those of his classmates who could only rely on their basic senses, or an augmented sense of hearing in Jiro's case, Shoji had apparently caught on quite quickly to the utility his Dupli-Arms handed him. Not only would an always-available extra set of eyes come in handy, but his duplicated ears, noses, and even mouths seemed as though they had extra sharpness compared to their natural counterparts. His Quirk might not have been flashy, but it could become an extremely useful one in team operations such as these.

Hagakure wasn't much different, insofar as her natural specialization was concerned. Perpetual invisibility made her into the perfect stealth operative, of course, but her less-than-intellectual personality always lent herself toward acting as an ambush fighter more than anything else. Her very-visible shoes and gloves might've put a hamper on this method of operation, but she never thought twice to do away with those things when the need arose and, thus, her standing as Class 1-A's potential best ambush fighter remained firm.

Snipe was something of a hybridization of his opponents' traits while still remaining tactically unique. When fighting by himself, the comprehensive spatial awareness he had slowly gained mastery over, the blinding speed and force behind his chosen firearm, and the sheer accuracy Homing provided every attack transformed him into the simple concept of 'unavoidable firepower.'

When these three specializations were taken into account, it became obvious that Snipe was indeed Hagakure and Shoji's perfect opponent. While teachers were being chosen, Snipe hadn't thought much of Nezu making the decision, but now that he was in the thick of things…

'Nezu, you hyper-intelligent animal, you…' he thought. 'Always thinking ten steps ahead of us, aren't you? Well, even if I ain't somebody who understands quantum physics or anything outta the ordinary like that, I've still got some damn sharp wits about me.'

Beneath his mask, Snipe smiled. Out of everyone in Class 1-A's staff, he was chosen to oppose these two trainees. If they were going to be forced to push themselves beyond their limits, it was about time their 'villain' started playing to his particular strengths.

"Alright. Now, let's find out who's better at hide-and-seek…"

His unoccupied hand moved and snatched a cylindrical device from his belt. Throwing it into the expanse of the cistern district, the device emitted a metallic clink, and smoke billowed outwards, immediately diminishing the battleground's visibility. They lived in a superhuman society, but those smoke grenades that their predecessors used still had their place, too.

Confident with the smokescreen he'd provided himself, Snipe walked forward for the first time since the students' battle trial started. Further amplifying his accuracy with a steady two-handed grip on his pistol, Snipe continually took potshots at Shoji's exposed Dupli-Arms whenever their owner dared expose them. In Snipe's eye, Shoji's body seemed outlined in a dull navy aura – he wasn't escaping Homing anytime soon.

"Just letting you know, when it comes to this kinda game, I'm a damned crafty rascal," Snipe said. He shifted his focus to destroying Shoji's cover completely through the smoke and kept firing. "It'll take more than some concrete pillars to escape my sights, kid."

"This smokescreen you've created might've obscured our vision, but don't forget, my Quirk isn't all about sight!" Shoji called out. "My Dupli-Arms will still detect where you're headed through sound and smell alone!"

"Don't forget that I'm still detecting your presence constantly, kid," Snipe responded. "Or are you really fixing for a more personal reminder about what my Quirk does?"

Three swift shots triggered the crumbling collapse of yet another pillar, and Snipe watched Shoji's outline indicate his startled movements further from him. His hurried sprint behind the pillar across the narrow cistern left him easily exposed to gunfire, but Snipe utilized the minor opportunity to expertly reload his spent magazine with another assortment of rubber bullets.

'Come on, kids… show us teachers that you really can embody U.A. High School's motto…'

Only when Shoji's outline confirmed that he'd completely hidden himself did Snipe open fire again. There might've been some mention that the teachers would be giving it their all to trounce their teenage trainees, but there was still some mercy intrinsically involved in these practical examinations.

Even with traditionally noncombatant heroes like Thirteen, it'd take far more than some simple weights to provide first-years anywhere near a decent chance at defeating a licensed Pro Hero in serious combat.

'Come on, Tentacole… what're you thinking? Right now, you're turning yourself into a sitting duck. I ain't running outta ammo soon, and this next pillar's gonna break right quick, so if you're gonna make a move… now's your last chance before I really start trying to hit ya.'

After a short time, Snipe's forward match came to its conclusion, although his rubber bullet assault continued. His grip switched from two hands back to one, and he witnessed cracks forming around the enormous width of Shoji's temporary shelter. If he didn't do anything differently, he'd either lose due to the exam's timer running out or being defeated outright.

But Shoji shifted their battle's paradigm before either scenario could transpire.

Darting out from behind his cover, Shoji transformed his Dupli-Arms' pods into additional hands and clenched them tightly into fists as his feet pounded into the concrete. Snipe continued firing but omitted using his Quirk such that Shoji could dodge some handful of the attacks – he might've been holding back somewhat, but that didn't mean he was making this easy.

'Shoji wouldn't charge this recklessly unless he's learned something that makes him think this is a good idea… but what?'

"Don't be rash, kid!" Snipe warned.

Several rubber bullets finally struck their target. Within that same second his body met Snipe's bruising rounds, Shoji stopped before another attack could've knocked him unconscious. Even with the six-armed assailant mere meters away, Snipe didn't backpedal in the slightest; instead, he aimed his weapon straight at Shoji's torso in a wordless warning.

Surprisingly easily, Shoji relented, and his interconnected arms raised themselves in complete and unconditional surrender.

"Aren't you giving up a little too easily for a hero?" Snipe asked.

Not another second later, Snipe's firing arm was yanked off-course by an unanticipated weight. Before he could do more than jerk his attention with surprise toward the attack, the metallic clink of handcuffs and the feeling of cold steel around his wrist revealed the truth of what'd happened, here. He felt the pressure of another arm linked securely to his, and Homing helped him discover how he'd been overcome, illuminating someone in an airy white aura.

"There! I got him!" Hagakure proclaimed.

"Where'd you-" Snipe began.

His handcuffed arm was dragged downwards by Hagakure's weight, and his elbow bounced into something particularly soft and round somewhere midair.

"Oh," Snipe uttered. "Oh no…"

"Come on Snipe, you… you… pervert!" Hagakure shouted.

Almost like a lightweight machine gun of invisible slaps from hell, Hagakure assailed her teacher with an unyielding storm of indignant attacks. Her strikes contained about as much power as that of a particularly angry grade-schooler's, but words of wisdom from Snipe's upbringing provided each slap a surreal sense of urgency.

If there was anything his mother instilled in him throughout his childhood, it was the tendency to respect women; thus, he sprinted straight through every possible apology without delay.

"It was an accident! I couldn't see ya! Please forgive me- I would never- you're a student- I respect women! I promise!" Snipe rapidly fumbled.

"Oh really?" Hagakure asked. Her slapping petered out, but Snipe assumed that her expression remained indignant. "Then why'd that happen when I captured you?"

"W-well, you see-"

"Hagakure?" Shoji interrupted, lowering his arms. "You might be invisible, but you still weigh something. If you jumped onto Snipe's arm when capturing him and then jumped off once you secured his handcuff onto him…"

"Then that means the one that's locked onto my arm might've dragged his down and bounced into my…" Hagakure paused. "Oh! Sorry, sir! I didn't mean to-"

"It's quite alright, kid." Snipe said with a sigh of complete relief. "I wouldn't exactly blame ya for that misconception."

"Team Hagakure and Shoji have passed the exam," an announcer declared. "Well fought!"

"And there's the confirmation I was waiting for," Snipe commented. "Now, how about we unlock these handcuffs and finally wrap this practical exam right quick?"

"That sounds like a really good idea," Hagakure agreed.

From the moment his arm was released from its handcuff, Snipe carefully took some steps away from where its hovering counterpart indicated Hagakure remained standing. "Well, you mighta heard it from our interim announcer himself, but you passed your practical examination. Even if it wasn't as action-packed as what your classmates might experience, don't ya feel disappointed. Winning this fight is proof enough that you'll both become damn fine heroes when you graduate from this school."

"Aw, thanks!" Hagakure said. "Personally, I think that ambush attack was pretty cool!"

"It was," Snipe confirmed. "I'm assuming that you threw away your costume's visible parts to help keep yourself stealthy, then?"

"Yep!" Hagakure chirped. "They should still be where I left them."

"There will be time to recover your gloves and shoes soon, Hagakure," Shoji said. "There's something that bothers me about all this, though."

"What might that be?" Snipe asked, slipping his pistol back into the holster hidden beneath his cloak.

"You mentioned that your Quirk allowed you to detect someone's presence constantly," Shoji began. "Yet somehow Hagakure slipped beneath your notice long enough to capture you and secure our victory. What happened?"

"Well, Homing might make landing shots and keeping track of my targets a cinch, but don't forget – there's still some effort I've gotta put into using it," Snipe explained. "Believe it or not, I found myself focusing too much on tracking you instead of Hagakure."

"So we essentially won because of a simple oversight," Shoji observed.

"Somewhat," Snipe responded. "But that happens all the time in actual battles. Learning how to utilize the element of surprise and notice when your opponents' attention is diverted is one dang fine skill. Walk outta this place with pride, kids. You fought someone who specializes in ranged combat and still captured him – that right there's worthy of some pretty damn high scores."

"Alright!" Hagakure cheered, presumably pumping her fist overhead, if the upwards movement of her still-attached handcuff was any indicator. "Looks like we're making it into that summer training camp after all! It's gonna be awesome!"

"That it might be…" Snipe inwardly debated continuing. "Though might I make one request before we mosey on outta this place?"

"Oh, sure!" Hagakure said.

"Absolutely, sir," Shoji added, bowing his head.

"Good. Then…" Snipe glanced at them both. "Even if she approaches you about it, don't tell Dawnbreaker about how you won this practical examination, alright?"

"What? Why?" Hagakure questioned.

"Because it just so happens that I know Dawnbreaker better than anyone; in fact, I encountered her before anyone else at U.A. even knew she existed," Snipe explained. "I know she wouldn't let me hear the end of it if she learned I lost because I forgot where one of my opponents was… even if they were completely invisible."

"Huh…" Hagakure sounded. "I didn't know teachers could feel embarrassed."

"They are human, Hagakure. Just like almost everyone else around." Shoji tilted his head away from his teammate again. "You have our word, sir. We won't betray the details of this practical examination's conclusion anytime soon."

"That's much appreciated, kid," Snipe thanked, tipping his hat. "Now how about we bail outta this joint right quick?"

At the moment, Kyoka found herself standing directly in the center of the only battleground that, unlike many others which were being utilized for 1-A's practical examinations, the teachers had insisted not be referred to as a genuine 'district.' Considering the overwhelmingly natural details throughout the arena, Kyoka couldn't quite convince herself to disagree with the classification.

Especially not when it consisted of a square kilometer's worth of untouched and untamed forest.

Considering how unsavory and destructive no-holds-barred combat with Quirks could become, even Kyoka perceived the environment as an unusually picturesque venue for the upcoming examination. Rabbits, birds, and miscellaneous other wildlife waltzed about the fenced-off portion of Japanese wilderness, unknowing the widespread devastation that their home might imminently receive. Koda silently admired the various flora and fauna surrounding them, while Kyoka remained relatively still, her arms crossed over her chest.

From outward appearances, Kyoka knew they probably appeared nervous, but she still hoped her characteristically cool exterior could help her nerves cruise beneath Koda's notice. Koda wasn't antisocial, but other than Akiko back during the first few weeks of school, he must've been the most timid hero-in-training in Class 1-A. If there was anything that'd be necessary for their victory, it'd be making sure Koda didn't worry too much about his teammate's needs.

That was some portion of Kyoka's thought process, anyway.

Another portion of her conscious efforts were dedicated to coming up with several strategies she could throw against Present Mic once their practical exam started. Their validity and practicality remained to be seen, but she imagined that her simple plans were far more comprehensive than anything Denki would've come up with, right now. Jomei and Akiko were level-headed enough to understand the necessity behind making plans before their examination began. Denki? Kyoka appreciated him more than many others as an incredibly close friend, but she just knew he didn't possess the foresight to tackle that particular course of action, too. However slightly, Kyoka even envied his uniquely charming stupidity, right now. Why?

Because since she'd already created some strategies herself, there remained what felt like ample time before Class 1-A's practical examinations would finally begin. Thus, Kyoka involuntarily wound up wasting away this time regretting her life decisions.

'Come on, what were you thinking!?' she scolded herself. 'You called Present Mic 'just another announcer?!' His whole entire thing as a hero is his Quirk, Voice, which means that anything he does during this entire exam is practically a death sentence for us… and you might've pissed him off before the matchups were even confirmed. Nice job, stupid.'

Time dragged further forward, and that inevitable progression revealed additional unpleasant revelations in tandem. Present Mic's Quirk was purportedly what'd caused his entire family's ears to bleed the first time he ever cried, which meant that his Voice was beyond dangerous to someone like herself, whose eardrums were even more sensitive on account of Earphone Jack's augmentation of her hearing. Words couldn't describe the dread and trepidation she felt about the inevitability of becoming yet another victim of Present Mic's vicious vocals.

What made this entire situation worse was that the new gear she'd requested from the support course probably wouldn't help her situation all that much. Even if those genius inventors had provided her with noise-canceling headphones, her earphone jacks would've picked up more than enough noise to negate whatever benefit they could've offered.

Which meant Kyoka was doomed to endure extreme pain and suffering, whenever their team's 'villain' unleashed his Quirk upon them.

"Hey, Koda," she started. "You nervous?"

His bulky hands moving with unexpected grace, Koda silently signed his answer.

"Well, don't worry. We'll be fine." Kyoka smiled gently at her teammate. Koda didn't strike her as the type that'd gossip about the rare sight, and judging by his stiffened posture, he desperately needed the encouragement. "Present Mic's Quirk is kinda scary when your power has everything to do with hearing, you know, but I know we'll win this test, somehow. Okay?"

Quickly, Koda nodded in agreement.

Kyoka's smile expanded ever-so-slightly. It might not have been an enormous connection, but Koda's behaviors reminded her somewhat of Akiko. It was endearing, honestly, and somehow instilled her with some much-needed confidence too.

If Koda needed to rely upon his teammate for encouragement, then she'd willingly fulfill that role. Their team's success didn't ride exclusively upon her shoulders, after all, and she did have some plans prepared.

'Okay… it's time to prove yourself again, Kyoka! Don't let anyone down, here!'

And with perfect timing, the universe punctuated that thought with the announcement she'd been anticipating.

"Team Koda and Jiro. Practical exam. Ready? Go!"

"Alright, Koda. We should avoid combat with Present Mic as much as possible and head straight for the escape gate. Sound good?"

Again, Koda returned his answer with a nod.

"Okay… then let's hit it!" Kyoka whispered.

Despite her short stature and petite frame, Kyoka led her timid teammate by example, starting their brisk jog forward. Their starting position became quickly obscured by vibrant foliage, and songbirds' melodies filled Kyoka's enhanced ears, but she didn't let their presence distract her. There were more important things that needed her attention right now; namely, collaborating with her teammate while they still had time.

"Alright, listen up!" Kyoka threw over her shoulder. "These practical exams match students up against teachers they're supposed to have a really hard time against. That looks like the entire point, right?"

Speeding up slightly, Koda signed his response. It was during that short moment that Kyoka considered herself extremely thankful she'd learned sign language during junior high.

"Then it looks like you understand where I'm going with this," Kyoka continued. "Present Mic is our worst nightmare as heroes-in-training. His Quirk will let him easily drown out anything that we pull against him, and that's ignoring the damage he'll wind up doing to us just if his sound attacks hit us dead-on. If you think about it, Voice effectively acts like a different version of Aizawa-sensei's Erasure, when using it against us."

Glancing beside herself again, Kyoka noticed Koda breaking out into a nervous sweat. Desperate to avoid unnecessarily unnerving him, she hastily cobbled together the best encouragement she could manage.

"Listen, this fight's gonna be tough, but it isn't impossible to pass this exam!" Kyoka stressed, offering him another warm smile. "There's no doubt about it. U.A.'s hardcore about their training, but they wouldn't put us in an unwinnable situation! Understand?"

His expression warping into one that almost resembled confidence, Koda lifted his hands-

And Present Mic's first attack struck them like a freight train.

"Can I get a YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?"

Instinctively clasping their hands over their ears, their defenses didn't accomplish much against the sound-based assault. Present Mic's enthusiastic question drew itself out for what felt like an eternity, and Kyoka's earphone jacks easily picked up enough sound so that an inescapable and painful pressure quickly built up inside her eardrums. It was agonizing in a way Kyoka couldn't have imagined, but through her determination to maintain what little confidence she'd provided Koda, she suppressed the shriek that would've otherwise escaped her lips.

"It's… so loud!" she grunted.

Barely managing to tilt her head, she noticed Koda emphatically nodding his assent… and as quickly as Present Mic's assault had arrived, it faded from the area. Kyoka tried to ignore the faint ringing that pierced through her ears in the aftermath.

"Koda, you can control animals with your Quirk, can't you?" Kyoka asked urgently.

Another nonverbal answer.

"Good!" Kyoka said. "Then get some birds to attack him, alright? That should keep him busy for a little while, which means we could probably escape right underneath his nose!"

Having elected to momentarily discard his mastery over sign language, Koda mimed out a hurried explanation for the impossibility behind her suggestion. Evidently, even if Koda wanted to follow his teammate's instructions, Present Mic's Quirk could easily compel their allied avians that they should flee from this combat stage, regardless.

"Damn. So much for that idea…" Kyoka shook her head. "His shouts make me feel like my eardrums are gonna burst… he's not just stronger than I thought he'd be… he's like a superpower death amp! A walking, talking, speaker of doom!"

Making the executive decision to avoid wasting any more time, Kyoka sprang back into motion and resumed her jog toward the escape gate. Present Mic wouldn't wait for them forever before he attacked again, and time was not their ally, in this practical exam. Koda's comparatively heavy footfalls behind her told Kyoka everything she needed to know about her teammate's position.

"There's no way we could even get close to wherever he's standing right now, and even if we could, he'd probably see us coming!" Kyoka continued, thinking aloud. "I bet he's just standing at the escape gate waiting for us; that way, his attacks would be guaranteed to hit us, no matter where we hide!"

Another dastardly duet of attacks stopped them dead in their tracks.

"Hurry up and… COME OUUUUUUUUTTT!"

"My ears…!" Kyoka whined, her hands clasped overtop her ears providing negligible relief from Present Mic's onslaught.

"I'm getting BOOOOOORRRED!"

"I don't think I can take this much more!" Kyoka groaned, tears pricking behind her eyes.

Her internal thoughts drowned out by the deafening force behind Present Mic's voice, Kyoka could only follow her instincts to ensure her hearing's survival. When the second attack started fading, she and Koda just about scrambled behind a nearby boulder for protection. With her head throbbing and ears ringing worse than before, she was convinced her shelter did remarkably little to shield her.

"Hurry up ALREADYYYYYY!"

This time, Kyoka was grateful that Present Mic's Quirk made an interstellar rocket launch seem silent by comparison. It might not have been pleasant, having her eardrums feel like they were about to implode at any moment, but at least she didn't hear herself shriek in pain as the fourth assault further shredded her hearing from within.

Mercifully, this cataclysmic cry faded harmlessly away over time.

Seeing as another didn't ensue immediately thereafter, Kyoka twisted around onto her knees and peeked beyond her temporary refuge. Present Mic remained nowhere to be seen, and Koda was just barely following her lead with a noticeable delay.

"Any more of this and we might wind up going deaf…" Kyoka swallowed. "So what now?"

Just then, the feeling of a tiny creature crawling across her skin had her attention drawn straight down. There on her gloved knuckles, Kyoka discovered what could, if they fought strategically using it, potentially become their team's ultimate saving grace.

"An ant? Oh! Come on, little guy!" Kyoka raised her hand to ensure the insect wouldn't escape and tapped her teammate on his shoulder. "Hey, Koda! You can control bugs and stuff too, right? Look at this right here! It's another ally!"

Admittedly, Koda didn't react with the enthusiasm or gratitude Kyoka would've expected from him; instead, his jagged facial features made his fear obvious. Then he screamed, his voice erupting from his throat at such a pitch that made him sound more like a child than an actual teenager.

'Okay, then. Maybe that's why he doesn't like talking, but…'

Her hand moved slightly forward. Its insect passenger turned to regard the gargantuan wielder of Anivoice that crouched beside Kyoka; to her, it almost looked like the ant was considering Koda. His response?

Another mortified scream, followed by him running cartoonishly behind a nearby tree.

"So… he doesn't like bugs," Kyoka observed. "That's useful."

"Say WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

Instinctively, Kyoka slapped her hands back to their previous protective positions over her ears. She utilized whatever threads of cognizant thought remained and molded it into another hurried plan within that same second.

"This won't help much, but I can try and…" Standing slightly, Kyoka's pained moan was lost in the sound-based bombardment; meanwhile, an earphone jack wormed into her boots. "…maybe cancel it out, somehow! Heartbeat Fuzz!"

Invisibly matching the rhythm of the throbbing pain within her eardrums, her heart strained to fulfill the task Kyoka demanded of it. Even pressing her Quirk to its absolute limits in terms of decibel output, her strongest round of Heartbeat Fuzz just barely succeeded at nullifying Present Mic's fifth attack before it faded on its own. Kyoka's vision swam, her ears rang, and unsteady legs brought her down to her knees.

Things were getting desperate, and they hadn't even seen their villain yet.

"Do you have some kinda plan, Koda!?" Kyoka asked.

Poking out from behind the tree line, Koda shook his head emphatically.

"In that case…" Kyoka paused. "What should we-"

"Let's make some NOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSE!

"Come on, we need to figure out some way around Present Mic's Quirk! At this rate, we won't even see him before time runs out!" Kyoka shouted, the pulsating pain in her eardrums reaching a crescendo. She quelled her instinctive temptation to release another pained moan and instead looked toward her teammate. "Koda, just tell me if it's possible for you to actually control bugs or not, alright?"

Slowly, Koda pried a hand away from his ears to answer with a thumbs-up. It wasn't unlikely that he was suffering through immense discomfort too, even without the extra agony on account of Kyoka's augmented hearing.

But his response provided her all the information she needed.

"Good!"

Unceremoniously jamming an earphone jack into the boulder beside her, a short pulse-pounding release from her Quirk quickly pulverized the inanimate object. Her efforts were rewarded with an insectoid armada consisting of centipedes, beetles, mantises, and entire colonies of ants being exposed to view, writhing in protest of their stony shelter being destroyed. Koda shrieked in terror at the sight, and it looked like everything he could do to avoid running away from the creeping, crawling mass of insects.

Kyoka gave him an apologetic look. "Koda! I'm sorry, I know it's scary but-"

"HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Our opponent is way too strong! This really was the only thing I could come up with!" Kyoka screamed over their villain's latest attack. When the devastating sound waves abated, she felt something disconcertingly warm dribbling down her ears, but she ignored the sensation to give Koda the most reassuring smile she could come up with, here. "We could still have a chance, though…! You can do this. You wanna be a hero, don't you? If so, then we have to pass this practical exam! With your power, we can win this thing!"

"J-Jiro, your ears…" Koda squeaked. "They're bleeding!"

'Whoa, a full sentence…!'

"Oh, that?" Kyoka lowered her hands, though she didn't let the terrible red stains that'd appeared on her white gloves dismantle her smile. "It's alright, Koda, it's-"

"It's my fault!" Koda interrupted. "It's because I ran away that you had to fight…!"

Viciously shaking his head as his expression warped with internal conflict, Koda crouched close to the untouched earth. Kyoka watched with suppressed shock as her teammate slowly crawled closer to the insects. If Koda really was waging war within himself to overcome his fears for her sake, she didn't want to risk replacing that willpower with guilt by reminding him of the damage she'd suffered.

'Come on, Koda!' she silently encouraged. 'You made it into U.A. High School, didn't you? I know you have the strength to win this fight… you just have to believe in yourself, too!'

And believe in himself he did. Koda stopped before their insectoid allies, lowered his face hardly an arm's length away from the creatures, cupped his hands around his mouth, and spoke.

"Go on tiny ones, heed my call! Now is the time that you're responsible for taking out the terrible man who's been responsible for all this annoying noise! I know the path might be long and difficult and treacherous and waste your precious energy but-"

"You really can talk, holy crap!" Kyoka commented.

By the time her teammate's commands ended, a veritable swarm of insects covered practically the entire area surrounding them. Swirling like a living mass of chitin, claws, jaws, and antennae, the insects acted as a cohesive unit and tunneled beneath the earth without warning, disappearing underground in what looked like the millions. For the briefest of moments, Kyoka's shock at the sight outweighed the dizzying pain that still kept her kneeling upon the ground.

"Your Quirk lets you control that many animals, Koda?" she asked.

"W-well, it's more like I'm 'suggesting' that they do something whenever I speak to them, really," Koda explained. "Depending on how smart the animal is and how many I'm trying to control, my Anivoice Quirk gets stronger or weaker. Does that make sense?"

"Y-yeah!" Kyoka nodded. "Completely! You did awesome, Koda! Now we just-"

"What the heck?! NOOOOOoooooooo!"

Fearful of another attack, Kyoka instinctively slammed her hands over her ears again, only to feel unbridled relief as she detected movement around her periphery. Shockwaves of disturbed air stemming from their villain's voice streamed skywards, their angle warping wildly until it petered away into blessed silence. Kyoka's heart positively soared.

"Koda!" Kyoka shouted happily. "Did you hear that!? Your attack must've worked! If our villain's actually down, then let's- whoa!"

Almost as swiftly as sound itself, Kyoka found herself lifted bridal style into her teammate's immense arms. Despite her confusion, Kyoka wrapped an arm behind her classmate's neck to prevent herself from slipping through his grasp.

"Hey, K-Koda?" Kyoka tried catching his eyes, but found them locked onto the path that'd lead them to victory. "Why're you doing this? It's not like I don't appreciate the lift, but with Present Mic down, I could've probably walked outta here myself, y'know?"

"Well, it was because of my indecision that your delicate ears were severely injured!" Koda protested regretfully. "Thus, it's only right that I personally expedite our journey back to safety such that we can find assistance in stemming the damage! You have done enough to ensure our victory, already!"

"Is that right?" Kyoka giggled softly, despite herself. "Then thanks, Koda! It looks like the escape gate's probably gonna only be a little further away, now!"

"Right! I believe victory finally lies within our sights!" Koda proclaimed.

His assertions were proven correct only moments later. As their team turned around another tree, the distinct sight of a brightly-colored archway with Principal Nezu's cartoonish visage designed into its structure came into view. In the midst of the clearing that preceded the escape gate, both Kyoka and Koda trembled at the horrific sight that was their opponent covered from head-to-toe in all manner of insects. Still, Koda slowed down ever-so-slightly as Present Mic threw them an approving thumbs-up as they passed his prone, hardly half-conscious form.

"Should we worry about him…?" Kyoka wondered.

Seeming strained, Koda just shook his head.

"Yeah, you're right," Kyoka agreed. "I'm sure he can handle being covered with bugs for a little while longer. For now…"

From the moment they passed through its threshold, their escape gate released a melodious chime of recognition. An electronic speech bubble near Principal Nezu's face blinked to life, and Kyoka's heart warmed as 'congratulations!' appeared upon its face. They'd done the impossible and beat the ultimate sound-based Quirk user that their teachers could've thrown at them.

"Team Koda and Jiro have passed their practical exam!" an announcer informed. "Medical assistance should be there momentarily! You needn't worry about your hearing, as U.A. High School's Recovery Girl will once again ensure your complete recovery!"

As the sound of an ambulance's sirens started wailing down the dirt road beyond their forested battleground, Koda finally placed Kyoka gently back to her feet. Even if it'd be another minute or so before Kyoka could expect some relief from the damage Present Mic had dealt to her ears, she couldn't help but smile brightly. Exchanging an almost comedic fist-bump between her petite hand and Koda's enormous own, Kyoka's heart swelled with pride and excitement for whatever came their way next.

After all, it wasn't every day that someone beat their own teacher in unfair combat, yet Kyoka and Koda had legitimately accomplished what most would've perceived as impossible, if placed in their situation. If there was one difficult thing Kyoka knew she'd have to overcome between now and the conclusions of her friends' exams, it'd have to be forcing the giddy grin upon her lips into submission. Why?

Because although she wasn't against offering her social circle glimpses at the girlish positivity she occasionally exuded, she couldn't have them thinking she'd gone too soft, now could she?

Whilst waiting for his team's practical examination to begin, Jomei found himself admiring the distinctly astonishing view that surrounded him. What made this particular instance of doing so all the more incredible was that this time, it wasn't another roundabout metaphor for him staring at his girlfriend beneath her notice whenever she seemed particularly content, like she happened to be right now. No, Jomei found himself admiring their actual surroundings. There were several reasons for this discrepancy.

Among these reasons, the most easily observable was that between their team's position in the epicenter of the casino district and with the concrete canopy overhead, their entire combat stage was blanketed beneath an artificial, permanent nighttime. This darkness lent itself perfectly to the district's atmosphere as well, enabling its awesome assortment of neon lights and signs to illuminate their surroundings in an arrangement of warm, welcoming colors. Even ignoring the impressive architecture of the simulated casinos and nightclubs, Jomei recognized that this was the exact flavor of locale that he'd often vividly dreamed of making his hero debut within.

But those desires manifested amidst another lifetime, dreamt up by another Nishimura Jomei that his mentality's current incarnation couldn't imagine interacting with, now. No matter what befell him from this point forward, Jomei understood that his vehement opposition to a possible relapse into that previous mindset wasn't going anywhere.

And that simple, solitary truth handed him comfort.

Unlike the somewhat unpleasant sensation that was his girlfriend's finger poking into his cheek. Interested to discover how long the gesture would continue if he simply ignored it, Jomei lasted approximately twelve seconds before he relented.

"So… is this something you were dared by Ashido to do sometimes, or is this just your latest breakthrough for what you'll do whenever you want my attention?" he asked.

"That'd be answer number two, actually," Akiko answered amusedly. She removed her finger, and Jomei turned his head, catching a glimpse of her smiling in the process. "Besides… you look almost adorable whenever you're surprised, and I'm not letting you get moody again."

"Hey, I wasn't getting moody!" Jomei claimed.

"But you did have that thoughtful look on your face again," Akiko pointed out. "What's up?"

"I dunno…" Jomei smirked. "Several metric tons of concrete suspended overhead?"

Akiko slapped his shoulder, feigning annoyance. "I'm serious!"

"Alright, alright!" Jomei chuckled. "Honestly? I was just thinking about how cool this whole casino district looks, if that makes sense. I know this wouldn't be the first time I've told you, but this place right here? It's pretty much everything I would've wanted out of wherever I made my Pro Hero debut, whenever we're both licensed. Neon lights, signs, larger-than-life urban sprawl? Throw that all together and it just screams 'me.' That makes sense, right?"

"It does," Akiko answered with a nod. "But I know there's maybe more to this that you haven't mentioned, yet. If you really were just admiring this place, then you wouldn't look as thoughtful as you were. It has something to do with your dream, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. It does," Jomei confirmed, crossing his arms. Silent for another moment more, a regretful sigh flowed from his lips. "This casino district definitely would've felt like paradise if we walked into these finals before our internships with Dawnbreaker happened, but now? Now I just wanna make absolutely sure that places like these remind me to never return to the mindset I started at, before the internships. Personally, I think that'll probably make me a better man that's actually worthy of people's admiration someday."

"Hindsight's twenty-twenty. Just don't become so obsessed with self-improvement that you somehow wind up forgetting yourself, alright?" Akiko slipped her hand into his, uncrossing his arms and giving him a reassuring squeeze. "I didn't realize I loved the Nishimura Jomei that beat himself up over his mistakes. I realized that I loved the Nishimura Jomei who understood that he made mistakes, but didn't dwell on them. Promise me you won't punish yourself for what went down during the internships forever, alright?"

As the invisible tension Jomei hadn't even realized had mounted in his shoulders dissolved in seconds, he didn't think twice. Guiding Akiko's hand toward his lips, he pressed a kiss against her knuckles. "No arguments there. From now on, I'll become the best version of me I can be –without dwelling on my mistakes forever. How's that sound?"

"That sounds perfect," Akiko said. Blushing slightly, she leaned in until their lips met in a soft kiss. "You know, I didn't realize you really could be this romantic, sometimes."

"Whenever I'm with you?" Jomei released her hand, still smiling softly. "Honestly, you being around makes me think almost anything's possible. Even winning this practical exam, which… thinking about it, we haven't discussed much, yet."

"Yeah, we should definitely start doing that while we still have time," Akiko commented. "But if it's any consolation, I think that if everyone's exams really are starting simultaneously, we might still have some time until everyone else arrives at their battlegrounds, too."

if everyone's practicals really are starting simultaneously, we probably still have another few minutes before everyone else arrives at their battlegrounds."

"True," Jomei agreed, replacing his hands within his costume's jacket pockets. "Then I think it'd make sense if we reminded ourselves that Dawnbreaker isn't gonna be a pushover just because Hatsume threw some ultra-compressed weights onto her, right?"

"Mhm. If there's anything we know for certain, it's that Dawnbreaker's skills won't be impaired enough by those weights that we could brute force her into submission. Not when she's still armed with experience, her sword, and most importantly… her super-versatile Quirk."

"Don't remind me…" Jomei grimaced. "Those barriers she makes are borderline insanely durable. They made the strongest attacks we wound up throwing against them during training feel like they didn't even connect. That means we aren't breaking through her defenses anytime soon. Not with our practical's time limit, anyway. It isn't that awesome, but… maybe we really should just run away?"

"That's just it," Akiko said. "I don't think running away is possible, either."

"What do you mean?" Jomei asked, his brow furrowed. "Dawnbreaker hasn't shown off some crazy mobility moves during our internships, right? Between my Light Speed and your Quirk basically letting you throw yourself around anywhere, we could definitely outrun her, right?"

"Not really. Remember, her power doesn't seem like it really has any range limitations," Akiko reminded. "If she's fighting strategically against us, then she's almost guaranteed to be blocking our escape gate right now. At that range, she could easily throw up a massive barrier and seal it off completely. There wouldn't be any escape, then."

"Which means that our only option is fighting her," Jomei said.

Akiko hummed. "And when you consider that her fighting strength probably won't be impaired that much thanks to her sword and barriers, we'll probably have to keep ourselves on the move almost constantly. If even one clean strike hits either of us… at that point, I don't know how much longer we would last."

"Don't forget that Prison Box Barrier move that she has, either," Jomei cautioned. "That move managed to keep Alpha from escaping, which means if we're caught by it, then that'll be game over. Aizawa-sensei and the other teachers really thought these match-ups through, huh?"

"Yeah," Akiko agreed. "Besides Aizawa-sensei and All Might, she knows more about our moves and fighting styles than anyone. It'll take everything we have and more to catch her off-guard once, and even then… there's no telling if whatever attacks we throw her way would be enough to really help us win this practical exam."

"It's risky business, fighting someone who's been ranked in the top two-hundred, but…" Jomei clenched his hand into a determined fist. "Remember that we aren't pushovers, either. We didn't get ourselves killed during the USJ, we gave the Sports Festival's top two their toughest battles, and we survived an encounter with a villain that overpowered Dawnbreaker, once."

"Yeah, but… this time there isn't anyone around to give us a helping hand," Akiko said, apprehension clear upon her face.

"There wasn't anyone that helped us during our fights against Todoroki and Bakugo either," Jomei pointed out.

"Todoroki and Bakugo weren't exactly leagues beyond our skills, though." Akiko directed her attention down the street toward the battleground's single entrance. "Dawnbreaker has years of experience that we can't dream of matching right now, an amazing Quirk, and more knowledge about our abilities than we do hers."

"Yeah, but she's also fighting this battle completely alone," Jomei offered, his encouragement bringing her mismatched eyes back into his. "We haven't come this far to stumble all because Dawnbreaker's standing in our way. With our team attacks and some impulse plans, we'll pass this practical exam, guaranteed. You with me?"

Akiko's crystalline chest piece flared a determined orange. "Absolutely. If whatever happens during this practical hinges on our teamwork, then we should probably plan some specifics right now, huh?"

"You have some rattling around in your head already, don't you?" Jomei said, smirking slightly at his teammate. "Lucky you, my schedule's pretty open. I'll listen."

"Good, then here's what I'm thinking our plan should look like, once this exam really starts up. First-" Akiko raised one finger. "We attempt to escape this casino district without any fighting against our villain."

"Sounds kinda unlikely, but crazier things have happened…"

"Second, if there aren't any other alternatives, we fight against Dawnbreaker with everything we have," Akiko continued, raising another finger. "Even if it's unlikely we can overpower her, we can at least make sure she doesn't have any opportunities to defeat us easily."

"Okay, now this plan's getting interesting…" Jomei smiled. "And if that falls through?"

"We fight dirty," Akiko stated, briefly raising a third finger. "If we can't overpower or escape her, then there's no other option than attempting to incapacitate Dawnbreaker long enough to capture her, somehow."

"Sounds solid, Akiko," Jomei said. Standing straighter, strands of multicolored glowing gases all started streaming outward from his skin. "Are you about ready for this practical, then?"

"When it's pitting us against Dawnbreaker? Never," Akiko said, although the mischievous glint in her eyes reassured him that her confidence wasn't going anywhere. "But with you around? I think I might be ready, after all."

"That's the spirit!"

Not another full breath after their affirmations proclaiming preparedness were thrown into the air around them, the universe answered their statements via the monotone medium of a yet-unknown individual's meaningful announcement.

"Team Nishimura and Takara. Practical exam. Ready? Go!"

Authors Note: Yay, Snipe appears again! I mean, even though he isn't an exceptionally important character to the overarching story (not even in this fic), as a minor supporting character who found himself wrapped intrinsically up into Dawnbreaker's backstory all those chapters ago, he's probably gonna show up again sometime in the future. If nothing else, his inclusion was taken from a somewhat utilitarian approach, considering how Shoji and Hagakure would've been a nightmare to provide the reigns for that sequence. They haven't been given nearly as much screen time as Snipe in WFAF, after all, and that's most certainly saying something. Tldr; his inclusion was fun, and he's coming back eventually because I find him incredibly awesome in terms of design and personality. Moving on!

Kyoka finally obtains her first massive spotlight in this fic! It might take 99% of its moments from the canon chain of events, but rewriting some of her lines and thinking through what'd be running through her head throughout that practical exam of hers really made me begin admiring her character all over again. I'm excited to remind though that both she and Denki's importance can only increase from this point forward, in terms of major plot relevance. Luckily, that means the friend quartet can only acquire further reason to interact without their scenes together being contrived. Hooray!

Overall, although this chapter was something of another in-betweener after the monolith that preceded it, I'm indescribably excited that WFAF Season 2 is reaching its conclusion. Once this season concludes and the next starts… man, will things become more interesting again. Until that time comes though, we have Jomei, Akiko, and Dawnbreaker's destined battle right on the horizon!

That and some aftermath interactions that I've been having fun thinking about writing out for several weeks. At this point, character interactions are what're giving me almost half my motivation for writing this damn end-of-term examinations arc. Stay awesome, guys!