Here it is, the sixtieth full chapter of Miraculous Quirks released early because I am still ahead in my draft. Well, it's time, time for the next big arc to begin and this one will cover the next 5 chapters I'd say depending on how long some of them end up being. Also with this chapter and thanks to the prologue I have now matched the number of chapters in my longest Miraculous based story and I'm not even halfway done with this one. Anyway, that is all the administrative stuff I have for now and as there are no review questions to answer or guest reviews to respond to I will end this note here. Do keep the reviews coming as I enjoy hearing from y'all. Now, though, it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 60th full chapter of Miraculous Quirks.
Disclaimer: I do not own either of these great works of fiction
Chapter 60: The Provisional Exam Tradition
Before any of the class knew it, the day of the provisional hero license exam was upon them, and their training for it came to an end. That morning they'd all woken up, gotten dressed in their school uniforms, most had eaten together as a class though few ate much other than Momo, Sato, Adrien and Marinette as they actually needed food, or in Sato's case sugar, for their Quirks so a hearty breakfast was important for them. The others ate, mostly at Ida's insistence on the need for energy, but not as much as most usually would eat as all got mentally prepared for the coming exam.
After breakfast they grabbed their costume cases that they'd been allowed to keep in their rooms while they were training for the exam and headed to the bus to take it to the location of the stadium where they'd take the exam. Again, the ride was mainly in silence as they all did their own things to get ready for what was to come knowing that soon it would be upon them.
The exam itself was taking place in the Takoba National Stadium and the ride there took about an hour or so. It was one of the locations all over Japan where the exam was being held that day. They'd learned the other day when Monoma and some of Class B had shown up early for their gym time that there were multiple locations for the exam so that way each school only sent one class to any particular exam location.
The stadium itself was a large, round building about the size of the U.A. stadium where the Sports Festival had been held with a conical style roof thing that was still open in the middle to make it an open-air stadium. The size also meant that it could house a large number of applicants and various terrains, but with how it was set up the students had no idea what to expect from it until the exam began.
"I'm getting kinda nervous." Jiro said as the class got off the bus with their cases and stood on the path leading to one of the many entrances to the stadium. "Now that it's here and in front of us it's all of a sudden so real."
"We've trained for this." Marinette said putting a reassuring hand on Jiro's shoulder and giving her a warm smile of confidence. "Just remember what you can do and get ready to adapt once we know what it will be like. Whatever it is, we'll need your hearing and search capabilities and I know that you will deliver Kyoka."
"Thanks Marinette." Jiro said feeling a little better at how calm Marinette was being about the exam, that girl really had a way to put things at ease by just being there and showing her confidence to the others. "You, you are right, and I'll be ready for it."
"I know." Marinette said. "Trust your class and we will trust you, that's how we pass."
"I wonder what they're going to make us do." Mineta said bouncing back and forth at the front of the group as he also began to get nervous for the exam. "What if I can't get my license."
"Mineta, don't ask if you can." Mr. Aizawa said getting down to be on eye level with his diminutive student to give him some words of encouragement. "Say you will. With that mentality you will get your license."
"Right." Mineta said as seriously as he could. "I've so got this sir."
"If you can pass this test and get your provisional licenses then you novice eggs will hatch into chicks." Mr. Aizawa said standing and addressing his class. "You'll be semi-pros. I expect your best. Don't disappoint me."
"Alright I can't wait to be a heroic chicken." Kaminari said clearly confident for the test and not realizing what he said. "We totally got this."
"Let's call out the usual you guys." Kirishima said not noticing a tall, tanned boy in a white shirt like theirs only no tie or epaulets but a pocket on the chest and tabs on the sleeves on it and wearing a blue hat with a red band that had a stylized S in a diamond in the center of it and matching dark blue pants had snuck into their group. "On my mark. It's time to go Plus Ultra!"
"Ultra!" The guy said from behind Kirishima joining in with them as the rest of the class, especially Todoroki, looked at him in confusion.
"You know, it's pretty rude to just barge into other people's huddles like that Inasa." A boy in the same uniform as the one who'd shouted ultra said only he was shorter, paler, less muscular, and with purple hair that had a large strand covering his left eye.
With him was a large, solid looking boy with pale hair all over his body so that only one eye was visible, a plain looking boy with a black mask-like face, and a striking blonde girl about the same height as the purple haired boy with an impressive bust clearly visible despite the dress shirt though she wore a blue skirt, not pants like the boys. Clearly all them went to the same school but that wasn't what got Marinette as she looked at them.
No, she wasn't sure what it was, maybe it was intuition, maybe it was experience, maybe it was a deep gut feeling coupled with a flair of pain in her left side, but something just didn't add up to her about the blonde girl in the group that had approached them because of their classmate. She was rigid with her arms behind her back as if at ease, as was the boy next to her who had spoken, but something was off to Marinette about the way she held herself.
Maybe it was the fact that her hat was low over her eyes so she couldn't tell where the girl was looking but Marinette got the feeling that of the newcomers, she was the most dangerous one. If there was combat Marinette didn't want to run across her in the exam, that much she knew.
"Pardon me." The boy called Inasa said sounding very remorseful before he snapped to attention and gave Class 1-A a deep bow that slammed his head into the ground and caused his hat to fly off as he roared so loud that he got all their attention. "I am so deeply sorry!"
"Who is this guy?" Kaminari asked confused as he pointed at the newcomer though Aizawa recognized him at once. "I do not trust his enthusiasm. No one is that enthusiastic about an exam."
"Hey they're uniforms." Jiro said recognizing them at last though Marinette and Adrien still hadn't.
"They're from that famous school on the other side of Japan." Kirishima said and that caused everything to click for the French pair.
"U.A. in the east, Shiketsu in the west." Bakugo said narrowing his eyes at them trying to get a bead on the students here who would likely give him the biggest challenge. "The only hero course that rivals U.A.'s."
That was it, Shiketsu High School, the other top hero school in Japan. Adrien and Marinette had heard about it and how it was a lot more traditional than U.A. but as it wasn't near them they'd not known much about it or what its uniform looked like. It seemed that a class from that school was here for the licensing exam as well which made things even more interesting.
"I just wanted to say once, plus ultra that is." Inasa said standing up and showing that he was bleeding from his hairline due to his impact with the pavement that was now cracked. "You see, I really love U.A. High School. I am so honored to be competing against such incredible students today. I'm so looking forward to it."
"Woah, blood." The girl said as the rest of the class walked past looking up at it intently as it trickled down his face a bit while Inasa was talking.
"Let's go." The other boy who'd spoken said turning to the stairs to head into the exam.
"Inasa Yoarashi." Mr. Aizawa said as the Shiketsu lot turned and walked up the steps towards the stadium but not before Marinette caught the light brown eyes of the girl and she swore she saw a brief flash of recognition and either anger or intrigue in them as their eyes met. "So, he's here as well. That was unexpected."
"Do you know that guy Mr. Aizawa?" Hagakure asked from behind him.
"Indeed, he's strong." Mr. Aizawa said causing the class to gasp at the praise from their homeroom teacher. "He's the same year as you lot and received the top score for students admitted to U.A. through recommendations but for some reason he turned down his acceptance to U.A. and went to Shiketsu instead."
"Wait, he's our age?" Izuku asked stunned by that revelation as he thought that they were the only first years taking the exam.
If that guy had the top score than that meant that he was even better than Todoroki, so Izuku focused on Inasa Yoarashi who was now chatting with the other Shiketsu lot as he put his hat back on having wiped his face clean of blood. He was going to be a big challenge if there was combat, especially if he could beat Todoroki in the exam for students who were recommended for U.A.
Izuku didn't know what that boy's Quirk was, though it had to be strong if he got that kind of score. Based on what Mr. Aizawa had said, well there was likely only one person in the class who could stand up to him unless his Quirk involved physically creating something: Dupain-Cheng.
Izuku had of course done plenty of research into how the recommended students got into U.A., as well as the transfers through the exchange program, and knew that the tests were tough even if they didn't have to face robots. They were also different, and their results classified, but he knew that the two transfer students had to have gotten scores akin to the lowest admitted recommended student to be accepted, so they were on par with them hence being considered recommended as well.
There was no way to know precisely how well Dupain-Cheng stacked up against it but if anyone in their class had the skill and Quirk for it, it was her. Naturally he had to ask Mr. Aizawa about it all to get some sense for what he might be facing in Inasa Yoarashi.
"Sir?" Izuku asked. "If he got the top score…"
"Before you ask no, I don't know exactly what the Dupain-Cheng and Agreste scored in the transfer exam." Mr. Aizawa said. "Just that they passed with scores that would have easily gotten them in through the recommended exam. The exam for transfer students is assessed by the Principal himself and applicants who are deemed successful are let in under his executive authority. That said, you can assume that Yoarashi is on par with Dupain-Cheng as I know that is what you were wondering."
"He's that strong?" Jiro asked looking to Marinette who seemed focused on the Shiketsu lot though no one knew that it was the girl who she was focused on as she'd really thrown Marinette for a loop to the point that she wasn't actually paying attention to what was going on. "He must have some really powerful Quirk and a great handle on it."
"Anyone can be beat." Bakugo barked effectively silencing that avenue of conversation.
"Is anyone else confused here?" Sero asked. "This guy says he loves our school, but he turned down his chance to enroll when it was offer, that doesn't make sense."
"Yeah what a weirdo." Mina said.
"People have their reasons for the decisions that they make so best to not question it." Adrien said with a shrug. "Hopefully that reason isn't to do with us and doesn't come up in this exam."
"Agreste is right, it's not important." Mr. Aizawa said. "All you need to know is that he's the real deal. Keep an eye on him and…"
"Eraser?" A loud, way too happy, feminine, voice said causing Mr. Aizawa to go stiff with shock as he recognized it immediately and slowly turned to the sound of the voice and the woman behind it. "I'd know that scowl anywhere. I saw you on TV and at the Sports Festival, but it's been a while since we were this close in person. I've missed your scintillating presence near me."
Aizawa turned and his eyes twitched at the woman smiling broadly at him as she strode right up to him. Of course, she was here as well. Of all the pros who taught at their alma matters she was the one he was hoping wouldn't have a class here but alas luck wasn't on his side today.
The woman approaching Aizawa was an attractive pro around his own age with shoulder length teal colored hair under an orange bandana with darker green eyes. She wore a high collared, sleeveless navy top with two small gold buttons at her throat, gaudy green and orange stripped pantaloons that came to her mid-thigh leaving the rest of her legs bare except for her black booted feet.
She accessorized her costume with a black girdle thing that pushed up her impressive bust with 3 orange smiling faces on it, a white belt slung over her hips and orange gloves with stripes on the part that came to her mid forearms and thick gray metal cuffs. The only thing that she wasn't wearing with it was her mask as she didn't need it for this and now she could flash her most dazzling smile at her favorite banter target.
"She looks familiar." Izuku said as the class looked between the woman and the strange look on their teacher's face which was a mix between shock, anger, and extreme restraint. "I know I've seen that costume before."
"Lets get married." The woman said as soon as she was in front of Mr. Aizawa using her right index finger to indicate both of them. "You know you want to."
"No." Mr. Aizawa said right away at what he knew was her terrible sense of humor but of course this was a marriage proposal that none of the class thought was a joke and instantly the class gossip and romance lover jumped on it.
As soon as it happened Mina let out a happy exclamation and smiled. She had no idea who the attractive woman was, but she already liked her. To Mina she wasn't joking and now the pink skinned girl had a ship for her own teacher that was raising its sails, and nothing would stop it from setting sail.
The rest of the class were just confused as to who this woman was or in Bakugo's case he simply didn't care. Marinette had finally stopped dwelling on that Shiketsu girl long enough to return to this and see Mina raising the anchor on her latest romance ship and look at what was going on before her wondering who this likely pro was that was clearly friendly with Mr. Aizawa.
"Ha-ha, you're a real laugh riot buddy." The woman said letting out a laugh and holding her stomach just as Izuku finally identified her without the need for one of his hero notebooks that weren't on him anyway.
"As usual, you're a real laugh riot." Mr. Aizawa said not laughing at all. "Joke."
"That's Ms. Joke the Smile Hero." Izuku said smiling going full hero fanboy mode and explaining to everyone who the pro was whether they wanted to hear it or not though in Mina's case she did want to hear so that she could begin planning how to get this ship to happen. "Her Quirk is Outburst. She forces people around her to laugh with prevents them from being able to think or move giving her the time she needs to defeat them and take them into custody. Her fights against villains are also full of insanity."
"Come on, imagine it." Ms. Joke said beaming at Aizawa and holding a thumbs up out at him. "If I was your wife you'd have a future full of constant laughter."
"That sounds like an actual nightmare." Mr. Aizawa said deadpan causing Ms. Joke to let out another over the top laugh while Mina was loving the situation her teacher was currently in.
"It seems like you two are close." Tsu said bluntly putting a finger on her chin. "Do you know each other well?"
"Our agencies were next to each other." Ms. Joke said loudly to the class as she went into an over-the-top swoon complete with eyes closed and even had a light blush on her cheeks that really added to the act. "As young heroes striving to make a difference in the world a mutual love bloomed between us."
"No, it didn't." Mr. Aizawa said as Mina was now sailing the sea of this ship at full speed.
"I do miss your quick retorts." Ms. Joke said. "You're my favorite person to tease future husband."
"So, Joke, if you're here then that must mean…" Mr. Aizawa began with his eyes closed as he moved this circus along before he had to use his Quirk on his fellow hero and teacher before she tried to use hers on him.
"That's right." Ms. Joke said still smiling but her voice was now serious. "Over here everyone, this is U.A."
She looked over her shoulder and gestured to a group of about 9 or 10 kids who began walking towards her. Class 1-A looked over to see the school in question, one that wore gray polo shirts and either brown pants or skirts depending on their gender as part of their uniform, heading towards them. At the front was the clear leader, an average looking, muscular, boy with messy black hair flanked by a short blonde girl with even messier hair and a bald, blue skinned boy.
"Oh woah, it really is class A." The lead boy said as they approached, a smile on his face.
"It's so amazing." The girl said. "I've seen them on TV before and now I get to see them in person."
"Second years from Ketsubutsu Academy, this is class 2, they're my students." Ms. Joke said looking at Aizawa with a challenge in her eyes that he met with his usual gaze.
"Hey I'm Shindo." The leader said approaching Izuku and grabbing his hands in his as he spoke. "Seems like U.A. has had a lot of trouble this year, must have been tough for you to deal with all that adversity."
"Er yeah." Izuku squeaked out not sure what to say to the overly friendly boy.
"But even so." Shindo said moving onto Kaminari and treating him the same way. "You're all still aiming to become pro heroes despite those all the hardships that you've faced."
He then moved onto the next student in line which happened to be Jiro as he continued this greeting though one student wasn't fazed by his act in the slightest. Instead, he was staring intently at the newcomer the way he did any who posed a challenge to him and his goals.
"It's wonderful." Shindo said before releasing Jiro's hand and stepping back smiling at them. "Hearts full of fortitude, I believe that's what every hero should have."
He was coming off as too nice to them, well most of them as Kaminari was now annoyed that the charming pretty boy would steal their girls not knowing that Shindo already had a girlfriend as he was dating the blonde girl in his class who'd spoken about seeing them on TV. Well, Kaminari thought that he'd steal all but one, no one was going to steal Dupain-Cheng from Agreste, they all knew that. What he didn't know was that another girl in the class had already given her heart to the boy she'd fallen for and while she had locked away those feelings there was nothing that would change her love for him.
"And Bakugo, it must have been hard for you what with that whole kidnapping incident." Shindo said addressing Bakugo at last. "But you pulled through it without a scratch it seems."
"Huh." Bakugo asked though that was because he was now hearing something that was extremely odd to him.
"You have an especially strong will, don't you." Shindo said approaching him and holding out his hand. "Today I'm going to do my best to learn from you. I really hope you don't mind."
"Stop pretending." Bakugo said as he backhanded the other boy's hand away. "What you say doesn't match the look in your eyes so drop it, I can see right through you."
"Hey man, don't be rude." Kirishima said as the look in Shindo's eyes darkened at Bakugo's words, it seemed the boy was as observant as he had seemed in the Sports Festival. "Sorry he's just like that sometimes."
"It's fine, it just proves how tough his heart is." Shindo said smiling at Kirishima glad that only Bakugo was seeing through his façade.
"Listen Kirishima." Bakugo said with a tisking sound in his voice as he tried to explain why they shouldn't trust this guy. "For some reason he sounds exactly like Agreste, use that as the base and look into his eyes. When Agreste speaks you see the conviction in them, his experience and skill. He means what he says, you should know seeing as he bested you in the Sports Festival. This guy it's nothing, just cold and calculating."
"What?" Kirishima asked confused. "I don't hear or see it."
"Neither." Adrien added before he put a hand on Kirishima's shoulder and lowered his voice as he looked at Shindo. "But listen to Bakugo, you know he's good at this so have faith in your friend. This guy is one to watch. I can tell he's the leader of this class, he's got experience and power. That alone is enough for us to be wary of him."
"Ah so you're one of the French transfers." Shindo said as his cool black eyes met Adrien's green ones. "I hear that you have the power to destroy what you touch and that it can even stop Bakugo's explosions, Agreste was it? Just like the fashion brand that's about to launch a costume company here with that European support company."
"The same." Adrien said calmly meeting Shindo's gaze. "And whatever you heard or saw about my power in the Sports Festival is but a taste of what I can bring to the table. If you plan on using that to assess me then you'll surely lose."
"I'd expect no less from someone who got into U.A. through the transfer system and attended a school like Francois Dupont in Paris." Shindo said. "Though you aren't the best of the pair, are you. That girl with the creation power is, she did make it further than you after all."
"I'm more than enough for you." Adrien said. "You won't be able to handle me which means that Marinette is out of your league."
"At least someone has some sense here." Bakugo said knowing he'd have to keep an eye on this guy. "Don't say I didn't warn any of you."
The cold dude just smiled at Agreste's comment, but Bakugo saw a flicker in his eyes at the words, a flicker of uncertainty. Good. He should be on edge at that. The boy wasn't an idiot and Bakugo knew that he'd be a challenge if they faced off, and he wasn't going to underestimate Dupain-Cheng either. That made him potentially worthy of Bakugo as too many overlooked the short, unassuming French girl that Bakugo was hoping to test himself against one day to prove that he was the best in the class.
"Hey Todoroki." The blonde girl said running over to him as some dude with long black hair just looked at her actions. "Can I have your autograph; you were so cool at the Sports Festival. That semifinal was so epic! Same with the quarters. You're so powerful to win against two strong opponents like that."
"Er…" Todoroki said confused as the girl smiled at him, her teeth as pointy as Kirishima's.
"Seriously?" The other Ketsubutsu dude asked his classmate. "Stop fangirling Nakagame."
"I'd be happy to find something for you." Mineta said from behind her always willing to do something for a pretty girl.
"Hey, get your costumes and head to orientation." Mr. Aizawa said to his students to get their attention as he turned to the stadium. "There's no time to waste."
"Yes sir." The class said snapping out of the chat they'd ended up in with the Ketsubutsu students.
"It's weird." Jiro said as they began to follow their teacher. "I always forget that we're famous to other schools."
"Oh yeah." Kaminari said. "We're basically celebrities when it comes to hero course students after the Sports Festival."
"You get used to it." Marinette said as she walked past. "And don't get cocky, that celebrity will come at a price so be ready for when it comes."
"Huh?" Kaminari asked confused at that.
"Marinette's family is well known in France and Agreste's is famous." Momo said as they walked quickly covering just in case any picked up on what Marinette had said and tried to question it further. "She's actually used to at least Agreste being recognized back there the way we are recognized here. Listen to her on this, we can't let our guard down today."
The others just nodded as they headed in. Of course, Ms. Joke heard all this and realized something. It looked like the U.A. students didn't know, or at least most of them didn't. The short, clearly confident, girl with pigtails and a clear French accent seemed to at least be aware but Joke remembered her from the Sports Festival, she was the one who'd expertly planned the Cavalry Battle and made it to the semifinal. It seemed that she was as good as the Sports Festival had advertised her to be.
"Wait hold on." Ms. Joke said to Aizawa before he could leave, no smile on her face for once. "Did you not warn your kids Eraser?"
Aizawa just ignored her as he headed in behind his class and to where he'd sit knowing that she was scowling at him and would come to find him in the stands because she was like that. That was fine, he'd explain then what his methods were and why he did what he did when the time came. Right now, he needed to get seated so that he could watch his students pass the exam.
It didn't take long for the class to change in the designated changing rooms and head though a tunnel to the main room that they were directed to for the instructions on what the exam would be. The large room was likely somewhere near the entrance to the arena part of the stadium, and it was absolutely packed as all the applicants were grouped in their schools chatting with their friends and classmates thus causing a buzz as they looked to the front of the room.
At the front was a large screen on the wall that would give them instructions with a set up before it for a panel. Likely that would be where the examiners would sit to tell them what the test would be and how they were going to assess the examinees in it.
As the U.A. kids gathered together they looked around in their costumes with their new improvements. They didn't know what to expect so all were decked out in their full costumes, additions included. The most notable of them was Midoriya with his new cream-colored braces on his arms to support them and black iron soles on his feet that served to protect him there and add to his new kicking style. However, he wasn't the only one with a change or two.
Kirishima had added sleeves to his costume along with thicker shoulder pads, Kaminari had a strange launcher thing on his right wrist, Jiro had new and improved speakers that could detach on the backs of her hands, Kota had a mask over his face to help project his voice more and he wasn't the only one with a new face covering. Adrien couldn't help but grin under his new item as a few looked at it in confusion as he hadn't revealed it until now.
That was in part because Hatsume had only finished the complex thing 3 days ago and spent the next day tuning it with Adrien so that it worked with his senses, but it was also for the shock value. Adrien was now sporting a slightly bulky, but still sleek in the edges, jet black respirator system that matched his costume. This was the support item that he'd commissioned.
The idea had come to him after Mr. Aizawa had suggested upgrades and he knew that it would serve to counter a known weakness for him, airborne attacks. The gas villain had shown him that much, along with his need to be more sensible when protecting Marinette, so he'd gone to the design studio for it, and this was what Hatsume had come up with.
It was basically a black metal mask thing that covered his nose and mouth and could detect and filter out anything that could cause harm or even irritation to his lungs as he breathed in through it. Only the nose part covered his normal mask as that wasn't being changed but that wasn't the end of the device he now had on.
No, it was contoured to his jawline and extended along it and his cheeks, the material would have easily repealed Stain's knife had he had it back in Hosu, and attacked to his ears so that now the only skin Adrien was showing was his forehead and a bit of his neck. The part over his ears actually had electronics in it that worked with his enhanced hearing to improve and protect it from the sounds around him making that even better while the nose part didn't affect his enhanced smell. However, all that still wasn't the end of the device.
Attached to the jawline part and jutting down, though not touching his body, were 8 black cylinders that were small enough to not be in the way but large enough to be noticed. They were the final part of the costume and were what would allow Adrien to use his new move long enough for it to be effective, and perfect his true ultimate one, but all in good time.
"Look at this crowd." Izuku said looking around amazed. "This place is packed."
"There are so many." Ochaco added from next to him as her nerves began to hit her. "And only 50% are going to pass."
Suddenly there was what could only be described as a tired groan from the speaker system and the whole room started to fall silent as they looked to the panel and at the larger podium thing in the center. It was time to start it seemed seeing as who had to be the main administrator for the exam had arrived at the podium.
"Ok then." A tired looking man with shaggy ash blonde hair in a rumpled suit with a lose black tie that just screamed overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated governmental bureaucrat said causing all of them to look at him. "Let's do this exam thing. I'm from the Heroes Public Safety Commission, name's Mera. My circadian rhythm is so screwed up. Ah man I've been swamped lately, and I haven't got much rest. We're too short staffed, I'm so tired. With that confession over I'll now begin orientation."
That was, well, odd to say the least as Mera seemed to be on the brink of passing out from exhaustion as he spoke and occasionally yawned as he did. He was also the only one up on the podium who seemed like he was talking as the others with, and slightly behind, him looked more like muscle which just added to the oddity of everything going on as the students looked at him in confusion.
"So, about the content of this licensing thing." Mera said with another yawn that he stifled semi-successfully. "Basically 1,542 examinees compete in a free for all battle royale exercise or whatever we're calling it this year."
"Seriously?" Sero asked. "That's not a lot of info."
"See, we got a lot of pros around." Mera continued unperturbed by any chit chat before him. "And since Stain was arrested by Endeavor many people have expressed doubt about the status of heroes in today's society."
This certainly got a lot of people's attention as there was no doubt that a lot of this was about Stain's convictions regarding heroes and how many were false ones after only fame and fortune and not self-sacrificing like a hero ought to be to him. The video was still in circulation so there was no doubt that many were still being inspired by it even now so many months after it he'd been captured. The four U.A. boys who'd actually taken Stain down looked at each other knowing firsthand what that monster was like. It only fueled them more to pass the exam.
"But when you think about it, getting paid makes sense." Mera said after a pause where he yawned again. "If you're going to risk your life to save someone why shouldn't you ask for a reward, huh? That's just the way the world works, god I could use a coffee. Anyway, whether they're in it for compensation or out of a sense of duty we've got too many heroes working together in the streets these days to keep the villains at bay. Honestly the time between when an incident begins and when its resolved is ridiculously short. You are all here trying to receive your provisional licenses, so you'll be swept up in this tireless mess pretty soon. Those of you who don't have the speed frankly just won't cut it. Which is why that's what you'll be tested on."
Suddenly, while most of the examinees were trying to understand Mera's slightly odd ramblings, there was a sound and the screen changed to show the kanji that described the number of examinees who'd pass the 1st test, 100. Only 100 of the 1,542 would advance to whatever the second test was, which also sounded ominous as it meant that there wasn't just one test, and that the pass rate to advance was about 6.5%, significantly lower than the 50% Mr. Aizawa had said it was. That had to be new, right?
"The first 100 students to fulfil the requirements will pass today." Mera confirmed to the crowd. "The rest will fail and have to retake it at the next scheduled test."
"There are over 1500 people taking this test." Momo said worry in her voice. "I thought they said that half of us would be passing."
"This means it's actually less than 10% will get a license." Tsu said worry also creeping into her voice. "Ribbit. This won't be easy."
"Oh man I'm getting way more nervous." Jiro said.
"Calm down, remember that we are U.A. students." Marinette said from behind them putting as much calm as she could into her voice. "We all passed various exams with lower pass rates just to get into U.A. and be here today, don't forget that. Listen for the requirements and we can go from there. Adapt, be ready, and trust your classmates. That's how we will all pass this in the top 100 and move onto whatever is next."
"Right." Momo said with a nod drawing comfort and strength from Marinette's words. "We can't let this affect us. If we want to be heroes the odds will be against us at times so this is just another way to prepare us for the real world."
"Well, the world can be pretty crappy." Mera said standing up as he picked up an orange ball and a pad silencing any chit chat as he did. "I suppose I should say something about luck. Anyway, the examinee will receive 3 of these and put them on his or her body. They can go anywhere you want so long as it is an exposed area so no soles of the feet or armpits and of course you can't destroy them. Each of you will also have 6 of these balls. The targets are programed to light up whenever they've been touched by a ball. If all 3 targets light up you're out. Oh, the person who lights up your 3rd target will get credit for your defeat even if they didn't light up the other two. You get through this round by taking down 2 people. Got it, good?"
As Mera had been talking and showing it physically with the ball and pad he had the screen behind him was also showing a graphic of how it worked for them all to see. It made a lot of sense and added to the competition that the examinees would have to deal with. Marinette was already thinking on it and how to best deal with getting people out while also making sure all of them passed the exam together and she wasn't the only one.
Midoriya was in full Midoriya mode and mumbling as he thought about it and how to accomplish it with the people and Quirks in the class. Good. Marinette could easily work with him so that together they ensured that the whole class passed the exam's first test.
The rest of the class either looked serious or excited for what was to come. They all knew what was going on and were getting ready for what they had to do in the test to come.
"What else?" Mera asked rhetorically as the goons to either side of him began to pick up boxes and move into the crowd. "I guess we'll start passing out the targets and balls. Then you will have a few minutes to get situated after we open before the exam itself starts."
"Open?" Todoroki asked. "What does he…"
That was when they all heard a giant rumbling sound and the room they were in shook slightly. The candidates looked up and looked up in shock as the room they were in literally opened up along the middle. They weren't in a side room at all but rather a rectangle that was in the arena itself and the sides folded out before they sunk into the ground from their weight as the room fully opened to reveal their surroundings.
Right now, they were on a dirt ground likely to simulate some rocky terrain that they may end up in if doing natural disaster rescue work but that was not the only environment present. Anything they could want that wasn't in an active disaster or extremely temperature dependent was present.
There were two tall, simulated, rather spikey, mountains, one with and one without a path to their peaks next to what looked like a small industrial center like field gamma back on campus which itself was next to a small forest, hill, waterfall and lake feature. Opposite it and on the other side of the arena was a full downtown cityscape with buildings of all sizes and purposes, some a good 20 stories tall at least, and proper looking streets. There was even an overpass highway thing to one side with more buildings behind it. It really was a wide selection of what they might face in the field.
"I'm sure each of you has different terrains that you like or want to avoid." Mera said and instantly Marinette and Adrien looked at each other, there was no doubt in their minds what was best for them, the downtown city part was their domain after so much time patrolling and protecting Paris. "Use your Quirks and do your best, or not whatever it's in your hands."
Izuku found all this unnecessary and it threw him off for a moment as several examinees around them began to murmur about the test. Thankfully Mera began to speak again which got him back into it.
"Yes I know, it makes for a great reveal." Mera said before putting his face in his hand. "And for what, so much sleep lost for all of this. Hopefully some of these kids are fast and we can get this over with, until then I'm going to rest my eyes."
With that Mera left to go to wherever he'd be for the test and the rest of the balls and pads were handed out as the students began making their way to where they wanted to start. Marinette, along with the rest of her class, took the pads and began applying them as they all grouped up but didn't leave the side of the orientation room that they were currently standing on.
For her, Marinette put the pads in areas that she was sure would be hard to hit. One was just above her left hip on her side, another on her right calf, and the final one on her lower back right above her ass on the right-hand side. With her agility and dexterity, they'd be tough to hit without restraining her first and that in and of itself would be hard to do.
When she was done, she looked around her classmates and saw them all affixing them as well and hoped they wouldn't hurt to remove for the ones who had them on bare skin like Hagakure and Kirishima. As for Adrien, he'd placed one on his chest right over the scar Stain had left him likely to remind him to never be hit there again, and the other two on his outer thighs, one on each side. He'd have to be careful though given his Quirk as he could easily destroy them if he touched them with Cataclysm.
Meanwhile, Izuku was thinking about the test as this was happening and came to two quick realizations as he affixed his own targets. The first was that people wouldn't target their classmates at the start but work with them to win as they knew their Quirks best. The other was that they'd have to stay together if they wanted to pass this as they had plenty of Quirks that excelled in capturing large groups so they could easily get enough people if they worked as a class.
"Everyone stay close together, we'll fight them as a group." Izuku said before anyone else could speak as Ochaco instantly nodded, she'd always be by his side helping Deku, so she'd be close to him for this and trust his plan. "That's how we are going to pass this."
"Got it." Ida said respecting Midoriya's judgement and leadership.
"Yeah right, this isn't a field trip Deku." Bakugo said turning and leaving the group to find his own way in the exam.
Bakugo knew what was coming and rather than wait for it to hit he'd take the fight to the others and win, while leaving the bulk of the class to be the main target. That way he had the advantage, and he would advance with ease before anyone else in the class.
"Hey man wait up." Kirishima called after his friend before running after Bakugo, Kaminari also joining them. "You need some backup; you won't pass this alone."
"Kacchan." Izuku called out to his longtime rival.
"Kirishima, Kaminari." Ida added trying to coral his classmates back to the group.
"I'm going on my own too." Todoroki said turning from them and walking off. "It's hard for me to use my power safely in a big group like this and the if this is the real deal then the best area for me is a place I must be alone."
"Todoroki." Izuku called out as Todoroki began to run off.
"Midoriya, there's no time." Mineta said in his usual panicked tone. "We have to get going."
"He's right leave them." Marinette said taking the front as the class began to run into the mountain area to try and get some cover before what she was certain was going to come to start the exam. "Both Bakugo and Todoroki have large scale, destructive, Quirks so it is best if they aren't in large groups as that way both can let loose. They can look after themselves while we deal with the rest. This is about to get ugly, and we need to all be ready to defend right away."
"What do you mean Dupain-Cheng?" Ida asked as they ran trying to find a cover.
"Ladybug." Marinette said seriously. "When I'm in my costume I am Ladybug. It will be easier, trust me."
"And what Ladybug means is that many of the other examinees will game up on Quirks that they know but which aren't in their own class as they'll want to work with those ones." Izuku said as they moved. "Which means us."
"They did research?" Ochaco asked.
"The Sports Festival." Adrien said his voice a little mechanical from behind his support item. "It was seen by all of them, or at least they would have watched it in preparation for this knowing that U.A. was going to send a class here but they wouldn't have known which class until we arrived so likely they watched all likely ones. That's how they will know and seeing as we stood out the most in the first years they'll have plenty of data on Class 1-A."
"The first test will now begin." A cool female voice said over a speaker system in the stadium that was accompanied by a buzzer sound.
"Get ready." Marinette said as they were suddenly surrounded by students from several of the other schools with Ketsubutsu leading the way.
"I saw you on TV." Shindo said any trace of his act before the test gone as he leapt up, his hero costume consisting of black pants, boots, and shoulder pads with some green markings on it, his clear target being Midoriya as that was who he was looking at. "That power of yours also destroys your body. Well, I can't say that I'm above taking advantage of that."
As he spoke he threw his first ball at Midoriya and suddenly all the balls were flying at them. Instantly Marinette was before them her arms raise as she activated her Quirk having been ready for this before the rest of her class could react.
"If you saw us then you'll know how my Quirk works." Marinette yelled at him as the air around the entire class flashed with pink sparkles and Marinette grinned up at Shindo with one last retort before her charm appeared around the remaining 18 members of Class 1-A. "Should have gone after me first, now you won't get any of us."
With that Marinette's Lucky Charm in a ladybug print pattern just like it had always been in the old days did its job. The first test of the provisional licensing exam had officially begun.
Sorry, couldn't resist that cliffhanger just like it was in the anime, it is too good to pass up but don't worry, the next chapter will be out soon and will of course focus on what happens next and the rest of the first exam. Amusing note now that Ms. Joke has been introduce, she actually has a cameo appearance in the anime at least during the Sports Festival as one of the pros in the crowd who occasionally comments on the events though she's wearing a white face mask with two smiley face vent things on the side so it's easy to miss her, I know I did until I rewatched that arc after seeing her in the licensing exam arc. Also yes, it appears to be canon that Shindo and Tatami Nakagame (the blonde girl in his class) are a couple who clearly know how to make it work in a hero course and it also explains why she calls him by his first name in the anime which I didn't get when I first watched it. To any wondering what the whole extra stuff between Bakugo and Shindo chat and how he sounds just like Agreste for some reason that is much deeper than most probably realize and is the closest to a fourth wall reference I will do, in fact it is the only one I will do at all. That is because in the dub of MHA (I only watch dubs), Yo Shindo is voiced by Bryce Papenbrook who is also Adrien's voice actor in Miraculous (Miraculous is animated for English so I consider that the original language for it) and I just couldn't resist putting it in and of course Bakugo had to be the one to make the reference as he was the only one who saw through Shindo's act. I didn't notice it at first but after some research after finding out who Cristina Vee (Marinette) also voices I found out that Papenbrook was Shindo and is a big anime voice actor as he also voices Eren Yeager, Meliotis, and Kirito as leads in long running animes (dub of course). For anyone wondering, Papenbrook, Vee and Max Mittelman (Plagg) are all major dub actors in Seven Deadly Sins (Hawk and King respectively) together and Papenbrook and Mittelman were the final two notable dub actors for Black Clover with the former voicing Liebe and the latter Nacht. Outside of all that Mittelman also voices Saitama in One Punch Man while Vee voices Louisa in The Familiar of Zero and Darkness in Konosuba for animes (yes Marinette and Darkness share a voice actress in English) as well as Robin Hill in RWBY as another non-anime role that Vee has. Anyway, I hope you like Adrien's new support item, it is but the first of a few surprises that are still to come including its last feature. Sorry, didn't mean to rant just thought it was interesting and that is all I really have after this straightforward chapter before we get into the test itself in which you will see the focus of it soon. As such that is all I have for y'all so I will end it here. If you like it or have any questions please let me know in reviews or PMs, I will try to answer them as best I could and post any questions asked between uploads at the start of the next chapter and do follow and favorite this, so you are alerted to future uploads. Do keep the reviews coming as I like hearing from y'all as you enjoy my work, it motivates me to keep producing the best work I can for y'all to enjoy. Until next time.
Stringdog