The day that Middle School came to an end was both the greatest and most nerve-wracking one in my life. Yes, I was finally out of middle school, yes it was with full accolades… but now there was at most a month or so before we were due to go to U.A. for the Entrance Exams. Mei had been spending less and less time with Neito and I lately and more time locked in her room, muttering about needing to have the right tools. Neito and I had instead decided to help each other practice, with a physical portion-

I panted as I continued to run down the street. "Are-" I breathed out a bit harder than intended "-you sure we need to go this far?" I asked.

Neito, the traitor, nodded. "If I copy a Quirk based on physical strength, I want to be ready for it!" He called out as he kept going… before smirking. "Or are you going to hand in the towel? Oh no, Andros-sama is going to let a morning run defeat him, how-"

"Oh shut up." I snapped with a smile, even as I drank deep from my water bottle. As much as I hate to admit it the only limit to my own Quirk seems to be endurance, so this is probably better for me too. As far as I can tell producing Nebula Gas just makes me more tired, so extra endurance probably isn't the worst thing. Long term. "We keep going no matter how much I complain!" I added grumpily.

"That's the spirit!" Neito called back. "Even if I have to start insulting you."

"I know where you keep the Tintin collection Neito."

-to testing Neito's flexibility with powers through a hero randomizer-

I press the randomize button on my phone. "Kamui Woods," I stated

"Wood spikes to attack tougher foes or grapple them, also can use the branches for mobility, making a barrier or grabbing people out of the way," Neito replied.

And another press. "Ragdoll of the Wild Wild Pussycats. Quirk is Search."

"Provide support, locate nearby villains, or use it to enhance the abilities of one of my other Quirks."

I hum but accept it as an answer, next one. "Endeavour." I grumbled

Neito raised an eyebrow. "At some point, you need to tell me what your problem with that man is. Anyway, fire abilities, good offensively and potentially allowing for interesting use of the scenery, but also dangerous unless my outfit is fireproof." He elaborated.

"Midnight."

"For the last time, I'm not theming underwear choices just in case I have to team up with Midnight."

I simply giggled at that.

-to even scenario discussions about my own Quirk.

"Alright, the villain is running down the road, but suddenly dashes into a side alley. The street is filled but the alley is empty. What do you do?" Neito asked. I'd question why he insisted on a DM screen, but it sets the mood.

I hummed… and then grin. "Run after him, waiting until I get into the alley. If he goes up onto the roof, I use the gas to help make me jump after him, if he's ahead, a burst of gas to have me going after him faster." I explained.

"What if he's right there and has a gun?" Neito asked.

"Low concentration smoke screen. Enough to make him cough and maybe a little sick, but not enough to turn him into a Smash." I added. "Under exam conditions."

"What if he has a robot there?" Neito asked.

I grinned. Already had that planned.

But even with all the preparation, it was nothing to stop the nerves I felt like my stomach had tied itself into knots on the day itself, a nervous gulp constantly catching in my throat. I wasn't the only one either, with Mei having a small gadget of hers that she was idly fiddling with to keep herself distracted and Neito flipping through one of the comics. He, at the least, had a face showing utter serenity, even if I'm sure he felt otherwise. I was meanwhile idly trying to pass the time by releasing and then sucking back in small amounts of Nebula Gas within my suit – up-sized and upgraded over the years to better prevent wear and tear in it.

"So… big day," I muttered.

"Andros, please stop saying that," Neito said. "Your nerves are starting to get to me. We've practiced for anything they could throw at us in the physical portion even if we have to fight the staff."

Which we don't, I know that. I just hope I haven't caused any ripple effects from being here to change the exam from what I know will happen. If I'm fighting anything but robots, I have the Mina-and-Denki issue of not having refined my Quirk to the point I can use it safely on humans directly.

"So…" Before I can say anything else Mei tosses something at me. I blink and look at… oooh. "Thank you, Mei~."

Neito and Mei just sighed as I unwrapped the chocolate bar and happily started to munch away. What? I have a sweet tooth, and chocolate eating before an exam helps me relax. "Mei, have you figured out if he needs the sugar or not yet?" Neito questioned.

"He's just a sugar fiend." Mei insisted. "If the amount of cola he drinks is any indication."

I gulped down the bit of chocolate I had been savouring. Dairy Milk, plain bar, but it still melts all nice and creamy in my mouth. "So, I'm a sweet tooth, so sue me," I noted with a little grin… as both Mei and Neito looked at me. "What? You two never actually ASKED me if I needed the sugar or I just craved it." A giggle escaped me as I bit back into the chocolate bar. Mmm, lovely lovely chocolate~

Neito looked at Mei and sighed. "At least he isn't worried about the exam anymore, right?" He asked.

"Yeah," Mei admitted… even as she grinned. "Even if he is going to help me test out one of my babies later."

Neito flinched at that.

There was one exam where all the applicants, regardless of block, course or otherwise, would go for. The written exam. And I swear that Aizawa, Mic or Nedzu – because I wouldn't put it past the maybe rat-bear to have asked Aizawa about me – saw my name on the list and decided to give me a test specifically aimed at me. Not that it's particularly harder, no, on that front, it seems to be average. It's more that the examples in the questions seem to have been changed to reference me, or Kamen Rider references.

Scratch that, this is definitely Nedzu's idea. But then that was a good thing, it means that the information I noted down in my notebooks is still accurate. I only slipped in a line or two for some people, and there are some names that only vaguely stand out anymore – Muscular for example. That's the biggest issue even if I do pass. It's been five years, I only know what's going to happen from certain angles, and even when I wrote these down, I didn't have a perfect memory of what was going to happen. So much can change with classmates, villains and more that I can't just rely on what I think is going to happen.

Still, as the written test finishes, I pass by Mei on the way through, who simply smiled and gave me a thumbs up as she moved off towards her own explanation for the Support Course test. Monoma and I were due to be seated next to each other because we were from the same school so that would be fine, but I would just have to hope that Mei's test wouldn't be too hard. Obviously, anyone in the Support Course wouldn't be judged by the same practical test that the Hero and future General Studies students would be. I wouldn't be surprised if the Business Studies students had their own tests too.

But back to the practical test. While Neito and I were seated next to each other, we weren't the first ones in, and after about 10 minutes of everyone filing in the lights dimmed, and spotlights shone onto the stage… revealing nothing?

"For all you examinees tuning in today…" A deep, imposing, rumbling voice issued out as smoke billowed out onto the stage… before the blonde haired, mustachioed, hammy as fuck DJ and Radio Host known as Present Mic rose out from the smoke. "Welcome to the show! Everybody say hey!"

"Hey!" I shouted out… and I'm the only one. Oh, come on people, I don't know if that was how he did it before, but he packed some real energy into it!

Present Mic chuckled. "Oh, come on everyone, you can't just let one person show you all up! Everyone say hey!"

The reply this time was a bit more enthusiastic, with one person thrusting their arms up into the air stiffly as he declared his while another pumped a fist into the air. Which I'm glad, I'm useless in social situations to start, but the right energy brings out my hammier side.

"Let's keep this show going with guidelines for your practical! Are you ready?" Ok Mic, that must be you trolling me… no, wait, I never told him about the whole link to Kamen Rider, so maybe he's done it by accident? Still, he doesn't seem to be waiting this time. "This is how it goes eager listeners! After this presentation, you'll head to your assigned location! While there you'll be conducting ten minutes worth of Mock Cityscape Maneuvers!" and with that declaration, the screen behind him lit up with an image of said cityscape. "Bring along whatever you want ok?"

Thanks to the earlier encouragement, Mic wasn't left hanging. I mean I get why some people might not answer, it's English speaking, it's just after the written and Present Mic is a bit… eccentric, but personally I find it helps distract me. Still, I looked down at my paper. Ground C.

"You and your love for the cheesy," Neito whispered, smiling while he shook his head and showed his paper. Ground E. It seemed like they were splitting us up, so we don't team up.

"Says the guy who tried convincing his mum that you needed a real-life Snowy last month?" I countered.

Still as Mic continued with his explanation the cityscape turned into a graphical representation of… of…

Of Present Mic in his usual outfit… except for his head, which had been replaced by a very goofy looking insectoid looking full-head helmet with bug-eyed lenses and a mouthguard that seemed to connect directly to his speaker. The helmet was black, except towards the back where it looked like Mic's hair had been moulded into the helmet, as well as the lenses which were the amber colour of his sunglasses.

I don't know who's responsible for that or whether to hug them or sock them. I KNOW that it wasn't like that in my memories so someone changed it based on me, and there are three people – any of which could have done it! – that could know my powers link to a chemical from Kamen Rider.

… I sound paranoid even in my own thoughts. Yeesh, I need to tone it down a bit.

"Three different types of villains are contained in each battle centre!" Present Mic announced as a crowd of black haired and scruffy looking foot troops – each with a '1P' Marker above their head – show up onto the scene. Kamen Mic-er charged into battle against them with a series of punches and kicks in such well-practiced fashion that I don't think Present Mic has ever displayed in his life. Still, the Eraser-Mooks soon disappear. "You earn points for each of them based on their difficulty!" And there's a large stone golem I think – oh god that's another one of the teachers as a standard monster – with a '2P' marker above his head. Kamen Mic-er takes it all in stride and lets out a shout which has the golem crumble into dust.

"Your goal, deal listeners, is to use your Quirks to earn points by immobilizing these faux villains." And there's an even bigger white bear monster that I think is supposed to be the Principal complete with '3P' marker. Despite the monster's muscles he just fires laser beams from his eyes that Kamen Mic-er dodges before leaping into the air and flying towards the monster with a jumping kick, striking the monster in the chest before it falls backward and exploded in cheesy and overdramatic fashion. "Of course, attacking other examinees and other unheroic actions are prohibited!" Mic added, thankfully to no further graphic.

"Excuse me! May I ask a question?"

Eh? That voice sounds… oddly familiar, but I can't place it. Still, looking at the person who stood up to ask it… blue hair, tall, glasses… that's the guy who stuck up his arms in the air before – oh my god that's Iida. "There are four types of villains on the printout! If this is a mistake, then it is highly unseemly for a school as prestigious as U.A. to contain it! We are all here today to be made into model heroes!" Iida declared with more energy than I think I put into my declarations before. "And you with the curly hair! You've been muttering the whole time, it's distracting! If this is a game to you then go home!" Curly hair and muttering, even without checking my book I know that's Izuku. Wow, I forgot their friendship got off to such a bad start.

"Okay, okay, examinee number 7111. Thanks for the great message!" Present Mic declared with a thumbs up. Oh god here comes – "The fourth kind of villain is worth 0 points! He's an obstacle so to speak." And in this case, represented by the Nedzu-Monster piloting a giant Nedzu Robot while laughing maniacally. "There's one in every battle centre, an obstacle that will go crazy in narrow spaces." Kamen Mic-er heroically faces up against the robot… and then runs in the direct opposite direction as fast as possible. "It's not impossible to defeat, but there's no reason to defeat it, either. I recommend you listeners try to avoid it."

I tune things out towards the end as Iida starts to excuse himself. Aside from the changed graphics, everything else seems familiar so far. I suppose that just means from here on it's up to me to show what I can do.

Hatsume Mei was not an idiot. In fact, she was one of the furthest things from an idiot possible even if her singular drive to do all she can to innovate and create at will could lead to her alienating people sometimes. It's why she valued her friendship with Andros and Neito so much, they took her oddities as signs of who she was rather than denseness. So, the fact that she was in a large room without any observer present, just other applicants for the support course, with nothing but a ring of seats in front of her baffled her. For the last few minutes, everyone had talked among themselves or fiddled with something. Once the last person sat down, however, the centre of the room lit up. Standing before the applicants was a hologram of the Excavation Hero Power Loader.

"Finally, the last of you sits down." Power Loader remarked. "So, you might be wondering what exactly you support applicants might have prepared for your tests." As he talked, the floor in front of the students' seats pulled away, desks rising with paper on them – and a card on top. "Your practical exam is a situation that many support companies, hero support staff, costume designers and all others in our field have to deal with. Each of you has been assigned a hero who needs new support to make it easier for them to save others. However, you only have a short amount of time to come up with a basic design for them, or at least a design outline." Power Loader leaned forward as he said this, a twisted smirk on his face that Mei recognized as the type Neito might do before taunting someone. "You can feel free to draw from designs or services you've had in mind in the past to support a hero. And you have fifteen minutes to finish your designs. This is to simulate the time crunch all support has to work under… and to see which of you have the Plus Ultra to truly stand out in our course."

For a moment there was silence as the hologram flickered and then turned off. And then? Chaos. And fortunately for Mei Hatsume… chaos was an environment in which she thrived.

Chaos is not an environment in which my Quirk thrives. Especially not helped by Present Mic having declared a start without a countdown sending all the competitors scrambling into the cityscape, before dividing up, it stopped me from being able to pull ahead of anyone to start with because I couldn't risk exposing anyone to Nebula Gas.

Fortunately for this exercise, I had taken off the safety suit because this was a place where I'd NEED to use the gas. Still, I dashed down from street to street, precious seconds ticking down before I spotted one of the spider-tank-like three-pointers, missiles on it's back aiming away from me as I dashed forward and leaped at the robot's face. Even as it started to turn, I still grabbed on tight. And then I let loose, immense streams of Nebula Gas blasting out right into the robot's face. Sparks started to emerge from the face as it started to spin, to try and throw me off, before the robot let out a shudder and collapse to the ground, limp and lifeless with the head having dissolved. That's the real danger of Nebula Gas. It's not just that it turns you into a monster, but too much of it can just flat out vaporize you.

I held up my hands and focused on the trick that Yubi and I had been working on for a while, the gas flowing out of the robot and back into my hands. I grunt as I feel it come back in, leaving my hands itching like nobody's business, but I could put up with it for now. As I started to run down the street again, I saw another applicant – a red-haired girl with massive hands that seemed really familiar – wrestling with a couple of the two pointers while a third ran up behind her. I thrust my hands behind my back in a familiar motion to Bakugou of the future Class 1-A and as I ran, I compressed the gas in my hands… before letting out a short burst that made for a popping sound. It let out a small plume of gas, but it also temporarily sent me flying forward.

I let out a likely not too dignified yell as I flew forward and grabbed onto the sneaking two pointer's tail. The two-pointer started to shake its tail around as I pulled my head back and then blew, blowing out a cloud of Nebula Gas right down onto its body. Not enough to dissolve it, but enough to cause it to jitter as it started to stall. I used the sudden stillness of the tail to force myself down off of the tail and onto the centre of the malfunctioning body, letting it collapse with an unpleasant sounding crunching sound, even as I breathed out some more Nebula Gas just to make sure it was down.

"Thanks!" Red-Haired – oh duh, big hands, that's Kendo – said. "Bit overkill though." Still, she was smiling even as she tossed the two robots she'd been holding onto to the side and running off. And I leaped down to do the same. I just hope that Neito is having more luck than I am with robots.

Neito swore that the reason he was surrounded by one-pointer robots at the moment was that Andros had jinxed him. He'd get his own back in time but for now, he could actually let loose with the Quirks he had managed to copy on the initial run. His body turned silver as he coated himself in metal and lashed out with a punch, hitting straight through the robot before he pulled his fist back out, climbing onto the next one before he launched a kick down… which became an issue as the robot collapsed… and pinned his foot under it. Neito frowned but let the metal fade from him and reaching for another Quirk he had seen being used, his leg starting to gyrate extremely quickly, acting like a drill even, soon drilling straight through the robot. Which was good as Neito soon leaped away, a two-pointer landing where had been just seconds ago, before its tail lashed out towards him… and Neito grabbed it with a grin, even as the other one pointer robots surrounded him.

"How about you go for a spin?" Neito suggested, even as his legs stayed stuck on the ground while his chest started to turn… and turn… and turn! He was using this rotation Quirk to its fullest as he spun around rapidly, eventually tearing the tail off of the two pointer's body and letting it swing around and smash into the crowd of robots surrounding him. After a good ten seconds, he stopped the rotation and stumbled a bit, trying to take a moment to gather his senses… and not lose his lunch. Not the best of ideas but the first one he could come up with – he had copied the Metal Quirk first and it was getting close to the time that he'd run out of uses. "Urgh, go for a spin… I'm starting to sound like Andros."

"Woah!" Neito looked up and saw… was that a Pikachu? No, that's dumb. He shook his head and looked again and saw that the blond man in front of him did have a black stripe that looked like lightning in his hair – and a Pikachu shirt – but was otherwise entirely human. "I saw that dude, nice, rotation Quirk?" The boy asked.

Neito shook his head as he started to break into a run… and as he did, tapped the other man who was clearly broadcasting his holding of an electric Quirk to the world on the shoulder. "Copy Quirk. Thanks for letting me borrow yours~" He called out as he ducked into a side street.

"Wha-hey!" The other boy called out, but Monoma just laughed as he ran towards a three-pointer and his hands sparked.

I grinned as I noticed a group of different robots ahead and – after checking to see if there was anyone around – breathed out another cloud of Nebula Gas. Really the only reason I'm so cavalier about it when I'm the only one around that it can hurt is that the normal amount of Nebula Gas just doesn't seem to affect me… or more accurately, I don't think it can turn me into a Smash unless I want it to – which I don't.

But it did make it into an effective smoke screen as I got under a three-pointer and lashed a kick up to its headpiece, wincing as I let Nebula Gas blast out before hurriedly crawling out from underneath it as I realized why that was a terrible idea! I narrowly avoided it crushing me – and then I heard coughing. Someone is coughing in the Nebula Gas, shit!

I opened my mouth wide and hold out my hands, sucking in all the Nebula Gas that I can, the smokescreen soon out of the way as I rushed over towards the two on-pointer robots that had surrounded another applicant – one who I could only tell was there due to a floating tracksuit. Hagakure, another of the minor-but-prominent students. Still, I slammed a hand into the side of one and let a 'pop' sound off as I let another pressurized blast off to send it flying, even as Hagakure managed to grab something vital which caused the robot to shudder and go inactive.

"Sorry about that!" I called out. "Didn't spot you, you ok?"

Hagakure… waved her arm up and down. So sue me, she wasn't wearing gloves and I think she's only wearing the jumpsuit so she can get it on and off quickly to use her invisibility. "It's fine, thanks for the save!" She called out before she sprinted off. Good, she clearly didn't get enough Gas to turn her into a Smash. I'm unsure about a lot of people, but the reason I'm always so scared about turning other people into Smash isn't the dissolving from Nebula Gas overdose, but anyone who's too sick or just not fit enough tends to dissolve anyway after de-transforming from being a Smash.

I feel a rumble go through the concrete… that has to be the zero-pointer, and it feels… close. Gonna just stay away from that then. I know Izuku managed to pull off a win against one in can-

"Two minutes left!" Present Mic yelled.

In under a minute then, but without any special device to power with my Gas or… risking running out of control as a Smash, I don't know if I could take it on. Even as a Smash it'd be 50/50 at best. I need to stick to what I can do, and not worry too much about the type – I've already lost count and I'm not going to waste time trying to recount.

A metal tail rushing at me breaks me out of my thoughts – only for a massive hand to grab it and toss it to the side. "Careful!" Kendo reprimanded. "Don't get lost in your own thoughts when the clock is running." She ran off but smiled as she did. "And that's thank you for earlier!"

I blushed a bit at the reminder but shook my head and ran down the nearby alleyway… where a three-pointer was struggling in some tape. I turn a corner only to see the ruins of a group of one-pointers that had been ripped to shreds. Then a two-pointer that had a sizable dent in its centre. More and more ruined robots and my hands were getting sore from using the pressure trick too many times. Still, as I run down the street I see a pile of robots glued together,… but stumbling over themselves as the ball of robots – with a few chunks of concrete – go after a young man who looks like a glue dispenser. The glue man – who I know is in 1-B in my notes – seems to be trying to glue them down but the motion and weight of the bots seem to have gotten out of control. Nobody else seems to be down that way… I rush towards the glue guy – Glue-san, I'm calling him Glue-san for now - and smile. "Having some trouble? I can knock the fight out of them. You glue, I gas, ok?"

"I-If you don't mind," Glue-san said, even as he started to back up while spraying glue in front of him. I smiled as he did so and took a massive breath in… before BLOWING out a massive cloud of Nebula Gas, one that left me panting a bit after I did, the robots having parts of them start to flake off and disappear into the air as the bundle of metal starts to tumble towards ME-

And a hand grabs me and pulls me back and away from the glue, Glue-san having rushed back in and tugged me out of the way. "W-why didn't you m-move?" He asked.

My panting was his only reply for a few seconds. "S-sorry… breathing that much out… takes a lot out of me. Out of breath." I muttered as I pulled myself up, legs shaking. "Gotta keep going though-"

"TIME UP!"

Never freaking mind. I exhale, even as I collapse down onto my ass, breathing heavily. "Well… gotta hope that last bunch was enough huh?" I asked.

Glue-san looked at the pile of non-moving, partly vaporized robots. "I don't think we need to worry about th-that too much." He admitted.

And after that, it was just nervous waiting. Waiting for the results to go through, waiting for the letters to come. That, and to try and make sure that Mei didn't accidentally blow up the house making one of her Babies using Nebula Gas or something like that.

… of course, in this house, nothing is all that private, and the first I heard of it was when I was in the lab one night… and I heard the most girlish shriek of joy in my life. Yubi and I rushed out of the lab, abandoning the experiment we had been in the middle of – trying to find the point where Nebula Gas turns into a Liquid form – and burst into the house… only to see Mei shrieking with a big smile on her face, and a hologram of All Might. My eyes widened as I looked past a smiling Te and spotted another envelope on the table… before RUSHING forward and grabbing it, tearing the letter open.

Upon which a smiling All Might manifested himself on the wall… before both recordings shifted slightly and announced together. "I AM HERE! As two projections!"

Wait, what?

"Hatsume Mei, Nebulos Andros, when I was informed you both lived at the same location the Principal and I insisted we include a special recording for when you both have your discs together." All Might remarked. "Young Hatsume, your work on the mathematical and scientific sections of the written exam were exemplary, and the design you crafted in the final… scored you first place!" A scoreboard lit up behind All Might and displayed what I assumed were the names of the other applicants for the Support Course. "Some of the greatest heroes I know are those who work in our support industry… and U.A. would be proud to have you."

The display behind All Might change to a blank screen. "As for you, young Nebulos… for the second time through. Yes, your situation has been explained to me, and you were graded with the knowledge that you probably knew about the true system we use." All Might noted. "And that is why… Nebulos Andros! Thirty Villain points… and Twenty Hero Points! You pass!" H-holy stinking supercrap! I didn't just pass, but a score like that puts me… just under Monoma! 12th and 13th respectively! "Your actions in helping your fellow applicants even if it might lose you points is what earned you those hero points in the end young Nebulos. You may have had a rocky start, but I see a true hero in you."

The two holograms seemed to shift directions… and fused into just one of All Might. "Young Hatsume. Young Nebulos. Come. This is your hero academia."

Needless to say, there was a second point of girlish squealing.