Chapter 3: Entrance Exam

Ochako woke up early to get to U.A. High on time. She thought, I'll have to move closer to U.A. if I get in. That way, I'll save money on transport. Indeed, her dreams of letting her parents live a comfortable life didn't leave her sight. On the train ride to U.A., Ochako mulled over Sensei's teachings.

"From my time using your Quirk, I've learned that Zero Gravity is a rather misleading title for your Quirk. Rather, think of it as a telekinesis that naturally tends towards making an object float above the ground. You will be able to manipulate the direction an object floats towards if you picture it flying in that direction. If you picture it flying faster, you will apply more force to make it fly faster, but you will also approach your limit faster. When releasing, focus on specific objects or parts to release so others will still float. For example, if you cancel your Quirk on a person's body while applying a strong upward force to the head alone, you could effectively tear their necks apart."

Shaking the mental image from her mind, Ochako got off the train and stepped through U.A. High's security gate, nicknamed the "U.A. Barrier." I hope that I can make it big here! If I don't get in…

"Fuck off, Deku!"

An angry outburst from her right prevented her from finishing her thoughts. Looking to her side, she saw a blond teen storm off towards the academy, while another teenager with messy green hair was left behind. Despite the latter's determined expression, his legs were shaky, and as he took another step, he tripped over his own feet. Without thinking, Ochako reached out and touched his backpack with her right hand. The bag floated up, bringing the youth with it. After a second, he realized that his face had yet to greet the ground, and the boy soon flailed around when he looked down to see the road at least a meter away. Ochako helped him down gently and cancelled her Quirk before explaining herself.

"Sorry. Guess I went a bit crazy with my Quirk there. It would've been a bad omen if you tripped, y'know? I'm so nervous, and I bet you are too! Anyway, good luck. Later!" Ochako was too busy justifying her actions that she failed to notice the teen's blush and breathlessness.

If we're fighting robots, then maybe there's a use for Sensei's decapitation technique, Ochako thought as she listened to Present Mic's explanation of the practical exam. Suddenly, one student who wore glasses stood up and asked Present Mic why he mentioned three types of enemies when there were four listed on the handout. Before receiving a response, he immediately went on to single out a "curly-haired" kid for mumbling throughout the presentation. He then felt every eye in the room gaze in his direction for a few seconds, including Ochako's. It's that kid from before, Ochako realized, but as with everyone else, her attention quickly returned to Present Mic, who explained that the fourth robot was an obstacle worth zero points and soon dismissed them to their respective testing areas.

...

As the number one high school in the nation, one would expect U.A. High to have a massive budget, but no one expected the entrance exam to take place in a mock city, not to mention that there were several similar mock cities. Everyone seems so confident… Ochako wished that she could say the same for herself. She could hardly breathe, for the fierce tension seemed to solidify the air.

"Aaand start!" Although they were outside and a great distance apart, Present Mic's voice remained as loud as it did in the auditorium.

A collective "Huh?" rang out among the competitors.

"What's the matter?! There's no countdown to a real battle! Go on! Run! Consider the torch passed on to you, prospective students!"

Although Ochako was close to the gate, people quickly ran past her, and before she started running herself, she found herself near the back of the horde. After the crowd dispersed, she found a one-point robot. Deciding that ripping its head off was too complex to attempt without practice, she opted to float the robot up before sending it down with a crash. She tried to do this with multiple robots at once to save time having to release, but late into the test, she discarded this method in favor of ripping the robots' heads off once other people started taking advantage of the floating robots, especially an eccentric blond with a laser-firing belt. He had taken out a group of robots worth 5 points with a single blast.

Ochako looked towards him and asked, "Hey! What gives?"

The blond replied, "You provided easy targets, that's all. We'd make a great team, you and I." He then staggered off, clutching his stomach as if he was about to throw up. "However, I feel that the time is right for me to retire. I already have enough points as is. Adieu."

Despite the setback, Ochako, albeit tired from the continued use of her Quirk and running around the testing area, managed to accumulate 28 points. Unfortunately, as she ran around, other people were shouting their scores, many much higher than hers. With only a few minutes left on the clock, that was when the ginormous zero-point robot, designed to be an obstacle, attacked.

Most people began to run away from the robot. Some deemed it a distraction from getting points, others were scared out of their wits by the sheer size of it, but all Ochako could do was stand in place and watch it demolish the city. In its rampage, rubble fell towards Ochako. She began to run, but she stumbled and fell as debris fell on her right foot. The massive robot began to advance in her direction.

N-no big deal. I just have to float the rubble away and run. There's still time to get more points! Now if only I could reach it… Ochako turned her head back to see if she could extend her arm to touch the pile, but the cries of a crowd caused her to snap her head back in time to see the same messy-haired boy she'd seen twice already running towards her. He plans to help me? But what about the test?

The teenager would help her, just not in the way she expected. Without a warning, he shot up into the air, a light blue rocket aimed at the behemoth's face. With a single punch, he sent the automaton reeling back, having left a depression far deeper and wider than himself. A chorus of gasps emerged, and everyone's eyes were trained on the tiny dot in the sky. Unlike the rest, who were still stunned by his show of strength, Ochako noticed something strange about his descent. Wait, something's not right… Oh God, he's falling head first!

Ignoring the pain and discomfort she felt, Ochako quickly reached to the pile of debris that was restraining her and made it rise. She got up to her feet and surveyed the area for anything she could fit on top of to reach the falling teen. She found an intact rocket launcher from a three-point robot. This'll do, she concluded as she floated herself atop before floating it in the path of the boy. I have to time this just right. One second too early or too late, and he'll die! She could feel her stomach starting to churn, but she ignored it as the teen rapidly drew closer.

Now! Ochako slapped her target across his left cheek and forced him to stop short one meter off the ground before releasing him. However, the intense surge of nausea from stopping his rapid descent was too much for Ochako to handle, and she ended up losing her breakfast. As she vomited, she heard the fellow she had just rescued speak.

"If… I… could just… get… a single point!"

A single point? He had that much power, and he couldn't even get a single point?! thought Ochako.

"The test is over!" The kid's hopes of even landing on the scoreboards, as well as Ochako's hopes to get more points to pass the exam, were dashed at President Mic's announcement. Disappointed in her low score, Ochako took solace by listening to the people who were examining the desperate boy.

"It's broken! His arm and legs are broken! There're fractures everywhere!"

The news of the teenager's status shook Ochako out of her nauseated stupor. No way! He couldn't have nearly sacrificed his life, broken his limbs, and ruined his chances of getting into U.A. just to save me! He doesn't know me! All I did before was stop him from falling down. Why? Why go through such lengths to save a Quirkless nobody?! As she stared at the youth, she saw that his entire right arm was worn raw and that his legs and arm were contorted in directions impossible to achieve without completely snapping one's bones. Thankfully, Recovery Girl was on the site to help him heal in a matter of seconds, but his sacrifice resonated within Ochako's mind for the rest of the day.

Even if she couldn't get into U.A. High, she would not let the boy's actions go unnoticed. Immediately after the test ended, Ochako sought out Present Mic to ask him if she could give the boy her points. To her surprise, Present Mic refused, telling her that he probably didn't need her points, and that she shouldn't worry about the low score she got during the physical exam. Once out of any person's sight, Ochako had Kurogiri warp her to the bar so she could talk to Sensei.

"So, how was the test? Did you use what I taught you?" Sensei asked over the TV screen, waiting to undergo yet another operation to improve his breathing.

"Y-yeah. Just fine."

"You don't sound fine. What's the matter?" Kurogiri questioned her statement.

"I-it's just that I only got 28 points."

Sensing her dismay, Sensei changed the topic. "Have you met any outstanding individuals?"

Ochako's face immediately relaxed, and she responded, " Well, there was a disciplined guy who had exhaust pipes on his calves. I think he's related to Ingenium. And there was this boy…" Her face tensed up again. "He had a lot of power! He jumped higher than the buildings, and he punched this giant robot so hard he left a crater in its face! But he ended up breaking his arm and legs… just to save me. He didn't even get a single point!"

Sensei fell silent and withdrew to his thoughts. The description of the boy's feats and decisions brought his greatest enemy to mind. No! Has All Might already found someone to inherit One for All? Well, if his successor is that boy she mentioned, then he only recently passed on his Quirk. It'll probably take several months for All Might to drastically weaken and permanently lose use of One for All, but I am slowly growing weaker and weaker every day! Damn that self-righteous superhero!

Meanwhile, Tomura, who only recently started playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the 3DS, was quick to voice his displeasure. "Tch. Another wannabe hero. Probably idolizes All Might like he's a saint. Those kind of people disgust me." In his game, a Deku Scrub popped up and attacked his character. Upon trying to retaliate with a sword slash, it hid underground. "Fuck you, Deku Scrub! Heh, they had the right idea when they named it. It acts all tough from a distance, but when you get close enough, it hides like a coward! Hell, 'Deku' means 'one who can't do anything' in Japanese."

Ochako replied, "Really? I felt that it meant 'I can do it,' when spelled with different characters. Also, you should block its attacks with your shield."

"You're not the boss of me, Uraraka," Tomura retorted, only to get hit again by the same Deku Scrub. "Go to hell!"

"I have to go now. I'll be back to tell you if I got in!"

...

A week later, Ochako received a letter from U.A. High. Wasting no time in opening it, she found a holographic projector inside. She thought, How much money does U.A. have? The projector activated, playing a video featuring All Might dressed in a yellow business suit.

"Ochako Uraraka. You did well enough on the written exam, but I'm afraid 28 points on the practical exam was not enough." She frowned at her inability to score higher. "But have no fear, for a video's here!" He gestured to a screen behind him, which showed the moment she saved the kid with the powerful Quirk. "The judges were looking beyond smashing robots just for points! Did you think the heroics department would reject an entrant for doing just what a hero would do? Nonsense! It's a hero's responsibility to go beyond to save others! Therefore, the judges gave points based on heroic actions like yours. You get 45 additional 'rescue' points, bringing your total to 73 points! While we're handing out points, Izuku Midoriya gets 60 rescue points! Both of you have passed, and I look forward to teaching you at U.A. High, your hero academia."

When the video ended, Ochako couldn't resist breaking into tears. My hard work, Sensei's efforts in teaching me, Kurogiri and Shigaraki's support, everything we've done… has finally paid off.

That night, she announced to Sensei, Tomura, and Kurogiri, "I did it! I got into U.A. High!"

"You've done well, my student. I'm very proud of you," Sensei confessed from the other side of the television screen, clapping in celebration.

Kurogiri, although he lacked a visible face, was undoubtedly glad that she was accepted, but Tomura disagreed and said, "Eh, still think the school's loaded with pompous pricks." Kurogiri hit him with his elbow, prompting the latter to say something more positive. He let out an annoyed sigh and muttered, "Fine. Congrats, Uraraka."

Ochako grinned widely, and she responded, "Thanks for supporting me! I won't let you down!"

A bright future lies ahead, but with light comes darkness!

A/N: Hello, fellows! To answer Angryboy13's question of why I don't simply copy and paste, I wanted to give myself a reason to look back at my past chapters and fix what I don't like to try and make it better. For example, if I simply copied and pasted, I would have never realized that I wrote "President Mic" when it was supposed to be "Present Mic."