Me: Hello everybody, my name Tokusatsu Universe and welcome back to Toku no Hero Academia! now we are on to the Battle Trial where I think most of you are looking forward to seeing. So without further ado let's begin.
Milarqui: And here I am, still fixing the time tenses and catching the little details that were out of place.
Chapter 4: Battle Trial
It was their second day in U.A. High, but today Izuku had chosen to come earlier because there was someone he wanted to speak with.
Walking along the hallways, he looked to both sides until he found the room with the medical cross sign that marked where the school infirmary was. Entering the room, he was met with Recovery Girl, sitting behind her desk on a rolling chair, checking something on her computer. The elder heroine turned her eyes when she noticed someone had entered.
"Oh, hello there, lad. Do you have some health problem?" The short woman asked, smiling.
"No. I just wondered... you are Recovery Girl, right?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"Well, unless someone else took up that name while I was not looking, yes, I am Recovery Girl. What is it that you need, lad?"
"I would like to ask you if you could help me work on the Support aspect of my Quirk?"
Recovery Girl raised an eyebrow.
"Is that what you used to heal the young girl during the Exam? It does seem that it is quite powerful already, if it can heal a broken ankle so easily."
"Yes, but I know there are a lot of things I don't know, and if I can learn something to improve the healing capacity of my Quirk, then I ought to."
"Hmm..." Recovery Girl muttered, placing a hand on her chin. "I'll think about that, lad. Perhaps I ought to talk with your teacher about this. But, right now, you need to get to your class."
"Alright, thank you for considering it, bye!" Izuku said, leaving the room. As soon as he was out of sight, Recovery Girl went to her computer and opened a video.
'I've never had someone to teach before, so this should be interesting. That boy sure is something...' Shuzenji Chiyo thought, watching the few seconds where the boy that had just left her office used his Quirk to heal his fellow candidate's ankle.
Luck held, and Izuku managed to arrive to his classroom shortly before the bell rang, crossing Itsuka on the way as she entered her classroom.
Within Class 1-A, Izuku noted that most of them were talking to each other – even Bakugo seemed to be holding something akin to a civil conversation with the red-haired guy, Kirishima – and some of them were still somewhat shaken up about Mineta's expulsion, although the girls in general seemed to be glad he had been expelled before he could actually start to act like a pervert around them.
The one person that stood out, though, was a boy that was sitting at the corner, not talking with anyone. Tall, with messy indigo hair flaring in large tufts and dark purple eyes with heavy eyebags underneath, he was someone Izuku had never seen.
'This must be the new student Aizawa-sensei mentioned would take Mineta's spot,' Izuku wondered. The mysterious student seemed to notice that he was being observed, for he turned to look at Izuku as he walked to join his friends.
"Have you met the new student?" Izuku asked the others.
"No, not yet," Ochaco commented. "I don't know about you, but there is something about him that makes me feel uneasy. I know it isn't nice to think like that, but it might be his Quirk."
"I wonder what it is. It must be powerful if Aizawa-sensei brought him to replace Mineta," Momo noted.
"Who knows. Maybe we will learn about it later in class," Tenya sensibly pointed out, adjusting his glasses.
Elsewhere in the room, Katsuki was ignoring Kirishima's prattling to scowl at Deku and his friends, leaning back on his chair. For him, the fact that his childhood friend had surpassed him in such a way was a very painful strike to his pride, and his mind was consumed by the idea that he had to put Deku back into his place, to ensure that he, Bakugo Katsuki, would be the 'only' number one hero.
The door opened, revealing Aizawa entering, and all the students went quiet and sat down in their seats, just as the bell rang. As he closed the door behind himself and walked to his desk, Aizawa looked at the class with his usual bored expression.
"Hmm. Today, it only took you four seconds to settle down and take your seats. Looks like all of you are finally learning to be more rational. Good."
Nearly everyone had to resist the need to palm their face.
"Now, since we didn't have time for it yesterday, due to your irrationality," Aizawa continued, unaware or uncaring of his pupils' opinion, "we'll be using today's homeroom session to allow you to introduce yourselves."
This time, everyone except the newly transferred student shared the same opinion, if only in mind.
'That was because you insisted in doing the test, sensei!'
"You will stand up next to your seat, state your name, the name of your Quirk and what it does and a fact about yourselves. This is done so all of you will get to know each other and learn together as a class," He said, apparently not caring much about it before he sat down and pointed to the first student on his right. "You start. Then the girl behind you, and going on from there."
The blond teen with sparkling eyes stood up with an exaggerated flourish, and posed as if he were participating in a drama play.
"Bonjour, je m'appelle Aoyama Yuga! My Quirk is Navel Laser, and it obviously allows me to fire laser beams from my navel. I also like... myself! The pleasure is all yours!" With a second flourish and an over the top wink, Yuga sat down, while the others chose not to comment on how overdramatic his introduction was. Meanwhile, Izuku had grabbed a notebook and written down the names of his classmate and his classmate's Quirk, as well as some initial analysis on what it did, making sure not to mutter so nobody could hear him.
'Okay, he shoots lasers from his navel, I think I saw him during the exam. Could he fire the laser from somewhere else?' Izuku thought.
The pink-haired girl that had beaten them all at Seated Toe touching stood up and flashed them a mischievous grin.
"Alright, it's my turn! The name's Ashido Mina, and my Quirk is called Acid, because I can secrete a corrosive acid through my skin, and I can control its concentration and viscosity! It's also the reason why I look like this! Oh, and I like break dancing, natto and okra! Pleased to meet you all!" She said, giving them all a double peace sign before sitting back.
'Well, she's full of energy! She could be an extremely dangerous close-combat fighter if she could coat her entire body with her acid. And, if she could shoot the acid from a distance, then she could be a very formidable opponent, period, although who knows if that's possible, though.'
"My name is Asui Tsuyu," The frog-like girl stated after standing up with a calm expression. "My Quirk is called Frog, and it allows me to do anything a frog can do, like hopping long distances, sticking to walls or shooting my tongue. I like rain and jelly. Please, take care of me," She told them before taking her seat again.
'Asui's Quirk seems to be quite balanced. She can use her tongue to reach an enemy that is far away or get closer and kick them into submission,' Izuku thought, smiling as he wrote. Then came Tenya's turn, and he stood up and bowed stiffly.
"My name is Iida Tenya! My Quirk is Engine, and it gives me a set of engines located inside my calves that allow me to reach high speeds and mobility depending on the gear! I like studying and beefstew! I hope we can all have a great stay here at the distinguished facilities of U.A.!" After another bow, Tenya took his seat back.
'As diligent and dedicated as ever, I see,' Izuku thought with amusement, and when he looked at the girls he saw Momo was giggling behind her hand, while Ochaco was trying hard not to burst out laughing. 'Either way, his Quirk is quite formidable. If he can go as fast as his brother, he will be a difficult opponent to hit.'
From her seat behind Tenya, Ochaco stood up, happily smiling at everyone.
"My name is Uraraka Ochaco! My Quirk is called Zero Gravity, and it allows me to make objects weightless by touching them with my hands, so I can make things float. I like the starry sky and love mochi. Please, let's get along!" She chirped before taking her seat back.
'Gravity manipulation... I'm guessing she must have some sort of limitation, perhaps to mass or size, but it is still really powerful – one touch and the object can be moved easily. Maybe she could do more than that with training?'
The next in line was another blond teen, this one with small black eyes, a thick tail with a hairy end and a calm disposition.
"I am known as Ojiro Mashirao. My Quirk is Tail, and it gives me this prehensile tail that I can use as a third arm or leg. I like to practice martial arts. Thank you for listening," he greeted with a formal bow.
'Martial arts?' Izuku thought, perking up. 'I have been thinking about finding someone to spar with me, maybe he'll be willing – with that Quirk of his, fighting with him in close combat would make him a really tough opponent.'
After Mashirao came yet another blond teen, the one that had commented on Izuku's Quirk the previous day, and he smiled while pointing at himself with both thumbs.
"The name is Kaminari Denki! My Quirk is Electrification, and I can emit electricity from anywhere in my body! I like fast food and trendy things!" He said, winking at the girls before taking his seat. The girls had a mixed reaction to this behavior, but they figured that he probably was better than Mineta anyway.
'At least I'm not the only one with an overpowered Quirk. His power could make him quite effective anywhere up to medium ranged combat,' Izuku thought with interest as he kept taking notes for his 'database'.
The spiky red-haired teen stood up next, and Izuku noticed he had a small scar above his right eye, and for some reason his teeth were quite pointed. In spite of that, he gave a friendly, boisterous smile as he crossed his arms across his chest.
"I am Kirishima Eijiro! My Quirk, Hardening, lets me harden and sharpen any part of my body, giving me greater strength and durability! I like meat, manly things and Crimson Riot, the manliest hero in Japan!"
'Just like me, he admires a particular Pro Hero. Huh, interesting.'
From behind Eijiro stood a tall, muscular teen whose head was shaped like a pointy rock. Timidly standing up, with shoulders a bit hunched, he started to write on a small whiteboard he was carrying with him, showing them its contents.
"My name is Koda Koji. My Quirk is Anivoice, and I can speak with and command any animal I see when I speak to it. I own a pet rabbit and like nature. Forgive me for the inconvenience." When he was sure everyone had read its contents, he sat down again.
'Not much of a talker, is he? Still, a Quirk that allows him to control animals could let him learn anything from anywhere, just by talking to any animal he can see.'
From behind Koda came a tall, muscular teen with spiky brown hair and quite thick lips, curved in a friendly smile.
"My name is Sato Rikido, My Quirk's name is Sugar Rush, and I can increase my strength five-fold for three minutes by consuming ten grams of sugar. I am quite good at making anything sweet and my favorite food is cake. Nice to meet you all."
'A strength enhancement Quirk based on how much sugar he consumes? Seems interesting, but somewhat impractical unless he is always carrying enough sugar around.'
At the head of the next column was the tallest boy in the class, who had silver hair and wore a facemask and a special uniform to account for the extra arms he had.
"I am Shoji Mezo. My Quirk is Dupli-Arms, and not only can I use them as extra arms, but they can also imitate other parts of my body, such as my ears or my mouth. My favorite foods are takoyaki and squid ink pasta." Much to everyone's nerves, he spoke through the end of one of his arms thanks to an extra mouth.
'That's a versatile Quirk he has, even if it is quite spooky. Extra strength, and I am sure that he can be a great spotter with extra ears or eyes.'
After Shoji was a slender girl with purplish hair and triangular-shaped, onyx-colored eyes. The most peculiar feature were her earphone plug-like earlobes.
"Name's Jirou Kyoka. My Quirk is Earphone Jack, and I can plug the jacks into solid things, both for listening in on sounds transmitted into them and to channel the sound of my heartbeat through them. Also, they are way tougher than they look. And I hate perverts," She said, giving a warning glare at Denki, who had certainly earned her dislike.
'A snarker, pervert hater and she has the air of a rocker girl. That Quirk of hers sounds very good for locating people, and who knows what she can do offensively.'
The next in line was a tall boy with a lean physique, almond-shaped eyes and a friendly grin that displayed his large teeth.
"Yo! The name is Sero Hanta! My Quirk is Tape, and I can shoot cellophane tape-like material from my elbows, as well as retract it, but the tape is as strong as steel, so you should really not undersestimate it! I like oranges, soybeans and other healthy foods! I hope I can get along with all of you!"
'His Quirk would be able to capture anything or anyone, and if he is strong enough it could be even used to pull himself up a building. I wonder how great is the tape's tensile strength,' Izuku wondered.
Next was another boy, this one with a bird-shaped head, while the rest of his body was human.
"I am Tokoyami Fumikage. My Quirk, called Dark Shadow, is actually a sentient shadow beast I am a host for. I can materialize it from my body, as well as bring it back into myself, freely. Dark Shadow's strength depends on the amount of light in my surroundings. I am partial to apples and dark places. Thank you very much."
'A sentient Quirk? That's really rare, and it could be really powerful if well used! Maybe it is mostly empowered when in the dark, but probably one of the most versatile Quirks I've seen here!'
After that was the boy that had come in third in the Apprehension Test: with his bi-colored hair, his heterochromia and the burn scar over his left eye, he stood out in the crowd.
"I'm Todoroki Shoto. My Quirk is called Half-Cold, Half-Hot. I can generate ice from my right side and fire from my left side. I enjoy Zaru Soba," He greeted, aloof and cold, before he took his seat back.
'Another elemental Quirk, but this one has aspects like mine,' Izuku thought, impressed, 'not to mention it looks quite powerful. And... Todoroki? Where have I heard that name?'
Afterwards it was the turn of the invisible girl, who they could only see thanks to the uniform clinging to her form as she gave an excited little jump and waved at everyone.
"My name is Hagakure Tooru. My Quirk is Invisibility, which, as you can see, or not, hehe, makes me completely invisible. I like shopping, plushies and cute things. Please, take care of me!"
'She is an invisible Ochaco!' Izuku mentally chuckled. 'Invisibility is an useful Quirk, and even if it doesn't have any direct combat applications she shouldn't be underestimated – she might be a surprise later on!'
Now it was Bakugo's turn, and he stood up with a scowl on his face, hands in his pockets, almost like he did not give a damn about everyone else, looking a lot like a delinquent.
"My name is Bakugo Katsuki. My Quirk is Explosion, and it allows me to sweat nitroglycerin from the palms of my hands, which I can detonate at will. Meaning that I can make you all explode until you are dead if you piss me off! I like spicy food and mountain climbing! And I hate losing!"
'Typical Bakugo,' Izuku thought, rolling his eyes in annoyance, not bothering to write anything about him since he had already analyzed Bakugo's Quirk before. 'It's only a matter of time before someone knocks some humility through his thick skull.'
It was Izuku's turn now, as he mentally lamented not being able to pick their own seats, but nonetheless put an earnest expression on his face.
"Hello, everyone! I am Midoriya Izuku. My Quirk is Superpower, and it has three aspects I can use at any moment: Attack lets me shape energy to damage anything I use it on, Block allows me to create barriers and reflect attacks, and Help is useful for augmenting and healing not only myself, but others around me. I love Tokusatsu fiction and katsudon! A pleasure to meet all of you, and I hope we can get along!" With a bow, he finished and took his seat back.
While Bakugo's glare was not surprising, he did notice he had garnered some positive interest from the rest of his classmates, which was quite nice, since he did hope to become friends with all of them.
It was the moment for the newest student.
"Hello, I'm Shinso Hitoshi. My Quirk, Brainwash, allows me to mentally control anybody who verbally responds to me, and it allows me to give them short orders they have to follow. I like cats and bicycling. That's all." He immediately sat down.
'So, that's his name. His Quirk is really interesting and powerful, and if he can control more than one person at a time quite dangerous. But it has a lot of potential for hero work.'
It was finally Momo's turn, and Izuku realized that they had been placed in their seats following the alphabetical order of their surnames, making him almost facepalm at the realization.
"I am Yaoyorozu Momo. My Quirk is called Creation, and I can create non-living matter in any form I want through the molecular manipulation of my fat cells. I enjoy reading all sorts of things, especially illustrated encyclopedias. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She bowed and returned to her seat, not before throwing a wink at Izuku, who blushed in response, causing Ochaco to huff in jealousy.
'Well, these are going to be my classmates for the next three years. Might as well consider their powers...'
The day went by in their second morning at U.A. Class 1-A had Present Mic as their English teacher in their second period, while third period was for Modern Literature with Cementoss. Lunch time rolled around at noon, and everybody headed to the canteen.
Lunch itself looked surprisingly good even though it was dirt cheap, which Izuku attributed to it being made by the Pro Hero Lunch Rush, before he took a seat in a table with Momo, Ochaco and Tenya, where Itsuka, Yui and Setsuna joining up with them.
"So, I take it class went smoothly for you guys?" Itsuka asked with a smirk. Izuku shrugged.
"It went better than I thought it would. I mean, I got to list down all of my classmates' Quirks in my notebook, and all of them are very interesting, to say the least."
"And we also have a new classmate to replace the one that was expelled yesterday, a boy called Shinso Hitoshi," Momo mentioned.
"His Quirk makes it so that, when someone responds to him, he can control their actions," Tenya explained.
"I see. That is good to know," Yui replied, still with a straight face.
"Hey, talking about Quirks, I wanna know about your Quirk, Izuku-kun! What does it do? What do you call it?" Setsuna said, grinning, as she looked at the green-haired boy. Izuku instinctively backed away, trying to get used to Setsuna being so close to him.
"It's... called Superpower, and I can use three types of energy, each with different abilities," He explained.
"Oooh, that's so cool! My Quirk is Lizard Tail Splitter, and I can split up my body up to fifty times, while still controlling all of my body!"
"Huh, that's a very versatile Quirk you got there, Tokage-chan," Izuku commented with a smile.
"Thanks! You can call me Setsuna, Izuku-kun! Say, do you want to watch some Godzilla with me later?" She asked, grinning.
The sound of a fork falling to the floor could be heard above the sudden silence that had fallen around the table. Itsuka, Momo and Ochaco felt their jaws drop as Setsuna just boldly asked Izuku if he wanted to hang out with her even though he had only met him the previous day. Tenya's eyebrows flew up in surprise for the same reason, while Yui remained impassive.
"Woah," Izuku said, blinking and staring at her. "Sure, maybe one day we can meet and watch, Setsuna-chan..."
Setsuna nodded with a smile and went back to to her meal, while Itsuka felt uncomfortable with the silence, so she decided to change the subject.
"So, I heard that there's a new Foundational Hero Studies teacher, and you guys are going to have him before we do," She said, and Izuku stopped eating.
"Really? I didn't know."
'Could it be him?' He thought.
After several more classes, Class 1-A was finally ready for the last class of the day, the class they had been expecting for so long: their first Heroics class.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
That laugh was so familiar that pretty much everyone perked up in excitement, in response to hearing it.
'Yeah, I was right,' Izuku thought.
"I AM... coming through the door like a normal person!" All Might said, wearing his trademark costume with a red cape, as he opened the door to the classroom dramatically. Izuku contained his reaction to palm his face.
'Seriously?'
All might merrily marched to the desk, his cape somehow billowing even though there was no windflow indoors.
"Wow, I can't believe it, it's All Might!" Kaminari exclaimed, excited.
"All Might is really going to teach us!" Kirishima asked with a grin on his face.
"That's his Silver Age costume, right?" Asui commented, also excited even though she was not actually showing it.
"The art style is so different from anything it's giving me goosebumps," Ojiro said, shivering as a beat of sweat rolled down his cheek.
All Might now stood in front of the desk, everyone's gaze pointed to him as he posed for a moment, his back towards them.
"I am the Foundational Heroic Studies Teacher, All Might! I will be teaching you Hero Basic Training, and we will spend the semester building up your foundations through various trials! This class is the most important in your curriculum, as well as having the most units in your courses!"
Everybody, including Izuku, was paying attention to everything coming out of All Might's mouth, expecting to learn everything they could.
"With all of that said..." All Might trailed off before suddenly turning to face them, making all of Class 1-A flinch in surprise as All Might struck up another epic pose while holding a piece of paper with one word.
'BATTLE'.
"So, let's get right into it with Combat Training!"
"Combat training?" Katsuki asked, grinning with excitement. Izuku also felt the excitement, along with everyone else in the class, as All Might pointed to the wall behind him.
"Indeed. But there is something still missing with you, and that is your costumes – and here are yours!" The wall suddenly shifted, revealing several compartments that contained twenty metal suitcases, each with a name on them. "These costumes have been made based in accordance with the needs indicated in your Quirk registration and the requests you made in the special forms you sent before school started!"
The students cheered and slowly left their desks, eager to try out their new gear. Izuku was surprised that they had been finished in such a short time, but he figured that the Support Course students must have helped in their craft.
"Now, go get changed and come to Ground Beta!" All Might declared before dashing to the meeting ground.
All Might now stood at Ground Beta, his arms crossed as he waited for the arrival of his students.
"The clothes make the person, ladies and gentlemen," All Might declared, inspecting his students' costumes as they walked out of the shadows and approached him. "Be fully aware... from now on, you are Heroes!"
Aoyama Yuga's costume looked like a knight's armor with a violet glimmering cape hanging from his shoulders, a wing-shaped visor covering his face and a belt with a ringed buckle that allowed him to fire his Quirk.
Ashido Mina wore a turquoise skintight bodysuit and a tan vest with white fur on the collar, as well as a white mask and purple-tan boots, freeing her arms to shoot her acid.
Asui Tsuyu had ensured she would play on her Frog Quirk by requesting a green-black suit with yellow linings that imitated a frog's skin markings. Everything else – goggles, gloves and boots – had also been designed with the same idea in mind.
Iida Tenya combined elegance and protection: over a black one-piece suit with a high collar, he wore a silver armor that included a metal mask that covered his entire face save for his eyes, a set of decorative mufflers that extended from his midriff and a pair of specialized metal boots that extended up past his knees.
Uraraka Ochaco wore something that seemed to play up to her Quirk, making her look like an astronaut with a pink and black skin-tight suit that covered her entire body, a transparent helmet for her head and thick, round bracers with handles attached to them, which allowed her to free her hands to apply her special touch to her opponents.
Ojiro Mashirao's costume was quite simple, a white karate gi made of a resistant fabric with a partially furred collar and a hole behind for his tail – which allowed him to make good use of his skills.
Kaminari Denki had a black jacket over a white shirt, a belt holding his black pants and a headset he would be able to use for communication – all decorated with little lightnings all over it.
Kirishima Eijiro wore a vest with two gear-shaped shoulder pads that left his chest uncovered, while a ripped skirt and set of black pants were held in place by a belt with an R-shaped buckle. Completing the design was a jaw guard around his mouth that seemed to be like an animal's fangs.
Koda Koji had also picked a simple costume: a short-sleeved, short-legged dark yellow and red bodysuit with a drawing around the chest area that looked like an animal's open mouth, as well as matching shoes.
Sato Rikido had chosen a yellow full-body suit that only left holes for his mouth, eyes and hair, while white gloves and boots covered hands and feet and an utility belt around his waist contained the sugar he used.
Shoji Mezo's suit was formed by a sleeveless shirt that appeared to be made of two different hues of blue, with a bronze buckle holding up his light blue pants, tucked into similar colored boots that went half way up his legs.
Jirou Kyoka had picked a costume that made her look like a rock star: a long salmon-colored shirt with several rips at the collar and bottom, with a black leather jacket, pants and boots, the latter with stereos she could plug her jacks in. Two red triangle facial marks decorated her cheeks, a black choker covered her neck and white finger-less gloves finished up her look.
Sero Hanta had a black full-body suit with white designs across his torso, with his sleeves left elbow-length with orange trims to allow him to use his Quirk, and his shoulder pads and his helmet were shaped like tape dispensers, a choice probably made to play on his power.
Tokoyami Fumikage only wore a dark robe with a purple tint, as well as black boots, which was quite understandable since his Quirk allowed him to not get involved in combat.
Todoroki Shoto wore a set of white shirt, pants and boots, along with a gold-colored combat vest, while the left side of everything above his waist was covered in ice, probably to better regulate his temperature should he use fire.
Hagakure Tooru stood out because of how few things she had: a pair of light blue gloves and brownish gray shoes. All Might deliberately chose not to think about the girl's attire, or lack thereof.
Bakugo Katsuki had a black sleeveless tank top covered with two bandoliers in the form of an X. His neck was covered with a metallic brace, his face with a large flare-shaped cloth, his hands with grenade-like gauntlets that stored his sweat, which also went into the grenades he carried on his belt. His black, knee-high combat boots completed the image he wanted to portray.
Shinso Hitoshi was another of those who picked simple costumes: in his case, a dark blue tracksuit similar to the U.A. PE uniform, only reinforced for potential close combat range. The only other concessions to combat-oriented equipment were a half-mask that covered his mouth and a scarf-like cloak that was quite similar to Aizawa's Capturing Weapon.
Yaoyorozu Momo wore a red leotard with silver linings and matching red boots, along with a golden utility belt, leaving open a good part of her skin so she could use her Creation Quirk without risking becoming naked.
And, finally, Izuku wore a green long-sleeve shirt with elbow pads over a black cargo vest, green cargo pants with black lines and knee pads and a red utility belt, with his white gloves and red combat boots laced with steel and a breathing mask.
Momo and Ochaco tried (poorly) to hide their admiration for how well Izuku's costume showed off his toned physique, and they were not the only ones, because Mina was also ogling the hell out of the green-haired boy. Said green-haired boy started blushing as he noticed the extra attention he was receiving from the girls.
Ochaco was the first to recover, walking up to her friend followed by Momo.
"That's a cool costume you got there, Deku-kun!" She complimented him, holding off on personally checking if he was as built as he looked like and trying to stealthily cover her blushing cheeks. "I should have been more descriptive with what I wanted, my costume ended up being a tad too tight for my taste."
"I don't think it's that bad. It actually looks great on you," Momo assured her with a pat on the shoulder, causing her blush to spread as Momo chuckled. "And I must agree with Ochaco, this costume looks very good on you."
Izuku did his best to keep his eyes on their eyes, but he could not avoid sneaking a peek to how well Momo and Ochaco's costumes fit to their bodies.
"So... that's your costume?" Izuku asked Momo, who nodded. Had it been someone else, she would have, at best, felt indifferent at the prospect of them looking at her chest, but in Izuku's case, she found that she really didn't mind the idea.
"Are you sure that's the costume you designed, Momo?" Mina asked, butting in on their conversation.
"Yes. In fact, I had planned to reveal more skin, but they told me there was a limit to how much skin I could expose," Momo explained.
"Well, for all that it is worth, I think the three of you look good," Izuku complimented, causing the three girls to blush.
From away, Hitoshi looked at the group with interest before turning his attention elsewhere.
As for All Might, the hero resisted the urge to chuckle out loud when he saw the little mess his successor had gotten in, before getting back into topic.
"Very well! You all look magnificent! Now, shall we begin your training, you zygotes?"
"Sensei! This is the battle center from the Entrance Exam. Will we be conducting urban combat again?" Tenya asked, stiffly raising his right arm.
"No, we're going to be doing much more than just that. Now, it may seem like fights against villains are always taking place on the streets, but in fact most villainous atrocities happen indoors!" All Might elaborated. "Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals... in this society filled with Heroes, truly intelligent Villains must hide in the shadows! For this test, you will be split into teams of two, and then split into Villains and Heroes for several 2-on-2 indoor battles!"
"Without basic training?" Asui asked, surprised.
"THIS IS A BATTLE WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE BASICS!" All Might exclaimed, clenching his fist. "However, the key this time is that there's no robot you can just destroy!"
"How will wins and losses be determined?" Momo asked.
"Can we beat the villains up until they die?" Bakugo asked while sending a glare at Izuku, who just rolled his eyes and ignored him again.
"Will you expel anyone like Aizawa-sensei did?" Ochaco asked, in worry.
"How will we be split in groups?" Tenya asked stiffly, raising his hand gain.
"Does this cape look awesome or not?" Yuga asked, showing off his cape while the others looked at him.
All Might felt overwhelmed by the influx of questions as she started to sweat from the temple, although fortunately he managed to call the teens' attention, who fell silent.
"Allow me to answer your questions, but only one at a time! Aoyama-kun, your cape looks good, but you should be careful – you really don't want to get it stuck somewhere while in a fight. Uraraka-chan, no, I won't expel anyone. No, Bakugo-kun, you cannot kill other people while in U.A.. Yaoyorozu-chan, wins will be determined by capturing the enemy or achieving another objective, although each team will only participate once. As for how I plan to split you in groups... I will let the luck of the draw choose! Now, listen here!"
With that said, All Might pulled out a piece of paper. Izuku snorted at his idol's antics.
'It certainly fits his personality. You couldn't get any more hilarious!'
"The situation is the following: the Villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout, and the Heroes must dispose of it before it is too late. In order to win, the Heroes must either capture the Villains with the capture tape from that box over there or touch the nuclear weapon to deactivate it within ten minutes, while the Villains need to capture the Heroes or ensure the time runs out!"
'That's so American-like.'
All Might then brought out a yellow box, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Teams and opponents will be determined by drawing lots!"
"They are being decided so haphazardly?" Tenya asked, and Izuku had the idea that he probably expected something more organized, so he tapped him on the shoulder.
"Actually, Tenya-kun, this is smart. Just think about it: Pros often have to form makeshift teams with Heroes from other agencies. And Pros have to be able to adapt to any scenario you may come across and cooperate for the benefit of the mission," He pointed out. Tenya nodded as he understood his point.
"I see... the discernment to look ahead... Please, excuse my rudeness and ignorance!" Tenya said, bowing robotically to All Might, who clearly didn't know what to do with Tenya's sheer stiffness and formality.
"It's fine, young Iida! Let's hurry up and begin this quickly!" All Might bellowed, and the students drew their lots to see who they were paired up with.
Team A: Midoriya Izuku and Tokoyami Fumikage
Team B: Todoroki Shoto and Shoji Mezo
Team C: Yaoyorozu Momo and Uraraka Ochaco
Team D: Bakugo Katsuki and Tenya Iida
Team E: Ashido Mina and Aoyama Yuga
Team F: Sato Rikido and Koda Koji
Team G: Kaminari Denki and Jirou Kyoka
Team H: Shinso Hitoshi and Asui Tsuyu
Team I: Kirishima Eijiro and Sero Hanta
Team J: Oijiro Mashirao and Hagakure Toru
Izuku approached his new partner and extended his right hand to him.
"Looks like we are in a team. Let's both do our best together, alright?"
"Alright," Fumikage replied, shaking Izuku's hand without changing expression.
A few meters away, Ochaco and Momo were pouting because they were not in a team with Izuku, but looking at each other, they smiled.
"At least, we are in a team together," Ochaco said, showing her fist to Momo, who bumped it.
"Yes, pleasure to have you in my team, Ochaco-chan," Momo replied with a chuckle.
Two more lottery boxes – and Izuku wondered where he was keeping them hidden – appeared, one in white labeled 'Heroes' and the other in black labeled 'Villains'. Reaching into them, he pulled one ball from each.
"And the first teams to participate will be... Team A for the Heroes, and Team D for the Villains!"
Bakugo perked up, and a savage grin appeared in his face.
'Hell, yeah! I can finally explode fucking Deku until he dies!'
Once more, Izuku just rolled his eyes, knowing what was going on through Bakugo's mind.
"Now, while both teams remain here, I want everyone else to head for the control room. That way you will be able to observe everything and comment on it!"
"Aye, sir!" the students replied, leaving for the control room, while All Might called both teams to follow him to the building where the exercise would take place.
"For this scenario, the Villains will begin inside the building, where they will have to hide a false nuclear weapon somewhere within and protect it until the time is over. Five minutes after the Villains enter, the test will begin and the Heroes will be allowed to come in. Young Bakugo and young Iida, you two need to learn to think from the perspective of the Villains. This is pretty close to a real battle, so go all out and don't be afraid to get hurt! Of course, if things go too far, I will stop it. Is everything understood?"
The four students nodded, and All might pulled four pieces of paper and four small earplugs from a small pocket that didn't even seem to exist, handing one of each to them.
"The paper contains the layout of the building, so memorize it. And these communicators can be used to keep in touch with each other. Team D, you may go into the building now. I will warn you when the test begins. Now, go!" All Might finished, waiting until Bakugo and Tenya went into the building before leaving.
Bakugo and Tenya decided to put the false bomb at the top floor, believing it would give them the advantage during the fight, and then it was just a matter of time of waiting for the test to begin.
"Even if it is just training, it pains me to become a villain," Tenya complained, carefully touching the 'nuclear weapon'. "So, our job is to protect this? It looks realistic, but it's just papier-mache."
"Hey!" Tenya turned around to see his partner for the test, his back turned to him. "You still think Deku's Quirk is better than mine, huh?"
Tenya sighed in exasperation. He felt it was going to happen too many times around this one.
"Yes. I personally saw Izuku-kun destroy the zero-pointer villain in one shot with a huge energy ball, and even after that and all the fighting he did during the Entrance Exam, he wasn't even tired. I don't think it's advisable to charge him head on, though."
Bakugo shook in anger.
"I don't fucking care!" He snarled. "I'm going to show that damn nerd that he ain't better than me!"
Meanwhile, Izuku and Fumikage were waiting outside for the test to begin.
"You know, I was observing, and I noticed Bakugo has much hatred for you, Midoriya-san," Fumikage commented after memorizing the building lookout.
"Yeah, we used to be friends, but then he got his Quirk and became an insufferable arrogant jerk. He has talent and power, but he also has a hair trigger temper. I just don't have the energy to give a damn about him." Izuku shook his head. "Knowing what I know, I bet that Bakugo will try to come after me, while Tenya-kun stays behind to guard the bomb."
"Am I right in believing that you have a plan to extricate ourselves from this situation?"
"Yes. With your Quirk's versatility, there's a lot you can do, and I have a lot of ideas about how to deal with Bakugo when he comes after me. If you have any suggestions voice them, but this is my idea..."
Back in the control room, the students had sat down, looking at the various monitor screens that showed the building's interior.
"Very well, now everyone watch carefully, for we will go over this test to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the fighters!" All Might told the students.
'Young Midoriya, I hope you don't go overboard like in the Entrance Exam. Here you are just one of my students, and I will grade you without playing favorites. Now, go out and give your best here!' The Symbol of Peace thought, picking a grading book and pencil while the class sat to watch the battle unfolding.
When All Might gave the warning, Izuku immediately began to put his plan into practice by entering the building through an open window. When he landed, he put on his breathing mask before starting to walk through the hallways, knowing what his role was going to be. It was as he turned a corner that he saw Bakugo coming from the other end of the corridor, sporting the usual savage grin on his face.
'Ugh, I really can't deal with him when he's like this,' Izuku thought.
"Hey, look, it's you, Bakugo. So, what can I do for you in this wonderful afternoon?" Izuku asked sarcastically, his expression unchanging. Bakugo snarled back at him and thrusted his arms back, propelling himself forward with an explosion.
"Don't fucking look down on me, fucking Deku!" He screamed, charging forward to attack Izuku with his right hand.
However, before Bakugo could react, Izuku stepped out of the way and grabbed Bakugo's extended right forearm with his own, using Bakugo's speed to throw him over his shoulder and slamming him solidly into the ground.
'What the hell? Did he fucking read me? But how?' Bakugo thought, surprised at the sudden change of direction he had experimented. The impact against the ground had enough force to blur his vision, make him spit saliva and leave him breathless for a moment. Gritting his teeth, the Explosion Quirk user rapidly stood up, glaring at Izuku...
… whose expression had not changed at all.
"Bakugo," Izuku began to speak. "You usually start with a explosive charge while preparing a big right swing. How much do you think I have been watching you? Remember the notebook you once attempted to burn? That's my Hero Journal. I have a full analysis on pretty much everyone with Quirks I've met. Including you."
"WHAT?" Bakugo shouted in bewilderment, as he remembered the last time he had tried to destroy that notebook Izuku always carried around.
"The name 'Deku'... the same one you use as an insult to call me useless and worthless. Well, guess what? It has another meaning. It means 'I can do it'. So your dumbass insult backfired. I don't know what happened between us, but I have not been the Deku you like to pick on in the last decade. So, bring it on, Bakugo," Izuku calmly declared.
Another snarl, this time of both pain and fury, was a prelude to Bakugo's next attempt to attack Izuku, this time by lashing out with his left hand and releasing an explosion at him. Izuku had just jumped to a side, away from the range of the explosion, which also lifted Bakugo off the ground.
"Hey, Bakugo-kun! Give me your status! What happened?" Tenya asked through Bakugo's earpiece.
"Shut the fuck up, Glasses! Just defend the stupid damned bomb!" Bakugo shouted back before getting ready to attack Izuku once more.
"I'm not asking about how you feel! Hey!"
Before Tenya could say anything further, Bakugo took off his earpiece and threw it away.
"What the... he hung up... going off on his own like that... what is wrong with him? Geez!" Tenya muttered for his own sake – not knowing that someone was watching him from the shadows.
In the control room, the class observed the battle with baited breath.
"Deku-kun and Tokoyami-kun separated before entering the building," Ochaco said, pointing at Izuku entering through the first floor while Fumikage used his Quirk to quickly fly to the top floor of the building. "Why are they doing it like this?"
"Midori-kun probably has a plan for this, I think," Mina answered. Ochaco immediately turned to look at her, shocked that she was calling him by a nickname.
"He does. He had more than enough time to come up with a plan, and if there's someone he knows well, it is Bakugo. He knew Bakugo would come for him, leaving Tenya behind to guard the nuclear weapon, so he went through the first floor to keep Bakugo away from the bomb while Tokoyami sneaks into the room with the bomb," Momo explained with a smile.
"That's so very true, and fitting," Mina answered, grinning.
The next minute, the class watched in awe as things began to happen precisely as Momo described – and also how Izuku easily predicted how Bakugo would act, displaying power and technique by slamming him into the ground.
"Wow, he's a martial artist as well!" Ochaco chirped, impressed by Izuku's counter, vaguely remembering how he mentioned having met Kendo-chan in a dojo.
"Indeed," Ojiro said, nodding as he recognized the move used by Izuku, and expecting to have a chance to spar with him.
"Holy..." Kirishima muttered, being left wordless by the sudden turn of events.
"Anyone else notice that Midoriya didn't even use his Quirk to throw Bakugo to the ground?" Aoyama pointed out.
"You are all correct! It seems that young Midoriya had a plan that fit with his knowledge of the Villains that would allow him to retrieve the weapon!" All Might answered, grinning as he mentally went over his pride of how Izuku fought, yet allowed everyone to have a hot. "But, there's always a chance that the tides could turn for either side at any moment! Besides, as you already know, U.A. High has a motto. 'Go Beyond-'"
"PLUS ULTRA!" the students finished with a cheer.
"Monsieur All Might, Bakugo is doing something!" Aoyama exclaimed, pointing at one of the screens.
"Huh?" All Might muttered as he looked towards the monitors.
Bakugo hid his left hand as he prepared to ignite an explosion. However, this was poorly done, and Izuku could easily tell what he was planning to do, so he just stood where he was.
Firing the explosion, Bakugo launched himself towards Izuku at a high speed, aiming a flying kick at his head with his left leg. Once more, though, Izuku rapidly reacted and grabbed the threatening leg, swinging Bakugo across the hallway and making him fly against the wall, which he hit with his back.
"GAH!" Bakugo said, spitting out more saliva as he was slammed again.
'Keep it up, Bakugo, you are getting so predictable,' Izuku thought as he proceeded to implement the next step of the plan.
As soon as Bakugo got back up and placed both of his hands behind him, ready to propel himself, Izuku turned and ran around the corner, leaving behind a trail of energy.
"Goddamn it! Don't you fucking dare run from me, Deku! Come back here!" Bakugo yelled, starting to run behind him in pursuit while blasting another explosion to propel himself. However, this time it seemed that Izuku was hiding himself quite well, because two minutes later, while Bakugo had followed him to the floor below the one with the bomb, he could not see him. "Where the fuck are you? Why aren't you using your flashy Quirk, you shit?"
A slight noise came from his left, and Bakugo turned in that direction – only to receive a knee covered with green energy straight to the stomach, courtesy of an ambushing Izuku. For the third time in the past five minutes, Bakugo was sent crashing on his back against the floor.
"You d-damn nerd! That was a cheap shot!" Bakugo yelled angrily, coughing as he slowly got back to his feet, touching the area where he had been kneed – and that hurt.
In spite of Bakugo's reaction, Izuku remained inexpressive as he got into a fighting stance – spiking Bakugo's rage.
"You still think you are fucking better than me, huh? I'M BETTER THAN YOU, DEKU!" Bakugo furiously declared as he prepared for another attack.
Two floor above the fight, Fumikage peeked from behind one of the pillars, seeing Iida guarding the bomb.
'This is it, I am in place to fulfill my role,' he thought, hoping that he would be able to do his part in the plan Midoriya had come up with. He was about to make the call, but then he overheard Iida talking to himself, so he waited to listen what he was saying.
"Bakugo-kun is a natural at being bad, but that fits this training perfectly. Thus, I must also devote myself to being a Villain. That's right, this is another trial to turn me into a Hero that will not bring shame to the Iida family. Become a Villain! Be dyed with evil in order to become a Hero! I am... extremely evil!"
Fumikage quietly snorted to himself and brought his hand to his ear.
"Midoriya, I have reached my position," Tokoyami says through the earpiece as Izuku prepares for the next round of the fight against Bakugo.
"Good, just wait for my signal," Izuku acknowledged.
"I shall do so."
Bakugo heard Izuku speaking and gave a snarl, putting his left gauntlet forward, aiming at Izuku.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE KEEP UNDERESTIMATING ME, DEKU!" he screamed, reaching for the safety pin that hanged from the side of his grenade-like gauntlet. "If they made this the way I asked, as soon as I pull the pin the gauntlet will detonate all the nitroglycerin I sweat into it. Then it means I'M GOING TO FINALLY FUCKING EXPLODE YOU TO DEATH, STUPID NERD!"
Bakugo pulled the pin with a maniac expression.
'Seriously?' Izuku narrowed his eyes, finally changing expression.
A massive blast detonated, sending Bakugo flying away, covering the hallways and destroying the walls that were caught in the blast. Tenya could feel the blast even several floors away, while Fumikage just used the shadows to move closer to the room where Tenya was guarding the bomb.
Back in the monitor room, the students also somehow felt the blast. Ochaco and Mina were clearly worried about what just had happened, but Momo thought she had seen something special and thus remained confident, as did All Might.
As the smoke began to clear, Bakugo felt his grin turn even more psycho-like.
"Do you still believe you are better than me, Deku?" He screamed. "I will break you and force you to surrender with my full strength!"
"Bakugo, answer me! Did you do that? What in the world did you do? Explain yourself!" Tenya frantically, and uselessly, shouted through his earpiece as he tried to figure out what had just happened in the floor below.
"For heaven's sake, you are insane."
Bakugo felt the blood drain from his face when he heard Izuku's voice through the smoke. When it finally cleared enough, he saw him kneeling, surrounded with a spherical energy barrier that vanished a moment later, revealing that Izuku and his costume had gone completely unscathed.
"Bakugo..." Izuku trailed off, looking around himself at the destruction brought by the explosion, a serious look on his face. "Did you seriously try to murder me?"
"What if I did?" Bakugo growled in anger. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have used your Quirk! Still thinking I am weaker than you? Come at me, damn it, fight me like a real man!"
"I see," Izuku replied, his eyes narrowing. "I gotta say, Bakugo, congratulations. You made me change my expression, and your trump card didn't even hurt me."
"DON'T YOU DARE MOCK ME!" Bakugo snarled, charging again at Izuku. The green-haired boy got ready to counter, but right before making contact Bakugo used a second blast to change his direction mid-air, using the momentum to fly over Izuku's head in order to blast him on his back. He was unprepared for Izuku to quickly form an energy wall, reflecting the explosion back at him.
Still in the air, Bakugo tried to go again for another right hook, but once more Izuku grabbed him by the right arm and threw Bakugo against the closest intact wall with all his strength: once more, Bakugo hit the wall, but this time he was upside down, collapsing seconds later and stumbling as he tried to stand up.
"I WILL FUCKING BEAT YOU! DAMN NERD!" Bakugo had clearly run out of things to say, and tried to charge him again.
"Tokoyami, now," Izuku said in his earpiece.
"Acknowledged," Fumikage responded.
Izuku counter-charged at full speed, and both of them prepared their attacks: Bakugo was about to use his right gauntlet to cause another massive explosion, while Izuku's right arm glowed yellow green along with green lightning and red veins flashing on the skin.
"GODZILLA..."
"DEKU!" Bakugo shouted, pulling the other safety pin.
"...SMASH!"
Right at the last moment, Izuku aimed his arm upwards and sent the blast upwards, followed by an energy ball. The blast went through all the floors, making a hole in them and creating powerful gusts of wind that made the entire building shake, with the building only surviving because he had taken care of pointing it so it would only blast floors and into the air, never through the pillars – although the shockwave was still powerful enough to be felt all the way to the monitor room. Finally, before the gauntlet could explode, Izuku grabbed it and infused it with his energy, defusing the nitroglycerin, much to Bakugo's shock.
"What in the..." Tenya said, shocked at the huge explosion that had just shaken the entire building. A hole opened in the middle of the floor, but there was so much wind and debris that it was hard to see what was happening.
He did see a ball of yellow green energy popping out from the hole, and then Fumikage leaping out with his Quirk activated, as the shadow beast devoured the ball and suddenly became larger than he thought was possible. Tenya was stuck in his position in terror, and before he could react the beast enveloped him in darkness.
Seconds later, the darkness lifted, only for him to see Fumikage grabbing the false bomb.
"Nuclear weapon retrieved," Fumikage said in his earpiece.
Izuku stared at Bakugo, who was now on his hands and knees, temporarily weakened by Izuku's use of his Quirk. The Explosion Quirk user panted in disbelief, shocked that Izuku had twice nullified his trump card, causing massive destruction in the building in the process.
"You... beat... me..." Bakugo uttered the words he never thought he would say. Izuku looked at him with his breathing mask off and a serious expression on.
"I knew you would be coming for me, so I figured I could distract you long enough before giving Tokoyami's Quirk a temporary boost that would allow him to overwhelm Tenya-kun. That's why I led you to this floor, so I could find an opening and offer it to Tokoyami." Bakugo's eyes widened: in his rage, he had not realized he was actually being played. "And, also, I wanted to teach you a lesson. I wanted you to learn that there's always the chance that someone could be better than you. If you want a suggestion, I would silence your pride and begin shaping up, because if you don't... you will not like the consequences."
Izuku began to walk away, not looking back, as All Might's voice was heard through the speakerphones that had survived the battle.
"THE HERO TEAM WINS!"
Izuku exited the building, followed in the distance by Fumikage, who was holding a still frazzled Tenya, and he met All Might in the entrance.
"That was a good job out there, young Midoriya. You did very well," The hero said, smiling.
"Thank you, Sensei," Izuku replied with a smile. All Might pulled out a slip from yet another pocket and handed it to Izuku.
"This is from Recovery Girl, she wants to see you at her office as soon as you can."
"Okay," Izuku said, taking the slip and checking it. All Might put a hand on his shoulder, and he looked back at him.
"I know you could have done it in just a few moments, but I am glad you gave the others a chance to participate in the test," All Might said in a lower voice.
"I had to try to keep things fair, at the very least. And... I really didn't want to have to do it, but I also had to give Bakugo a lesson in humility." With that, Izuku checked on Fumikage and Tenya, who fortunately did not need to visit the infirmary, and he headed for Recovery Girl's office.
Back in the building, Bakugo was now sitting down, leaning against one of the few intact walls, as he went over his fight.
'My right hook... Deku predicted it... and he knew I was coming for him...' He thought, as Izuku's words came unbidden.
"I wanted you to learn that there's always the chance that someone could be better than you."
Bakugo began to shake and tremble, breathing hard and irregularly as something else came up.
'Does that mean that... even if I fought all-out from the beginning... he could have completely...'
Before Bakugo could finish the thought, he felt a big, strong hand gently gripping his shoulder.
"Come back to the monitor room, young Bakugo. It's time to review the fight. And remember, whether you win or lose, this is still school, and looking back and learning from your experiences is a part of life," All Might said, firm but gentle, as he helped Bakugo stand up.
Izuku arrived to Recovery Girl's office and knocked on the opened door, calling the elder woman's attention.
"Ah, you made it here, lad," she said with a gentle smile.
"So, you called me here. Is there a problem?"
"No, not at all. I have been thinking about the proposal you made me this morning, and, although I have never done this before, I think that teaching you how to heal people more effectively is something I can easily get behind," She declared.
"That would be wonderful, Recovery Girl," Izuku replied.
For the rest of the hour, Recovery Girl taught Izuku how to focus his will whenever he wanted to heal something, as well as some basic lessons in anatomy so he could know how to act, but also pointing out that too much use of the ability might strain him, particularly if he was exhausted.
"Alright, lad, that wraps up our first lesson," She said when the bell rang. "I think it's time for you to go back to your class now. I'll speak with your homeroom teacher to find a way to add this to your schedule."
"Yes, ma'am. See you later, bye!" Izuku bid farewell to his second mentor and began to run to his homeroom. As he walked down the halls, he sighed.
"I ended up skipping the rest of the lesson... Aizawa-sensei is going to punish me..." He mumbled.
Making it back to Class 1-A's homeroom, Izuku was soon bombarded by his classmates as they cheered on him.
"Oh, look, Midoriya's here! Good work! Man, I don't know what you were saying during the match, but you were so manly!" Eijiro said as he congratulated Izuku.
"It was so cool seeing you fighting!" Hanta said.
"That was a great job done, dodging and countering, Midori-kun!" Mina gushed, energy seemingly coming out of every pore.
"You guys really gave us an example to follow, and the rest of us gave it our all during our matches, too!" Rikido interjected as he pumped up his fists.
"You were far from elegant, but-" Yuga tried to say, but he was cut off by Mina threatening to hit him in the back of the neck while jumping excitedly.
All of that had happened in just a few seconds, and he felt slightly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of compliments thrown at him, when Momo came between the others and hugged him.
"Congratulations on winning, Izuku-kun," She complimented him before releasing him.
"Thanks, Momo-chan. So, what did I miss?"
"Well, after your fight – where did you go, by the way? – we discussed it and you were picked as MVP by All Might. After that, the others had our own battles."
"Really? I'm MVP?" Izuku asked. Momo nodded.
"You effectively adapted to the circumstances, made a plan that involved everyone in the exercise and didn't even get injured even though you were fighting Bakugo and his Explosion Quirk."
"How did you and Ochaco-chan do?" He asked, wanting to know about the other fights.
"Oh, we won. We fought Kirishima and Sero. I came up with a couple of ideas, Ochaco-chan suggested others, and in the end we managed to retrieve the weapon, but it was hard," she replied.
"Midoriya-kun, I must say that your plan was very well made and executed. Good job," Fumikage said, sitting on his desk.
"Tokoyami-kun! That desk is not a chair, get off immediately!" Tenya said, his strict attitude shining, but Fumikage ignored him.
"C'mon, Iida-san, lay off him, it's not that big of a deal," Kyoka said bluntly.
"Wh-?"
"And what's with the hands, anyway?" Mashirao asked, pointing at Tenya's hands as they chopped the air.
"You people... I cannot condone actions that disrespect the desks the great men and women who are our upperclassmen once used!" Tenya shouted, absolute seriousness in his voice.
'He never wavers, does he?' Izuku thought.
As that happened, Kaminari and Ochaco entered the room, carrying two large stacks of books in their hands.
"Hey, Uraraka, wanna grab a bite to eat sometime? What do you like?" Denki asked her. Unfortunately for him, Ochaco was oblivious to the fact that he was trying to ask her out on a date.
"Well, I like mochi and... Deku-kun!" She said when she saw Izuku. Dropping the books on the closest desk, she ran right to Izuku's side, ignoring how Denki's face dropped. Eijiro, who did see it, began to snicker. "Deku-kun! How are you feeling? Are you alright? What did Recovery Girl want with you?"
"Oh, I'm all good, she just wanted to discuss something with me about my Quirk and give me a few pointers." As he talked, Izuku realized someone was missing: Bakugo's desk and chair were empty. "Um... does anyone know where's Bakugo?"
"We all tried to stop him, but as soon as the bell rang he left without saying a thing," Ochaco replied. Izuku raised an eyebrow.
"Will you excuse me? I need to talk with him before it is too late," he replied, running out of the door, leaving his classmates in confusion.
Energy infused in his legs, Izuku managed to reach the entrance and open the door just in time to see Bakugo walking out the front gates, ready to go home.
"Bakugo! Wait up!" Izuku shouted, running towards him. Bakugo stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder.
"What do you want, Deku?" He asked.
"Don't tell me you're leaving because of what I did and said to you."
Bakugo turned around to look at him in the eyes with an annoyed look.
"The hell are you trying to say? Today, I lost to you, that's all it was." He shook in anger as he recalled the battle exercise where Todoroki won almost instantly. "I watched the ice guy, and I knew I could beat him! And, damn it, I even ended up agreeing with what you and Ponytail girl said!"
He punched the metal door, annoyed with himself and swearing, before turning back to Izuku. Much to his surprise, Bakugo was actually crying.
"Deku! I'm... I'm just getting started, but know this! You may have beaten me today, but that's all you're going to get! You will never beat me again, you hear me! I'll be the Number One Hero, and I don't care who stands in my way! You better be ready to be the Number Two Hero, because the Number One spot is all mine!" Bakugo declared, before he wiped away his tears and walked away.
"We'll see about that," Izuku said in a low voice, confidently smiling as the sun began to set.
Unbeknownst to him, All Might had been close by, and had overheard the entire conversation, smiling in relief.
'I was worried that you would tell young Bakugo the secret of One for All, but obviously I was worried for no reason. I'm glad you have finally helped him push through his inferiority complex and gained a rival, that will benefit the two of you. It will give you someone to compare yourself with, and for him it will be a drive to push beyond his limits and a way to learn humility. Good job, young Midoriya, and keep it up!'
From the window, four girls had also seen the exchange between the two students.
"What were they saying?" Mina asked.
"The Fated Battle Between Men," Ochaco stated as Izuku began to walk back towards the school building.
"I think Midoriya-kun was just trying to motivate Bakugo-kun, though," Tsuyu pointed out.
"You may be right, Tsuyu-chan. After this, Bakugo will finally begin to respect Izuku-kun as a rival, as someone he has to work to defeat, and maybe he will learn to hold his tongue," Momo observed.
"The Fated Battle Between Rivals!" Ochaco exclaimed, smiling.
Ignorant of what was happening a few meters away from him, Izuku was thinking.
'I have lit his fuse – but that doesn't change what I have to do. I just have to keep getting better if I want to become a great hero,' He told himself as he returned to the classroom, in order to get his stuff back, say goodbye to his classmates and head back home.
Somewhere else in Japan, in an empty bar, a young man who had several severed hands all around his arms and face sat reading a newspaper headlined "All Might Becomes U.A. Teacher! Closes Agency Temporarily."
"Did you see this? It says he's a teacher now. What do you think will happen... if the Symbol of Peace... is killed by villains?" The young man wondered.
Soundtracks: Continuing Universe Theme from River City Melee for the scene with Recovery Girl, Sister's Theme 2 from River City Melee for the canteen scene, Hero A from Boku no Hero Academia when Class 1-A arrives to Ground Beta, Nervous Competition Preparation from River City Melee between All Might reading the Battle Trial and Ochaco and Momo joining forces, Kill U 2wise Over from No More Heroes Desperate Struggle during the Fumikage/Izuku vs Katsuki/Tenya Battle Test, Ending Theme from River City Melee for Izuku's conversation with Bakugo after the class.
Me: Holy shit! This took me a long while! Izuku has humbled Bakugo! Setsuna asked Izuku out to watch Godzilla! Izuku gets to know his classmates and their quirks! How does Superpower and One for All go together?
So please review, fave, follow, or all of the above. However NO FLAMES, RANTS, NEGATIVE COMMENTS! But if it's criticism then I'm alright with that. No guest reviews, I will delete them.
I think I'm going to take a break for awhile. Thanks for reading everybody, I'll be seeing you in the next chapter, buh bye!