Izuku had gained a lot of experience calming himself down from near panic attacks over the years. The moment his anxiety first reared its ugly head his mother had sat him down and calmly explained the methods that she had used to to keep her own anxiety under control. Or as close to under control as possible. And they had worked for Izuku too, for the most part. Focusing on his surroundings, on his breathing. His system wasn't perfect, but at least he had a system.

None of these methods, however, factored in a situation as extreme as Izuku running head first into Todoroki Shouto.

He had never met Todoroki in person before, but he had heard plenty about him. Speculation about new up and coming heroes at Yuuei usually held off until the sports festival when they whole country could see the students in action, but rumors about Endeavor's son had been spreading for years. No one knew exactly how the younger Todoroki's quirk worked, and Endeavor had been particularly tight tipped about the specifics which only led to more speculation.

For his part, Todoroki looked just as dazed from the collision as Izuku felt, which gave him a few extra seconds to assess the situation. If Todoroki's hair wasn't enough of a recognizable feature, the scowl his fellow recommendation student had aimed at the ground would have been. It matched the unapproachable impression Izuku had gotten from the photo that had been included in the light file Aizawa had given him before the meeting.

According to his mentor, similar documents had been given to the other recommendation students so they would know who they would be meeting, but no personal information had been included in the file other than the name of their quirk and their sponsor. Even Aizawa hadn't budged on that condition considering they were going to be classmates in just a few short months. If Izuku was going to make a profile on these students he was going to have to do it all from scratch. There was no better time to start than now.

Quickly, he glanced at Todoroki's face. Physical features weren't always indicative of a quirks nature, not when they didn't manifest as actual physical changes, but they still sometimes lent an insight into the basic nature of a quirk. Aizawa's eyes, for example, were always the first thing people tended to notice about him once they got passed the scowl, whether they knew about his quirk or not. And for Todoroki...Red and White. Fire and ice. Once he became a pro there would be no forgetting him or his quirk, even without his relation to Endeavor. His look was too much like those old characters Izuku and Mei loved to read.

And his heterochromia...a natural side effect of the dual nature of his quirk or a consequence of whatever event had given him that scar? It was possible for quirks to have negative side effects. Everyone knew that. Had Todoroki injured himself when his quirk manifested or had it been an unrelated incident? Maybe that meant that he wasn't immune to his own fire. It could be a problem, if that was the case, but there would be plenty of ways to get around that. What about the ice? With all of the rumors and speculation that had spread no one seemed to consider how two conflicting elements would affect him. Was he constantly having to think about keeping them balanced or was it like breathing by this point? There were so many things Izuku wanted to asked and-

"Midoriya Izuku," a flat voice said, and Izuku jumped realizing that he was still sitting on the ground, staring at Todoroki. Hastily, he pushed himself to his feet again. At least he hadn't been rambling out loud. For once.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Izuku said and...wait...Todoroki's words registered slowly. "You know my name?"

Todoroki's stare was as bland as his tone. "The files they gave us had photos." Right. Right. Izuku had just been thinking about that. The fact that the other recommendation students might have wanted information about Izuku himself hadn't occurred to him though. "Your file didn't have a quirk listed."

"No. It didn't." Because what else could Izuku say about his quirk that wasn't already in the carefully planned speech he and Aizawa had put together? Better to avoid the subject entirely. "Um...I really am sorry. For the collision. Not my quirk not being in the folder. Can't do anything about that." Izuku winced as he waved with his injured hand. "I didn't hurt you, did I? Recovery Girl should be in her office! I can show you where it is?"

Blinking slowly like that, Todoroki almost like a cat. Izuku had spent enough time around them recently to recognize that expression of dull confusion. But what had Izuku said to confuse him? "Oh! Recovery Girl is the school nurse! She tends to stay around her office even when classes aren't in just in case any of the pros who work here need her help."

"I'm not injured."

That was good at least. Izuku couldn't imagine what Aizawa would say if he had managed to injure not only himself but another student before classes even started. But Todoroki was still watching him, waiting for something. What had Todoroki been doing out here anyway? Endeavor was already back in the room. Izuku had separated from Aizawa to see Hizashi, but it was common knowledge that Endeavor preferred to work alone whenever possible. Izuku doubted he had any connections to pros at Yuuei close enough for Todoroki to want to visit.

"Well, um…" Izuku had forgotten how hard it was to talk to people who weren't Mei. "I have to go see someone before the meeting starts so I'll just…" Izuku shrugged, stepping lightly around Todoroki. "I'll see you later?"

Todoroki didn't speak, but he gave him a short nod. Izuku nodded back before disappearing around the corner, leaving Todoroki standing in the hallway by himself. Was that what normal interactions were like? Izuku still had nothing to make a true comparison to. He had long learned not to judge interactions to the same standard as Bakugou and he couldn't exactly call his interactions with Mei normal. Whatever the case, he would have to worry about it later.

Run in with Todoroki Shouto aside, the walk from the meeting room to Hizashi's room wasn't long. A few quick turns down a couple of hallways and Izuku found himself standing outside the closed office, the door swinging open before Izuku even had the chance to knock. Hizashi stood in the doorway, smiling. "Izuku! Come on in! I know we don't have a lot of time."

One of the strangest parts of growing closer Hizashi over the last year and a half had been separating "Present Mic" from "Yamada Hizashi." The difference in appearance between Aizawa and Eraserhead had just been an exchange of one indistinguishable black outfit to another. Present Mic though… Everything about Present Mic was loud- his clothes, his hair, his voice even when he wasn't using his quirk. After spending so much time around Aizawa, Izuku had expected Hizashi to be the same. Of course, that hadn't been the case.

Hizashi was still loud, still had an infectious personality that seemed to draw everyone into his good moods. But he as softer somehow, the excitement more genuine than the rigid, almost put on airs that he acted with as Present Mic-Pro Hero, Radio Host, English Teacher Extraordinaire. Nothing he did or said as Present Mic was fake, Izuku knew that, but he also knew that he had been granted the chance to see Hizashi for who he was away from his identity as a pro hero of celebrity level fame.

Because Hizashi seemed to keep his hero persona and his personal life separated to some degree Izuku did too. Which was why the sight of Hizashi in casual clothes made Izuku pause for a moment before he followed him into the office. Hizashi never showed up to the apartment in his hero gear, although he usually had it with him in case of an emergency, and the few times Izuku had been to Yuuei he had never seen him wearing anything other than his uniform. Now though he greeted him in jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, his hair pulled into a messy bun on top of his head, peering down at him over edge of his glasses.

Izuku instantly felt some of the tension relax.

"I won't keep you long. I know you have to get back before it all starts, but I just wanted to talk to you beforehand." Hizashi took a seat, pulling his rolling chair closer as Izuku sat. "I tried to get Nedzu to let me into the room too, but it said it would be showing 'favoritism' and giving 'special privileges.' " Hizashi rolled his eyes as he made air quotes. "I mean I'm basically your second sponsor, but Nedzu wouldn't budge. It's not my fault Shouta found you first."

Izuku wisely didn't point out that he was the one who found Aizawa as Hizashi huffed.

"Nedzu's unfair tendencies aside, I have a present for you!"

That had not been what Izuku had expected. A good luck, some advice on how to talk in front of so many strangers. Maybe a funny story about Aizawa to distract him. Not a present.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"Well. I know all about the plan you and Shouta have about keeping your connection with him secret, which also means you're going to have to pretend like you don't know me either. I understand why- you want to be judged for your own skills. I'll stick with the plan until everyone figures it out, but I thought you might need a little reminder that there are people here who have your back." Hizashi leaned over to ruffle Izuku's hair, and Izuku ducked fighting back a smile. "It's nothing much, so don't get too excited but…"

Hizashi reached into his desk, riffling through the drawer for a moment before pulling out a thin chain, two charms dangling at the end. He passed it over so that Izuku could get a closer look.

"Is that a cat with goggles?" Izuku asked, not able to hold back his laugh this time. He doubted Aizawa had known about this part of their conversation because he never would have approved of the representation.

Hizashi's grin was blinding as he pushed his glasses back. "I had to have that one special ordered. Luckily Natsumi-san was willing to help me out. The microphone was much easier to be found, surprisingly. The chain should be long enough for you to tuck under your uniform. Wouldn't want anyone seeing it and putting it all together, but just because we all have to act like we're strangers doesn't mean that anything is really going to change. I just wanted to make sure you knew that, and now was as good a time as any."

Izuku jumped from his chair, tackling Hizashi in a hug, the charms tight in his hand. The chair rolled back as Hizashi laughed. "I take it you like it then?"

"It's the best! Thank you!"

"Don't mention it! Literally! Shouta would kill me if he saw that charm!"

Izuku made it back to the demonstration room with just a few minutes to spare. Aizawa stood alone against the far wall, and Izuku made a beeline for him without sparing a glance towards the other students and their mentors. The groups that had been talking when Izuku glimpsed into the room earlier had broken up, each student talking quietly with their mentors.

The metal of Hizashi's present was cool against his skin, and Izuku almost reached up to touch it. Aizawa would have noticed the movement immediately though and wondered what Izuku was messing with. There was no way Aizawa wouldn't eventually find out about the charm, but Izuku would be glad to push that conversation off for as long as possible.

"Gather round, everyone!" Nedzu said, stepping into the large open space in the middle of the room. "There aren't enough people in here for us to be this far apart. You all are going to be classmates for the next three years. Now's the time to start getting to know each other."

Aizawa placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder, leading him closer to the group but still a ways away from the others. "It'll be okay, Midoriya," he whispered before dropping his hand. Izuku shot him a small smile.

"Just to be clear once again," Nedzu continued once everyone had done as he asked. "This is simply a demonstration. There will be no more test until the new year at Yuuei begins. You have all earned the spot that you have been given here. Relax and enjoy this opportunity to share your reasons for being here with your fellow recommendation students. Now, when I call your name I would like you to step up and show us your quirk. Tell us the reason you've been accepted to Yuuei. We'll be going in the order that I received your completed paperwork. First up is Todoroki Shouto."

There were no encouraging words from Endeavor to his son. Todoroki's face remained just as blank as it had been when Izuku had talked to him in the hallway. He stepped into the center of the room, back facing the empty wall, and glanced quickly around the waiting students.

"My quirk," he started, his voice somehow even flatter than it had been before, "allows me to control ice with my right side and fire with my left side."

He said it plainly as if he were simply discussing the weather, but all the questions that Izuku had before doubled the moment he finished speaking. He wished that he had been allowed to take notes, because he could already think of so many ways that Todoroki's quirk could be beneficial for hero work. And a couple of the possible side effects as well. Todoroki hadn't been too friendly when they had spoken earlier, but maybe that had just been nerves. Not every reacted to stress in the same ways, after all. Maybe once classes started he would be willing to let Izuku run some things by him. He could analyze quirks without talking to the person, had done that with Aizawa's students for the last two years, but getting a first hand account was always helpful when possible.

Todoroki had already started walking back to Endeavor's side when Nedzu called out, "Isn't there anything else you'd like to share, Todoroki-san? I know that this is essentially a formality, but…"

"Sharing anymore information about my quirk is unnecessary," Todoroki said, looking back. "The fact that I have been offered a recommendation spot speaks for itself about both my quirk and my goals."

Nedzu didn't look pleased by Todoroki's response, but he didn't argue. "Well then, next we have Yaoyorozu Momo."

The rest of the students must have taken Nedzu's words to heart because their descriptions of their quirk were much more involved than Todoroki's short declaration. Yaoyorozu stepped up as soon as Todoroki cleared the space and immediately launched into a more detailed explanation of how her quirk allowed her to create almost any object as long as she knew its chemical composition. After a brief glance at her mother for confirmation, Yaoyorozu produced a small replica of Yuuei's main building.

After Yaoyorozu went Honenuki Juzo who demonstrated his quirk to manipulate matter by partially melting a spare chair. Then Kendo Itsuka who described that different ways her transformation quirk could be used for hero work. Izuku should have realized before that he would be the last one to go. Of course he would have been the last one to turn in all the paperwork. All of the usual spots had already been filled when Nedzu offered him his chance.

Watching the other four recommendation students though… Izuku had known on some level that all of their quirks had to be amazing. The kinds of quirks that were geared almost specifically for hero work. Hearing them talk though, seeing their quirks first hand, Izuku realized just what he would have to be following. He knew he belonged there. He earned his spot just like all the others. Aizawa believed in him. Hizashi believed in him. Even Nedzu had put some level of trust in the fact that Izuku wouldn't let him down.

Izuku had dealt with people criticizing him because he was quirkless since he was five years old. Doing this though? Stepping into that space and announcing that he thought he was on the same level as the rest of the recommendation students? Yuuei was the best hero program in the country. Their sports festival was more anticipated than the Olympics. Izuku would be inviting criticism and commentary from the entire country once his admittance was announced.

But he had wanted this for as long as he could remember. He had trained for this. He deserved it as much as any of the other recommendation students. So Izuku took a deep breath and stepped into the circle when Nedzu called his name.

"You might have notice that my file did not include my quirk," Izuku said, glancing around the room before meeting Aizawa's eyes. Aizawa nodded, and Izuku took another shaking break before he continued. "There was a reason I had no quirk listed. I don't have one."

No one spoke, no one made to interrupt him, but Izuku could feel the way the room shifted at his words. Endeavor might as well have activated his full quirk for the anger radiating from him. Izuku pushed on without a glance in his direction. He and Aizawa had planned for this. All he needed to do was keep talking as long as he could.

"I may not have a quirk, but I've followed cases with pro heroes for years, working on learning how to analyze situations, pick apart people's quirks. For the last year and a half I've been working with Aizawa on how to fight without a quirk. I've also been working with an inventor on support items that will work specifically for my situation. Every quirk has downsides. Weaknesses. I know how to find them and take advantage of them. I know-"

"Nedzu. This has to be a joke." Endeavor's voice cut clear through Izuku's words. Well. He has lasted longer than they had expected.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Nedzu said, but he moved to stand at Izuku's side.

"When I heard that there would be a fifth recommendation student added I thought they had to have some exceptional quirk to make Yuuei change their policy. And you're telling me this kid doesn't even have a quirk? I thought Yuuei wanted to maintain its place as the most prestigious hero academy."

"Yuuei is and will continue to be the highest ranked academy," Nedzu said firmly. "Midoriya Izuku's abilities have been judged to the same degree as everyone else admitted through recommendations."

"What abilities?" Endeavor said, the flames around his face flickering. Todoroki took a step aside as his father moved forward. "Being a hero fanboy doesn't qualify him for a competitive program. It's impossible for him to be a hero without a quirk. If this is the level that Yuuei is sinking to-"

"Todoroki Enji!" Nedzu interrupted, and from the look on Endeavor's face he did not appreciate the use of his actual name. "While your concern for the program is admirable, I can assure you that the integrity of our school is our highest concern second only to the safety of our students. I have seen Midoriya-san's abilities firsthand, and the entire board of directors authorized the creation of this addition recommendation spot. But if you think you are in a better position to judge the skills of a student you've only just met then you are, of course, always welcome to reject young Todoroki's position here."

As Endeavor seethed at Nedzu's response, Izuku's attention wandered back to where Todoroki stood, watching as his father's flames grew more unsteady. Besides the small step out of Endeavor's way, Todoroki hadn't visibly reacted to his father's words or Nedzu's suggestion to withdraw, but Izuku could tell that he didn't want Endeavor to agree. He stood stiff at Endeavor's side watching the argument progress, tension growing in his shoulders with every word.

"This is a joke!" Endeavor repeated.

"This is a demonstration," Aizawa said. "And Midoriya has already proven himself. Unless every other student here is going to have their abilities questioned in this same manner then I suggest you accept that you have no say in the situation. Midoriya's admittance has no effect on your son's acceptance to this school. I am his sponsor, and I say that he has what it takes to be a pro hero. Because he doesn't have a quirk and not in spite of it."

Izuku looked away from Todoroki to see Endeavor glaring at Aizawa over Izuku's shoulder.

"Todoroki-san," Izuku said, and took grim satisfaction in the way that Endeavor's glare immediately shifted to him. His fire sparked in a sharp burst. "I mean no offense, but I am not here to prove myself to you. There are many people working as pro heroes currently who have quirks that can only be used in specific circumstances. They aren't considered any less of a hero when those circumstances cannot be met, and they do whatever they can to help without the use of their quirk. There is no difference between that and what I am doing."

Izuku turned back to address the rest of the room. "I won't deny being a fan of pro heroes. They are people that have inspired me, and I'm not the only one who looks up to them. So that's not a reason to say I'm not qualified. As for having no quirk, as I was explaining before my biggest strength is my ability to read a situation. Aizawa-sensei has been working with me to improve my ability to understand quirks as well as teaching me several different styles of self defense. His training, with the support items I have been working to incorporate, will give me the same chance as everyone else here."

Endeavor looked as though he would argue again, but Izuku could feel the cool metal of Hizashi's present against his skin and pushed on. "I'm not saying that my system is perfect yet. But that's why we're all here, isn't it? To learn. To train. We've all been given a chance. I'm not planning on letting mine go to waste."

AN:Thank you so much for all the comments on the last chapter! It really means a lot!