The next morning, I go through my usual routine before school before hurrying to U.A. I take my seat next to Ashido. I yawn and stretch hearing my joints groan and pop.

"Not get enough sleep, Dakota?" Ashido asks smiling over at me.

I chuckle and nod. "Yeah. You could say that. A normal restless night, but I'm ready for whatever the teachers have prepared for us."

All Might, in his muscular form, flies into the room. "Watch me enter the room like a hero!" He calls strutting up to the front desk.

"Wow! It is All Might!" A black-haired guy gasps along with everyone else. He has elbows that are weird shaped.

"Isn't that his Golden Age costume?" A short kid with purple balls on his head asks.

I nod. "Yeah. I think it is."

"It is time for your next lesson!" All Might calls raising a small place card. Across it are the words 'Battle' inscribed there. "Combat practice!"

Bakugo grins evilly. "Alright. Actual combat!"

All Might presses a button on a remote causing small compartments to open along the right side of the room next to the door. "Suit up in the costumes that you put in with your Quirk registration form and meet me at Ground Beta." He then shoots out of the room just as quickly as he had arrived.

"I wonder what All Might has planned for us." I mutter half to myself. I gather the small plastic bag from the compartment following the other guys to the changing room.

I vaguely remember how I had wanted my costume designed. I based it off my mom's costume with a few extra alterations to help with the extra strain from One For All's power boost. Plus, my mom told me to add a few extra things as well. Just in case I do decide to use my Animorphing Quirk.

As I slide into the new costume, a newfound confidence fills my chest. I could almost feel my mom with me. My costume consists of a thin and breathable black fitted shirt and jeans with small red lightning bolts scattered over the surface, a pair of black/red combat boots, and a simple baseball cap with a red bandana over the lower part of my face. I pick up the last pieces of the costume which are a pair of fingerless gloves.

Once everything is in place, I follow the rest of the class to Ground Beta. I have to admit that everyone looks badass in their hero costumes.

Bakugo has a black sleeveless vest with a red X crossing over his chest with a black mask and black combat jeans. A set of grenade shaped gauntlets cover both of his wrists.

Ashido has a sleeveless leopard print leotard with brown boots, fuzz wrapping around her shoulders, and a white mask over her face.

Looking around, only a few students had normalish costumes on. All Might grins as we all march into Ground Beta.

"They say the clothes make the Pros, and you all definitely fit the bill!" He states boldly. "From now on you all are heroes in training! Shall we get started; you bunch of newbies!?"

Ashido steps up next to me. Her eyes study me for a moment. "Not too flashy, huh?"

I shrug sheepishly. "It is all I need. Plus, I based it close to what my mom's costume looks like. Outside of the cape and the bandana anyway."

She smiles. "I like it. It suits you."

"Now lets get down to business." All Might gets all of our attentions.

Ida in a large set of white armor raises his hand. "Excuse me, sir. Since we are here, are we going to be fighting urban battles again?"

All Might chuckles. "Close. We will be moving a bit ahead of that. As most of you know, most battles do happen in outdoor urban settings, but just as much, there are sometimes where heroes have to take the fights indoors." He explains pulling a small notebook out of his pocket. "Backroom deal, evil underground lairs. So today I will be splitting you into teams of two. Good guys and bad guys."

Bakugo, Ida, Yaoyarozu, and Uraraka all bombard him with questions.

"Will you be splitting us up?" Yaoyarozu asks.

"How much can we hurt the other team?" Bakugo interjects. Of course that would be his question.

"Will we have to worry about getting expelled like yesterday?" Uraraka asks softly.

"Will you be splitting us up randomly or by comparative skill?" Ida pipes in raising his hand.

All Might rubs his face. "If you would let me finish, I will answer all of your questions." He opens the small notebook. "So here's the situation. The heroes must secure a hidden weapon the villains have hidden in their secret hideout. The heroes win if they either restrain the villains or recover the weapon. Likewise, the villains win if they incapacitate the heroes or defend their weapon."

Pretty simple enough, I tell myself.

All Might pulls out a small yellow box with balls bouncing around inside. "We will decide the teams by drawing lots."

"Isn't there a better way to decide the teams?" Ida asks.

I step forward earning a sneer from Bakugo. "I mean it fits with what we will be doing when we are Pros. We will have to team up with Pro Heroes from other agencies on the spot at random."

Ida nods in agreement. "Yes. I see. My apologies."

All Might continues smiling. "Now draw your lots."

One after another, the whole class reaches in and pulls out a ball with a letter on it. Ashido runs up to me with big smile. She rocks on the balls of her feet as she shows me the letter on her ball. The letter A. Just like mine.

I smirk. "I guess we're a team then."

"I would say so." She replies happily as All Might gets our attention.

"I have randomly chosen who your opponents will be." He calls looking over each of the pairs. "The first team will be Team A versus Team D! Team A will be the heroes while Team D will be the villains!" I snicker over at Bakugo who gives me his signature 'You will die' look. "Everyone else head to the observation room. I will be there shortly."

As everyone else files towards the observation room, All Might hands Ashido and me a map of the building along with a pair of earbuds. I study the map while All Might sends Bakugo and Ida into the building.

Ashido leans against the railing next to me while we wait for our que to start. "I do have a question for you, Dakota." At my look, she shakes her head. "It's not about yesterday. Is there some kind of rivalry between you and Bakugo?"

I chuckle. "You could say that. He has an inflated ego. Thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread. At least when it comes to being the strongest." I roll my eyes. "I can't stand it. So whenever I get the chance, I poke and prod at him. Just to piss him off. So yes. If I had to name a rival, it would definitely be Bakugo."

Ashido giggles holding up a fist. "Yeah. He seems to be very hot headed now doesn't he? Well then. Lets show him he's not the only one with a strong Quirk."

I bump her fist with my own. I close my eyes taking a deep breath. It was something my mom had suggested when I am getting ready to use my Quirk. It'll help me focus on not going overboard and hurting myself. Like I had during the entrance exam.

"Begin!" All Might's voice echoes around us.

I tug my bandana up a bit and give Ashido a nod. "Lets do this, Ashido."

Ashido slides through the doorway literally. The greyish liquid secrets out from the bottom of her shoes allowing her to slide across the ground with no resistance. I smirk. That is a unique way of using her Quirk.

My Quirk kicks in, but only enough to be slightly faster than a normal human. I slip past Ashido making sure the earbud would not fall out from the speed.

"Be careful." I tell Ashido through the earbud. "Bakugo could be anyw…"

Before I could finish the sentence, Bakugo appears around the corner and lashes out at me. His hand sparks as an explosion rips through the air where I had been. I drop to the floor sliding under the blast before sliding back to my feet.

"There you are, Speed Freak!" Bakugo roars brushing away the smoke from his blast.

I tap the earbud. "Keep going Ashido. I will be right behind you."

I got a quick glimpse of her behind Bakugo darting up the stairs. As long as I can keep his attention on me, then she can make it to the weapon.

"It's me alright." I state rolling my shoulders and facing Bakugo head on. I smirk. "You always said your Quirk is stronger than mine." I beckon him forward. "Lets test this shall we?"

He lets loose a growl before releasing explosions from his hands propelling him towards me faster than I had expected.

"Shit!" I mutter turning to the side narrowly dodging the blast. I quickly grip his arm right behind the gauntlet before spinning to the right and slamming him into the wall.

He gasps dropping to his knees. "You bastard…" He growls slowly rising back to his feet.

Before Bakugo could act, I shoot forward slamming my fist into his stomach. He slides backwards down the hallway. Sweat drips down his face as he retches his lunch onto the floor.

"Too slow as always Bakugo." I snicker before taking off down the hallway. I tap my earbud. "How's it coming, Ashido?"

For a second there's no reply. Then Ashido's frantic voice rips through the ear piece. "I found the weapon, but Ida is not letting me get close. I can't get any close to his speed!"

A stream of curses erupt from my lips. "I'm on my way." I go to shoot around a corner, but skid to a stop.

Bakugo stands at the other end of the hallway breathing heavily. He shoots me a glare as his raises his right arm up. The gauntlet flashes red once.

"Think you're better than me, do you, Speed Freak?!" Bakugo growls pointing his gauntlet towards me.

I roll my eyes. "I don't think I am better than anyone." I retort, taking a step back. "We have known each other for a long while. So you should know that I never think that I am better than anyone. There is always someone better than you." I smirk. "Even if it isn't me."

He sneers. "There is no one better than me. I will be stronger than even All Might." His hand moves a slider back causing a small pin to pop out of it. "I am pretty sure you know how my Quirk, Explosion, works. I sweat nitroglycerin that I can make explode." Bakugo grins mischievously at me. "Imagine if I had a lot of it." He grabs the pin.

All Might's voice echoes around the hallways. "Don't do it, Bakugo! You'll kill him!"

"He'll be fine as long as he uses his speed and dodges!" Bakugo retorts.

I whip around to take off down the hallway away from him, but before I could turn, I see Ashido slide out of a side hallway right in front of Bakugo as he pulls the pin.

I had been focusing on not using the One For All, but my focus breaks seeing Ashido about to take a point blank blast from Bakugo. Newfound power and strength shoots through my legs as everything slows down. My arms pump at my sides and my feet pound the concrete as I take off towards Bakugo and Ashido.

"Ashido!" I shout.

The explosion erupts from Bakugo's gauntlet. The flames move in slow motion. I grab Ashido by the fur around her neck and hurl her back down the hallway that she had just come out of. I cross my arm in a defensive gesture as the blast slams into my point blank.

It rips through the concrete walls and floor down the hallway. I am shot backwards cracking my back off the floor sliding a few extra feet before coming to a stop.

"Dakota!? Come in Dakota!" I hear All Might's voice call. It sounds far away. As if he was calling for me through a tunnel. I could barely make out him scolding Bakugo for such an irrational and dangerous maneuver. "I will end the match if you try that again, Bakugo! You will lose."

I groan slowly sitting up. Making my way to my feet sluggishly, I face Bakugo head on again. He is literally shaking from rage. A weak smile crosses my lips.

"Is… that all you got?" I mumble. Despite everything looking fuzzy, everything seems sharper as well. Then it hit me… my contacts had been knocked out from the force of Bakugo's blast.

I shake my head trying to get rid of the fuzziness. Before I could move, Bakugo launches himself at me with a roar.

"You are nothing!" He roars, grabbing my ankle as I lash out towards him. Using a set of blasts from his other hand, he spins around me still holding my ankle. He yanks on my ankle with the extra force smashing me into the wall. I grunt and slide to the ground.

A splash of greyish fluid shoots past Bakugo sizzling against the floor.

"Huh?" Bakugo glances over at Ashido who is slipping towards us on her acid.

"Get away from him!" She shouts. More of the acid gathers in the palms of her hands.

Bakugo growls facing his palm towards her. "You want some too, Acid Girl?" His palm glows red.

"No!" I roar. "Leave her alone!" Power shoots through my arms and legs. Everything seems as if it is frozen. Everything moves at a sluggish pace as my body moves into action.

I shoot forward slamming a fist into Bakugo's gut launching him down the hallway. Pain shoots up my arm, but I did not have time to think about that. The strain from tthe sudden burst of power is still a bit too much for my body. So I need to end this quickly. I tell myself.

I leave skid marks along the floor from the speed at which I am moving. I zip along each of the floors until I come to an empty room where Ida is standing in front of a large rocket-shaped form. The fake weapon.

Ida is moving a bit faster than Bakugo or Ashido as his eyes land on me, but his movements are still sluggish to my heightened speed.

"I'm sorry, Ida." I apologize shooting forward. My hand presses against the cold metal. I put more power into my legs moving the weapon to the other side of the room.

Silence follows my insane burst of speed. All Might then breaks the silence.

"The hero team… Wins!" All Might shouts. His voice echoes around the building.

The edge of my vision starts blackening. I hear and feel the bones in my legs cracking and breaking. I glance at my right arm only to see that it is completely purple and broken.

"That's it for me…" I mumble as everything goes black. The last thing I see is Ashido and Ida rushing towards me. A look of fear and concern plastered on her face.