Chapter Three: Exams, In Any Shape Or Form, Are Never Fun

Hewwo hewwo everyone, I'm baaaaaack! Sorry for the radio silence lately. It got hectic at school and I couldn't find the time to post. Anywaaaayyy, I hope this chapter makes up for it! Enjoy!

"SUNBEAM!" I practically screamed as I went soaring through the air once again, colliding with the zero pointer's metal fist with a clone I quickly conjured. It snapped in half and the robot's red eye was then directed towards me. Oh crap. I yelped as it slammed me into a building with its other fist, my side colliding with the concrete. I guess this is why those Pro Heroes were so adamant on us avoiding these things; and I just had to run into one! I peek at what the zero pointer was staring at from before and my eye widened. It was a girl; one of the examinees. Her wild purple hair cascaded over her face and she looked to be unconscious as I noticed that she practically draped over the piece of concrete.

And to my horror, the robot's attention went back to her.

A loud 'Hey!' and a rather large rock to the robot's head was enough to gain its attention. Without another word, I conjured 2 copies and they lunged at the robot. Without sparing another glance at it, I sprint towards the unconscious girl.

I didn't get a chance to get to her, however, as I heard the shattering of porcelain, the sight from my right eye going black, and got hit on the side right after. I rolled on my side once again, the dirt sticking to my clothes. I scowled and stared at the robot. At least I have its undivided attention now. "You wanna go?! Let's go!" I screamed.

I sprinted away, making sure that the robot was following me and me only. Anything to lead it away from the purple-haired girl. I continued to run through the buildings and I'm sure the robot was still right behind me. The loud metallic footsteps behind me were proof of that. I growled and begged my legs to go faster.

Soon, I managed to make it into a part of the area that basically looked like a warzone. The concrete was colored a pitch black debris was scattered all over the place, and the surrounding buildings looked like they were about to collapse at any minute. What in the heck even happened here?

A loud explosion sounded not too far from my right.

I think that answered my question.

In the middle of metal scraps and concrete, stood the ash blonde boy who hit my shoulder earlier. So, he was the source of those explosions! He was finishing off a robot when he turned to look at me, probably alerted by the sound of my footsteps. That's why he barely noticed the other robot suddenly appearing behind him, raising its metal fist. My eye widened.

"Please, just don't go anywhere."

I involuntarily began to glow a bright yellow, just as the ash blonde was turning his head towards the robot.

"I promise I'll come back for you."

I didn't bother to scream.

I shot through the air like a bullet, the air rushing past my face and the porcelain doll shattering behind me. The ash blonde raised his fist toward the robot, preparing to blast it with all his might. But I grabbed his wrist mid-air as I flew past, successfully pulling him away from the metallic fist that came crashing down seconds after.

We went rolling on the ground and my head collided with a concrete wall. I groan and clutch my head, slowly registering the thick texture of blood that had begun to flow. I scowl and caught sight of the ash blonde who had just begun sitting up. The robot that tried to get him and the zero pointer that had been following me were inching towards us.

My eye widened again and the wound on my head felt heavier now. Oh my God, this was serious. I need— I need to—

"Papa!"

My eye flitted towards the ash blond who sat a few feet away from me, looking like he was just beginning to gather his bearings. I need to get ourselves out of here— out of here—

"Papa! Papa's in there! Why can't you go in there and get my papa?!"

My gaze caught sight of the glowing red orbs sitting on the robots' heads. I felt my blind eye burning in return.

"Help him out of there! Help him!"

"Help him!"

Out of here—

Before I could call out to him, the ash blonde stood up, facing the robots with a glare. I look at him incredulously; anyone in their right mind would be scared. He raises his right arm while his left hand clutched his wrist and he took a deep breath. And he released the biggest, loudest, strongest explosion from his palms so quickly that I had to create a doll in a split second to protect myself, even if it's just a little.

The ash started to thin a little and I coughed, peeking from behind my doll. The two robots that had stood just feet away from us earlier were now charcoal black and immobile. The ash blonde was hunching over—in fatigue or shock, I have no clue— and he almost crumpled to the ground. His hand— the one he used to annihilate the robots— was trembling.

I quickly stand up and race over towards him, only to stop short when he balanced himself on his two feet again. He still didn't look at me. I take one tentative step forward.

"Are you—"

"You damn fucking extra."

Excuse me, what the fuck? I did not just risk my skin for this guy only for him to call me an extra, whatever the hell that is!

"I could've lost that point, all thanks to your shitty stunt!" He was now facing me, his harsh crimson eyes were burning into me. To put it simply, I was baffled.

"You didn't lose the point! Besides, you could've died if I hadn't intervened!" I counter.

"Are ya looking down on me?!" He shouted.

I stared at him with the most incredulous look on my face. I, by no means, was looking down on him! How could he accuse me of that?!

"Ugh! I don't have time for this! I still need to find more bots—"

An alarm sounded all over the center and I froze in my tracks. No, it couldn't be.

"The test is complete! You may now exit the center!"

This turned into a real nightmare.

My muscles ached. It felt like my knees were gonna give out. The fresh bandages and tingly feeling were weighing down on my head. But those didn't quite match up to the heavy feeling in my heart. I failed. I couldn't get enough robots. I was outside by the gates, absentmindedly watching exhausted students pile out of the school. I caught sight of the ash blonde's glare at me. I didn't have the strength to glare back.

I barely registered the presence of someone tapping my shoulder. "You're the one who saved me, aren't you?" I whirled around and I saw that it was the unconscious girl from earlier. I didn't get to take a good look at her face when I fought with that zero pointer but I did recognize the wild purple hair.

She was as an inch shorter than me, with wild, vibrant purple hair and a surgical eyepatch covering her left eye, so that I could only see her right purple eye.

"Ah, yeah, I thought you were unconscious; how'd you know?" I asked.

"Just as you led that robot away from me, I began to stir a little. I just managed to get a glimpse of your pink hair and gym clothes and based off my guess from there." She replied. I nodded slowly. I forgot to check up on her when the alarm rang for the end of the exam.

"I'm sorry. It's because of me you didn't get to find more robots and get more points." The girl apologizes, and though I am a bit bitter, I immediately shook my head. "No, no! It isn't your fault. If I had left you back there, you could've died. And I think that would leave a more worrying impact on me than failing this exam would." I assured and the girl breathed a sigh of relief. "Is that so? I'm thankful."

She then beamed at me, a bright smile dancing on her lips.

"I'm Shogeki Kurosane!"

I blinked and gave her a small, tentative smile.

"Ejiri Chiasa."

If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn her lips twitched, just a little.

I sighed the hundredth time that day, turned off my cellphone and spread myself across my bed. It's been around a week since the Entrance Exam and I've barely spoken to Shinsou. Ever since then, he hasn't once texted me, let alone call me. I didn't even catch him right after the test. He just disappeared and left.

"You think those zero pointers are worth taking down?" A voice piped up beside me and Shinsou looked at me with those familiar tired eyes of his. They were laced with a flicker of hope. "They could be testing something else about us by sending those things in there."

I cringed at the memory and tightened my grip on my phone. I should've picked up on that. I should've said something the moment we found out about how the exam was going to be. It was unfair. Everything was unfair.

I turned my phone on again and stared at our messages from the previous week. The exam must've been more difficult for him. And I was so selfish. I was so selfish to think about my own nervousness rather than Shinsou's problem. But it isn't my fault. I thought. Those Pro Heroes should've known that there were quirks more powerful than flashy ones and that some of those quirks can't be tested by bringing robots into the mix.

Keep telling yourself that, a voice at the back of my head whispered, but I ignored it.

I haven't talked to Inukai and Mother much, either. I didn't come out of my room at all, now that I think about it. Sometimes, I could hear Inukai's heavy footfalls from downstairs and I would occasionally catch a single shadow lingering outside my door before retreating back. I would always find a plate of omurice and a glass of water by the door frame right after.

Speaking of the two, it's been awfully quiet lately...

"CHIASA!" "KID!"

I jump up from my bed, barely falling off the edge. I would have ignored it if it weren't for the urgency laced in my mother's and Inukai-san's tones. It sounded like it was from downstairs, and without hesitation, I stumble out of my room, tripping on the steps a bit. I couldn't think.

What had happened? Did anyone get hurt? Is there a villain downstairs right now as we speak? The possibilities were endless and I braced myself for what I would see. I didn't expect to see Inukai-san and mother standing by the front door, looking at me expectantly.

I also didn't expect to see the letter being gingerly held by my mother, almost as if one single sudden movement would tear it to little pieces. I suddenly freeze by the bottom of the steps. That was a letter. That was the letter. I didn't need to come closer to know exactly what its contents would be. I didn't need to see the bright red stamp to imagine the elegant Yuuei symbol adorning the red hue. And I didn't need this sudden reality check that I have to find out whether I've succeeded at what I've worked so hard for or not.

I slowly trudged towards where mother and Inukai-san stood, never taking my eyes off the letter. At a closer distance, the bright red stamp with Yuuei's symbol was even more evident now than before. "Is this really...?" I only asked for the sake of asking at this point, finding myself at a loss for words. They nod and my mother hesitantly extended the letter to me. My shaking hands grip the ivory paper and my breath hitched. It was heavier than I expected, to be honest. Whether that was because of the letter physically or the emotional burden that came with it, I wasn't sure.

"You wanna go upstairs, kid?" Inukai-san asked. For the first time since I got downstairs, I tilt my head up to look them in the eye. I slowly nod like I was in a daze. "We'll be right here if you need us." He added. My mother remained silent. Who knows what's going on on her head. Is she dreading the news contained in this tiny letter? Is she rethinking her decision of letting me take the exam? Is she hoping that I didn't get in? Is she...

Is she, somewhere deep within herself, proud of me for taking the exam?

I trudge back up the stairs, the letter felt heavier in my hand with each step. I continued on until I got to my room and I sat on my chair by my desk. My fingers brush over the paper and my breath hitched. Now or never.

I tear the little letter open with my nails.

And this weird, round device is what I find inside.

"The hell is this?" I ask to myself, picking and prodding at the thing. It was black and round and flat, with the exception of buttons and the grooves that ran along its surface. I stare at it a little longer then turned my gaze to the envelope, then back at the device. Is this some joke? But the letter has Yuuei's emblem, not to mention its official signature. So what was I suppose to do with this—

I yelped when I pressed a random button and light suddenly gushed out from the top.

Oh, a hologram! Neat.

I blink at the blurry image being projected, my eye widening when the blobs of blue, red, and a dash of yellow began to sharpen, allowing me to get a better look. It was All Might. I instinctively flinch in my seat. Don't tell me... he's going to teach at Yuuei. Anything but that.

"Do not fear, for I am here! Greetings, Ejiri Chiasa!" Oh God, his voice is as annoying as that Pro Hero's back at the auditorium. I felt my blind eye twitch just a little before I muttered a small, 'hi'.

"I see you've returned safely."

The man covered in bandages sat on his swivel chair, the soft light of the computers filling the dark room like a dying star. His eye that wasn't covered by the bandages stared at the monitors with disinterest. The other occupant who had just entered the room chuckled. "Barely. Who knew the exams would be robots? If they were human, it would've been more fun; watching them drop to the ground like flies, that is." The one who spoke was a girl, with a shrill, girly voice that belonged to a high schooler. "Especially if we had to face a few Pros. Would've made our goal easier."

"Now, now," the man tutted, "we would have been discovered quicker if that had happened. What did I say about your bloodlust, Blackbird?" All he got was another chuckle from 'Blackbird'. "I'm just kidding, Burn."

"As long as that League of Villains brat manages to pass, all plans are going smoothly."

A cruel smile made its way to the girl's face.

"I found something else, you know, during the exams." She drawled, opting to observing her nails. 'Burn' perked up at that. "Let's just say, " she taps her finger on her chin, "the hero line Ejiri doesn't end with Touma." The purple-haired high schooler lazily smiled. Her purple eye glittered in the soft light. "Just thought you should know."

END OF CHAPTER THREE