My Hero Academia: A Raging Storm
Chapter 2: Making the Cut
Luke watched the scenery of the nearby buildings go pass him as he looked out the window of the bus he was on. After applying for the International Hero Academy or IHA, the response came rather quickly. The school was also called the Citadel as it stood as a beacon of protection for all those who look towards it. A day after he applied, he received an email from the headmaster that his application had been processed and he was now in the running for a position at the academy. The only catch was that to attend the school, he had to pass the entrance exam which meant leaving his family and friends.
Speaking of friends and family, once his mother found out he applied for the school her reaction was something he kind of expected. She was happy for me, the fact that her son was following the dream that he had since he was a child and was honoring his dad made her proud, but she was also very nervous. She had been the wife of a hero and was currently the mother of one of the top Pro Heroes in the country, now she was going to be the mother of a hero in training. She was scared obviously, which Luke could understand. The life of a hero was not an easy career to follow and there was a chance that he could get into some danger and could get hurt. Luke knew that she didn't want to see me hurt but she didn't stop me. She knew he wanted to become a hero so that he could protect Ashland and all the people that he loved so she supported his decision to go to the academy. She would worry but she was a mother, that's what she did. As for Luke's friends well, they were ecstatic.
The news of Luke's fight against Colton spread throughout his school like wildfire and his popularity skyrocketed. Nearly every student in the school and even some teachers had come up to him to convey their gratitude and to snap pictures with him, he had even gained a new title as Ashland's Newest Hero. Luke appreciated the gratitude that he was getting but he didn't really care about all the popularity. He just wanted to protect the people of his city. That was why he decided to apply to the academy which his friends were more than happy to support him on. They all knew that he could become a great hero for the city, and they supported his decision 100%, Luke felt so blessed with the love his friends gave him. And the love his brother gave him, when Aidan found out about Luke's application, he had been so proud. He always knew that Luke could become a great hero he just needed that spark to get him going. He gave Luke all the advice he could about being a strong hero and even told him that his sister-in-law would be at the school as their head support class director along with his niece and nephews. Meaning they would be the ones he would send his hero suit and tech ideas too. That was not something he was expecting but it would be nice to see her again.
Then there was Luke's mentors. His martial arts mentors were people that he not only respected but loved very much. Each of his mentors came from a different country and immigrated to Ashland so that they could earn a better life for themselves. Each mentor taught him a different martial art style that he incorporated into his own Tenro-ryu. His mentor Takeru from Japan gave him a Shinto blessing for success in his future as a hero and even passed along his Karate Black Belt which was been his prized possession for years. His mentor Awut from Thailand said that he couldn't be prouder of the kind of man that Luke was becoming and wished him the best. Then there was Soo-young and Liang, a lovely married couple who came from Korea and China respectively gave him hugs and wished him luck at the academy. The hardest goodbye was probably Yuri, Soo-young and Liang's only daughter and someone that looked up to Luke like an older brother. He loved the child as if she were his own blood and seeing her sad face when he told her he was leaving made his heart ache, but she knew that if anyone could be a great hero it would be Luke.
She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before wrapping a small red and yellow hand woven bracelet around his wrist, one that matched the one she wore on her own wrist. Luke knew that the bracelet was very important, and he made a promise to never let it out of his sight. After saying all his goodbyes and doing a decent amount of packing, Luke boarded a small plane that took off for California where he would take his test. Since the IHA was an international school that took in students from all over the world, they had several testing sites posted in different cities in various countries. This way potential students could find a testing site somewhere near them, all they had to do was find a way to get to one. Luke's plane landed in Los Angeles rather early, so he checked into a nearby hotel to rest for a few hours before he got up and caught a bus that was headed for the testing site.
Feeling a little nostalgic, Luke pulled out his wallet and grabbed a small picture that he always kept on him. The picture was of him, his mom and brother, his friends, and his mentors all posing with smiles on their faces. Luke always felt at peace when he saw this picture because it felt as if his loved ones were always with him. He also glanced on at his new bracelet which now had a metal charm of a swirling hurricane hooked onto it. A small piece of his father that his mother gave him before he left.
"Is that your family?" A heavily accented Southern voice asked. Luke looked up to see a boy his age with dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, and a large tan felt cowboy hat on his head looking over from the seat behind him. But the most striking feature about the boy was the large set of bull horns sticking out from the sides of his head. Luke assumed it was part of his Quirk, so he didn't stare but he did find the guy rather friendly.
Luke smiled at the boy, "Yeah, my family, friends, and my martial arts mentors. A little piece of home I like to keep with me."
The horned boy jumped over the seat and landed right next to Luke and pulled out a picture himself, "I can understand that this be my family back home." He said as he presented the picture to Luke. Luke's eyebrows raised as he saw the sheer size of the boy's family, he could see a man who looked like an older version of the horned-boy complete with the same kind of horns and a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and tanned skin that must have been his parents while surrounding the three of them were numerous children and six other adults. Now that the boy was next to Luke, he could see what he really looked like, the boy was well muscled with naturally tanned skin and dirty blonde hair that was styled messily but added to his overall handsome appearance. The boy was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a long white shirt, and a brown vest over it with a red bandana wrapped around his right wrist and a pair of dark brown cowboy boots on his feet.
"Wow, you definitely have a big family there dude." Luke said.
The boy gave him a toothy grin, "Don't I know it. Got to love family."
Luke chuckled as he nodded, "I hear that," he said as he held his hand out, "Luke Storm."
The boy shook his hand, "Brody Carlson, nice to meet you man. You heading to the IHA testing site?" he asked as they separated their hands.
Luke nodded, "Yep, arrived this morning from my home city of Ashland."
"Ashland? I've heard that's a pretty rough city to live in." Brody said.
Luke nodded, "Yeah it is, we have a very big gang presence and crime runs rampant every day. But the city is also full of good, hardworking people that are just trying to live their every day lives as painlessly as they can. That's why I want to be a hero, so I can keep the good people of the city that I love safe from the threats that scare them."
Brody looked at me like he was impressed before he took his hat off and placed it over his heart, "I take my hat off to you good sir. That's a very noble goal to have." He said as he put his hat back on his head.
Luke chuckled, "Don't be so dramatic dude, I just want to help people. Isn't that why most people want to be heroes?"
Brody laughed, "I can agree with that. My grandma was a hero back in All Might's Young Age and my pops was a hero back in his prime. He retired after I was born but now, I want to carry on the legacy my family left me and be a great hero that can protect the people of my home state." He said proudly.
Luke chuckled, "I guess we both know what kind of heroes we want to be. And I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say you're from Texas."
Brody smiled and flexed his muscular arms, "Born, raised, and proud!" he said happily.
Luke laughed at his new friends' pride in his home state since it was something he knew understood quite well, "And I suppose those horns on your head are part of your Quirk?" he asked.
Brody nodded, "Yep, my Quirk is called Minotaurus. I can transform any part of my body into a minotaur-like state, and I can also create seismic stomps that I can use as echolocation. It's a combination that I credit to both my ma and pa's Quirks."
"Interesting Quirk, can you transform your entire body or only a part at a time?" Luke asked.
Brody soon became slightly bashful, "Well I can go full minotaur but only for about 5 minutes. Any longer and I get really terrible headaches."
Luke nodded, "Well that's not all that uncommon with transformation types. But if you make it into the academy the instructors there will be able to help you perfect your Quirk."
"That's what I'm hoping for." Brody responded.
Luke then looked at the horns on his new friends' head, "I have to say those horns on your head look pretty dope." He said as he moved in to touch them.
"Oh, wait be careful my horns are really…"
"Ow!" Luke exclaimed as he pulled his hand back, he looked at his finger and saw that it was bleeding.
"Sharp," Brody said, "Sorry about that Luke, I should have given you a better warning." He said with an upset tone in his voice.
Luke shook his head, "Don't worry about it, Brody. I should have known better." He said as he hissed at the small stinging sensation he was feeling.
"Oh no, are you okay?" A feminine voice asked. Luke and Brody looked up to see a girl their age looking back at them from the seat in front of them. She moved from her seat and sat beside Luke as she looked at his bleeding finger. The girl had long black hair that seemed to shine as the light hit it and warm brown eyes. Her skin was as lovely caramel brown and she had a rather curvy figure, she was dressed in a simple pair of blue jeans with brown boots and a yellow t-shirt underneath a blue jean jacket. She had a kind yet worried look on her face as she held Luke's finger to assess the damage.
Luke smiled, "Oh yeah, I'm okay. Just a little nick is all."
The girl shook her head, "Well this could be bad, and you don't want to take the entrance exam with something that could slow you down." She then placed her hand over Luke's wound and a faint bright green glow covered his hand. Luke and Brody sat speechless as the sight before them, after a few short minutes the girl removed her hand and revealed that Luke's wound had completely healed.
"That was incredible! Was that your Quirk?" Luke asked as he looked over his finger.
The girl nodded, "Yep, as long as I get enough sunlight, I can use it to heal injuries." She said with a smile.
"Well, that is one mighty fine Quirk there ma'am." Brody said with a charming smile.
"Thank you. I may not be able to use my Quirk in any physical attacks, but I know that I can at least use it to heal injuries." She said.
Luke gave her a kind smile, "A person can be a great hero even if their Quirk isn't directly physical. Look at Uravity and Uplift, their Quirks aren't directly physical but are still useful in a lot of different situations. As my brother would say, it's not the Quirk that makes a hero but what the hero does with it." He said trying to raise her spirits.
The girl looked at him and smiled, "Yeah, you're right! Thanks."
Luke put his hand out, "No worries, I'm Luke by the way. Luke Storm. This handsome hick here is Brody Carlson."
Brody tipped his hat, "A pleasure ma'am. And thank you Luke, I happen to like that handsome hick compliment."
The girl giggled, "You guys seem like fun, Jasmine Moreno. It's nice to meet you both." She said she and Luke shook hands. The three new friends started chatting amongst themselves as the bus continued to drive, they talked about where they were from, how their families were, what their Quirks were, even who their favorite heroes were. Soon the bus came to a stop and everyone that was on board got off, several of the passengers headed towards a different direction but Luke, Jasmine, and Brody got off and turned their attention towards the testing area and went slack jawed at what they saw.
The entire area was enormous, it was surrounded by a massive wall that separated the testing area from the streets and was guarded by a very high tech security system so only those who were permitted by the school could access. In the middle of large open field that the wall protected an enormous multi-towered building stood colored dark blue and gold with a large open door that was open with numerous potential students filing in. At the entrance to the testing center a large arch stood that connected both sides of the protective wall, at the top of the arch was a symbol of a globe with the initials IHA on the front. On the top of the symbol stood the words Acta non Verba, Deeds not words; the official school motto for IHA, The Citadel.
Luke and his new friends stood near the entrance, looking up at the colossal walls that protected the school that would serve as the start for their dreams.
"Wow, now that I'm actually here it feels real you know?" Jasmine said aloud.
Luke nodded, "I hear you; I knew that this was going to be a challenge but now that I'm at the starting line things start to feel a lot more serious."
Brody swallowed loudly, "My pa used to say that when he started out, there was also that feeling of dread that would creep up into his spine. But he knew that he had to swallow that feeling if he wanted to fight as a hero."
Luke took a deep breath, "Well your dad might be on to something there Brody," he said as he patted his new friends on the back, "Come one guys. No time like the present to get this going." His friends nodded and all three of them walked towards the entrance. As they got to the entrance, they were stopped by some security guards.
"Hey kids, need to scan your palms to get you in." one guard said.
Brody raised an eyebrow, "Why's that?" he asked.
"A lot of people try to get into the school without having their applications sent through. Since the school has a lot of connections with various medical institutions, they can get necessary information they need which includes fingerprints. Those prints are sent to the various testing centers so we can pass the correct student through. It's an added layer of protection the headmaster came up with but don't worry, once you pass this terminal that print information wont stay with us anymore. Unless you pass the exam then the necessary info will be sent to the school infirmary." He told the young students.
Luke blinked at the explanation, "Huh, I guess that makes sense. Nice to know the headmaster is keeping us safe." He said as Jasmine nodded but Brody looked like his head was going to explode from all the information that he had just received. He was a smart guy but when it came to technology and things related to it, he was at a complete loss.
Luke chuckled at his new friend, "Don't stress too much Brody, its just some extra security. Just out your had on the scanner so we can get in." he said. Brody just nodded as he, Luke, and Jasmine placed their hands on the scanner, let the machine scan their hands, and took them off.
The guard nodded, "Okay, looks like things are good for you three. Brody Carlson, Jasmine Moreno, and Lukas Storm," he said before he did a double take, "Wait, Storm? As in Aidan Storm?" he said.
Luke groaned slightly, "Yeah, he's my big brother." He said. This was something that Luke sometimes had to deal with. A lot of people knew who Luke's brother was and his status as the number 4 hero so he would have to deal with some serious fans every now and then. It did get annoying at time, but he got it less than his sister-in-law did when she married his brother.
The guard seemed to become a lot more elated now that he knew who Luke's brother was, "Oh wow, I have to say that I am a very big fan of your brother; he is awesome! Any chance you could get an autograph? Maybe even meet him?" he asked like a die hard fan.
Luke groaned, "I don't know if that's possible since my brother rarely leaves Ashland, but I'll see what I can do." He said as he brushed past the guard and headed inside with his new friends following him.
"Whoa Luke slow down there man. What's got you in such a tizzy?" Brody asked as he and Jasmine came up next to Luke.
Luke sighed, "Sorry about that, guys. I tend to get a little annoyed when people ask me for something related to my brother."
"Who exactly is your brother?" Jasmine asked.
"Well since we'll be seeing a lot more of each other once we pass the test, I may as well tell you. My older brother is the number 4 Hero Rock Lord." Luke said making his new friends stop dead in their tracks.
"What?!" they shouted in unison.
Luke nodded, "Yep, I expected that."
"Wait, wait. You mean to tell me you are related to Rock Lord? The Rock Lord?!" Jasmine nearly shouted.
Luke quickly covered her mouth, "Shhh! Please do not announce to the world. I want to make it as a hero using my own skills not by getting by on my brother's name so, please don't tell anyone my brother is Rock Lord." Luke pleaded.
Jasmine nodded and Luke removed his hands from her as they continued walking, "Thank you." He said.
Brody scratched the back of his head, "Well I get that you want to make it as a hero by your own means Luke but why don't you want people to know about your brother? I mean, I'd be very proud if I had a brother who was that popular with the people."
"Don't get me wrong, I love my brother and I am incredibly proud of the fact that he is one of the most recognized Heroes in America but when I was younger, I had a lot of people who tried to use me to get close to my brother, so I sometimes get really annoyed when people ask me for stuff from my brother. It just gets under my skin at times." Luke said as they all entered a large foyer that was inside the building.
Brody nodded, "Yeah, I can see where you are coming from my man. The fame of a hero can get really annoying after a while. My pa had to go through the same thing back when he was active. Don't worry Luke, you're secret is safe with me."
"And me too. What are friends for if they can't keep a personal secret?" Jasmine smiled. Luke smiled as he thanked his new friends. He really hoped that they all made it through, he would like it if he and his new friends could work to become heroes together. The foyer they were in was very large with high ceilings and a large chandelier hanging from the top. Several people in suits were walking around asking some of the other applicant's questions or making sure they didn't need any kind of special gear or things like that. Luke and his friends looked around and checked out some of the other applicants to scope out some other potential classmates. There was a boy with pale skin and dreadlocks that looked like AUX cords and a pair of blue and green goggles over his eyes, there was a girl with skin that seemed to change color every five seconds and she seemed very skittish, a boy with tanned skin, slicked back black hair, and a friendly smile on his face.
The tanned boy was wearing a sleeveless blue shirt that displayed his muscled, tattooed arms, and a pair of blue jean shorts and brown flip flops. Around his neck was a shark tooth necklace. He seemed friendly enough and he looked like he had done some serious training. Another boy that caught Luke's eye was leaning against a far wall away from any kind of sunlight. He was dressed in a pair of red and black cargo pants with black sneakers, a black hoodie, a dark red shirt underneath with a purple Aztec skull on the front. His skin was naturally tanned with stylish black hair. His eyes were closed so Luke couldn't tell what color they were but he even though he seemed to be sleeping he also had an air around him that he could react to anything that came near him.
The boy's eyes shot open, and they met Luke's, Luke saw that they were a deep crimson. The two boys stared at each other for a few seconds before the tanned boy inclined his head Luke in greeting while Luke did the same.
"Okay everyone, can we have your attention please?" a voice boomed across the open floor. All eyes turned towards the source of the voice. Standing on a raised stage at the end of the foyer stood four figures, two men and two women who almost everyone in the room recognized. The first man had a heavy, muscular build with short black hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and a small amount of stubble on his face giving him a slightly wild looking nature. He was dressed in a pair of black pants with brown designs on the sides of them. On his top he wore a sleeveless black shirt underneath a long brown jacket with a tan furred collar. On his hands he wore black fingerless gloves with golden knuckles and brown goggles with golden lenses were around his neck. This man was known to the people as Feral Unleashed, the current Number 6 hero on the American Hero Billboards.
The man next to him had a slimmer build, one like light-heavyweight MMA fighter with fair skin, short dark brown hair, and brown eyes, he held a smile on his face as he looked out on the crowd. He was dressed in a shaped, black tinted visor, a green camouflage jacket with a high collar, a black muscle shirt, black riot armor on his arms with matching fingerless gloves, baggy cargo pants with the same green camouflage print as his jacket while black boots were on his feet. And finishing off the man's look were two chain weapons called Kusari-Fundo that were also black and wrapped around the man's waist like a belt. This was the current Number 5 hero on the American Hero Billboards and the man who made history by becoming the first Quirkless hero to ever make it into the top ten, he was the hero known as Fearless.
The woman standing next to Feral Unleashed had a cute rocker girl look to her with short purple hair that went down to her chin with lazy looking onyx colored eyes. Red chevron markings were painted under her eyes along with a pair of headphones on top of her head. She wore black pants with a matching black jacket with a ripped salmon colored shirt underneath. White fingerless gloves were on her hands along with a set of amplifiers and a black choker was on her neck. Black boots were on her feet that also had stereos built into them, her most prominent features were the flexible, plug-like earphone jacks hanging from each of her earlobes at the end of two thin cords. This was the Pro Hero known as Earphone Jack, the wife of Feral Unleashed.
The other woman had a rather angelic look about her, she had fair skin with dark green eyes and long, green, hair that resembled vines with thorns. Some of her vine's crisscrossed on her forehead like a crown, she was dressed very simply in long white robes and a pair of knee high black boots. This was the Pro Hero known as Vine, the wife of Fearless.
"First off I would like to thank you all for coming and to commend you for taking the first step to becoming heroes." Fearless said with a smile on his face.
Luke swallowed hard, "Th-that's Feral Unleashed and Fearless. Two of the top Pro Heroes in America." He said in slight awe from looking at two of his hero idols.
"Not to mention their wives, Vine and Earphone Jack. Both are Pro Heroes in Japan and are rather popular among certain crowds." Jasmine said with just as much awe as Luke. Brody seemed to be in just general shock at seeing some of the most popular Pro Heroes before him that he didn't say anything and just stared at the older quartet.
"By being here today, you all show your dedication and passion towards becoming Pro Heroes for your country and that is something you all have to be commended for." Fearless continued getting a few more smiles from a few other attendees in the crowd.
"But make no mistake, the path to becoming a hero will not be easy or fair to many of you." Feral Unleashed said as he stepped forward next to Fearless.
The Number 5 Hero nodded at his fellow Hero's comment, "Feral is correct. For any of you to attend IHA, you must pass the entrance exam that you will all take here shortly. Our system is like that of UA but there are several distinctions between us and them." He said as a large screen appeared behind him depicting the images of 3 large robotic figures in an urban setting.
"The first part of your exam will be a written portion to test your knowledge of the hero society from a more political aspects including such things like Quirk laws, Hero Licensing Exams, Quirk usage, etc. After that you will all be broken up into several areas depending on your Quirks," Fearless said as the image behind him changed, "For those of you who wish to go into the Hero Course you will all take a battle exam to test your combat abilities, for those in the Support Course you will take an exam to test your skills with machinery and hero support items, and those whose Quirks aren't suited for battle with take a test to ascertain how beneficial you could be to society."
"This test is a lot fairer than UA's." Earphone Jack spoke with a slight smirk on her face getting some of the applicants to chuckle.
Feral Unleashed smiled and nodded, "It is but there is a big difference between the exams. Here, only 15 applicants will pass the exam here." He said causing everyone in the room to become shocked. That was not something that anyone expected to hear.
"Only 15? There must be over 200 people here." Jasmine said with a slight tremble in her voice.
Luke nodded, "That means that only five people will pass for both the hero, support, and general studies classes at IHA."
"Talk about weeding people out." Brody said as he began to sweat.
"Quiet down," Feral Unleashed shouted silencing everyone immediately, "I know that this isn't something that any of you expected but this is the harsh reality of the situation. The ones who will pass will be the ones that IHA is looking for. People who are willing to take risks, people who can make snap decisions on the fly, and those that can adjust to whatever insane situation may come their way. If you can't do things like this then becoming a hero in any course at IHA will be impossible. This world and the people who live upon it need heroes that they can rely on, no matter what path they choose to take. Before you take your test, you need to ask yourselves. What kind of heroes do you want to be? And whatever you choose, will you be the hero that those around you will need?"
The words Feral Unleashed rang throughout the crowd silencing everyone who was still speaking and causing them all to think deeply at the reason that brought them here. Everyone had their reasons to become a hero and now that the chance to train to become one was in front of them, they all started to think about why they were here.
Fearless looked to his fellow hero and they both shared a nod, "Will you take this chance to become a hero?!" they both shouted at the same time. Luke felt a fierce fire growing in his heart at the words the Pro Heroes said. Never in his life had he been more certain of anything he wanted and now that the chance to become a hero was in front of him, he would be damned if he was going to let it slip by him.
Luke smiled before he set his eyes on the pros, "Hell yeah!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, scaring a few people around him. Some looked at him with shock while others gave him a look like they felt the same way. His new friends all shared the same determined look that he did, they felt the same way he did and were going to do whatever it took to make their dreams come true.
Feral Unleashed a hearty laugh, "Then let's see you prove it. Make your way towards the registration desk, there you will check in and be assigned to your respective rooms for your exams." He said.
Fearless nodded his head, "We wish you the best of luck. Do your absolute best and give it everything you have. We look forward to seeing which among you will pass." He said as he, Feral Unleashed and their wives left the stage giving the applicants more room to make their ways towards registration.
Luke punched his palm. "Let's do this." He said as he and his new friends joined the crowds heading towards the registration booth lines. As they waited, Luke felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see the crimson eyed boy from before looking at him.
"That was a pretty ballsy move you did earlier amigo, shouting out like that." He said with a smirk.
Luke shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe but when a Pro Hero you admire asks if you want to become a hero, you respond. I don't plan on giving up the chance that I have here." He said with determination.
The boy chuckled, "Increible mi amigo. If you make it pass the exam, I look forward to seeing what it is you can do as a hero." He said as his line moved forward. Luke smiled and nodded to himself. Now that he was at the starting line of his dream, he would make it to the end.
Luke's line moved forward until; he was at the booth where the receptionist looked at him.
"Name please." She asked.
"Lukas Storm." Luke answered.
The woman looked at the small tablet in her hands and her eyes flashed with grid like image. She must have had a technology Quirk like Davis did.
"Ah yes, here you are. Testing room 4 for your written test then you will be transported to Testing Site Romeo for your physical test." She said handing him a small card with his information on it.
Luke inclined his head to her, "Thank you ma'am." He said before he took the card and headed towards the written testing area. It looked as though Jasmine, and Brody wouldn't be in the same area as him for the written portion so he would just have to wish them luck as they separated.
As Luke waited for his group's turn of the written test, he decided to do a few breathing exercises to keep himself calm. As he closed his eyes to calm himself, he heard footsteps approaching him. Thinking it was the administrator coming to let them in for the test, Luke opened his eyes and was shocked at what he saw. Standing a few feet in front of him was Feral Unleashed and Fearless. Luke was stunned at the sight of the heroes in front of him, so stunned in fact that he couldn't say anything.
Fearless looked at Luke with a kind look in his eyes, "Lukas Storm. So, you are Aidan's brother huh?" he asked.
Luke shook his head to get the cobwebs out of his skull before he answered, "Um yes sir. Wait, you know my brother?" he asked.
Fearless nodded, "Yeah, we've crossed paths several times due to our standings on the Hero Billboards."
Luke nodded, "Oh I guess that makes sense. I have to say its great to meet you both, I'm really big fans." He said doing his best not to fan boy all over the pro heroes.
Feral Unleashed looked away as if he were ashamed, "I don't deserve to have you as my fan." He said quietly. Most people wouldn't have been able to hear him, but Luke's hearing was a lot more precise due to all the training he had done.
Luke sighed, "Do you say that because of my father?" I asked aloud.
Both Pro heroes before Luke were surprised at the statement he said, not even thinking that he would even remember about what happened to his father.
"You-you know about what happened to you father?" Feral Unleashed asked with a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek.
Luke nodded, "Yes sir. I don't really remember much about my father since he died when I was still so young but as soon as I was able to read, I found out all I could about my dad. And the way he died." He said. After finding out about the way his father died, Luke looked up as many news clippings, reports, and everything in between to find out the kind of hero that his dad was. And thanks to his friend David's Quirk, he found a lot. Even the newspaper article about how Feral Unleased and Shining Star were literally seconds away from aiding his dad which led to his demise.
Suddenly Feral Unleashed shot into a deep bow, "I am truly, truly sorry for your loss. If I there just a few seconds sooner, then your father might still be alive." He said with a tone of sincere regret. The people around them started to stare and were getting curious about what was happening and why a Pro Hero was bowing to a potential student.
Not wanting to cause any more of a scene, Luke cleared his throat, "Sir, please raise your head," he said as Feral rose once more, "I understand that for a Pro like yourself, losing a fellow hero is not an easy thing to get over. Especially when the fallen hero might have some family." The people around them started to get interested and crowded in closer to listen in but Luke didn't care about them. He just wanted to explain how he felt to one of his favorite Pro Heroes.
"I don't blame you or Shining Star or any of the people who tried to help my dad. The fight that he had against Berserker all those years ago is something I replay over and over in my head. I wasn't there when it happened, but I have a friend who can find virtually anything online, so I was able to see what happened. My dad gave his life to protect an entire building full of innocent people. If it wasn't for him, then so many people could have died, and many more people would be left without family members. I am very proud to be the son of Hurricane and he is the very reason why I am here today. Well, my dad and you two." He said surprising the two Pros.
"What do you mean?" Fearless said.
I chuckled, "For most of my life, I was Quirkless." I said with a smile. This shocked nearly everyone around me, it was incredibly rare for a person to develop two Quirks but for one person to develop two Quirks after being Quirkless was virtually unheard of.
Fearless seemed to be interested in this, "How exactly did you get your Quirks after being Quirkless?" he asked.
Luke shrugged, "Honestly, I have no idea. The doctors said that it could have been due to my mother being Quirkless or due to the latent gene I have that was granted to me by my maternal grandfather or something else completely. But Quirk or no Quirk, it didn't really matter to me. I learned from you Fearless that it is possible to be heroic and save people even if you don't have a Quirk, so I learned martial arts so that I could not only protect myself but the people in my city that I care about just like you did. Then, when my Quirk manifested, I not only read up on the techniques my father used but also looking at some videos that were posted about you Feral, sir. The way that you would use your Quirk in different ways inspired me to train my Wolf Quirk as much as I could."
Feral suddenly looked bashful, "Well, I tend to use the Pinball portion of my Quirk at times when it comes to my movements, but I am very happy that I could give you some inspiration."
Fearless laughed, "And I am happy to see that the message I have been trying to prove for so many years was actually able to get through to some people."
Luke nodded, "Yes it has and now that both of you are in front of me, I can honestly say that I am very honored to have you both watching me as I take the exam. Feral Unleashed, Fearless, thank you for everything that you have done for the world and for inspiring me to get so far with my Quirks." He said as he bowed. Many of the other applicants clapped when they heard the trio speak together while Luke and the two Pros just nodded in appreciation.
Feral patted Luke on the shoulder, "I can this, Joseph would be proud," he said making Luke's eyes widen as the Pro past him with a wave, "I look forward to seeing what you can do!" he said as he headed towards a special room for the viewers. Fearless did the same as he passed Luke and gave him a nod, showing his appreciation. As the Pro Heroes left, Luke smiled to himself. He knew that the tests he was about to take were going to be a challenge, yet he knew that all the training and trials that he had gone through in his life felt like they had led him to this moment. He would pass these exams and get into IHA, that was a promise.
MHA
The written test wasn't so bad. The questions mainly had to do with the current hero laws, Quirk history, different scenarios in which some Quirks would be better than others, and some questions that were pretty much common sense when dealing in a dangerous situation. After that, Luke, his new friends, and a small group of potential students were able to change into some more athletic clothes before they loaded onto a bus that took them a small man-made city outside of the city limits of LA where there wouldn't be any issues for the students who wanted to do the physical portion of the entrance exam while others stayed back to take the test, they needed for the other courses IHA offered. Luke and his group stepped off the bus and stood in front of the man made city that was protected by a large wall like the testing center back in the LA.
Luke was doing was few stretches, feeling a bit more comfortable in his grey sleeveless shirt, black hoodie, and grey sweatpants along with his sneakers. His new friends had changed into something similar and began doing a few warmup exercises of their own.
Luke did a few small jumps before punching the air with a few quick combos, "So what exactly do you think this test is going to be?" Jasmine asked.
Luke stretched his back before sighing, "Well, they said that the physical portion would be similar to the test they do at UA so if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say we're going to be fighting some robots." He said.
"Yee-haw, if we have to bust some stuff up than that is going to be perfect for me!" Brody said excitedly.
Luke laughed, "Well for those of us who have more physical Quirks it'll probably be a lot easier but for those who have Quirks that are more for support it may be a bit more challenging. Plus, I have a feeling the judges be looking at a lot more things than just our abilities to fight off robots."
"Like what?" Jasmine asked.
Luke shrugged, "No idea, so all I can say is act like a hero at all times." He said getting nods from his two news friends. Soon enough, another hero appeared at the head of the group. This hero was female and was dressed in a dark red and black body suit with black high heeled boots, yellow gloves, a silver belt, and a golden crown that framed her lovely face. She had long hair that reached her back and was a deep red that faded into yellow near the base. Her eyes were a piercing gold color that peered out into the crowd before her.
"That's the Pro Hero Phoenix." One applicant said.
"I can't believe she came all the way from Arizona to be here." Another said.
Phoenix smiled as he looked out into the crowd, "Okay everyone, here's the lowdown. Inside this city you will face an army of various robots that will attack you as soon as they see you. Your goal is to take down as many as you can and rack up points for each bot you destroy. But know this, taking down the robots is only the first part of the text. The second is where the judges will really be looking at how you perform." She said with a smile.
'A second part to the exam? That is not what I expected. But of what Phoenix says is true, then the second part might be there so the judges can see how we perform in a different kind of situation.' Luke thought to himself.
Phoenix raised her left arm, "Okay applicants. Get ready." She said as the other applicants around Luke got ready to start.
"On your marks!"
'Mom, Aiden, everyone back home, Masters, dad.' Luke said in his head as he lowered his stance.
"Get set!"
'I ask you all, look over me from where you are now. And watch me.'
"Go!" Phoenix shouted as her arm came down and the gates of the large city began to open slowly.
'I swear I'm gonna make you all proud!' Luke said before he grinned and threw his arms down and launched a large blast of air below him that propelled him into the air. Once he was at a good height, Luke activated his Air Jets around his feet and took off towards the man made city. As he passed the large gates and entered the man made city, he immediately noticed two, giant, wheeled one pointer robots glaring up at him with their red, robotic eyes.
"Target Identified." The said in low, robotic voices. Luke grinned and activated his wolf Quirk. His teeth elongated, his eyes grew darker, his nails grew into claws, and his muscles grew slightly to give him a wilder look. He used his air jets to propel himself toward as the two One Pointers raised their robotic arms to slam Luke down. But just as he was about to make contact, Luke cut his jets and flipped forward in the air so he could point his feet towards the robots. As he got near their eyes, he blasted them with a compressed air jet right into their eyes. The immense pressure connected and blinded the robots momentarily, giving Luke the chance to use his jets and flew around the bots and landed on the ground. Luke gathered compressed wind in his hands and fired at the two robots, causing them to explode as soon as the compressed air connected with them.
Luke gave out a toothy smile that showed off his sharpened teeth, "Two down, more to go!" he said as he ran down the city roads looking for more robots.
MHA
In a darkened room away from the various testing centers, Fearless, Feral Unleashed, Phoenix, and several other Pro Heroes watched and took notes on the performances of the various test takers that could possibly be the newest students of The Citadel.
Feral Unleashed kept his eyes on Luke's group as they maneuvered their way through the city landscape using their own skills and various techniques to fight against the different types of robots that they all encountered.
"Hey pops, look! That one guy has a Quirk like you, and I do!" a small voice said. Feral Unleashed looked down and smiled at the source of the voice. The voice belonged to his son Anthony, an energetic and happy 7-year-old child with a bright smile on his face no matter where you saw him. He shared his mother's purple colored hair, but he liked to style it into upward spikes giving him a stylish yet wild sort of look. He shared his father's blue eyes and his skin tone and was dressed in a pair of khaki pants, a black shirt, black sneakers, and a brown leather jacket that was just like his father's but minus the furred collar. Anthony was very proud of his parents for the work that they did and dreamed of one day becoming a great hero like them, he even had a combination of his parents' Quirks that he liked to call Howling Beast. This gave Anthony the ability to transform into a beast-like form but on a smaller scale and he could also release a deafening sonic scream that could shatter rocks, glass, concrete but he could only do the scream in small bursts or risk losing his voice.
Feral laughed and picked his son up so he could set him on the small ledge next to him as his wife joined them, "Yeah, it sure looks like that way doesn't it buddy?" he said ruffling his son's hair. Earphone Jack came up and wrapped her arms around Feral's right arm.
"Isn't that the boy you were talking to earlier?" she asked.
Feral nodded, "Yeah, Lukas Storm. A young man from Ashland who's father I had the privilege of knowing and can say with 100% certainty was an incredible hero. May he rest in peace." He said with his head slightly bowed.
Earphone Jack tightened her grip slightly around her husband's arm, "You can't always beat yourself up over the things that happen in this business. We all know the feeling of not being able to arrive faster to a scene. Don't keep beating yourself up over the past…Joshua." She said with a smirk.
Feral Unleashed, now known as Joshua, groaned aloud, "I hate it when you say my name like that Kyoka. Makes me feel like an idiot." He said clicking his teeth.
Kyoka looked at her husband with a deadpan look, "That's because 80% of the time you are an idiot," she said getting another groan out of Joshua, "But that sensitive side of you is one of the reasons I love you." She said kissing his cheek.
Joshua smiled, "Thanks Kyoka, I knew that you would always be my better half."
"And don't you forget it." Kyoka said with a cocky smile. Joshua nodded and hugged his wife before ruffling his son's hair once more, getting a smile out of the young boy. Despite spending most of his life being raised to become a villain, Joshua Rourke was now recognized as one of America's top heroes and was blessed to have a beautiful, heroic wife and a son who was his pride and joy. It can be rather funny how life can surprise you.
Fearless looked over to his friends as they watched the entrance exam continue, happy to know that the man he had fought alongside for so many years could still have the biggest heart he had ever seen.
"Life has truly been good to us, hasn't it Ibara?" he asked turning to his wife.
The Pro Hero known as Vine nodded and she rested her head on her husband's shoulder and wrapping her arms around his waist, "That it has Matthew. The Lord has truly blessed us and those we care for with lives that continue to bring joy to others. His work is evident every day." She said with her eyes closed.
"That he does." Matthew said as he held his wife in his arms while watching the exam continue.
"Papa look, that one girl's Quirk is so pretty!" a small voice said. Matthew looked down to see a small girl holding onto his pant leg. The girl was around 6 years old and had long brown hair that she had tied up in twin tails with dark green eyes and slightly pale skin. She was dressed in a simple green dress with white knee socks and red flat shoes. Around her neck was a Cross necklace. This young lady was Leah Noble, Fearless and Vine's daughter. Like her father she was Quirkless, but she was a very happy child who loved her parents and the work they did. She was also a very devoted Catholic just like her parents and was always willing to help people when they needed it, even volunteering at their local church.
Matthew picked up his daughter and held her as he looked towards the girl that she mentioned, noticing it was the girl that Luke walked in with. He saw that she was using her Quirk not to attack the robots but to heal other participants that had been injured.
"It sure is sweetie and rather interesting as well. You don't normally see a lot of healing Quirks nowadays." Matthew said.
"Or seeing a lot of participants with healing Quirks try out for the Hero Course." Joshua said as he watched screens that showed Luke and Brody."
"At least not since Recovery Girl's day. May she rest in peace," Matthew said as he and Ibara did the sign of the cross in memory of the dead Pro Hero, "It looks like she may know the other portion of the exam and if she doesn't, she's going to be really surprised.
"These years applicants are really interesting," Joshua said as he continued to watch Luke slashed and blasted apart the robots he came across, but also assisting other participants when he came across them, "Damn Joseph, I certainly hope you are looking down on your son right now. You would be damn proud." He said quietly as he smiled. Remembering the day, the hero known as Hurricane introduced Joshua to his son with a great deal of pride on his face. At the time he didn't know it but now seeing the son of Joseph Storm in action he knew for certain; Lukas Storm would become an incredible hero.
MHA
Luke had just blasted apart a 3-pointer before cracking his neck and releasing his wolf Quirk and taking a deep breath. Using his wolf Quirk in long periods of time would sometimes put a lot of pressure on his body so he would only really use it in small bursts to give him an added punch of strength.
"Okay, I think I have around 25 or so points. Not too terrible but let's see if I can get a few more before time ends." He said as he started running again to look for more points. With all the tales that his sister-in-law told him about the different kinds of tests that UA did, he knew that he couldn't just destroy robots but also help people when he could. Even if he didn't know that he would still help people, its something that he had been doing since he was a child. Help people whenever he could.
As he ran, he came across two more 2-pointers that were cornering two other participants. A closer look at the participants told Luke that one of them was his new friend Jasmine who was using her Quirk to heal the other participant. Luke's instincts took over immediately and he Air Jetted towards the two robots.
"Step off robots!" Luke shouted as he blasted the 2-pointers with blades of razor sharp air that sliced the robots apart, causing them to explode. Luke flew around the broken pieces of robot until he landed back on the ground. He immediately went over to Jasmine to check on her situation.
"Jasmine are you okay?" he asked.
Jasmine sighed in relief upon seeing her new friend, "Luke, thank God. I came across this guy when I was running through the streets, and I saw that he had a huge gash on the side of his head. I started healing him but when I use my Quirk, I'm pretty vulnerable to attacks." She said.
Luke looked down to see that the person she was healing was the same tanned boy he saw earlier. He was lying on his back with his eyes closed and a large, bloody gash on the side of his head. Jasmine's hands were glowing with the same bright, green glow from earlier and was slowly but perfectly healing the boy's wound.
Luke nodded, "I got you, don't worry. You focus on healing him; I'll take care of all robots that may come your way." He said as he turned his back and raised his hands into a fighting stance as he saw more robots coming towards them.
"Alright you hunks of metal! Come get some!" he shouted as he surrounded his hands with air.
As the robots neared him, the sounds of clopping hooves echoed across the streets.
"Yee-haw!" a loud excited shout was heard by everyone. Luke looked up to see a familiar shape coming down on top of the two robots that were coming near him. The shape collided with the robots and smashed them like a compactor making smoke arise from the crumpled robots.
"Ha-ha, yes now that is how you do it!" a familiar voice said as the smoke faded to reveal Brody standing on the now crumpled remains of the robots, but his feet and legs were replaced with thick bovine legs and hooves.
Luke groaned loudly as he released the air surrounding his hands, "Yo Brody, how about a little heads up next time? You almost gave me a heart attack."
Brody chuckled as he saw Luke and walked over to him with his legs and feet turning back to normal, "Sorry about that Luke I saw an opening and I knew I had to take it." He said with a cocky smile.
Luke scoffed before he smiled at his new friend, "Well I can understand that just try and be aware of your surroundings next time dude." He said as he pointed over to Jasmine healing the injured boy.
Brody raised an eyebrow, "Did I cause that?" he asked pointing to himself.
Luke rolled his eyes, "No you idiot. Jasmine came across this guy who got injured during the test and she started healing him. Only problem is, she can't really defend herself while she is healing. So, now that there are both of us here, we can protect her until she finishes healing." He said.
Brody nodded, "Well hot damn! If that's the situation then I am more than happy to help. And it looks like we have some unwanted visitors coming our way." He said as both he and Luke turned to see more robots coming their way.
Luke activated his wolf Quirk once more before he grinned, "I guess it's party time." He said as he surrounded himself with more wind while Brody turned his arms into a minotaur form before doing the same with his legs and feet. One of the 3 pointers launched missiles at the two young men, Luke prepared to throw up a wind barrier to protect them but before he could a large brick wall made of yellow energy appeared before them. Both young men turned their heads to see the guy that Jasmine was healing standing at full height with a large smile on his face and a hand outward that was glowing with the same yellow energy as the wall.
The young man then pushed his hands forward and the wall moved forward until it collided with the oncoming robots. Luke and Brody were incredibly shocked at how the young man who was bleeding profusely from his head was already on his feet and using his Quirk rather effectively.
"Thank you for the help Sista," he said with a thick Hawaiian accent as he spoke to Jasmine, "Now, let me repay the favor." He said as he gathered more yellow energy in his hands and shaped them into several long spears. He then pulled his arm back and threw them towards the oncoming robots that were still making their way towards them, the spears impacted with the robots and caused them to explode.
Luke was shocked, "Holy crap dude! That is one powerful Quirk you got!" he told the tan skinned boy.
The boy smiled, "Yes, it is! Don't let my simple look fool you, thanks to my 190 IQ and my Quirk I can create pretty much anything that I can think of." He said as he used his Quirk to create giant letter behind him that said Kaleo Opuni, which was more than likely his name.
Kaleo Opuni
Quirk: Psionic Constructs
This allows Kaleo to create various shapes and structures using his own Psionic energy, which is higher than most, if what he's creating isn't overly complicated anything else is fair game.
"Kaleo Opuni of Hawaii but please call me Kal." He said extinguishing his energy letters.
Luke nodded, "Luke Storm, Brody Carlson, and the lovely young lady who patched you up is Jasmine Moreno." He said.
Kal grinned, "Nice meeting you all. Anything interesting happen while I was out?"
"All I can is that time is almost up for the first part of the test, so if you want to catch up with your points you better get a move on."
Kal nodded, "Thanks for the heads up brother. Best get a move on." He said as he began heading down one of the other streets but before he could a large shape appeared from right behind Jasmine who turned too late to move.
"Jasmine!" all three boys shouted. Before any of them could move to help her, the robots behind her were suddenly impaled by a set of shadowy claw-like images before they were removed from robot's metallic body. The robot soon fell to the ground and the red light from its eyes soon faded as a figure emerged from the shadows behind the now destroyed robot. The figure revealed himself to be the same Hispanic boy that Luke had talked to earlier.
"You okay there chica?" he asked Jasmine.
Jasmine shook her head to clear her thoughts from what just happened before nodding, "Yes, yes I am. Thank you for that."
The boy shook his hands, "No problem. Happy to help," he said before turned to Luke, "Seems like you almost had a bit of trouble amigo." He said crossing his arms.
Luke smirked before he nodded, "Yeah, almost did. Glad you came when you did. Never got your name by the way."
"Diego Ramos, the master of shadows at your service." He said as he willed some of the shadows around him to dance.
Diego Ramos
Quirk: Shadow Master: This allows Diego to manipulate his own shadow and the shadows around him to bend to his will. With this he can create shapes, weapons, barriers, and even move through shadows.
Luke nodded as he and the others grouped together, since they were all in the same area this would be a good chance for them all to regroup and figure out what way to go for the rest of the test. Suddenly a large group of robots; all ranging from 1-pointers to 3-pointers surrounded them with their individual weapons raised.
Luke's instincts immediately took over, "Everyone, circle up around Jasmine!" he shouted. All four boys formed a protective circle around Jasmine.
"What do we do from here? Time's running out and there is no way that we can escape all of these robots without getting seriously injured." Kal said.
Luke took stock of the situation, he knew Kal was right, but he did not want anyone of the people around him to lose because of a dire looking situation. He had to think and think quickly.
"Okay guys, listen up," every turned their attention to him, "We only have a few more minutes left and Kal is right. Escaping from these bots isn't going to get us anywhere. We have to take all of them down now." Luke said before he looked over his shoulder at Jasmine.
"Jasmine, can you enhance physical performance or just heal?" he asked.
"I can but only in short bursts and I can only enhance two people at a time." She said.
Luke nodded in understanding, "Okay, here's what we do," he said as they all got their Quirks ready, "Kal and Diego will create a protective barrier around us to guard from any long range attacks. Once the long range attacks have subsided enough, Jasmine will enhance Brody for a few seconds after the barrier is dropped and he will charge at full speed towards the robots and take out as many as he can. After that, the rest of us will launch a barrage of long range attacks to get rid of most of the robots around us. Once there is only a few left, Jasmine will boost us all in short bursts to finish the rest of them all. Sound good to everyone?"
Diego grinned, "You'd make a good general amigo. Let's do this." He said getting a nod from everyone else. Just as they all agreed, several 3-pointers launched rockets at them from the launchers mounted on their backs. Just like they planned, Kal and Diego used their Quirks to construct an energized shadow barrier around the entire group. The missiles impacted against the barrier, but the added protection of both Quirks made the dome near impenetrable meaning that both Kal and Diego felt the impact ricochet through their bodies, but they seemed to be fine. The impacting missiles created a smoke cloud in front of the group.
Under the cover of the smokescreen, Jasmine used her Quirk to energize Brody as he transformed his legs and arms into Minotaur form. The second that Kal and Diego dropped the barrier, Brody charged forward straight into the oncoming robots.
"Yee-Haw!" he shouted as he used his momentary burst in strength to smash and demolish any robot that he encountered.
"Damn, I didn't realize it would work that well," Luke said as he turned to Jasmine, "Wait, how long does your boost last?"
Jasmine soon became bashful, "Uh well, it only lasts for about…" she started saying before Brody was suddenly flung back towards them, landing on his back.
"10 seconds." Jasmine said quietly as the other three boys looked at her with a look that made them think she was crazy.
"Yeah, okay that hurt." Brody groaned out as he tried to get back up. Luke and Kal helped the boy back to his feet and made sure that he wasn't seriously injured which thankfully he wasn't.
"Okay so now that we know Jasmine's time limit, we can work around it." Luke said.
"It would have been nice to know about 30 seconds ago too!" Brody said aloud with as he rubbed the side of his while Jasmine furiously apologized to him.
"Okay well even with Jasmine's time limit we can still make this work. Me, Kal, and Diego will continue to launch attacks from long range since the robots are still a good distance from us. Once they get close, we all start launching close range attacks while Jasmine amps each of us in 10 second intervals." Luke said with everyone agreeing with him.
"Attention applicants, there is one minute remaining in the first half of the exam."
The news of this lit a fire underneath everyone in the group of five just as the remaining robots came upon them, "Let's do this, guys!" Luke shouted.
"Right!"
As soon as the robots were near, things turned wild. Luke and Kal launched wind blasts and energy spears at the robots from a distance while Brody and Diego got up close and personal with Brody's enhanced bull attacks and Diego using the shadows around him to create various weapons for him to wield against the robots. Jasmine used the small moments in between each attack to enhance the boys' energy to give them an added boost with each of their attacks. Soon enough, all the robots got close to them, so all the boys took to using pure close range attacks. Brody and Diego continued what they were doing while Luke used blasts and blades of wind to slice and break apart the robots around them. Kal added to this by forming large, energized gauntlets around his fists that enabled him to smash robots apart. The entire thing was a sight to behold while Jasmine continued to enhance the boys' abilities, giving them more power that gave them an edge in their attacks.
"5,4,3,2,1. That's it, stop your attacks! The first part of the entrance exam is now over."
As the call was sounded, the group of 5 slowly powered down their Quirks as they looked upon the destroyed remains of the robots, they had wrecked with a certain sense of pride in themselves.
"Looks like we all made it." Diego said.
Kal nodded, "Yep, that was quite the last minute rush that we had to pull at the end there." He said with everyone agreeing with him. Luke was about to agree with them when he saw something that made his instincts ignite once more. Several holographic images appeared a few feet away from them that soon took the shape of some low-level villains.
"Don't celebrate just yet guys. Looks like the test isn't over." Luke said as every turned to see the villains that he saw.
"What the hell?! Villains?! How is that even possible?!" Brody shouted.
"They aren't real villains, they're holograms. But what I don't understand is why they are even here." Luke questioned.
"This is the second portion of your exam. The robots were a great way to test your individual combat abilities, now let's see how you can conquer this next portion fighting against villains. You all have five minutes to take down as many villains as you can. Good luck and begin!"
The second siren echoed across the field as the holographic villains charged at Luke and his new friends.
"Okay guys, we only have 5 minutes to take down as many of these villains as we can. I know we can do this, but we have to work together," Luke said getting the attention of the others, "We all stay close to each other, watch each other's backs, and cover each other's blind spots. Jasmine fight off any villains you can and be sure to give us all a boost in our strengths." He said getting a nod from the girl.
As the villains advanced, all five future heroes readied themselves with their own Quirks. Jasmine lit up her hands, Diego gathered the shadows around him, Kal formed energy fists around his arms, Brody then turned into a full Minotaur which would work since he could keep it up for about 5 minutes, and lastly Luke activated his wolf Quirk to enhance his natural abilities while the wind around him moved to his will.
"Okay guys, this is the last hurdle we have to pass to this test! Go all out with your Quirks, watch out for each other, and give these villains everything you got! All of us started this test together, we will all pass together! Let's get this done!" Luke shouted raising the spirits of all those around him.
"Yeah!" everyone agreed with Luke as they all charged into the fray to take on the villains and finish the test they started.
MHA
Back in the viewing room, the advisors and judges had different views on what they were seeing. At the beginning of the second portion of the test, they could already see that some were looking out for themselves like in the first half while others like Luke's group were already working together to fight off the villains.
"This is not what I expected from this test." Kyoka said.
Joshua nodded, "Yeah, while the robots at UA are a nice way to get people a better handle on fighting; the second portion of our test is that with the addition of holo-villains gives them a chance to see what it's like to actually fight against real villains."
"This also gives us the chance to see how our potential students would work alongside with others they don't know in an unfamiliar setting. Even as Pros we still come across situations where we come across other heroes, we know nothing about and must work together. This is basically a chance to see how possible students will work alongside each other in the future." Matthew added.
"Well, it seems that some are doing better than others." Ibara said as she pointed to the screen that depicted Luke and his new friends working in total harmony to fight off the villains. Kal and Diego used their Quirks to both guard and strike back against the villains. Luke and Brody worked alongside each other using their enhanced strength and animalistic qualities to take down many of the villains using raw power with Luke adding in some strong wind blasts in the case that some villains got to close. Jasmine stood towards the back, using the light that came from her body to not only blind the villains but to heal their injuries and enhance their physical abilities. Altogether, all five young people were working like a team that had been together for years.
"Looks like those five have figured out how this second half works." Matthew said.
"Or they just trust each other enough to fight side by side." Joshua added in. Both older men smiled as they recalled the moments when they still didn't know each other all that well but were still able to fight alongside one another. Now as they watched some potential heroes work alongside one another without really knowing each other just showed how bright the future of heroes was.
MHA
Luke blasted away a villain with wind before he spun around, and jump kicked another before ducking to give Diego the chance to flip over him. When he landed on the ground, he used the shadows to wrap around several villains and fling them away and knock them out of commission. Kal quickly summoned up an energy wall that protected the young Hispanic man from an oncoming laser that was aimed at him before he jumped up as well and summoned a large war hammer that he slammed on the ground, causing an enormous earthquake that tossed some of the villains into the air. Jasmine saw this and enhanced Brody which allowed him to charge straight ahead and knock the villains out and down for the count. Luke followed up by jumping over his minotaur friend and used the air around him to maneuver around him and blast the villains coming towards him with a savage burst of wind before knocking more out with his martial arts skills.
"1 minute left!"
This lit a fire underneath everyone as they all began rushing more and more villains that came upon them.
"This is it guys! Final stretch, let's make these last few moments count!" Luke shouted as he and the other four around him quickly moved in tight formations as they all used their own Quirks and what they knew about each other to fight as a perfect unit to fight against the holographic villains and complete the test in a decent amount of time. Soon enough, the siren alerting all the participants that the exam had officially ended.
As soon as they came, the holographic villains soon disappeared leaving Luke and his new friends alone on the faux city streets exhausted, bruised, and extremely tired. They all looked to each other with smiles that showed their joy and worry. Now that the test was over, their fates were in the hands of the administrators.
MHA
After a quick rest and getting themselves hydrated after the long test that they did, Luke and his new group of friends were now back in the waiting room with all the other applicants waiting to hear the results of their exams. As they waited, the group of five started to talk about themselves. Turns out Kal was from Honolulu but came to Los Angeles for the exam, his uncle was actually a member of a task force in Hawaii that served as his inspiration to become a hero. Diego came from a pretty rough area in East LA where his father was a police officer, and his mother owned a boxing gym where he trained. He had a younger brother named Luis who was Diego's biggest fan and who wanted to be a hero once he was older.
Jasmine was the daughter of doctors in LA. Growing up she would see the kind of harm and damage that villains could cause innocent people so she decided to use her Quirk to become a hero that can heal people in the field as soon as they were hurt and wouldn't have to wait for a doctor or surgeon while they were in pain. Brody spoke about his family and his hero heritage while Luke spoke about his father and brother, surprising both Kal and Diego who didn't know about Luke's hero heritage. Soon enough the room quieted down and looked towards the main stage where Fearless and Feral Unleashed now stood.
"Okay everyone, listen up! I, Fearless, and the other administrators have reviewed everything that occurred over the past few hours and gone over all the right criteria. We will now announce the 15 students who have made their way into The Citadel." Feral Unleashed said as a large electronic screen appeared behind him with three different sections that said Support, General, and Hero.
"First we will announce who has made it into the General Course program." Fearless said as he started listing off the five students who made it into the program. Luke noticed that the girl whose skin seemed to change colors made it into the program.
"Next, we have the Support Course." Fearless said as he again stated the five students that succeeded in getting into the program. These would be the students that would be working alongside Luke's older sister-in-law in the Support Department. He noticed that the boy with AUX cord dreadlocks seemed ecstatic about making it in.
"And now finally, the Hero Course," Fearless said getting nearly everyone's attention, "First let me say that every who came out today did incredible work but there was a certain It factor that we were looking for and the students we have chosen have emulated to us what we are looking for." He said making everyone nervous.
"First up, Jasmine Moreno!" Fearless stated making the young woman jump for joy at sound of her name being called. Luke and the other boys congratulated her before turning their attention back to Fearless.
"Next, Kaleo Opuni!"
Kal pumped his fists in joy as he clasped hands with the other boys. He couldn't wait to tell his family back on the island about how he passed.
"Next, Diego Ramos!"
"Orale!" Diego said as he bro hugged Luke.
"Then we have, Brody Carlson!"
"Yee-haw!" Brody yelled as he threw his hat into the air and pulled his new friends into a tight hug.
"And finally, we have someone who was able to ascertain the purpose of both sections of the test and showed some real traits that are important for a hero. The last person who has been accepted into the citadel is…Lukas Storm!"
"Yes!" Luke shouted in joy before he released a loud howl of joy that echoed across the room. A lot of people covered their ears in annoyance while his friends just laughed at the excitement that he was showing. Once he was done, he turned back to his new group of friends as they all wrapped their arms around each other in a large group hug. All of them had made it into the school and would be working towards their dream together.
"Congratulations to everyone who passed and to those who didn't, I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors." Fearless said as he and Feral Unleashed walked off the stage. They soon came to Luke's group and they both smiled at them.
"Congratulations everyone, you have all taken the first step towards becoming heroes. I hope you are all ready for what comes ahead." Fearless said.
"Yes sir!" All five of them them shouted with enthusiasm.
Feral Unleashed came up to Luke and placed one of his hands on Luke's shoulder, "Your dad would be proud." He said as he left, leaving a smile on Luke's face.
He and his friends had passed the first trial towards making their dreams come true and now the real test would begin.
Next stop, The International Hero Academy.
