It's been a hot minute. God dang. Don't worry, though. I already have the next few chapters started. I have had a lot of help from my beta readers, old and new. As such, I am going to show some fights at the top of the next chapter, as I want to showcase what is up with some relevant characters, and also show some more differences in the outcomes of this exam. Some people who failed in canon passed here.
Which brings me to the big one. I considered this for a while. I worried if it was too out of character or "different for the sake of different". I worried I couldn't pull it off or that it wasn't worth the risk. I'll leave that to the readers to decide. But yeah, Izuku and Bakugou are at a major crossroads here... because they fail their practical exams. That buildup of past trauma and animosity came to a head here. Their relationship will be strained for a while and a bit different over time, but this is where healing begins. I wanted a slow burn arc for Bakugou and for Izuku to not be totally angsty or anything but to be in a different place than he is in canon at this point. Mina and everyone else helped him. Unfortunately, he still failed. We will see how that affects him going forward and how the past changes to canon in this entry of the saga will build up to larger divergences. Just wait and see.
Also, I should annotate this story one day, so everyone can get all the little nods and easter eggs, as well as what the heck these kids are talking about.
But yeah, the buildup to the training camp is nigh...but first, we have a little side trip... to i Island.
Anyway, we are almost at the halfway point. Can't wait. I am proud of myself as a writer. I know I make typos and mistakes. It embarrasses me and makes me feel like a bad writer. However, I have been reminded that progress is not linear and that I have come a long way. Thanks to all of you for accompanying me on the journey so far. Let's keep moving forward, y'all.
—-
"What do you think? Is it going to be a heavy metal panic with the big robots?" Mina grinned, walking arm and arm with her boyfriend. Something was definitely going on with the practical exams that they didn't know yet, but they would learn soon enough.
"Heavy metal's not my thing. My sensibilities are more pop and folk." Izuku smiled back, feeling nervous but in good spirits.
"Pffft. OK. We'll pack a jumpsuit for i Island." Mina teased him, any anxieties she had over things being tempered by her upbeat attitude and the prospect of summer fun with her favorite boy. Something was weighing on Izuku's mind, however, and she could tell.
"Hey Mina. .." Izuku stopped walking for a bit, gathering his thoughts. Now probably wasn't the time but he wanted to ask anyway. "After all this… I Island, the training camp…I know we're going to be working our butts off…but do you want to see the Fireworks with me after? The Atami festival isn't too far from where I live."
The pink girl's eyes widened and her grin grew wider. This really was going to be their best summer.
"Why Mr. Midoriya. I thought you would be so focused on being the next number one hero. I would be delighted to keep you company.~" Mina teased in an overly haughty voice before bursting out into a giggle fit, complete with snorts.
"I think you drank too much of Yaoyorozu's fancy tea." The boy's eyes narrowed as he pursed his lips at his girlfriend's words.
"Nah. I'm more of a coffee girl. Chai is good though. Or boba!" Mina gave her goofiest grin as she rested her arms behind her head. That smile and that confident silliness really had stolen Izuku's heart, whether it be a water balloon fight during a heatwave or in battle together, Izuku knew one thing for sure: Her smile assured him just as much as All-Might's.
The young couple walked out the entrance of the school and saw their friends and classmates lined up, opposite the entire teaching staff. They looked on in surprise to see all of 1B there. "What the heck? Are there still robots? Everyone is here!" Mina gasped in utter awe of everything before her.
"So this is what Aizawa meant by his cryptic smile." Izuku whispered to Mina. He could see an assembly of teaching staff and UA alumni standing opposite students from both first year hero classes.
"Good. Now that you're all here, we can begin. It was decided that robots would not be an adequate test of your combat abilities, so you will be paired up and tested on your weak spots by the teaching staff. We called in a few others to help, given that there will be 20 pairs tested"
"Wow. That's…" Mina counted on her fingers and eyed the scene nervously. She was cut off by the instructor before she could say anything further.
"Not all. You're probably all acquainted with each other to some degree. We will improve on that more in further exercises during the training camp and going into next term. However, it has also been decided that you will be paired with a student from 1B. In the field, you may find yourself working with someone you don't have a good rapport with. It is important for us to test all of you on those parameters."
The students erupted into a cacophony of confused exclamations, some excited at the prospect of working with their sister class, others doubting the point of an exam where they worked with people they barely knew. If anything, it seemed like how they should have started next term. And yet everyone was too stunned to question the teachers just yet.
"There is one more thing. We have explained the test to a student who will be using this test to springboard into the hero course. As you know, Minooru Mineta transferred to Ketsubutsu early on. We had a few students vying to replace him, and while both are still aiming to get into the hero course, only one of them has made it in so far."
A teenage girl with short black hair styled into a bob walked in. She carried herself with a cold, still nature, as if to swallow up all who stood in her way like an icy lake.
"Oh my God! Who is she?" Mina shouted in disbelief, trying to figure out who the girl was.
"Chikuchi Togeike. We were at the Sports festival. I lost to Vines over there." The dark-haired girl shifted her gaze over at Ibara and gave her the stink eye.
The vine girl pointed at herself in confusion, only for Chikuchi to glare at her and make gestures as if to say "I want a rematch," much to the vine girl's dismay. She looked over at Kirishima, who merely shrugged. Mina was still lost.
"Who?"
"Mina, it's that gen ed girl with the pigtails. The one who has a water construct quirk."
"Ooooooh. Yeah. Her." Mina said in realization. "Was hoping it was the sleepy dude you beat up. We could have been hair buddies."
"Focus up. The exams start now. Your assigned teacher will walk over to you and escort you to your partner. From there, transportation will be provided to your designated testing site and you will have time to prepare before facing your opponent." Aizawa explained further.
Everyone was eventually assigned their teacher and partner.
"Ashido, your partner will be Kuroiro Shihai." Nedzu explained. "And I will be your opponent."
The last ones remaining were Izuku and two people very familiar to him.
"Young Midoriya, Young Bakugou, I will be your opponent. Try not to wet your pants, boys, because I won't be using kid gloves."
Izuku noticed Bakugou grit his teeth, and yet that determination doubled down on its presence. As the teachers called their assigned students and headed to their testing sites, one thing was clear.
Play time was over.
X
Everyone had ended up across UA grounds with a variety of instructors, each one proctoring their exams and driving them to be their best selves.
Mina and Shihai ended up in a maze of shipping crates and scrap. She could see a Crane in the distance. She tried remaining focused on the exam, but she couldn't help but think about who her boyfriend would be facing: All-Might himself. That was worrisome enough, but his partner was Bakugou. It was like matching gasoline and fire. Why would anyone do that?
"Oh God, that's the point, isn't it. Dang it." The girl groaned. "Hey, shadow dude?"
"It's Shihai Kuroiro. You can call me Vantablack." The chuuni boy bristled while trying to appear cooler than he actually was.
"Sorry. My bad. Kuroiro, what can you do exactly?" Mina asked, hoping she could figure things out and succeed. If they were to compete against a literal genius, they needed to outthink him, or at the very least, outmaneuver him. "Can you, like… swim in shadows and stuff?"
"That's… a rather simplistic way of looking at my quirk. You seem better at analysis than I thought. You seem kinda ditzy." Shihai pondered out loud. "You create acid. I remember from the Sports Festival."
Mina stomped her feet and pointed a finger. "Well at least I'm not an edge lord, so there." She stuck out her tongue like a petty brat. There was no time for this, though. They were being timed, according to instructions. "And yes, That's my quirk. Hold on. Let's think… God this is hard. Focus Mina. You've used your brain before. Come on." The pink girl groaned. "This is going to be like a maze or something, right?"
Shihai raised an eyebrow at the peculiar girl, trying to make heads or tails of her. Unfortunately, as they were soon to be reminded, they were not alone. A voice came over the intercoms system, like something out of an action movie or a video game.
"Wise assessment, if not a bit rudimentary. Perhaps Midoriya really is a good influence on you. However, you're still not exactly great as a you do show promise, it rings as derivative."
"I need to formulate a plan. Shit!" Mina groaned and pulled at her hair before realizing what Nedzu had said. She thought she was growing in her critical thinking skills. Did that still need work?
"Language, Ms. Ashido." Nedzu spoke again.
"Sorry…wait. An intercom? That…would mean…" The pink girl apologized before piecing it together. This was not good, but it could be turned around.
"Putting it together, are we? Mr. Midoriya really has had an impact on you. If only your grades had reflected that prior."
"Yeah well…wait…I hear machinery. Shihai, let's book it. Meet me at that big crane over yonder. Keep to the shadows and don't come out until you see the signal." Mina flashed a quick Victory sign before the two split up.
"Whatever you say, Pink girl." Shihai stepped into a piece of black paneling and headed for the goal.
Mina thought desperately, running away from the damage wrought by the crane."c'mon. C'mon..what would Izuku do?"
"I can't keep relying on Izuku. As much as I love him, we're both our own heroes. If I want to be by his side, I need to step up. Time for a Pinky Plan." Mina smiled to herself. They didn't have a lot of time left, so they needed to move quickly.
Nedzu laughed maniacally at the crane console, nearly spilling his tea in his excitement.
Mina found a shipping container nearby and melted through it with her acid. It took a lot of effort, but she managed it, making her way back through to crane cane back the other way towards her, so she skidded frantically through, fumbling through the dark. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your perspective) the light of the sun helped illuminate the way as the heavy machinery tore through everything on its way towards her.
The crane chased her throughout its range, with the agile alien queen doing all she could to not get caught. Once she felt she was within the safe zone, she did a little pin and a flourish with all the muscle her legs could muster. Finally, she arrived at her destination.
Mina took a big gulp and made her way up the crane, keeping silent and hoping to be as stealthy as a pink girl in garish clothing could be. As she reached the cockpit, she made a victory sign with her fingers and lunged for the principal. SImilarly, her partner had ambushed the ambiguous mammalian man.
"With all due respect, headmaster, I am commandeering this crane for the abyss." Shihai hopped out from a shadow beneath the seat for the cockpit, aiming to catch the principal. Unfortunately, it was for nothing.
"It's a hologram. You didn't think I would make it easy, did you?" A prerecorded message spoke out condescendingly. Mina stamped her feet and pulled her hair in an exaggerated manner before regaining her composure with a self-assured smile.
Mina sat down and counted on her hand. A loud thud, followed by an "oof" could be heard not far from the crane. Mina thought to a bit of a flourish she did as she spun in place for a moment, as well as the extra oomph she put into her step to get away. It had luckily created a trap and enough acid for the rat man to slip into the newly formed pit the intercom switch and taking the mic in her hand, the triumphant girl teased.
"It's a hole, gramps. You didn't think we would make it easy for you, right?" Mina teases, not actually sure about the Principal's age in relation to hers. After the two-person teen team made their way back to the ground, they eventually caught up to Nedzu and cuffed him, securing the win. Emotion bubbled up as the gate arch signified a win. It was fitting that the Principal's visage would call out his own defeat.
"Wait. I'm confused. I barely did anything. I tried ambushing him but it was a hologram." Shihai scratched his head in confusion. "Did you even need me for this? Also, how did you know what way the principal would have gone?"
"It's like… a beeline, my dude. Genius doesn't mean overcomplicated. If he doesn't think we're giving chase, then he's going to let his guard down, especially if he thinks we're idiots." Mina stood, arms akimbo. "Also, You kept unseen. We needed him to think we were going for a straightforward ambush. Sorry for not being more transparent. I literally thought this plan up in a panic. I'll consult you more next time." The girl rubbed the back of her head and smiled bashfully. "Sorry you barely did anything."
The shadow boy scratched his cheek and looked to the side. "Well, as long as you are sorry. Besides, a victory is a victory. Just let me do more next time. It felt like my shadow was swallowed by your light."
"Awwww, you got it buddy boy! Pinkest Pink and Blackest Black! You were no match for the Blackpink attack, sucker!" Mina posed triumphantly, while Shihai tried to slink back into the shadows. Unfortunately for him, Mina grabbed him by the shirt collar and posed with him. The boy could only blush and resign himself to this level of closeness he expected from a certain girl in his class, if she liked him that way at least. That was a concern for later, however, as the two made their way out of the area and towards success.
X
While this was occurring, an out of this world examination was occurring between one of 1A's most promising students and the resident gremlin of class B. Monoma observed the situation as he went over what he knew about 13. Ochako happily corrected him but was rebuked for it as they reached a vestibule. Eventually, the topic of Izuku came up.
"So, you're friends with the troublemaker who defeated Bakugou, correct? How many disasters has he been involved in now?" Monoma blustered. Ochako could feel her patience slip, but she knew she had to work with this boy, even if he was obnoxious.
"Yes, I am. I really don't appreciate my class being bad-mouthed and it seems to mainly be you and Bakugou. I don't really appreciate that," the girl huffed.
"Calm down, space girl. The truth is, as much as I want my class to shine and show you 1-A ruffians who the real top dogs are…it's us, by the way, Underdogs that we are…I don't hold animosity towards Midoriya…'' Monoma sighed, as if in defeat. And yet there was a sort of sad hopefulness present in his smile.
"You don't?" Ochako blinked a few times as she registered what her partner was saying.
"I'm not Bakugou. Whatever bad blood they have, they can sort out themselves. Midoriya certainly seems to trouble…but I also didn't expect him to stand up to Endeavor for me or give advice. He's not as arrogant as I thought. I'm not clamoring to shake his hand or be his best friend but… I suppose he's not deserving of being knocked down a peg…yet "
"Or ever…" Ochako shot the blonde the scariest glare he had seen in a long time, colder than the vacuum of space.
"You brutish girl. You're scarier than Kendou!" Monoma gasped, feeling his blood run cold. "Do you have feelings for him? Isn't he dating the Pink girl? How scandalous, 1A!"
Ochako had to resist the urge to punch her partner, but then she noticed something: Her hair was moving. Monoma seemed to notice too as he grabbed Ochako's hand and headed for some nearby safety railings.
"We've been spotted. Hold on tight!" The brunette shouted, with her Blonde accomplice shouting back in response before their ears popped from the pressure.
"I noticed!" Monoma growled as he gripped the railing. "They really are just going for the direct approach but when your quirk is a cosmic hammer, everything looks like nails, I suppose. "
"WHAT?" Ochako yelled, trying to make herself heard as the vacuum of space emanating from their teacher's fingertips hungrily devoured all it could.
"I SAID I… oh forget it." Monoma scoffed and gritted his teeth, trying to formulate a plan. Sure enough, he got one.
"Uraraka, was it? I'm going to perform a risky maneuver. I am not the best of my class, I admit. But just watch me. I will show you how class B can shine, even in a black hole." He looked at her and grinned.
"Wait, shouldn't we think things through better? We just got here and I'm sure They are trying to teach us something with this direct approach!" Ochako shouted loud enough for Monoma to hear. He merely closed his eyes and smirked. "This all seems haphazard.
"Sorry, I can't hear you. Follow my lead and prepare for the swift but dignified strength of my quick thinking. And remember these old words of wisdom… Dude, trust me."
Before Ochako could correct him and say that his plan lacked foresight, or that she was not a dude, or that he was being a proud idiot, it was too late. Monoma let go and felt himself get sucked towards 13. Clenching his eyes shut and biting his lip, the young man hoped his gambit could pay off.
"Quitting already? Didn't think this would be that easy." The androgynous astronaut spoke as their quirk sucked up everything, even sound. One could hear what was being said if they were close enough. Monoma was lucky enough to fall into that category.
"You were right! It's not… for you, that is!" The cocky blonde grinned as he got a grip and his ability activated.
"What is this?" Thirteen exclaimed as they saw their quirk mirrored before their eyes.
"Two blackholes canceling each other out. If there were a supernova involved, I could call this an Eye of Harmony. For now, I call it a stalemate."
"You're wrong! It's our victory!" Ochako cried out, activating her quirk and causing herself to float before crashing down like a Meteor using her own momentum. In an instant, her Gunhead Martial arts made quick work of the Astronaut hero.
"Wow…if I had ¥1000 for every scary martial arts girl I knew…" the blonde boy chuckled to himself, grasping the edges of his jacket. "It still wouldn't cover my therapy bills. Still, I suppose we can call this a W?"
"We actually made a great team. Thanks Monoma."
"Of course. Don't get used to it, Gravity girl. We're still rival classes and I suggest you remember that…but for now, I suppose a speedy victory deserves praise."
"Awww shucks."
"So good job, Neito, for your brilliant gambit that helped secure our win. Oh you're too kind," Monoma laughed to himself, feeling his confidence swell up like a balloon. Ochako could only watch in annoyance and pout at her partner.
"I wish I had partnered with Aoyama instead."
"The French boy? Shame. You know us Belgians have perfected their language, they don't even have a word for ninety did you know that? They just say four twenty ten, that's so stupid. Not to mention Belgian fries are the greatest in the world…Is…is he single?" The blonde boy went on. Sure he was born in Kanagawa but that didn't divorce him from his heritage any more than a Sicilian born in New York.
Ochako raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I thought 1A was beneath you save for just this once?"
"Cruel, but fair. I suppose I can forgive him for being in my rival class…and for being French."
X
Kirishima looked over at Setsuna, who was stretching herself out and getting limber. They were about to face Cementoss, who neither had seen in action since the Sports Festival. Even then, neither had seen him go all out. Kirishima was feeling a bit anxious, but heated nonetheless. Afterall, this was the kind of obstacle he was good with.. He looked over at his partner, averting his gaze out of fear she would see him looking and get the wrong idea. Unfortunately for him, she noticed, giving him a wink.
"Hey." The red-haired boy waved bashfully.
"Sup, fellow chompchomp?" The green-haired girl grinned with her razor sharp teeth. "You psyched up?"
"As always. I'm gonna give it my all, like a man." The furnace of Kirishima's soul had fired up, full force.
"Alright. Just don't tell me to man up too, Mr. Macho. I got bullied for that before." Setsuna smiled to herself, a hint of sadness that her partner could not reach. They were both interrupted by a slab of cement, signaling that the battle had started.
"We're up against Cementoss. Looks like our main option is to break through." The dyed-redhead slammed his fists together, feeling his skin morph into a rockier texture.
Setsuna held up a hand. "We could but there's gotta be a different way. He can always put up more walls, so it becomes a game of chicken. Really, though, we can save ourselves the effort if we think up a way around. Think like Midoriya."
"I don't…think my brain can operate like his. That's not my strong suit. I harden. I hit. That's the limit of my quirk. All I can do is look at what others have. A stronger quirk, a stronger mind, a braver heart…each other…But I will put that all behind me and be the best I can be."
"Stop that. If that's all you could do, you wouldn't be here. Look. Do you think if I distract Cementoss, you can knock him out?"
"Now that's a plan I can get behind. I think I should be a distraction though. I'm a hammer. Big. Not very bright or flashy, but good at what I do. You're like a…God, that one word…precision? No…. Special. You're more specialized. If we attack that way, we can win."
"What if he overwhelms you?"
"As long as you pass, that's all that matters."
"Nope. Don't like that. We are both passing." Setsuna decreed without any hesitation. That resolve and determination brought the brightest of smiles to Kirihima's face. He thought to himself as the walls kept coming and he kept punching through.
"Just because your quirk makes you sturdy, doesn't mean you can afford to be rigid in your thinking. For example…it's armor, right? Your quirk is armor."
"I guess. I just get hard and it's harder to hurt me."
"Yes? That's what armor is. Now shut up and keep listening. Every part of you follows suit; correct? That probably includes hair and nails." Akane mused, smacking the boy in the face with her old baseball bat, ever so slightly.
"Why are you hitting me with a bat again?" The spiky-haired boy flinched instinctively with each bop, even if he didn't feel it.
"Sports are good for a woman my age. Besides, if I can use this old toy of mine to beat anything into that thick skull of yours, it is this: You can be armor, but you can also pierce it!"
Kirishima snapped back to reality and charged like a rhino.
"UNSHAKABLE ARMOR PIERCING RIOT!"
Setsuna hesitated for a moment, wondering why he was shouting such a goofy attack name. It was probably for good reason.
"You shouldn't have hesitated. Decisive strikes are important as even a second is enough for an opponent. Still this is no longer a war of attrition."
"Oh no!" Setsuna winced as she scattered her parts throughout the arena. She was hoping to Hierophant Green the situation while Kirishima unleashed his inner Jotaro. Alas, they were now both under attack.
"Wait…hold on. We can salvage this. Are you with me red?" Setsuna asked, having maneuvered her mouth over to her partner, in order for him to hear better while not divulging the strategy to the enemy.
"Of course, Lizard Wizard. What's the plan?" The boy exclaimed, as he started headbutting the cement panels at this point.
"He's a pro, but he's also just like…a guy? Not a God or a machine. So we can decide and conquer while his attention is split." Setsuna continued. "So as uncouth as this is…"
Kirishima nodded enthusiastically while smashing blocks, appreciating the strategy in both its simplicity and its effectiveness. It was definitely a good backup that played to his strengths. Setsuna definitely reminded him of someone in that way. "Yes, Ma'am!"
Setsuna ran interference, using some of her pieces to distract Cementoss and others to weave over and around his blocks in order to land hits. His skin was rough, but the rest felt gooey. If the lizard girl were to describe it, she would say it felt like hitting a sack of wet cement covered in dry cement.
As the war raged on, eventually, Cementoss slipped up, opening him up for a punch and a kick to the face from both sides.
The wacky fun time Nedzu arch lit up as anything with a rodent-like boss/ mascot would. Capitalizing on the situation, the two sharp-toothed teens high fived.
"Nice job, Red," Setsuna exclaimed, bouncing excitedly in her boots,
"Any time, Green," Kirishima smiled. He felt a slightly moist warmth on his cheek as his whole face lit up to the same color of his hair. Setsuna grinned after her lips left the boy's cheek."Seemed like you needed that."
"I-I… Cut that out!" Kirishima blushed harder, while Setsuna grinned, a slight hint of red on her cheeks. She mixed a pair of scissors and detached parts of her other hand in time with the simulated snips.
"Cut, you say? It's practically in my name, spikey boy." She stuck out her forked tongue as an added tease.. Kirishima was ready to just go home and celebrate their victory.
"I can't handle any more crushes on friends…" The sharp-toothed boy sighed.
"What was that? Can't hear you?" Setsuna joked further, having reformed her hand and cupped it to her ear in jest.
Cementoss sat there during the whole thing, bemused. "Can you two Youngsters move on please? You passed "
X
Tsuyu entered what looked like a museum gallery, with a short brunette who was dressed like a mushroom. She seemed shy but trying to break through
"I'm going to do my best. Just wish I was a little bit cuter."
"Do you ever just… feel like you want to shine and show everyone what you can do but you haven't grown into it yet?" Komori stopped in her tracks for a moment, having to grapple with her own insecurities. "How do I make others smile when I can't find my own?"
"We can talk later. We should focus." Tsuyu croaked, eyeing up the situation. "Stay alert and let's address this problem, ribbit."
"Right. Shroom shroom." The mushroom girl tensed up, keeping communication going while also still aware of her surroundings.
"I have a friend. His name is Midoriya. He's kind of similar in that way. He seems to be headed down the right path. My friend Kirishima also has doubts, but he's one of the sturdiest boys I know with the purest heart. I think if they can do anything, so can you. Now let's see what Team Toadstool can do, Ribbit." Tsuyu smiled, bringing a similar grin to her partner's face. Komori nodded, ready to show what she was made of.
The moment was cut short as Ectoplasm made himself known, Spitting out wave after wave of clones. The two girls dodged as best they could. Unfortunately, The crowd became overwhelming.
"Eep!" Komori sprayed spores and waited for them to pop up as mushrooms. Unfortunately, the Ectoplasm clones tore through them before they could be of any use. Even with moisture in the air, the pro-hero was not allowing any openings for attack. He soon cornered and swarmed Komori.
"Komori! Move!" Tsuyu shouted as she grabbed the mushroom girl with her tongue and flung her away. The mushroom girl reached out and tried to help, but could only watch in dismay as the clones piled onto Tsuyu and melted into a writhing clone blob, like something out of a Metroid game.
"You young ladies need to do your math. I'm multiplying by the moment and there is not much you can do to level the odds in your favor." Ectoplasm spoke in unison, laughing to himself as he held onto Tsuyu.
Cocking her spray bottles as if they were dual pistols and she were anything but a short teenager dressed like a fungal gijinka, Kinoko took a battle stance and got to work. "You sum things up well, but your calculations are wrong. We haven't reached our limit yet! Shroom!"
Ectoplasm wasn't sure whether to be concerned over the ominous warning or impressed by Komori's wordplay. Either way, he increased his output.
"Impressive. Using the sprinkler system to help dampen the area and spread your spores. Good strategy. Unfortunately you will also encounter opponents who can adjust for such outcomes, as you can see.".
Tsuyu watched as her partner ran and tried to escape from their teacher and his many brothers. Komori kicked and picked at the blobby mass that held Tsuyu in its clutches. Tsu herself had come prepared, but preparations were nothing if you weren't able to capitalize on them. She learned that as a sibling first and a hero student second.
She watched as her portobello Partner scampered about in a tizzy.
"I have to think. I can't let my partner down. I need to shine." Komori frantically pondered as more clones popped up around her. It was like an audience, but more anxiety-inducing somehow.
Tsuyu had seen her friends go through crises before, as well as living through one or two herself. She had seen what confidence issues could do, and as such, she took a deep breath and shouted.
"Don't give up hope, Shemage. It's not over yet. We've still got him outnumbered. Besides, we can still win this fight if we work together. I've got something up my sleeve."
"I don't know if I can, Asui! I'm putting up a tough act, but there's not enough fungus among us to beat this guy."
"That's wrong and you know it. There's more spores than there are clones. You got this. Also… call me Tsu." The frog girl groaned and wretched. Komori was concerned, thinking her schoolmate was disgusted by the blob she was in. FInally, however, the mushroom girl was able to add it all up.
"Thank you, Tsu. And you… can call me Kinoko!"
Komori took a deep breath and adjusted her cap, showing her eyes as she gave a confident smile. " Alright. I'll fake it til I she-make it then. I'll get you out, and we will head through those gates together. Now let's put a cap on this! "
Spraying spores throughout the arena, the mushroom girl managed to take out several Ectoplasm clones. The whole room soon became like a fairy kingdom. One thing was for sure. The building would have to swiftly be fumigated to prevent mold breakouts or other issues. While she bought some time, Tsuyu fished out the cuffs she had swallowed and attached them to her tongue.
WIth the truest of aims, she attached the cuffs to Ectoplasm's wrists, ending the match. The ghostly guardian bowed his head in defeat and dispelled his clones.
"Well done. Both of you. You worked well as a team. You even have a dynamic little name. I think the future bodes well for ones as bright as you."
And with that, the man turned around to assist in the clean-up while Komori and Tsuyu headed through the gates together.
"Hey, Tsu? Do you really think we can be friends?" Kinoko fidgeted as she walked, starting to lose the confidence she had gained during battle.
"Of course, ribbit. I would be happy to call you my friend. You did a good job today. I'm sure my friends would be happy to meet you too!" The frog girl smiled, only to nearly be toppled by a toadstool tackle hug.
"Thank you. I feel like I really needed that. I want to be an idol hero…someone who can make others smile and feel secure, not just in fighting enemies or keeping them safe, but keeping them inspired and entertained! Shroom shroom!" Komori beamed.
"I think that's a good goal to have. You definitely remind me of my friends. Let's go, ribbit."
Thus, a new bond was forged in battle.
X
Iida looked at the entire testing site. It was crawling with traps and he had no way of being able to tell where the next one would come. Looking over to his side, he saw Itsuka Kendou of 1B patting the dirt with an enlarged hand before tossing a small stone towards the gate. Sand erupted like silicon geysers.
"What do you think? Iida? Hello?"
"Sorry. Just wondering about my friends. Yaoyorozu is a wonderful fit to lead us and Midoriya… I owe him a great deal. I wonder if I could have shouldered the burden of being class president. Still, I try my best as secretary to keep a flawless record and to help my fellow council members."
"We should probably focus on passing."
"Right. Sorry."
"I think that's commendable. Now let's do our best to dismantle PowerLoader and win this fight, as heroes, as examples to our friends, and for our older siblings."
Iida had recalled that there was a Sora Kendou who went by the hero name, King Yeti. He had never made the connection before, but it made sense in his head.
"Can I suggest something, Iida? About your leg engines. Do you have like…a filter in your legs? Sorry if that's weird to ask. It might not be something we can even do in this exam."
"Not at all. I don't know how this would impact our strategy…oh…" The speedster had a realization. He had never thought too much on it in biology or health classes, but it was clicking now. The body was a machine, in a way, even those without engines sticking out of them.
"Yeah. See when someone exerts themselves, lactic acid builds up in the muscles and you get wear and tear. That leads to exhaustion. Then when the body repairs itself, you're a little bit stronger. It's the body's zenkai boost in a way, albeit less fantastical. Similarly with engines, you get gunky buildup from use and that affects performance. Just ask support. They'll say the same. " Itsuka finished explaining, coming across like an adjunct professor on engine maintenance, if there were such things.
"So you're saying that if my leg engine's are clean, I should be able to go faster. I see…You know a lot about quirks." Iida stroked his chin as the girl spoke.
"I mean, not a ton. Just as much as anyone else. My dad's a mechanic and I'm building a bike, so it helps to think about all this."
"I hope this is not embarrassing then?" Iida looked down, feeling a twinge of nerves. He knelt down on the ground for his fellow student to mount him. "I will be the chariot that carries us to victory!"
"What…What do you mean?" Itsuka felt a sweat drop fall down her temple. She soon had her answer as the armored boy patted the ground, beckoning her to ride upon his back. Reluctantly, she obliged. "I guess you took the bike comments a bit literally."
Iida apologized and offered a thumbs up. "I feel like a bridal carry would be undignified for you. Besides, this puts us both in a better position to combine my speed and your fists."
"I'm sure I'll be fine. Fling me at him and I'll hit I'm with a Titan Fist while you go in with your recipro. Sounds good?"
Iida fired up his engines and ran, full speed with his partner gripping him tightly. she had to reach a bit. It wasn't like she had a tail. Still, with effort, the girl grabbed hold, thankful her hand didn't slip. While they deftly dodged the dangerous digging of Power Loader, Iida flashed back to his fight against Stain with Todoroki and Izuku, and the winning attack that had put a dent in the Hero Killer.
"Grab hold quickly, Battle Fist. I'm about to throw you." He shouted like the roar of an engine. " If you need to clear any distance, leave it to me!"
The two teens shouted in unison as their attacks merged in a collective punch of speed and power.
"Recipro EXTEND!
"TITAN FIST: INITIALIZE!"
As Iida and Itsuka sped past the traps before they could activate, Power Loader did his best to catch them off guard but alas, his own guard was discarded as he took a giant hand to the face.
"Way to go, Ingenium. That's some real leadership, title or not." Itsuka walked over to her schoolmate and gave him a playful chop on the shoulder. Her ponytail blew slightly in the wind. "Our big bros never got to team up, as far as I know. Guess we can do what they never got the chance to."
Iida removed his helmet and smiled, grateful for the praise. He had doubted his heroic nature in the face of despair. Everything that had motivated him had been left for dead. Thankfully, Tensei had survived, and yet it had been such a gut punch that it threw Iida's life off course. He was thankful for those that had reminded him of why he wanted to be a hero and what he needed to do if he wanted to stay true to that path
"That means a lot coming from one such as you.. I am sure we will both make our brothers proud."
X
Recovery Girl checked the monitor on her so many examinees, many needed to happen concurrently and it was hard for just one person to monitor them all, especially while they were healing those who were injured. If only they had full hospital staff. Alas, even one of the best schools in the country was still just that: a school.
"So Shiozaki fails while Yanagi passes, Togeike passes alongside Kodai by the skin of their teeth, and so far, it looks like Sato and Kamakiri have failed. Sero and Bondo pass, As do Ojiro and Rin… Oh dear… That's…unexpected… Either way, I hope these robots will be able to attend to things while I monitor the coming fights. I must thank that Doctor for sending some interns to help out."
"Alright, Ashido. How are you doing today? You look slightly bruised but otherwise alright?"
"Of course. Would have been a goner and flat-out failed if I didn't have my own personal brainiac help me out of situations all the time. Eventually I was able to use my own smarts."
"Ahem."
"Sorry. Yeah. I would t have been able to pull it off without Kuroiro here."
Mina looked over at the clock, then back over at Recovery Girl.
"Hey, since I made it out with minimal injuries and the Principal is probably going to need to recover more than me, can I watch the remaining fights?" Mina asked, taking off her mask and tucking it away.
"I don't see why not. It seems like something your boyfriend would do." Recovery Girl pondered out loud, tickled by the devotion of the two fluffy haired Youngsters.
"Yeah. I guess we rub off on each other. It's mostly his fight I'm interested in.. .and worried about." The pink girl shifted bashfully, feeling her face heat up. She got quiet after a while and started to reflect on her past encounters with Izuku's former friend, as well as all she heard of him.
"No faith in your man? My word." Recovery Girl teased. She supposed it was too harsh, but she had the feeling Mina would roll with it.
And roll with it she did, if rolling with it was code for blushing and flailing. "No! That's not it. He's amazing…" The pink girl paused again to consider her words. "but he and Bakugou...There's a lot of history between them."
"I see. Well, walk this way. Shihai, do you wish to watch as well?"
"A dark and stormy display? Interesting…but I'll pass. I'm going to go home and await my pre-order for Clandestine Order: Blood Oath." The boy shook his head and held out his hand in a dramatic gesture.
Mina's ears perked up. "Oooo! Good idea. I'm picking mine up at the store on day one. Did you get the special collector's edition or standard?"
"Collector's, of course. I double misjudged you, Pinky. It was nice meeting you," Shihai smiled, trying to come across as edgy and alarming.
"Likewise~"
"Right. I'm going now. Good luck to your boyfriend. Bakugou's a bit of a handful. Hope they can figure out whatever they were shouting about at the Sports Festival."
As the void boy left, Recovery Girl beckoned Mina towards the control room in order to monitor the other matches.
"You were worried about him, right?"
"Right… I have doubts about the team up. I can get they want to test the two because they don't get along, but it almost feels…unfair?"
"I don't see why that's…Oh. I see. You're worried that it's too vast to work through in a single test."
"Yeah. From what I hear from Tokage, he's grumpy and a jerk still, but mostly keeps to himself, especially after the fight against Izuku…which…"
"Yes, I actually wanted to ask about that. There have been a lot of whispers lately. I don't pay mind to rumors, but this test of theirs is especially because they don't get along."
"I can't. That's Izu's secret to tell. I just…" Mina hesitated, feeling conflict bubble up in her gut. "They have known each other since childhood. Bakugou is not Izuku's biggest fan, let's say. He doesn't like me or Tsu or Kiri either."
"I don't blame you for not telling me. Betraying confidentiality in my field would lead to my termination. In matters of the heart, it's not much different. I can say, however, this school does have a counselor. He's currently fighting Shishida and Tokoyami, but I can recommend him to Midoriya."
"Thanks." Mina smiled, then went to a nearby seat to watch the monitors. She saw the matchup she was most anxious over and could not tear her eyes away. "Please, Izu. Hold out just a bit longer. You can do it." Mina prayed silently to herself as she wished her boyfriend the best.
X
If there was a main event in all these simultaneous exams, this felt like it could be it. There were bound to be a few afterwards. In fact, there were at least a couple left afterwards that Izuku hoped to catch.
All-Might wore restraint gauntlets, designed by Mei Hatsume, the support department girl Izuku had teamed up with during the Sports festival. He also had decided to go all out in villain gear he had assembled, once more with Hatsume's help.
"Why does he look like Roadhog?" Izuku wondered out loud. "Also those literally are kid gloves."
"Made from real kids. Go on! Try me!" Villain-Might beckoned, trying to goad the two young men into testing him. The two boys glared at him, feeling the enormous pressure of the odds against them.
Izuku looked at the cause of at least 55% of his trauma, if he was being generous. He was still feeling sore from their past encounters. And yet, if this was the point, he needed to keep an even keel. Their grades were on the line and Bakugou probably knew that. Besides, between 1B and the internships, maybe the explosive boy had calmed down a bit. Izuku had to at least try.
"So we should probably try to make a break for the exit. That's our safest bet. A head on confrontation won't be good. We can probably ambush him if we-" The green haired boy laid out a strategy. His nerves were shot, but he had to at least try.
"Nobody asked for your useless prattle, you NPC! Just go over to the exit and leave this to me. I don't need you getting in my way or airing your grievances with me on live tv." Bakugou spat, a simmering vitriol starting to grow to a full boil.
"Please, let's not do this here. We have to at least try to-" Izuku bargained one last time, slowly being reaffirmed of his earlier assessment: Bakugou was still an asshole.
"I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR COWARDS! GO BE AN EXTRA IN THE CORNER AND HOPE THE HERO-KILLER COMES BACK FOR ROUND TWO!" The blonde-boy shouted hatefully, realizing what he had said as soon as it had popped out. His eyes fell to the ground before shifting back to All-Might. Perhaps he had gone too far, but that was something to sort out later.
Izuku had heard enough. He had given this boy so many second chances and now he was ready for it to end. "Shut up! You pushed me and you know it. I can't believe I looked up to you."
The two boys devolved into a heating argument, old wounds oozing with the puss and blood of a friendship in tatters, exacerbated by the societal malaise that was slowly festering in the background and just below the surface.
"Fuck you! Cower all you want! It's what you were made to do anyway. I will fight and I will win. I won't be blindsided or embarrassed or held fucking hostage. Get on the street like the pebble you are instead of treating me like some kind of charity case. I know you and your brain dead fan club would love that!"
"This is why we can't have a normal conversation! Oh my fucking God! Were you this proud when you assaulted me when I walked home with Mina? Was that winning! IS THAT HEROISM?!"
"DO NOT BLAB THAT! THAT WAS BEFORE, YOU FUCKING NARC! NOW FIGHT OR FLEE! I DON'T CARE WHICH!" Bakugou's hands sparked with rage as he was one step away from taking on both his partner and his actual opponent at the same time. All-Might stood to the side, resigned to the whole thing. He was supposed to be a test for these kids, but time was ticking away for both the exam and his muscular form.
"Fine. Do your own thing. While You're busy inflating your ego in the corner, I'm going to be here trying to-" Izuku didn't even manage to get a sentence out as both he and Bakugou were clotheslined into a wall. As one tried to get away, the hulking hero grabbed the other and wielded him as a cudgel with which to beat the initial boy.
"You two seem to have used up all your energy fighting each other that you forgot you were supposed to fight me. What a shame. Is this really what passes for heroes these days? Pathetic!" All-Might played up his villain persona, ragdolling the boys if they so much as twitched a muscle.
Internally, however, he hoped they could pull through and work as a team."C'mon, boys. Heroes have to persevere and work together. I'm the waterfall. You're the Salmon. You have to overcome it!"
The pro had hoped, however, that if they did somehow fail, that there would be a second chance. As scary as Aizawa was, he seemed to mostly be bluster as a way to push the kids to grow through adversity. It was an approach he could appreciate but not easily replicate. It was certainly closer to Gran Torino's style than his master's approach, but no less effective.
Izuku's thoughts raced. This fight was going to be hard. He had faced tough opponents before, however. Not only that, he had a lot riding on his success. He needed to pass in order to go to the training camp. He needed to be able to succeed All-Might as soon as possible in order to stave off a coming wave of darkness being spear-headed by a man too evil for the history books. He had to do this all while being his own man and figuring out who that was. And on top of all this, he had to lie about it all to his friends and family. At least he had Mina as a confidant too, but not even that softened the weight of all that pressure.
The kicker to all this, of course, was that he had to hold back his frustrations with one of the biggest contributors of unrecognized trauma in his life. He wished things could have gone better, that they could have been separate and both achieve their goals without interacting with one another too much. He even agreed not to squeal about the bullying or the death threats. There was a spark of heroism deep down that Izuku couldn't let go of in regards to his former friend.
Of course this would be the thing that dragged him down. Not today, however. The One-for-All holder refused.
"I am not a pebble. I am… a block of marble, I will be the pillar that holds all this up, even if it breaks me…" Izuku muttered to himself as he built up Momentum.
"Eh? You saying something, nerd? Speak the fuck up! I know you can from how much you screamed your head off during the Sports festival!"
"I was saying that you're not the only one who aims to win. So stay… OUT. OF MY DAMN WAY!"
Izuku roared as he felt writhing in his arms, as if his veins and tendons had turned into serpents. He had no idea what all that was about, but he would deal with it later. He rushed towards All-Might, jumping over Bakugou in a violent bout of leapfrog before unleashing a 6% full cowling-infused spiral elbow drop to All-Might's neck.
"KNOXVILLE SMASH!
It was then that the boy could have sworn that, somewhere out there, he heard a record scratch as everything slowed down and All-Might merely shrugged.
"Mediocre…"
Before Izuku could ask if that was a Mad Max reference, he was thrown back and crushed beneath his opponent's weight.
"Perhaps there is no avoiding it…I need to get him to listen. Even just this once…" Izuku groaned, kicking himself mentally. It tasted like ash in his mouth, mixed with bile. However, if the teenager could work out a temporary truce in order to pass, then maybe the day was salvageable.
"Serves you right, dipshiOH FUCK!" Bakugou shouted as his reluctant partner was sent hurtling into him like a bowling ball. At least he wasn't bleeding internally.
All-Might sent both boys into the nearby wall with a perfectly aimed punch. The explosive boy was positive he heard a crunch and, while it was good that he had Izuku as living body armor, it still took a lot out of him.
"The fuck is with these exams?" Bakugou spat to himself, feeling a fire build up in his own belly, like a furnace filled with bottle rockets and oily rags.
"Ok. So running won't work. Individual attacks won't work…God dammit… Ka…Bakugou. Look. If we want to pass…No. If we want to win, we need to swallow our pride and work together. Just this once and never again. I'll leave you alone and you can show how awesome you are."
"Do not patronize me, Deku. I will bite your goddamned torso and give you a disease!" The blonde growled through ragged breath.
"Duly noted. I don't want to fail because of this. I got so much riding on this exam, so let's put our egos aside and-"
Izuku was blasted pointblank in the face by Bakugou's grenade gauntlets before he could finish his thought. The blonde grinned maniacally, trying to psych himself up.
"Shut. Your goddamn mouth. I don't need anyone else. Not you, not my class, and not your fucking pity party backup dancers! I will be a hero on my own merits! Because HEROES NEVER LOSE! THEY NEVER SAY DIE? AND NEITHER DO-"
Bakugou's incomplete speech was punctuated by a hole in the side of a nearby building, where he lay lightly buried by rubble.
"Look… I'm going to sound like a broken both can't stand each other…but if we want to win, we have to get through this." Izuku exhaled sharply, feeling like his insides had been tossed into a cement mixer and shoved back down his throat.
"I'm not sorry for alot of our interactions lately. I felt in the past I was too lenient for your treatment of me, at least after i found people who didnt tell me to kill myself… but I didn't want to ruin your life and get you kicked out. I think somehow that wouldn't have helped things."
"I don't have to do jack shit with you, asshole." Bakugou seethed. "I honestly found you less insufferable when you still called me 'kacchan' like we were still toddlers."
"Are you two children done wailing at each other so I can wail on you? I think I'll start with freckles here."
Izuku eyed the grenade gauntlet. Knowing how Bakugou's quirk worked, he had his suspicions on how to operate the device.
"You can go back to hating me after this, but I'm not going to fail here." Izuku gritted his teeth and hoped his words would not come back to bite him.
"You want to kick me like a pebble down the road to victory, but this pebble kicks back!"
The grenade went soaring like a soccer ball towards All-Might.
"Oh? A gift for me?" All-Might prepared a windup to deliver a massive punch. He couldn't help but smile, but was probably setting himself up for disappointment. It all hinged in what happened next.
"I hate your guts, Deku, but I admit. You got balls." Bakugou hissed as he exploded the gauntlet in his teacher's face, completely tearing the mask. The blonde boy would have to deal with that steampunk maniac later for a replacement gauntlet but he would make Izuku pay first.
"Good news, boys. What's the terminology you kids use again?oh, that's right! You just unlocked my second health bar!"
"Holy…"
"Fuck."
"Watch your mouths or papa's gonna spank…but that does sum it up about right!" The old pro's eyes glowed with demonic levels of determination. He was held back, but even those devices held their limits. Even as he lost his power after giving his quirk away, All-Might had no intention of going easy on the boys.
It was all a flash and a blur and an explosion of the senses as All-Might laid into them. Bakugou got up and roared in one last ditch effort, while Izuku cried out and was beaten into the rubble. It almost felt symbolic, except Mina wasn't there to pick him back up.
Mina…
He wouldn't get to go to the camp with her.
Izuku cursed himself. He tried, but it was too little too late. It was too hard to let go of all that trauma. He hoped it could fuel him, but in the end, he was just now reading the instructions five minutes before the buzzer. Sure enough, that klaxon sounded and smothered any flicker of hope left. It felt like a bad dream. Everything went quiet except for a ringing in Izuku's ears, like a bomb had exploded nearby. It felt like childhood.
The time limit had ended, a buzzer signifying the occasion. All-Might looked at the timer and felt the weight of it hit him. Normally, he would go "oops. I got a little out of hand," and just laugh it off, but he couldn't. Not now. The man looked at the two boys and shook his head solemnly.
"Ah kid…sorry." The symbol of peace reached out a hand, trying to find the words to comfort his young ward. Alas, it was too soon and all too raw.
Izuku slumped to the ground in defeat, bruised, bloodied, and beside himself. "No…don't be…it's my fault. I…need to be alone for a bit…"
Sitting there against the juxtaposition of the Nedzu arch spelling it out comically, Reality crashed down and crushed the boy in disappointment. He let All-Might down. He let his friends down. He let Mina down.
He had tried to put aside the past and do what was expected but it was far too late for such a big task. He almost wished Bakugou was awake to beat him up. He wouldn't have even lifted a finger. It's how it all began, after all: With them on bad terms.
Dusting himself off, the green-haired boy walked towards the exit, cursing himself. Bakugou was out cold, utterly battered, inside and out.
Elsewhere, on a screen within the main monitor station, Mina Ashido watched in shock as the unthinkable happened. She felt tears run down her cheek before hitting the floor.
Mina rushed out the door, past her friends, in hopes of comforting her boyfriend, but it all felt like a rock to the chest as reality set in.
Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Midoriya had failed the practical exam.