I do not own My Hero Academia.
This story was written with the help of another writer who wishes to remain anonymous, but has done most of the work and wishes for it to be posted here on fanfiction.
It was hopeless. There was no way I could make it. Not with my new quirk. That was all poor Izuku Midoriya could think as he sat at U.A. auditorium with hundreds of other prospective students.
Figures I would manifest a power like that, mentally thought Izuku. He glanced at his very human hands. At least I managed to revert back…
And what a good thing that was, or else Izuku would have quit right then and there out of embarrassment. Then again, it had taken a good many minutes of panicking, squeaking and trying to calm down before he somehow returned to his human form. The new power of his, though, remained within, haunting him at the periphery of his consciousness.
"Oy, Deku, snap out of it!"
Izuku winced and, with a grimace, turned to the angry blond boy sitting next to him.
"S-Sorry, Kacchan!" Izuku hastily mumbled. He offered a sheepish smile as he nervously tried not to look too panicky.
"Don't call me that, nerd" growled Bakugo.
Again, Izuku apologized, not that it helped.
"If you don't think you can make it, then quit, Deku. I have enough losers around me without you wallowing like a miserable worm!" Bakugo spat, before snapping his head away from the green-haired boy.
Izuku frowned at the blond. He looked up ahead and below, to the lectern before all the students.
Should I quit? Pondered the boy. No, I can't. I spent a year training, and All Might put his trust on me. He gave me his quirk… I can't quit. Not now.
That didn't stop Izuku from feeling embarrassed already. After all, the mere notion of employing such a form as that of a rabbit-girl was a far cry to what he had dreamed when All Might had promised to give Izuku his quirk.
Truth to be told, Izuku had expected many powers and abilities. For the most part, Izuku expected super-strength and resilience, much like All Might himself. That was what Izuku had fantasized about, at least.
I managed to learn so much about All Might's incredible power and fighting abilities from All Might himself, and for what? Izuku grimly thought.
Notes upon notes of how All Might claimed that his quirk worked would remain forever useless in his notebooks. Hell, all his plans on how he would master One for All once it was passed to him had to be thrown out the window.
Still, I can't quit, Izuku repeated. As embarrassing as it is, the least I can do is give my all. I can think of returning One for All to All Might later…
And with that, Izuku nodded to himself and focused. He needed to come up with a new strategy. But what? From what Izuku recalled from U.A. pamphlets, the Practical Exam would include robots. Mostly, all would-be students had to destroy different types of robots and win points according to the type destroyed.
The light of the auditorium turned down and suddenly the only thing visible was on the lectern. The students all quieted down as a figure appeared in front of everyone.
"Hello dear listeners, are you ready? Give me a 'YEAH'!"
Izuku felt like squealing in glee. There, about to deliver the practical exam orientation, was none other than the Pro-Hero Present Mic. Blond, looking more like a washed-up DJ than a Hero, he was little more than a thin man with a loud voice and quite the extravagant personality. True, he wasn't exactly a top-tiered Pro, but Izuku didn't care.
"What a tough crowd" Present Mic grumbled, only to regain his energetic demeanor. "Alright y'all, it is time to start this orientation."
Right, maybe we'll learn something new, something I can use, Izuku thought, concentrating.
And thus, Present Mic explained pretty much what Izuku, and probably everyone else, already knew: there were three types of faux villains (as the robots were called). The light humanoid robots that gave one point when destroyed (a.k.a. One-Pointers), the slightly tankier arachnid looking machines that gave two points (or Two-Pointers) and finally the massive Three-Pointers. There was, however, a fourth robot that hadn't appeared at the pamphlet.
"Sir!"
Izuku, and everyone else, turned around. There, standing, was a rather tall blue-haired teenager. He looked particularly stiff, as if he was part robot himself.
"Yes, examinee 7111?" responded Present Mic.
"We were informed that there would only be three types of robot without any mention of this fourth Zero-Pointer one" the boy said. "If this is a mistake, then it is a grave error that goes against this school's prestigious reputation!"
"Love your enthusiasm, listener!" chuckled Present Mic. "But you don't have to worry! We didn't mention the Zero-Pointer because it doesn't add points, as the name suggests. Consider it more of… an obstacle."
"Thank you for your time, sir" replied the stiff boy.
"It is no problem, dear listener!" said Present Mic with his usual antics.
Why does he look so familiar? Hummed Izuku, staring at examinee 7111.
Suddenly, the auditorium exploded in whispers.
"So it is like a video game, huh?"
"Do you think the robots will fight back?"
"Man, how are we supposed to destroy them? With our fists?"
Izuku, however, was lost in his own thoughts. He was trying to come up with a strategy. Sadly, before that, he wasn't sure where to start.
Maybe I should think it all as if that form is another hero, Izuku suggested to himself. How would I come with hero strategies for a new hero? Right, my notebooks… first my name, then basic details, and finally the hero's quirk. Wait… other heroes? Why instead of All Might not focus on other heroes like…
A name flashed against his head and Izuku's eyes widened. Why hadn't he thought about her before?
The Rabbit Hero: Miruko! Izuku thought.
In his mind, an imaginary notebook opened and pages flipped to an entry. There, Izuku remembered what he had written down about her. One of the top ranking heroes of Japan, she was quite the individual. More importantly, she was the best example for him. Miruko had a rabbit quirk and she was more than a decent fighter. Better yet, Izuku felt sure he could perhaps imitate some of her moves.
Perfect! Izuku thought, hope filling his gut. Maybe being a fan boy wasn't such a bad thing!
"Oi, Deku!"
Izuku squawked, broken out of his thought by Bakugo.
"Stop lazing around, nerd!" Bakugo shouted, gritting his teeth, before he marched away.
Izuku blinked around only to realize people were already filing out.
"Right, the exam" Izuku realized. He gulped. "I need to come up with a strategy… and quick!"
Unfortunately for Izuku, he didn't get enough time to think. After a short reprieve, Izuku found himself under the shadow of a massive gate. Beyond it was what looked like an entire city. To think that was only one Battle Center. However, Izuku had more important things to worry about than the layout of the battle center or just how much funding UA had available for their crazy tests.
As the other examinees marveled on the city, Izuku slowly walked behind the bus. There was no one there. That was good. He sincerely did not want anyone to know about his new quirk. With a sigh, he gulped. He closed his eyes and focused on his power. It was still there, available. This time, however, Izuku was hesitant to reach to it.
Was the exam really worth it? Should he really embarrass himself transforming into a girl just to become a hero? He could already imagine Bakugo and his classmates back at his middle school mocking him, calling him all sorts of names. It was bad enough that he had been quirkless… but now it so happened his quirk was to transform into a bunny girl?
My life sucks, Izuku grumbled. He shook his head and focused. No, Izuku, you've got this far. Might as well see it through!
Without further hesitation, Izuku closed his eyes and concentrated. He reached into the power, letting it flow through him and then…
Izuku blinked, and looked down at his hands.
"Well, would you look at that" he said, studying himself (or was it herself now?) "That was anticlimactic."
It was a good thing he had managed to use shorts instead of long pants, because in the rabbit form his shorts reached well past his knees. Thankfully (or maybe not) it seemed this female form of his had rather wide hips. His shirt, though, felt like a dress.
"Hey!"
"ARGH!"
Izuku wasn't sure what came first. His own girly scream of surprise, or the way he jumped back ten meters. He gripped his heart, trembling, as he studied the one who had startled him. As it so happened, it was examinee 7111.
Up close, Izuku realized that the boy really reminded him of someone else. He couldn't quite pinpoint who, but Izuku was sure examinee 7111 looked like someone Izuku recognized from outside school. Maybe a hero, but Izuku thought that was unlikely.
"And what are you doing behind this bus?" The tall blue-haired boy bus. "You are not attempting to consume illegal drugs to enhance your performance, are you? For I would have to otherwise report you to the teachers!"
Sweet carrots, that guy is intense, thought Izuku.
"Hey, what's going on back here?"
Oh God, it is her, thought Izuku, wide-eyed.
And indeed, it was none other than the girl with the Zero Gravity Quirk. She looked taller now that he was shorter, but even then not by much. Still, she looked rather cute, to the point Izuku was instinctively feeling uncomfortable in her presence. That and the realization Izuku hadn't imagined her conversation with him (if you could call it that).
"I caught this girl hiding behind the bus!" reported examinee 7111.
"Hey, I wasn't doing anything" Izuku spluttered.
"That is exactly what someone who was up to no good would say!" accused examinee 7111.
"Geez, I think you are going a bit crazy about this" the cute brunette said. "I'm sure she wasn't doing anything, right?"
Izuku nodded. Sadly, examinee 7111 was not satisfied.
"I have to disagree on-" was saying the tall boy, before he was interrupted by loud speakers.
"Alright, listeners, we are about to begin! Everyone, go to the gates!" It was Present Mic's voice.
Examinee 7111 glanced at Izuku before marching out without saying another word. Izuku wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Hopefully that guy wouldn't get him into any trouble.
"What a bully" huffed the cute brunette. "Come on! We don't want to miss the exam, do we?"
Izuku silently nodded. While he remained rather calm on the outside, inside he was laughing maniacally out of sheer disbelief and joy.
Oh God, this is the second time I have talked to the same girl! He thought.
All students were crowded in front of the gate. No sooner did they spot Izuku, the rabbit girl immediately felt many an eye trained on her. Worse, his keen new ears could make out some of their whispers.
"Hey, who's the cute little bunny? I don't remember seeing her in the bus."
"Holy crap, she's adorable! Like a plushy or something"
Izuku felt utterly embarrassed by the attention he was getting. That and Izuku felt annoyed, something he was surprised about. When was the last time he was irritated by anything?
That was when the gate creaked open, revealing the interior of the city. Battle Center B was now available to them. Yet everyone stood there, unsure. They looked around, confused, before they started asking each other if it was time to begin.
"What are you waiting for?" Was the voice of Present Mic once again. "There are no timers in real life! Go! Go! Go!"
And with that, the Practical Exam began.
The examinees didn't stall. They all rushed into the Battle Center with determination, and perhaps a hint of desperation. There were a few initial squabbles as examinees pushed and nudged each other. However, the further they delved into the small city, the more the main group thinned. In all directions, teenagers spread in pursuit of robots to destroy.
Izuku had to stop dead on his tracks. He studied his animal feet, impressed. He felt really light, like he could fly away at any moment. Maybe his quirk wouldn't be as bad as he thought.
He quickly shook his head, refocusing on the task at hand.
Right, following the rest of the examinees won't be a smart idea. I need to find pockets of robots, preferably away from others, Izuku thought.
Izuku looked up at the still running crowd ahead, and smiled. With an idea in his mind, he rushed down an empty street. He was sincerely amazed by how quickly he could run now, way faster than any normal person. However, Izuku quickly stopped and perked his ears once again. Hearing nothing suggesting faux villains, he hurried down the next street.
"Where are those villains?" Izuku asked, confused.
As if answering to his question, the wall in front of him exploded. From behind a cloud of dust and powdered mortar, a One-Pointer roared and screeched to a halt.
Izuku felt his resolve falter, terrified as the real thing went straight to him. He managed to keep his cool. Gritting his teeth and leaning forward, Izuku remembered his training. All Might did more than watch him pick up trash at the beach, after all. He could still remember all the fighting training they went through, from how to punch properly to actually trying to deliver a kick.
I can do this, thought Izuku. Visualize Miruko and All Might… remember their moves…
His eyes found the spot he wanted: the One-Pointer's neck. It looked feeble enough for a puny rabbit girl to destroy in one kick. Still, Izuku felt confident about his rather muscular legs.
Izuku jumped forward, shooting towards the machine like a bullet. The One-Pointer didn't slow down. It reared an arm, ready to punch its target. Izuku, mid-air, prepared for a kick. In one instant, everything appear to line up exactly as Izuku needed. The robot reached him, and he was about to kick the mechanical beast's neck when, all of a sudden, a beam of light pierced through the One-Pointer.
Izuku could only watch in abject confusion as he flew past a destroyed One-Pointer. His shock was turned to surprise as his entire body smacked straight onto the ground. The impact hurt him, especially with the way he rolled and bounced off the pavement. Luckily, when he got to his furry feet, he was mostly alright.
"Ouch" hissed Izuku. "Note to self, learn to land with some grace…" he looked around "…just who shot that thing?"
"Excusez moi, mademoiselle" an obnoxiously French voice echoed.
Izuku turned around only to find a lean sparkling blonde posing at him.
"I would love to stay to talk, but I have an exam to complete. Au revoir!" And with that, the blond run away.
"Damn it" spat Izuku. He hopped onwards, undeterred. "Doesn't matter. I can't stop!"
He broke into a sprint, ears trying to pick any sounds far away. He could make it. He was sure of it! It wasn't like the other examinees would all steal his kills like that French asshole… right? And hey, since when had he started thinking about people as assholes?
Sincerely, this rabbit form might be more trouble than its worth, mentally grumbled Izuku.
-‐-‐-‐-
Far away from the many battle centers, in a dark room, a myriad of monitors and screens were showing live images of the practical exam. The onlookers happened to be teachers and judges for the exam, all seated in comfortable reclining seats. Amidst those people, one man watched the events of Battle Center B with interest, and a good lot of anxiety.
Skeletal and deathly pale, the man had golden spiky hair. His pitch-black eyes lacked its usual whiteness, and the pupils of the man were but bright blue orbs. It was hard to believe that that man was All Might himself, the Number One hero of japan and also Izuku Midoriya's trainer.
Where are you, young Midoriya? Wondered All Might.
He kept checking screen after screen, but none showed Izuku Midoriya. In fact, it looked like he was M.I.A.
"Looking for someone?" Came a chirpy voice from the seat next to his.
"Yes" All Might admitted with a weary sigh. "There's this kid. He was supposed to be there…"
The person next to All Might was none other than the Principal of UA, Nezu. Dressed in formal black pants, white shirt and vest, he was not exactly a human. He was an odd mix of a rat, a bear and a dog, even if he did look more of an anthropomorphic rat.
"What's his name? I'm sure he is somewhere" Nezu said with his happy demeanor.
"Izuku Midoriya" All Might said. "Green hair and eyes, a few freckles… he looks rather plain."
Nezu typed something on a keypad on his seat's armrest. His smile didn't falter as he looked into the screens that had warning signs.
"My, my, it would appear the cameras can't find that child" Nezu said.
So young Midoriya decided on the side of caution and didn't try the practical exam, reasoned All Might. I can't blame him. Hell, I think it's better this way. He could really hurt himself with One for All… I should have been more insistent.
Unfortunately, All Might couldn't bring himself to dissuade Midoriya from trying to get into the Hero Course, even when Midoriya got his quirk that very same day. Truth of the matter was that All Might was still feeling guilty for what he once told Midoriya so thoughtlessly.
To think he had dismissed his successor, and actually told him to quit his dreams. He had been so careless… Then again, All Might also remembered he was a bit put out by Midoriya's clinginess. The boy had literally grabbed onto his leg as All Might left to deliver a dangerous villain to a police station. What manner of person would do that?
"Strange" said Nezu, blinking at the screen.
All Might was rather worried at the look of puzzlement on the rat-bear-dog being.
"It reads here that Midoriya has not left the premises and he was actually at the orientation… and he even boarded the bus to his Battle Center" said Nezu.
He typed on the keypad, and the screen in front of him switched to the front of Battle Center B. There were no signs of the missing child.
"Huh, mark me confused" said Nezu.
All the teachers who were in ear range snapped their heads at the Principal. It was, after all, the first time they had ever heard the Principal admit to being confused.
"I'll go search for him" said All Might, already feeling responsible.
Maybe the burden of trying to surpass me has made Izuku crack. For all I know he would be going through a mental-breakdown in the premises of the school, thought All Might with a grimace.
"Please, don't. I will inform Ectospasm and Hound Dog that are guarding the grounds" Nezu said. "Please, let us not miss these young men and women who might be the heroes of the future."
All Might wanted to protest. In the end, he relented and stayed put. Even if he wanted to help find Midoriya, he was sure that if the cameras couldn't find him, Ectospasm and Hound Dog had better chances of coming across Midoriya than him.
I must trust in young Midoriya, he told himself. He wouldn't jeopardize his chances of getting into UA, would he?
Hence, All Might leaned back on his seat and tried to watch the teenagers battle on the many battle centers. Sadly, he couldn't stop worrying for Midoriya. Countless scenarios played in his mind, some as simple as Midoriya having decided to quit and walk back to the school's main building, to farfetched scenarios of a convoluted kidnapping from All Might's enemies.
All Might's eyes landed on a petite brunette who was touching a group of robots instead of kicking or punching them. She managed to dodge their attacks, racing past them and away from danger. It was as she reached a safe distance that All Might noticed the robots were starting to float upwards, albeit rather slowly. From above, All Might saw a grey blur approach the vulnerable and exposed floating robots.
Poor girl. Her quirk isn't fast enough to destroy the robots… All Might thought.
That was until the grey blur changed course and intercepted an incoming third examinee All Might had missed. The Pro-Hero watched on, his eyes widening, as what had been a dash on the screens became a rabbit. No, a human with some kind of rabbit mutant quirk. By contrast, the third examinee on the screens was large, bulky and, surprisingly, bald. All Might was actually impressed when the little rabbit girl started arguing with the third examinee, blocking his path.
Finally, the robots reached a high enough altitude. The brunette that had lifted the mechanical beings pressed the tips of her fingers against each other and, almost instantaneously, the robots dropped onto the ground, having regained their gravity. The rabbit girl smiled at that before sprinting away, becoming a blur of movement. The brunette apparently noticed the dash of grey with wide eyes before smiling appreciatively at the departing rabbit girl.
"How nice to see some sportsmanship in these exams" said Nezu. "Unfortunately, the desire to pass the exam can make even the finest of students act unkindly towards their peers."
"I hope the rabbit girl will get some points out of her actions" All Might said.
"Worry not, All Might, we take into account far more than mere Villain Point" Nezu said.
"We are nearing the end!" Someone announced.
"Uh, this is when it gets exciting!" Nezu chuckled.
All Might smiled as well, eager to see how the examinees would react to the little surprise in store for them. However, in the back of his mind, he couldn't bring himself to forget about Midoriya, out there, probably in need of some reassurance. Only All Might knew just how much that kid needed a confidence boost.
"Prepare the Zero-Pointer" giggled Nezu.
-‐-‐-‐-
Izuku was starting to panic. He had probably run around half the small city, and nowhere he went did he manage to get one point. It was frustrating, to say the least. He would sometimes find a robot, only for another nearby examinee to claim it. Izuku wouldn't raise a fuzz and he wasn't about to steal someone else's kill, so he would always move on. Unfortunately, the pattern repeated itself… or worse, he would be about to finally destroy a robot when some random examinee would quickly dispose of it before he could.
At last, Izuku found himself on a deserted street. In front of him, there were only two Two-Pointers. He looked around, disbelieving. Could this be it? Could he finally get at least one point?
Smiling and relief swelling in his chest, Izuku sprinted forward. He was already getting a hang of his rabbit body. Admittedly, he couldn't deny just how amazing it felt to be able to speed across the streets with such ease. Summersaulting and other moves were so easy Izuku felt like an Olympic gymnast. Hell, his legs felt more like springs than actual limbs!
The first Two-Pointer spotted him. It was too late, however. It reared its head, but it couldn't move fast enough. Izuku was already shooting towards it, leg pulled back and ready to deliver a crashing kick.
This is it! After all this time, I can finally put into practice all my training! Izuku thought in glee.
Fate, however, could be a bitch. Izuku was about to land the kick, when something dropped like a meteor onto the Two-Pointer. Izuku stared, slack-jawed, as the Two-Pointer fell onto the concrete ground while he flew over it. He was overcome by a strange sense of Déjà vu – that or those kill-steals were getting way to frequent for his liking. Worse, however, was the glimpse of the culprit: examinee 7111.
Izuku skidded across the ground, glancing at the tall teenager who had his back turned towards Izuku and, more importantly, the other Two-Pointer.
Alright, that one is mine, Izuku thought, dashing at the remaining Two-Pointer.
Unfortunately, there was a loud explosion, a dash of something that came from the left and, just like that, the Two-Pointer was headless and dropping on its body. In front of it, Examinee 7111 landed on its knees, taking a breather.
Oh come on! Didn't you see I was going for it?! Izuku desperately thought, pulling his long ears in exasperation.
"That would make forty-nine…" said the blue-haired teen, oblivious to the angry rabbit girl behind him. "That is not enough."
And without even sparing a glance towards Izuku, examinee 7111 run away. In that moment, though, Izuku managed to spot what looked like exhaust pipes from the boy's calf. Once again, Izuku felt something gnaw on the back of his mind. Where had he seen someone with such a quirk before? However, before he could indulge himself in such thoughts, another matter popped into his head.
"F-forty… forty nine?!" Izuku spluttered.
How is anyone supposed to compete against that? He can just rush through a place and leave nothing for the rest! His speed and combat strength makes it impossible for anyone else to catch up, Izuku thought. He actually reminds me of Ingenium… Oh, so that was the guy he reminded me of.
He shook his head, stopping his fanboyish thoughts from getting the better of him, and tried to push down his frustrations. He had to focus on the exam.
However, it was hard to focus when he knew that time was running out and he had yet to get one point. If only he hadn't been the nice guy and allowed others take the kills. If only he hadn't stopped to help people around. If only he had gotten a real quirk from All Might. If only…
Reaching a large avenue, Izuku stopped. It was a massacre, with robot pieces lying everywhere. Examinees in all directions were shouting at each other, red-faced and furious. By the looks of it, tempers were running high.
"That one was mine!" "No, it was mine!" "Hey, I need those points!" "Screw you, you bastard!"
Izuku ignored the infighting. Where was he supposed to go now? He probably had nowhere else to find a robot. Izuku's shoulders slumped and he stared ahead, unable to push back his hopelessness.
Great… seems I am not worthy of being All Might's successor after all, Izuku thought with tears on his eyes. I couldn't… I couldn't even get one Villain Point… and all I did was turn the most amazing quirk into… into this.
He glared at his pathetic furry hands. Just what manner of nonsense of this? Was some asshole god laughing from above? Why make him suffer so much to then give him hope if only to bring it down all in one full-swoop?
The young man-turned-rabbit would have wallowed in self-pity a bit more, hadn't the world suddenly started shaking. It started as a simple hum, before everything was quivering. Izuku's body trembled, and he barely managed to stay on his feet. That was before something exploded up ahead.
Izuku watched with mounting horror as something rose. Buildings and pavement alike cracked and crashed. Something humongous had made its appearance, raising a cloud of dust in its wake. Slowly, a silhouette formed, towering over all examinees.
"That's the Zero-pointer?!" Someone screamed.
The Zero-Pointer paused its dauntless march, only to look down at the people dozens of meters below it. It was then that he released a powerful roar. Silence ensued, before everyone lost it. The very same who had been having heated arguments started running away side by side. No one dared to slow down. They all rushed past Izuku and away from the Zero-Pointer.
Izuku was about to follow their example, when the Zero-Pointer punched the ground, raising another cloud of dust and sending debris in all direction. It was the loudness of it all that made Izuku stop and clasp his ears. He had forgotten just how sensitive they were.
I-I have to run. I-I could use the chaos to get a villain, frantically thought Izuku, breaking out of his stupor and angling his body away from the Zero-Pointer. I can't stop… not now…
"Ow"
Izuku stood there, unmoving. His rabbit ears were perked up and straight, directed towards the Zero-Pointer, or rather, a faint voice that came from someone in its path. Slowly, and with his eyes promising to pop-out of their sockets, Izuku turned towards the Zero-Pointer. There, trapped beneath a large boulder, was the cute brunette from before.
She-she'll be alright. The teachers won't allow the exam to go too far and- and the girl has a gravity removing quirk. She can get away from it… right? Desperately thought Izuku.
But the Zero-Pointer was still rolling forward, right towards the girl, and there was no sign of ever stopping. Izuku ignored the examinees that run past him. He ignored as examinee 7111 sprinted right next to him, glancing at him, before carrying on with his hasty retreat. Izuku, on the other hand, stood his ground.
-‐-‐-‐-
"Well, that's disappointing" huffed Nezu. He was switching between screens. "And here I was hoping to see someone raising to the occasion."
"Wait, there!" All Might exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "Go back to Battle Center B!"
All teachers leaned forward, excited, as a sole student rushed towards the Zero-Pointer, determination burning in her eyes. All Might found himself smiling as the little rabbit bravely headed towards danger, straight to the student trapped under the debris. Let it be known that the greatest of courage could be found in all shapes and sizes.
"I have it ready to stop it" said Power Loader, a short man in a robot armor suit.
"Not yet" said Nezu. "Make the Zero-Pointer keep rolling and ignore the trapped student…"
The teacher watched with abated breath. What would the little rabbit girl do?
"She's not going to make it" said the R-rated Hero, Midnight.
"What in the world can she even do?" Someone wondered.
"Could you slow the Zero-Pointer down?" asked another Pro-Hero, Cementoss.
"Right on it" replied Power Loader.
All Might wondered if the Rabbit girl could actually do anything. That boulder over the trapped student's leg looked too big for a tiny rabbit girl to handle. Still, maybe the rabbit girl would surprise them all with some ingenuity or a hidden power.
"Wow, what is happening to the little bunny?" Asked Midnight.
All Might and his fellow Pro-Heroes watched in amazement as the running rabbit girl started glowing. Her amethyst eyes were shining, and sparks were arching all over her fur. It actually reminded All Might of his own quirk, One for All. But that wasn't possible, was it?
Then something unexpected happened. The rabbit bunny, even with a hundred meters left to go, leaned forward and jumped, and what a jump it was. The ground cracked and the rabbit girl almost exploded towards the Zero-Pointer. For a mere second, it looked like a live lightning had burst from the ground towards the gigantic robot.
The Zero-Pointer did not know what hit it. In fact, the teachers weren't sure either. One moment it was looming over the trapped student rather threateningly, the next its long rectangular head was cracked inwards. In the seconds than ensued, the Zero-Pointer twitched and cracked all over, followed by explosions as it fell backwards, completely destroyed.
"Did the little bunny…?" whispered Midnight with the utmost disbelief.
"Incredible" murmured Cementoss.
"Oh my… oh my… OH MY GOODNESS!" All Might exclaimed, exploding into his muscular form.
"My poor baby!" Shouted Power Loader.
All teachers turned their heads to the support hero, who had the decency of looking sheepish.
-‐-‐-‐-
What did I just do? Thought Izuku.
It was no surprise he was confused. After all, it was not every day he found himself suspended mid-air a good distance above the ground with an exploding behemoth of a robot crashing and burning before his eyes.
Truthfully, his body acted on its own in his desire to protect the cute brunette. He had realized at some point that he wasn't going to make it, and that he needed to stop the Zero-Pointer. Izuku could recall how he had suddenly felt power course through his body giving him the confidence to jump and try to kick the Zero-Pointer. Of course, the results were kind of unexpected.
Did I do that? He pondered.
However, his thoughts were quickly taken by another more pressing matter: the fact he was falling. Shock was replaced by fear as Izuku saw the fast approaching ground. Worse, he didn't know what do.
Izuku looked at his legs. Even after all the power he had wielded, they looked pretty fine. They did burn a lot, however.
Maybe I can activate that power just now… I withstood the kick against a metal monster. The ground shouldn't be that different, right? Thought IZuku.
If only it was so simple. With gravity doing its work, and adrenaline coursing through a panicking Izuku, there was nothing he could hope to do. He couldn't concentrate to find that inner power.
This is it! I am going to die! Thought Izuku. I'm sorry Mom! I'm sorry All Might! I'm sorry-
SLAP.
Izuku felt a sense of weightlessness take over and, just like that, he no longer felt the vertigo of a free-fall. Instead, he felt one cheek burning.
"G-gotcha… release"
Izuku blinked, before dropping straight on concrete. This time, it was a few feet from the ground and thus wasn't harmed. Not far from him, Izuku spotted the same brunette he had been trying to save, on a boulder she had been floating on. It took him a few seconds to register that she had saved him. That and that the girl was puking her guts out.
"Hey, are you-?" Izuku was asking as he tried to stand up.
He never managed to get on his feet. Instead, he fell back on the ground, wincing as his feet seemed to protest.
"Ouch" Izuku hissed, gritting his teeth.
His legs felt like they were on fire. At least he could move them, and they didn't seem to be otherwise broken. However, Izuku suspected that his leg muscles didn't appreciate the power that had brought down the Zero-Pointer.
"Hey, are you alright?" Izuku asked the brunette.
The petite girl slowly looked up. Other than looking sick, she appeared to be mostly fine. Well, aside from the injured leg of hers.
"Yeah" mumbled the brunette, before she started vomiting again.
Izuku leaned back, exhausted. Adrenaline was leaving his system and all strength he had had until before the Zero-Pointer seemed to escape him. Truthfully, Izuku felt like sleeping right then and there. However, he didn't allow himself to relax. He couldn't stop.
"I am not done" Izuku muttered. "One point… I need to get at least one point."
He tried to crawl away, his desperation overriding all rationality. Sadly, it was too late.
"TIME'S UP!" Present Mic declared.
Izuku stopped struggling, feeling tears once against rolling out of his eyes.
"No… I failed" he sobbed.
One by one, nearby students walked towards them, all curious to see the same person who had destroyed the Zero-Pointer. Ahead of them all was examinee 7111. He was more confused than anything. He had seen the rabbit girl running towards the Zero-Pointer… but it couldn't be that such a fragile looking person actually held so much power.
"Did the rabbit girl do it?" Someone whispered.
"Damn, I didn't think she was that powerful!" Another person exclaimed.
"She had all that power and didn't use it before this?" Someone mocked.
They are all missing the point. She behaved commendably in order to rescue a fellow examinee, even at the expense of wasting time. Could this be part of the examination? Thought examinee 7111, staring straight at the rabbit girl who remained crying on the ground.
An old lady, who happened to be the school nurse and pro-Hero Recovery Girl, made her way to the two fallen students. Using her quirk (a quick kiss), she healed the sickly looking brunette. The rabbit girl, on the other hand, looked mostly fine but used her quirk on the child regardless.
"Alright my listeners, the bus is waiting to take you back!" Announced Present Mic. "Do not stay behind, everyone! You really don't want to hang around the battle centers at night; trust me, it's way too scary!"
Izuku slowly pushed himself up from the ground. He looked as badly as he felt: miserable and pathetic. The other students all went to the main entrance, while Izuku slowly trudged behind, lost in his own misery.
"Ehm… hey?"
Izuku stopped his slow march and glanced sideways. There stood the brunette from before.
"Are you all right? You look kind of… ehm… depressed" the girl said.
"No, no, I'm alright" mumbled Izuku, offering a small unconvincing smile.
"Well, your ears are all droopy and you seem really sad" she said. "Ehm… thanks for saving me."
Izuku blinked before a more genuine smile formed on his face. At least he did manage something, didn't he? It wasn't everyday he managed to be heroic around a cute girl, even though he currently was little more than an anthropomorphic rabbit girl.
"You also saved me, so we are even" pointed out Izuku.
"I guess" giggled the girl.
Feeling his body warm up in the presence of the cute brunette, Izuku tried to keep his composure. Thankfully, she was at least making feel a lot better… even if he had pretty much failed the exam. Side by side, the two walked towards the exit.
"How- how many villain points did you get?" Wondered the cute girl.
Izuku grimaced.
"Zero" he sighed.
He missed the shock on the girl's face.
"Th-that can't be right" she said. "You were so awesome back then! You were all flashy and POW and BOOM and then falling…"
Geez, it sure is hot today, thought a flustered Izuku. Figures a cute girl would talk to me only when I am a rabbit girl.
"It's not fair" suddenly said the cute girl with a frown. "You were way too cool to fail the exam."
"It is what it is" said Izuku. "And hey, I think it is for the best…"
After all, I have to return this quirk to its rightful owner, he thought.
"Nonsense" huffed the girl. "There must be something I can do. Maybe…" she trailed off, unsure "…maybe I could give you some of my points?"
"What? No, please, don't do that" pleaded Izuku, horrified at such a prospect. "You would be wasting it on me! I mean, you would need to share like a lot of point, if not all of them, for me to even stand a chance at passing the exam."
"But you kind of saved me out there" she insisted. "It's the least I can do."
"Please, don't" begged the plain boy turned rabbit girl.
The girl pouted in protest, but didn't say anything. Neither of them noticed that they were being eavesdropped by a certain tall, blue-haired boy.
The students all made it to the entrance gate and filed back into the bus. The mood was a tad different to what it had been on the way to the battle center. Those who had been confident were subdued and a good lot of examinees appeared to be angry or despondent. The most dismally looking of the lot was, of course, Izuku.
First chance he got after getting his duffle bag with a change of clothes, Izuku went to a good hiding spot and reverted to his human green-haired self. Instead of changing his attire, he put on a pair of pants and his middle school's blazer to hide the attire he had used as the rabbit girl, lest someone made the undesired connection. With the task done, he hastily returned to the rest.
When Izuku checked his cell phone, he was surprised to find calls from All Might. His heart clenched painfully. How could he explain to his idol and mentor, the one man who came to believe in Izuku, how he had messed up? How could Izuku inform the man that he had ruined the most powerful quirk of all? Would All Might be disappointed or furious? Would he demand Izuku to hand over One for All? Izuku doubted it. All Might had struck him as a rather good guy, easy-going and at a times more of a goof.
In any case, Izuku owed his idol and mentor the truth, and at least apologize to the man. With a weary sigh, he once again went in search of a secluded spot and called All Might. He was in the middle of the forest outside the school, not far from the entrance gate but not close enough to be eavesdropped or seen.
To Izuku's surprise, All Might responded right away. Izuku felt terrible as he realized that All Might probably had been waiting for news on his exam… Probably wanting to hear how well it went, thought Izuku.
"Hey, All Might?" Izuku timidly started, already mustering all the courage he could muster for the conversation he was about to have.
"Young Midoriya!"
Izuku yelped as the voice came both from his phone and behind him.
"A-All Might?!" Spluttered Izuku, turning around.
"Not so loud, my boy!" shushed All Might.
Indeed, it was the man of the hour, dressed in a suit and in all of his muscular glory.
"W-what are you doing here?" Izuku asked, lowering his phone.
All Might just laughed, as if amused by the boy's question.
"Why, looking for you, young Midoriya! When I learned you didn't partake in the Practical Exam I grew concerned. To make matters worse, you sure know how to stay hidden! I have never seen the Principal so confused" said All Might.
"Missing? Hold on, All Might, I did take the exam it is just that…"
In that moment, it clicked in Izuku's head. He finally understood what had happened.
"Oh… I see" was all that he could mumble.
All Might raised an eyebrow.
"Ehm… y-you see, All Might" Izuku timidly spluttered. "I-I think we need to talk… about One for All, or rather how it- it manifested in me."
Izuku wasn't sure how he would manage to tell his idol and mentor everything, but one thing was sure: it was going to be a long awkward conversation.
AN: in case you are wondering Izuku's Rabbit form looks like Judy Hopps from Zootopia.
