Toshinori entered the dark room where several others sat waiting, or in Aizawa's case, standing. The two locked eyes momentarily before exchanging a quick nod. He smirked. Not much for formalities, huh?
"Ah, All Might! Welcome!" Nezu hopped up in his seat and held out his hand. The others, one being cementoss stood up.
"Uh.. thank you, professor," he said sheepishly, awkwardly grasping the paw. "Hello everyone."
Cementoss grinned. "Nice to meet you. I'm a big fan."
Before he or anyone else could say anything, a dull, quiet, yet piercing voice sounded from behind. "The exam is about to start. Can we focus for a minute?"
There was an awkward silence as a few cast the Erasing hero an annoyed look.
Guess my research wasn't a waste of time, Toshinori thought. Aizawa was very much devoted to the efficiency of teaching and work. While he could certainly understand a devotion to work, the stories he heard about Aizawa were less than ideal. If this year was anything like what happened with his last class….
An hour later, the exam was nearing it's end and his worries seemed to be for nothing. While most of the students expectedly weren't going to make it, the ones that were showed a lot of promise. Still, he couldn't help but feel bad for the others. The strive to be a hero shouldn't be quelled by a mere test, but villains these days were too dangerous for the unprepared.
A few he noticed were anything but unprepared. There was that boy(the file said Bakugo). His quirk was certainly powerful and he used it well, gaining 60 points in fighting. But despite his wild and almost manic enthusiasm while fighting, he also showed a level of restraint, shortening his blasts whenever a person was too close. He never moved to help anyone, not directly. But some of his attacks did prevent a few from being hurt, gaining at least 15 rescue points.
Then there was that girl, Ochako Uraraka. Her quirk was almost the exact opposite. Despite this, she utilized it with several crude, but effective fighting skills, using her quirk on the robots and using her skills to send them flying before returning their gravity. Unlike Bakugo, she went out of her way to help others in danger, lifting debris and helping people fight off difficult opponents, gaining 30 combat points and 60 rescue points.
One that intrigued him was a strange boy, Shinso. His quirk was not what one would expect from a hero. While he didn't use it all that much, whenever he did, the way it was done made his character questionable. Sometimes, he would mind control others to immobilize his enemies, giving him an opening to attack, using an array of tools like a hammer to bash the robot's head.
In other cases, he worked with a small group, helping them when they were in a tough spot by distracting the robots.
When the zero point robot appeared, they really showed their potential. Shinso wisely chose to retreat from hi, Uraraka helped others run, and Bakugo damaged his, slowing it down, before retreating himself.
In all three of them, regardless of the action, Toshinori saw in their face and movements a strive, a pull towards something. A conviction.
When the exam was finished and the points were in, they all headed to the door.
"This year's lineup is looking to be an interesting bunch,"Nezu said, almost hopping as he walked.
"Yeah, I hope they'll be able to take my teaching seriously," Toshinori replied.
"Don't start praising them just yet," Aizawa said, walking past them. "There's still the first day."
A week later, Ochako walked approached the door. Stopping, she took a deep breath and opened it.
Walking to the bed, she sat in the chair and smiled.
"Hey Dad," she said. She held up the envelope she received. "I got a response from U.A. I'm...not sure if I'm can open it." Her voice trembled slightly. She was sure she underscored. She definitely messed up on those moves, she must have scored low. There was no response. She almost couldn't hear herself over the beeping of the monitor.
"No, I can do it," she corrected herself. Gripping his hand, she peeled open the envelope.
Bakugo sat at the edge of his bed, hand already on the envelope. His heart was pounding in his ears. A grin on his face.
But still, he hesitated. What if I'm not good enough?
He blinked. What the hell? Of course he was! He destroyed dozens of those metal freaks, and then some. He would've gotten more if he hadn't wasted his time with those weaklings. They were getting in his way. Why did he help them?
The answer made him sick with fear and anger.
No. He wouldn't think about it.
Shaking his head, he gripped the envelope and began to peel.
I'll make it in. I'll prove I'm a hero.
(To both of them)
"I am here as a projection now!"
"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here. Well, in answer to your question, I will be teaching at U.A. High!
…."What? Oh, I mean I guess they'll probably figure that out but…
Wait, how many more of these!? Ugh!"
Izuku walked into the dark lab once more, the darkness before him no longer threatening.
Stopping, he got down on one knee. Looking up, he saw the master once more hidden in shadow, with Shigaraki and Kurogiri standing on either side. His mentor's eyes were alight, a grin almost visible behind the hand mask.
"Thank you for coming, Izuku. I hope you are doing well." Izuku nodded, but his tired eyes told a different story. The nightmares had only mildly subsided over the past few months.
"As well as I can," he responded calmly, trying to ignore his quickening heartbeat.
"Very good. It has been nearly 9 months. In that time, we have been mutually beneficial. We have helped strengthen you physically, and you in turn have helped our cause." Looking over to the tank, Izuku saw that it was empty.
"Despite this, we still need to be sure of your loyalty." As he spoke, Izuku thought he saw something move in the shadows near Tomura.
"How can I prove myself?" He asked quickly, standing up.
"The U.A. Entrance Exam took place a week ago. In addition to this, All Might will be teaching one of the classes."
He's gonna be a teacher? That idea made him feel sick.
"Our plan to take him out will take place in the next few days," Tomura added.
"What?" Izuku said, startled. He hadn't expected it to take place so soon. Composing himself, he continued. "Why so soon?"
"He'll be in a position where he'll be at his most vulnerable," the master said. "The area he'll be in will be isolated enough for us to strike without much interference. Also, given the information you provided, he can only use his power for only three hours a day. More than likely, he'll be doing his duties prior to when class begins, making him weaker."
The movement caught his attention again. This time, the movement became a shape that emerged from the shadows. Izuku had to resist the urge to back away as the hulking figure of Nomu came into the light.
It's black skin rippled with inhuman muscle, it's exposed brain pulsed, it's beaked maw hung open, and it's soulless eyes bore into him. While it hadn't changed much from it's original appearance, though that was only for the moment. Their work had hidden more unpleasant changes that thankfully weren't showing.
He tried not to think of the profile of who the beast used to be.
The plan sounded good, but there was something else about it.
"But even if he'll be weaker, he's still dangerous enough to give us problems."
Shigaraki scratched his neck. "You were a fanboy of his, right? Think about any time he didn't go all out."
He racked his brain for the footage of All Might he obsessively watched as a kid. There were times when a villain was giving him trouble where it appeared that he was holding back. As he thought about it more, he remembered that it usually happened when he was in….
He felt is blood run cold.
All Might is gonna be a teacher….at his most vulnerable….holding back
"The students will be there. He won't risk their safety," he said quietly.
"We won't kill them unless absolutely, we'll inform our henchmen of this," Kurogiri said calmly.
"But you know plans. Things happen," Tomura said, his scratching intensifying. "That won't be a problem will it? After all, you won't be killing anyone."
For the first time in months, Izuku started to really doubt his position. He had sworn not to kill anyone, but if he was helping…..
He gripped his head as his altered eye pulsed in pain.
Not guilty...not guilty…
Taking a deep breath, he removed all emotion from his face and responded coldly, "No. I already said that I would help in anyway I can. That hasn't changed." He held his hands behind his back, squeezing them tightly to stop the trembling.
The three men were silent for a moment. Then, to everyone's shock, the master stood up. Making his way slowly, and from his labored breathing, painfully, he walked to Izuku and stopped a few feet away. After a moment, he lifted his hand and held it out.
"Very good. Welcome Izuku."
"...to the Hero Academia! See you soon!" The hologram went off.