I awoke in the UA dorms the next morning. It hit me, perhaps for the first time, that I was really in a new place, and experiencing a new life. Nothing would ever be the same...
After what had felt like forever, we were back in class, back with Mr. Aizawa standing before us, and all of us sitting in our same seats as always, listening to our new task.
"As I mentioned yesterday, our first objective will be earning 'Provisional hero licenses' for you all."
"Yes, sir!"
"A hero license, in essence, grants you permission to directly intervene when peoples' lives are at stake. This qualification carries an immense weight. And this goes without saying, but the examination required to earn license is extremely strict. It is a provisional license, but even having said that, the pass rate of this exam, year after year, is less than 5 percent."
"Just a provisional license, it's that tough?" asked Mineta.
"And that is why, from today onwards, we'll be having each of you come up with at least two of -"
The door opened and Midnight, Ectoplasm and Cements arrived.
"Your ver own…special moves!"
Everyone in class jumped to their feet and pumped their fists into the air!
"Special moves! Finally! Some cool hero-like curriculum!"
"Special!" said Mr. Ectoplasm. "In other words, the techniques that will assure your victory!"
"These techniques must be deeply ingrained in who you are," said Cementoss Sensei. "Techniques that do not satisfy that requirement will not be allowed. TO battle means to leverage one's own unique strengths."
"These techniques become symbols of who you are," said Midnight Sensei. "Nowadays, professional heroes without their own special moves are like an endangered species."
"WE'll go into the specifics with you all shortly with live exercises," said Sensei. "Go change into your costumes. We'll meet at Gamma Gym."
Gamma Gym was a new one, a big open space on Campus, also known as the "Training Dining Land" or TDL. A wide and spacious - though mostly empty - new gym to work in.
Cementoss explained, "This facility of my own devising. Here, I cam able to prepare terrains and training objects personalized for each and everyone of you students! Hence, Dining"
"Nice!" said Kaminari.
I raised my hand. "If I could ask a question? Why are special moves necessary to obtain a provisional license? Please illuminate us with that context!"
"I'll explain it to you step by step," said Aizawa Sensei. "Calm down. Incidents, accidents, disasters, human calamities…it is the job of a hero to rescue people from all types of trouble. Naturally, the exam for the license is designed to measure that aptitutde. Information gathering, judgement, mobility, fighting ability, and in addition, communication ability, charm, and leadership. Every year, the exam content changes to test these different aptitudes.
"But among them, fighting ability is a heavily weighed consideration for heroes," said Midnight sensei. "They say that being well-prepared means no worries! Having such techniques in your arsenal will greatly affect your chances of success."
"If instead of being controlled by the situation, you are able to bring stability to the situation…that is the mark of a hero's true fighting ability," explained Cementoss.
"Not all sequel moves are for offensive purposes either," said Ectoplasm sensei. "For example, Iida's reciproburst. To be able to move a blisteringly fast speeds for short bursts of time…that in itself is an impressive ability worthy of being called a special move."
I am? I have? "You'd really call that a special move?" I gasped, holding my hand to my heart. Thank you, sensei...
"I see," said Sato. "So it's really about drawing from your natural strengths to create something that will give you a leg up."
"Exactly!" said Midnight sensei. "The lacquered chain prison used by Kamui woods the other day is a perfect example and easy to understand. Suppressing your opponent before they're able to do anything."
"Before it was abruptly brought to an end, one of the objectives of the training camp was quirk development - that was referring to this process of creating your special moves."
"In other words, between now and th start of the next school term…in the remaining ten days we have of summer break, we're going to strengthen your quirks and work out your special moves…A boot camp!"
"In addition," said Aizawa sensei, "With the development of your quirks and the nature of your abilities in mind, consider the ways in which your costumes can also be improved. Let the spirit of plus ultra take you to new heights. Are you ready?"
Oh yes - we would need to be prepared for every eventuality.
I decided to start by marathon running around the gymnasium. Ectoplasm's clones had trouble keeping up with me, but fortunately I was able to run around fast enough to hear every one of his speeches.
I had certainly gotten faster, and it seemed according to the professors that I already had created an ultimate move. Still, there was always room for improvement, and no sense in slacking off.
I may need to add more to my costume, if I really want to go Plus Ultra.
I headed down to the support department. As I arrived at the building, I saw Uraraka. She waved at me, and we joined together as we walked through the hallways to the support department's main office. She started talking to me about Ultimate moves, and explaining her own plans.
"I see," I said to her. "You're focused on improving your ability to make yourself float."
"Yeah! If I'm able to improve my mobility, then I'll be able to make better use of the hand-to-hand fighting techniques I learned from the workplace. What about you, Iida?"
"I want to mitigate the drawbacks of using my recipro," I explained. "I'm going to ask the development studio to upgrade the radiator."
She nodded, smiling, and then turned - and seemed to spot something up ahead. Following her gaze, I saw Midoriya waiting in front of the support department door.
"Hey, it's Deku!" IShecried out. "I didn't think you'd be here! You're also upgrading your costume, Deku?" She ran rather impetuously forward and I called after her, "Don't run in the hallway!"
"AH, Uraraka!" said Midoriya, turning to smile at her.
And then - BOOM!
The door to the Support studio blew off and into Midoriya face!
Uraraka and I both gasped, and from inside the room we could hear someone coughing. Mr. Power Loader came out.
"Just because an idea pops into your head doesn't mean you should go and build it!" he snapped.
"Hohoho! Failure is the mother of innovation, Mr. Power Loader!" a familiar voice - That girl's voice - chuckled back at us. "It's just like Thomas Edison said, 'Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless!"
"This is not the time for that nonsense! Just for once, can't you listen to what I'm saying, Hatsume?" cried Mr. Power Loader.
There she was, Mei Hatsume, the girl from the Sports Festival! The girl from the support course! The girl who had made a fool out of me, lying on top of Midoriya in a rather uncomfortable position, her chest in his face.
"Oh? Aren't you from a while ago?" she asked him.