After a few days of living at Heights Alliance, most of Class 1-A were already starting to find their sleep schedules start to synchronize, some waking up earlier than normal, others later than normal. This wasn't an anomalous factor of the building itself, but a natural progression of the class living together and training to be a team. Izuku in particular was already feeling his control over [One For All] continue to grow. After the fight with Tomura, he was now able to maintain a consistent 65% control.
"Man, the Arctic Queen Fridge has everything!" Pinkie said, pulling out some ingredients to make some homemade pancakes with her own wild and sweet flair.
"Yeah, the perfect cost-cutting measure," Flash noted as he got some frozen waffles.
"Everyone's growing strong so fast, too," Izuku said. "It won't be long before we're ready to test for our hero licenses."
"I'm all raring to go to kick some ass!" Tony smirked as he downed a glass of orange juice in one gulp.
After a filling breakfast, the students were now in class with Aizawa giving them a rundown.
"As I've said before, your goal over the course of this summer is to train for the Provisional License Exam. This is something you can't take lightly. Yes, the license grants you a number of privileges, including permission to openly use your Quirks in public. But there's also a great deal of responsibility that comes with those privileges. Once you obtain your license, you're responsible for human lives. Make sure to keep that in mind."
"YES, SIR!" The class all said as one.
"You've already made vast improvements in both your Quirks and your athletic prowess. I don't say this often, but you've all managed to impress me. This is honestly the longest I've gone without expelling at least one student. So don't let your guard down now. I'd like to see if I can maintain a full class for a whole three years."
"Wow, such high praise coming from Aizawa-Sensei." Jotaro joked to Kira, who couldn't help but chuckle and nod his head.
Aizawa gave the two boys a look before continuing. "That said, the exam is going to be the most difficult thing you've ever encountered, and that includes the impromptu villain fights you've experienced. Only 50% of students pass the test required for these permits each year."
"Let's hope we're on the positive end of that coin flip." Ghidorah said to Marco.
"Sir, if I may ask a question!" Tenya asked, his hand raised. "Is it normal for first-year students to be taking the exam?"
Aizawa shook his head. "To be perfectly frank? Not at all. But this year's class presents some irregularities. Not only are both your class and Class 1-B stronger than previous years, but after the Kamino Ward incident the public is clamoring for more Pro Heroes to be out on the streets, concerned that there may be a rise in new villains."
"That does make a lot of sense..." Fluttershy said. "All-Might retiring and announcing his marriage to Celestia aside, the League of Villains were really bold."
"Normally you wouldn't be taking the exam until your second year, but these aren't normal times." Aizawa continued. "Speaking of which, in order to better prepare you for the exam, you'll be developing something new to give you an edge."
The class all took bated breaths as Aizawa smirked at their reactions before dropping the bomb on them.
"You'll be learning how to craft your own Ultimate Moves."
No sooner had he said that did the doors swing open to reveal Midnight, Cementoss, Ectoplasm, and the Pillars strutting in.
"When we say 'Ultimate Move', we mean a move that will ensure you win against an opponent," Ectoplasm explained.
"Quite a few of you have already showcased moves to call your own," Starswirl added. "What with Bakugou and his Howitzer Impact and Midoriya and his various Smashes."
"Don't forget Iida's Recipro Burst technique!" Ghidorah pointed out.
"Well, to be fair, that's a family trademark..." Tenya admitted.
"Your own ultimate move should be an expression of yourself!" Midnight clarified. "Something so unique to you that it's impossible for anyone else to copy!"
"We'll be sure to explain as the lesson progresses," Aizawa assured his class. "For now, change into your costumes and head for Gym Gamma."
"Ay! We're gonna be working the lot of you to the bone now!" Rockhoof chuckled.
"Students, welcome to Gym Gamma or as I like to call it; Training Kitchen Lab!" Cementoss announced as everyone entered the building.
"The facility came from both Cementoss and Rockhoof," Somnambula explained. "With their individual skillsets and Quirks, they cook up the perfect terrain and objects to fit the students' needs."
"It's also for all you wee lads and lasses to cook up your own techniques!" Rockhoof said. "Think of this like a big ol' boiling pot of stew to throw in all your things to see how it tastes afterward."
"Despite the training camp getting cut slightly short, you still got in plenty of Quirk practice. Now you'll put that practice to use in order to find your own ultimate move." Aizawa said. "It can be designed for defense, capture, mobility, intelligence gathering, whatever you feel is your best strength as a hero."
"Be prepared and have nothing to fear, everyone." Mage Meadowbrook said. "The moves you come up with can have a big impact on your futures as heroes."
You'll be spending the next ten days, your remaining summer vacation, training in preparation for the exam." Mistmane said. "I also suggest you think about how you might improve your costumes."
"Oh, that is truly important!" Rarity voiced in agreement.
Ectoplasm used his Quirk to create a copy of himself to help train each student individually. As Aizawa watched his students make headway, Toshinori and Celestia walked in.
"Looks like everyone's working hard."
Aizawa turned around to notice that Toshinori was in his regular skeletal form.
"I didn't know you were planning on staying like this."
"The secrets out either way. It's best to let society know the Symbol of Peace for who he truly is; just an ordinary man doing the right thing, as anybody else would." Celestia said.
"I just hope Young Midoriya doesn't cause a cave-in." Toshinori chuckled. "Then again, he has shown excellent control of [One For All] so far."
Izuku headed over to the support course's development lab. Earlier he had sent over the Full Gauntlet that Melissa had gifted to him. He was hoping it could somehow be incorporated into his costume, perhaps even duplicated for both arms.
"Hey, Izuku!" Ochako called out as she, Twilight, Tenya, and Marco came in. "You here for costume improvements too?"
"Oh! Uraraka..." Izuku began as he turned and smiled while absentmindedly opening the door...
...Only for him to be blown into the nearby window by the sudden explosion.
"I'm okay!"
"DAMMIT, HATSUME! YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND TRYING TO MAKE WHATEVER POPS INTO YOUR HEAD!" Came the voice of Power Loader as the Pro Hero came into view.
"Failure is the mother of invention, Sensei!" A familiar voice giggled. "Thomas Edison once said that just cuz a creation doesn't work as intended doesn't mean the effort was wasted!"
Mei walked up while dusting herself off, covered in soot as Izuku also walked up beside her, coughing as he waved away the residue smoke.
"Hatsume kinda used me as an airbag..." Izuku winced.
"Relax, I got off, didn't I?" Mei smirked as she wrapped an arm around Tenya. "Already got a boyfriend!"
"Wha?!" Ochako gawked. "Iida, you and Hatsume?! Since when?!"
"Since after the Sports Festival, actually..." Tenya admitted, blushing slightly.
"Anyway, gotta work more on my babies!" Mei said as she turned and walked back into the lab. "But come inside, we've got stuff for everybody!"
Everyone followed after Mei and looked around at all the Support Course students hard at work.
"The real work was with that gauntlet you sent in. I don't know who made it for you, but they're an absolute genius." Mei said giddily. "I need to step up my game if I want my super cute babies to even come close."
"It took us all month to understand it." A voice came up as a little boy with brown hair no older than 9-10 walked in, sucking on a lollipop. "Even a prodigy like me had a hard time with it, which is no easy feat. But once we figured it out, we weren't just able to make a second one for your off-hand, but we used the design to make special leggings as well."
"Hey, I know you!" Twilight perked up. "You're Child Emperor, the brains of the S-Rankers!"
"He's also my baby bro!" Mei said, picking up Child Emperor and hugging him with one arm. "Meet Sota Hatsume!"
"Onee-Chan..." Child Emperor sighed, his cheeks pink.
"Honestly, I'm grateful that he decided to join as my teaching assistant." Power Loader sighed. "He's been able to keep his sister's eccentric tinkering in check for the most part. Keep her on task."
"Speaking of which, check this out, Iida!" Mei said as she pulled Tenya along before presenting him with a set of engine boosters. "This should help with your internal radiator. Careful with it, this one isn't quite perfected yet."
She then took out another set of boosters and attached them to Tenya's arms.
"I also figured that if you need to rest your legs, you could switch to your arms, just like your brother!"
"I'm flattered for the thought Hatsume but...I think I might need to get a second opinion."
"What's all this?" Marco asked, he and Click staring at all the tech piled in one corner.
"Those are all Hatsume's inventions, Everything she's made since the school year started." Power Loader explained. "She's even worked outside of class. If Hatsume has any strong points, it's that she's unafraid of failure. If something she makes doesn't work, she takes it as a learning experience and tries to figure out what went wrong."
"Well duh! I just quoted Thomas Edison not a few minutes ago!" Mei pouted.
"Mei and I never knew our birth parents, to be honest." Child Emperor said. "We were raised by a group of nine traveling mercenaries. Maybe you've heard of them? Reliable Excavation Demolitions?"
"Oh! RED Team!" Twilight perked up. "They mostly stick to Vigilante work since they don't exactly like the rules of Hero Society that much."
"They may be crazy and unscrupulous when fighting crime but they're family!" Mei beamed proudly. "And Sota and I wouldn't have them any other way!"
The days continued as the students worked to perfect their ultimate moves and improve their costumes. Katsuki had swapped out his larger grenade-shaped gauntlets for smaller, four-barreled tank-shaped ones. Minoru swapped out his diaper-like bottom for a small utility belt and swapped his cape out for one that could be removed if it got snagged.
Kyouka got a set of speakers on her gloves, designed to help with her Ultimate Move idea. Rainbow showed off some new running boots that were both aerodynamic and flexible while Rikidou showed off a pair of knuckledusters shaped after teeth.
Fumikage was currently demonstrating his new Ultimate Move, having Dark Shadow cover his body to increase his strength.
"Behold! ABYSSAL BLACK BODY!" Fumikage declared.
"Bit of a mouthful, no?" Midnight pointed out.
"Perhaps it'll be easier if you shorten it just slightly." Flash Magnus suggested.
"SHOOT STYLE!"
Toshinori perked up and turned to see Izuku smashing a boulder thrown at him by Tony into tiny pebbles using [One For All] channeled through his legs. The Former Symbol of Peace smiled proudly at what his protege was doing.
"So he decided to change how his fighting style works. He's working harder and harder to become a hero on his own terms."
"LIBERTA!"
Twilight unleashed a bond of magical chains that wrapped another boulder in them before creating a tether, creating a makeshift wrecking ball in the process.
"And Twilight's magical prowess only continues to grow as well," Celestia said, watching as well.
Toshinori and Celestia both glanced at the rings now adorning their fingers.
"It won't be long before new villains become emboldened by the retirement of All-Might. However, we shouldn't worry as long as the next generation is here and ready for action."
"I kinda feel sorry for the other schools. I did tell the students about the traditional 'UA Crush' that happens every license exam. But from what I'm seeing..." Aizawa smirked. "It looks like the crushing is gonna backfire on everyone stupid enough to try ganging up on these problem children."
"Those poor simple fools..." Starswirl chuckled, shaking his head.
Inside the League of Villains' new hideout, Tomura was addressing his team.
"Hey Tomura, you know the Provisional License Exam is coming up soon. Should we send someone to cause some trouble?" Magne asked.
"Are you a fool?" Grogar snapped. "Do you want all the Hero Schools gathered together to gang up on us and eliminate any hope of creating our new criminal empire?"
"Our best bet right now is to bolster our forces first," Spinner said. "And besides, we should be more than just some criminal syndicate. We should also be a sanctuary for everyone who has been beaten down by society."
"No matter how much people try to change, there will always be troubled souls who slip through the cracks or people who simply prefer wrong over right." Mr. Compress noted. "We should be the ones to aid those individuals in finding hospice and people who understand them."
"Alright, Class 1-A, times up!" Vlad King barked as he marched in, Class 1-B following behind him. "TKL is ours for the afternoon!"
Ghidorah perked up when he noticed Himiko along with Class 1-B and smiled as he waved her over, the blood-drinker beaming as she ran and jumped into her boyfriend's arms.
"Is Toga-Chan staying in the dorms as well?" Junko asked.
"Due to her Quirk having evolved in the wake of the Summer Camp Attack, I spoke with the Heroics Committee and they gave permission for her to take the exam with everyone else." Vlad King explained.
"You'll likely be taking the exam with Class 1-B," Aizawa noted to his students. "The exam is held in three different locations at the same time, and each school can only send one Hero Course class to a single location."
"That's a shame. I kinda wanted to see how our classes stack up to each other now." Itsuka said.
"There's a might problem with that," Applejack said. "We don't know plum diggity of how the other Hero Schools work."
"Yeah, but we've been training to beat unknown odds this whole time. That's the point of being a hero, right?" Minoru pointed out.
"Ah, you're learning, good," Jotaro said, giving Minoru a condescending pat on the head.
Izuku noticed Hitoshi looking rather nervous, tugging at his personal Capture Scarf. No doubt he was antsy about proving himself worthy of being a Hero with a Quirk like his.
"Each exam only lasts one day. Held twice a year in both June and September, coinciding with school semesters. Only 50% of all students who take the exam pass." Aizawa said.
"I hate when I'm told the odds," Eijirou grunted. "There's a chance none of us will pass."
"Never leave things up to chance, Kirishima," Tempest said. "You gotta take fate into your own hands, sometimes."
"Given the large number of students we'll be facing, there's still a chance we can all pass," Shoto noted.
"Just keep in mind many of the other students have been training longer than you have," Aizawa pointed out. "Plus there's no telling what the exam will entail. It's different every time, in order to ensure that no one can pass tips or hints to younger students."
"Rest assured, though, it will be a rough time," Starswirl added. "That said, while the other students have been training longer, you've been training harder. That's something to keep in mind going forward."
"We're certainly come a long way-Kero," Tsuyu noted, "I've already managed to find my Ultimate Move."
"We can be camouflage reptile buddies." Tony chuckled. "Oh wait, you're an amphibian, sorry."
"Gumdrop pizza?" Junko asked, sniffing the pizza that Junko pulled out of the Infinite Pizza Box. "What's up with that, Junko?"
"It's thick, it's chewy! The colors, the flavors!" Junko beamed before blowing a chef's kiss. "Delicious-o!"
"Don't bother," Katsuki said as he took a slice for himself. "I've learned to adapt to her weird tastes by now.
"Let's make sure to tank up for the night," Ochako said, closing the Infinite Pizza Box to reset it, creating a Hawaiian pizza for herself. "The exam is in one week, and we need to be at our absolute best."
"Ugh, pineapple on pizza...WHY?" Jotaro groaned. "Why would you put sweet and succulent fruit on top of a salty delicious pizza?"
"What? I like it!" Pinkie said, helping herself to a slice. "Then again, I like any kind of pizza!"
"And to be fair Narukami, tomatoes are fruit too," Momo added.
"Oh don't go playing devil's advocate with me, Yaoyorozu! Lest we start filling calzones with raspberry jam."
"That actually sounds delicious!" Junko grinned.
"Oh, of course, you'd say that!"
Alright, we're getting into some Provisional License Action next chapter! We'll also be building up the League members as well, just like mtnetsurfer did!
[BIO TIME]
[Nazo Shinko]
Hero Name: The Courageous Hero: Somnambula
Quirk: Sphinx
Quirk Description: Somnambula is able to summon a sentient spirit that takes the form of a Sphinx, which can fight alongside her and also harness all the physiological traits of an actual sphinx.
[Higari Maijima]
Hero Name: The Excavation Hero: Power Loader
Quirk: Iron Claws
Quirk Description: Power Loader's fingers have special excavation claw-like extensions that allow him to dig through the ground like a mole.
[Mei Hatsume]
Hero Name: N/A
Quirk: Zoom
Quirk Description: Mei can extend her eyesight to see from very far away. By focusing her eyes on a particular spot, Mei is capable of seeing up to 5 kilometers.
[Sota Hatsume]
Hero Name: The Prodigy Hero: Child Emperor
Quirk: Quirkless
Quirk Description: Sota is part of the 20% of humanity who is Quirkless. However, to compensate for his lack of superpowers, he has an IQ of 300 and has created many spectacular inventions to give him an edge in a fight.