…
[April 15th, X041 - 5:30 A.M. Todoroki Residence.]
…
The sound of a random song began to play in the morning quiet of Todoroki Shoto's room as his alarm kicked off. With barely a sound, Shoto pushed the covers off himself and moved to the desk where his alarm clock sat. Most people his age kept it within arm's reach, but Shoto found its effects worked better if one actually had to work to get to it. He turned on the small desk lamp, illuminating the calendar that dominated the surface. The light of the lamp illuminated the calendar, perfectly highlighting the circled date.
April 15th.
The day of the Recommendation Exams for entry into Ultra Academy.
"Today's the day." He picked up a marker and crossed off the prior day, before moving over to his closet. The night before, he had picked out his clothes for the more practical parts of the exam: a white button-up shirt, black dress pants, and matching tie to give a sort of business casual look. Beside it hung a pale blue track suit he was bringing along for the physical parts of the exam. For the moment, he ignored both of them and tossed the shirt he had slept in into the small hamper within, opting to remain in the sweats he had slept in.
Taking a moment to pop his back, Shoto exited his room and made his way down to the training room his father had built. The sliding doors moved along their tracks with ease, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh as he closed them and fell into his normal morning warm-up routine. It started off lightly with some stretches, followed by a couple laps around the room before another round of stretching. From there, he would often transition into a light workout routine consisting of sit-ups, push-ups, rowing, and a little more cardio in the form of stair stepping or jump roping.
"Good morning." He heard his father call from the door of the training room. "I see you're already hard at work as usual."
"Can't afford to slack off today." Shoto answered, switching from working on the rowing machine to doing some push-ups.
"I'm glad to see you taking this seriously." Endeavor answered, moving to join his youngest in doing some push-ups.
Shoto gave a grunt in reply, catching the faintest hint of alcohol on his father's breath even as he noticed the faint redness within the older man's eyes. Shoto couldn't decide if they were the result of the man's overindulgence, or from a lack of sleep. Either way, the youngest member of the Todoroki family was in no mood to deal with his father at the moment.
"You know, I've heard that the exams have changed a bit over the years since I attended UA." Another grunt left Shoto's mouth as his father tried to breach the silence of the training room. "Did you know the interview portion used to be part of the application test?"
"Did it?" Shoto grabbed a jump rope off the wall and began to do some quick-steps with it.
"Yeah, not sure why they split it up to be honest." The elder Todoroki copied his son's lead. "Someone probably complained about it being too much at once. But hey? Heroes can't choose where, what, and when something happens."
Shoto glanced at the clock on the wall, noticing it was five minutes until six o'clock. Returning the jump rope to the wall, Shoto moved into another round of cool down stretches even as Endeavor continued to try, and in his eyes, fail to give him a pep talk.
"Look, I know it can be hard out there. But that's what heroes train for. Hard as it might be to juggle pulling civilians to safety while dodging falling rocks on a mountainside. But that's what everything at UA is designed to train you for. It's what you've been training for. What I've trained you for."
Shoto just stared at his father.
"Look, you know what needs to be done out there. And you know how to go about it." What passed for an encouraging smile appeared on Endeavor's face as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Not for the first time did Shoto understand why his father had a low approval rating despite the number of cases he had resolved. And though his youngest child's expression remained the same, Endeavor seemed to understand the unspoken words that lay behind it. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...Good luck today."
"Good talk father." Shoto kept the thought to himself as he let out a faint grunt and gently shrugged himself out from under Endeavor's hand before exiting the training room. Fortunately, the youngest child of the Todoroki family faced no further interruptions as he returned to his room and went about getting dressed and ready for the day.
…
[ April 15th, X041 – 8:30 A.M. Ultra Academy "Testing Facility A", Musutafu.]
…
Shoto took a moment to look at the itinerary page he had been given upon passing through the gates of Ultra Academny. As Endeavor had explained to him, the test given to those trying to get in on recommendation was a bit more specialized and, some would argue, more tailored to the applicant as opposed to the public test. And though Endeavor had warned him that the test had probably changed, Shoto still felt prepared to take it on. The current Recommendation Exam consisted of five different parts designed to test applicants in different ways.
Also, unlike the public test, the recommendation exam would take up the majority of an applicant's day. Everyone would take the written together, with the quirk application test happening in the order in which the student's finished the test. Your second and third tests would be the Fitness or Interview, or vice-versa before a lunch break. After that, the Combat test against one of the Heroics teachers would follow before you would end your day with the Philosophical portion of the test.
Almost everything was planned out ahead of time to ensure each applicant got equal time to show their stuff, while also taking care to not overwhelm the faculty members who had 'drawn the short straws' as he overheard one of them say as he walked through the halls.
The first test was in one of UA's largest lecture halls, the room able to hold upwards of three hundred students and already more than half of the seats were filled with potential students. Shoto's eyes scanned the crowd, curious to see what sort of people shared his aspirations. Mutations aside, most of them looked to be fresh out of high school, though he had to admit that a few of them did seem to stand out a little more. However, he doubted that any of them had come from a background like he had.
"Everyone, please take a seat. The exam will be starting soon." The voice came from a dog-like man standing at the lecture podium. Shoto opted to take a seat on the end of a row near the middle of the hall. Once everyone was seated and the clock struck nine, the dog-man returned to the podium and addressed the crowd once more.
"Welcome one and all to the Recommendation Exam for your enrollment at Ultra Academy. I am Inui Ryo, also known as the pro hero Hound Dog and as UA's guidance councilor." Hound Dog's eyes swept over the crowd, seeing several nod or roll their eyes. "In a moment, you will all be given a testing packet, along with pens and a couple spare lined pages, just in case you need a little more room to write or someplace to figure out a math equation. Tempting as it may be, do not open your test packet. You may write your name on the front – but you may not open it until I signal the start of testing." Hound Dog clapped his hands, summoning a troop of robotic assistants that quickly handed out the mentioned items. "You will have two hours to finish the test, and I will issue time warnings when there is half an hour, fifteen, and five minutes remaining. When you finish with your test, bring it up front and hand it in. I will then assign you to your application test." His eyes scanned the room again, seeing the robots give out the last of the tests before retreating back to the supply cabinet they called home. He waited another minute or two to give everyone a chance to set themselves up, before giving a nod. "You may begin."
Almost as one, the sound of packets being opened sounded in the room as each student took to looking over the test. As a whole, it reminded Shoto more of a standardized test than anything, as it had a little bit of every subject. Shoto made short work of the math and science portions of the test, though he did run into a bit of a snag on the history portion of the test. As fine a student as he was, history had always been one of the subjects he struggled with.
"I understand the whole those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it argument...But so many things have already been repeated, and that's with the knowledge right at our fingertips." He cracked his neck a little as he studied the question, before writing down an answer. "Even if I'm wrong about this, I should have enough of the rest of the test right to pass it."
While the time limit on the test was two hours, Shoto had finished his in just over an hour. He wasn't the first to finish, but from what he could see, a good two-thirds of the applicants were still working away. After giving his answers a quick once over, he rose to his feet and made his way to the desk. Handing over his test, he saw Hound Dog look at the name, before typing something on his computer.
"Todoroki Shoto. Quirk: Half-Cold Half-Hot?" Shoto nodded his confirmation of the information as Hound Dog's eyes returned to the screen. "You're going to the court yard for the application test. Head out this door and out the door at the end of the hallway to reach the courtyard. Once outside, one of the other teachers will direct you to your application test spot."
"Thank you sir." He gave a bow, before taking his leave. Stepping outside revealed a stone-paved courtyard with several decorative flower boxes and benches dotting the occasional patch of grass. It was probably a nice place to relax in between classes, but currently seemed in a state of chaos given the fact it had been divided into six sections with the help of some portable dividers – not unlike those you would see set up at emergency response sights. From what he could see, there were several teachers or other faculty members supervising as those with elemental or wide-range quirks showed off their skills.
"Name?" A man who appeared to be made out of stone blocks saw him exit and approached him.
"Todoroki Shoto." He answered, seeing the stone man look down at the tablet in his hands.
"Ah, you're actually one of the applicant's assigned to me and Power Loader. I'm Ishiyama Ken, also known as Cementoss." He gave a small bow of greeting, before motioning for Shoto to follow him over to one of the divided sections. A ginger-haired man with an excavator-like helmet on his head greeted him.
"Hello, I'm Maijima Higari, better known as Power Loader." A smile graced what could be seen of his face. "For this portion of the test, I want you to to both show and tell me how your quirk can be used for heroics. Don't worry if it's not the most flashy, or limited in what it can do. There's much more to being a hero than just 'beating up the bad guys'."
Shoto gave a nod of agreement, having seen first hand how some heroes adapted their quirks to one purpose or another. He looked at the testing area, seeing all sorts of objects resting on a nearby table. The sight of multiple types of fire extinguishers in particular grabbed his attention, and he found himself hoping that they wouldn't ask for a full demonstration of his quirk.
"You may proceed when ready." Cementoss prompted, causing Shoto to nod.
"I can use my quirk to create a shelter out of ice." With expert hands, he quickly used his innate talents to create an igloo-like structure. Inviting the two men inside, he continued explaining. "These shelters are multipurpose. Quick enough to set up to shelter the injured from the elements, while being strong enough to withstand a good amount of damage and protect others." He looked to Power Loader then. "Power Loader, sir? I've heard your claws are more suited for digging in the dirt, but would you be willing to use them like an ice pick and attack this shelter for me from the outside?"
"Young man, I've dug through frozen tundra with these." The ginger-haired man smiled, fingers raking the air as he exited the shelter. "Ready?" Raising his hands, he began to claw at one of the walls. After about thirty seconds, Power Loader stopped and looked at the wall. Though he was able to mar the surface and take out a couple decent chunks, the structure held and the walls remained intact. "Impressive. How's things on the inside?"
"I've seen more sugar fall off a powered doughnut than I saw snow fall from the walls or roof of this ice shelter." The reply came from Cementoss, who was nodding in approval. "Solid construction if I do say so myself." He gave one of the walls a couple hard smacks as Power Loader returned inside.
"I agree." Power Loader gave a nod, "though I have to ask. Do you only use your quirk for support? Or do you also use it for combat?"
"First, thank you for your assessment of my shelter." Shoto gave a tiny bow of his head as he looked at Power Loader. "As for combat capabilities, I can either use my ice to immobilize foes by either freezing parts of or all of their body. I can also throw snow and ice balls for an offensive approach." He demonstrated the former by creating a small hoop of ice over Cementoss' foot, and the latter by hurling a couple snowballs at the wall.
"Versatile quirks like yours are very well suited to hero work, as they allow for a multitude of applications." Cementoss nodded as he pulled his foot out from the loop. "Well, I think I've seen enough."
"Agreed. Though I do have one more question." Power Loader pointed to where Shoto had thrown the snowballs. "Are you just limited to making balls of snow or ice? Or can you make, say something like an ice dart?"
"I can make what I consider a type of ice kunai." He made one in his hand and held it out for the two to see. "They're not the most durable or the sharpest, but I think most opponents think twice if they see a knife flying towards their head." Shoto took aim and threw the knife at the wall, and while it did penetrate enough into the wall to stick, a third of the kunai was on the floor in pieces, and the remaining part had cracks marring it. "Haven't quite found the right balance yet between durability, aerodynamics, and weight."
"No worries Todoroki-san." Cementoss smiled, "I don't think anyone has a full grip of what their quirk can and can not accomplish, but that's what hero training is meant to help with." The man looked to his colleague, seeing the other man nod. "Do you have any questions for us now?"
"None sirs." He gave a tiny bow, having heard that no one would know if they had passed or failed until all parts of the exam had been completed.
"Very good." Power Loader gave a nod, as Cementoss made a few notes on his tablet.
"Your next test is the Interview Examination. You're going to 'Testing Facility B – room one'...Which is really just a fancy way of saying one of our classrooms." Cementoss chuckled, clearly appreciating the efforts of whoever named the testing rooms.
"Head back in through the door you came out of. Go down the hall, take a right at the first intersection and head up the stairs to the next floor. Then take a left." Power Loader answered Shoto's unasked question, what appeared to be an industrial hair dryer of sorts now in his hands that was making short work of the ice shelter. "Don't worry if you get lost, there's signs posted along the way."
Todoroki gave another bow, "Again, thank you both for your time."
Seeing the two men nod, Todoroki took his leave as he heard Cementoss move to assist in the 'clean up' of his demonstration.
…
[April 15th, X041 – 10:30 A.M. Ultra Academy "Testing Facility B", Musutafu.]
…
While some students practically vaulted up the stairs, or ran down the halls, Shoto moved at a much more relaxed pace. He knew he was on a timer of sorts, but felt that was a poor reason to be as, in his eyes, reckless as some of his potential classmates were acting. At the top of the stairs, he took a left and was greeted with doors that, while larger and wider than normal to accommodate students of all types, were largely unremarkable. Each one had a sign taped to it identifying the room number. His appointed room was the first one on the right, and though the door was slightly ajar, Shoto still gave a knock to be polite.
"Enter. Though please close the door behind you." A monotone voice called, and Shoto complied. Closing the door, he took a moment to observe his surroundings.
While the classroom he found himself in seemed normal enough, the man seated behind the desk caught him off guard. His hair was long and had an unkempt appearance, and the stubble on his face seemed to reinforce that fact. Judging by the bags under his dark eyes, and the tired expression on his face, it was clear it had been awhile since the man had gotten any sort of decent sleep. Shoto's eyes moved to the man's clothing, all black with a silvery-white scarf wrapped around his neck. All in all, Shoto couldn't help but feel that he was looking at a hobo who had mastered to sneak into UA as opposed to any sort of authority figure.
"Have a seat," the hobo's voice seemed just as tired as he checked something on his computer. "Todoroki Shoto, yes?"
"Yes sir. And you are?" He held out a hand, deciding to give the hobo the benefit of the doubt.
"Aizawa Shota." Despite the lazy attitude, there was an odd level of strength in the hobo's handshake. "I've been assigned to cover the Interview portion of your exam." He turned his attention to the computer. "I'm sure you've been interviewed before?"
"Several times." He set his bag down and took the proffered seat.
"Good, so I don't need to explain how this works. Excuse me." Aizawa took out a small bottle of eye drops and applied a couple to each of his eyes. "That's better. We'll start with some basic questions..."
Basic was being polite about the first few questions. They were the usual 'getting to know you' and 'help you relax' questions. What do you like? What do you dislike? Why do you want to be a hero? What are your life goals? Shoto had answered each one, growing bored with the simplicity of it. "Maybe Aizawa-san isn't actually tired, just tired of asking the same questions?"
Aizawa typed a few notes on his computer, "You mentioned your sister a moment ago. How is your relationship with your family?"
"Excuse me?" That question caught him a little off guard. He expected Aizawa to want elaboration on his life goals, or his heroic aspirations. Not for the subject to return to his private life.
"It's cliché, but I'm sure you've seen stories of various villains using members of a hero's family as hostages, yes? Or threatening them?" Shoto nodded as Aizawa continued. "I ask because the effect something like that is often dependent on the hero's relationship with their family. For example, one hero I know would willingly kill anyone who dare bring harm to their sibling. Meanwhile, another hero stated that the only reason they'd go save their mother is because their father would never forgive them otherwise."
"Really?" Shoto blinked, considering the man's words. As distant as Endeavor was. As...broken as his mother was. He honestly couldn't fathom deliberately leaving either of them in the hands of a villain, but found himself wondering if he would feel guilty or remorseful if he couldn't save them. His thoughts drifted then to Fuyumi and Natsuo. They both tried to be supportive of him, and did their best to take care of him where their parents had failed. This time he knew he would feel guilty if either of them came to harm from a villain trying to get to him.
"Yes. If a villain knows your feelings towards your family, they can manipulate that."
"I'll agree. Though correct me if I am wrong, Aizawa-san..." Shoto took a breath, considering best how to phrase his question without possibly offending the man before him. "But isn't that part of the reason why, at least to my eyes, it seems a lot of heroes don't really form relationships or maintain the ones they have?"
"That will vary from hero to hero, and whether or not they wish to maintain the same persona they normally have versus the one they show as a hero." The faintest hint of a smile came to Aizawa's eyes as he was obviously thinking of his friends. "But even that can be a double-edge sword. Instead of going after family, they may go after a friend or a close fellow colleague. Hell, some have even gone as far as to disgrace the memory of the dead." The tired man rubbed one of his eyes, the other focused on the computer screen. "Says here your eldest brother, Toya - accidentally killed himself while training."
"It was his own fault. If Endeavor hadn't pushed-" Shoto started, but a raised finger from Aizawa's free hand stopped him.
"You don't have to defend your family's actions to me." His dark eyes turned to look at Shoto then. "But given your answer to me just mentioning it. Well, you can see how easily a villain can manipulate someone with a few choice words. And, no offense meant, but your family's publicized issues kind of make it easy for them." Aizawa turned the monitor so Shoto could see the news articles he had pulled up.
There was one talking about the death of his brother. Another one from before he was born criticizing the obvious 'quirk marriage' between the Himuras and the Todorokis. There was a short article about his mother's voluntary admission into a psychiatric facility. The one that stuck out to him the most was a piece that stated that Shoto and arguably his siblings were more a study in eugenics than anything. Click-bait sounding as it was, the little he could read didn't seem all that far off.
"They don't know the half of it..." Shoto spoke quietly, but the slight rising of Aizawa's left eyebrow told him he wasn't quiet enough. "Look, I'm not saying those articles are right or wrong." His eyes flicked back to the click-bait one, "but..."
"But?" Aizawa prompted, turning the monitor back so only he could see it.
"But it's not everything. They're focusing only on Endeavor and Toya...and myself. There's barely any mention of my mother and her powers, or the fact that my siblings share the same quirk as her." Shoto's eyes drifted down to his right hand, focusing on something that wasn't there. "Arguably, it's more powerful and more useful than Endeavor's or Toya's."
He glanced back at Aizawa, noticing the man's eyebrow had come back down. And while Shoto knew the older man had to remain impartial, he couldn't help but catch the faint hum of acquiescent when he mentioned the usefulness of the icy half of his quirk.
"I see, though it says here your quirk is Half-Cold Half-Hot." He blinked. "Why didn't you demonstrate your fire powers at the application test?"
The sheer bluntness of the question, and the tone that Aizawa delivered it with made Shoto mentally stumble at the start, but he answered the question.
"Because that 'fire power' as you called it, is what I feel ruined my family." Shoto held up his left hand. "It's what killed Toya. What Endeavor feels is needed to surpass All Might. What he feels I need to surpass All Might." He raised a finger each time, counting his reasons. "As I told you, I want to become a hero on my own accord. To help people beyond just resolving cases. And to do this without Endeavor's flames? I will have denied that man everything he's worked for, and shown him just how pointless everything he did is."
"Interesting." Aizawa's eyes looked back at the computer, hands typing a few notes. "I think I've heard enough. Any questions?"
"Yes. What's my next test, and where is it?"
A few more keystrokes rang out, followed by a couple clicks of Aizawa's mouse. "You're slated for the fitness test next in gym Gam...Excuse me, 'testing facility C'." The annoyed sigh and expression on the man's face was the most emotion Shoto had seen him show since they started. "Out the door, down the hall, down the stairs, take a right. Follow the hallway to the end and go out that door. You'll see the building from there."
"Thank you sir." Shoto gave a bow, though Aizawa gave no indication of having heard or seen the gesture. Indeed, he now noticed the man's eyes were closed, and couldn't help but wonder if he had fallen asleep. Shrugging, Shoto picked up his bag and made his way towards his next test.
…
[April 15th, X041 – 11:00 A.M. Ultra Academy "Testing Facility C", Musutafu.]
…
Thankful to be done with the interview, Shoto grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby vending machine and took a long swallow as he made his way towards his next test. A building labeled Gym Gamma had an additional banner hanging below stating it to be "Testing Facility C". Stepping inside, he was greeted with the sight of several potential entrants. The majority were wearing track suits or similar work out attire, though there were a few who were still wearing their every day clothes.
"The girls locker room is to the left. The boys to the right. If you do not have a set of gym clothes, please come see me and I will loan you an official UA track suit. Also, don't think about trying to run off with it! Those suits are chipped and tracked!" A teacher was stating, standing before a long table that had several folded uniform on it. Fortunately, he had heard from his father about the Fitness Test and had brought along his own clothing. Upon entering the locker room, he was greeted with the sight of several applicants. Some were keeping to themselves as they changed, while others were talking with old friends. There was even a handful doing their best to make some new friends.
One of those in the second group caught his attention, a boy with dark green curly hair with bright eyes and a smile to match. You would have to have been living under a rock the last few years if you didn't instantly recognize the boy as Midoriya Izuku, the so called 'Golden Child'. Already, Midoriya had made waves in such a way that – in the eyes of many – was already on par with All Might's impact on the world.
The green-haired boy was currently engaged in a conversation with two other students, and Shoto overheard part of it as he changed into his track suit.
"That's easy for you to say Midoriya." One of the other guys laughed. "The only reason you stopped doing pull-ups is because the teacher told you to to let someone else have a go."
"Yeah, so we don't want to hear it Mister hundred-and-sixty-nine pull-ups..." The other joined his friend in laughing, which caused Midoriya to let out a huff of mock-annoyance.
"Well, I was going to wish you two luck in the test...but I'm keeping it to myself now!" He tried, and failed to look intimidating before dissolving into laughter with, what Shoto assumed, were classmates of his from whatever high school they had come from.
"Yeah, laugh it up Golden Child. You're only liked by everyone because you were born with a lucky quirk" Shoto stashed his clothes and bag in one of the nearby lockers, letting out a startled grunt as he closed the door and pinched a fingertip in the gap. It was then he realized he had company, and turned to find Midoriya had appeared at his side. "Can I help you?"
"Just wanted to check if you were okay?" Midoriya's eyes had a hint of concern in them. "You sounded like you were in pain a moment ago."
"Just a little trouble with the locker door." He kept his composure, head flicking to the side to indicate the offending object.
"Probably just needs a little oil." Midoriya offered, the concern now replaced with a smile. "Anyhow, good luck out there." The green-haired boy held out a hand, displaying a level of professionalism that would be better served attached to a business mogul than a potential Hero.
"Thanks. Good luck to you too." Shoto accepted the handshake out of obligation, not surprised to find that Midoriya's hand seemed softer than his own. "He's got a good grip, but barely any callouses. Has this guy even trained at all for this? Or is he just another pampered legacy?"
A shrill whistle caught everyone's attention, following by an announcement that testing would begin within the next ten minutes. Sending Midoriya away with a nod, Shoto adjusted his shoes before returning to the Gym. Instead of being all over the place like when he first arrived, he noticed the applicants were lining up in no particular order and opted to take a spot near what was the end of the line at the time. Once all the students were gathered, the teacher that had been handing out uniforms did a quick roll call and handed out number stickers to each of them as their name was called. This would easily allow the supervising teachers to observe and make notes quickly, without needing to remember names or faces.
By all accounts, the test would have been regarded as intense or extreme by even the most athletic of a high school's student body. Sure, there were the basics like push-ups, pull-ups, X amount of meter dashes. But there were also more heroics or rescue-based challenges like climbing over or crawling under debris. Lifting and carrying heavy, or awkward objects to simulate having to rescue all kinds of civilians. There was even a parkour section designed to show off one's maneuverability and adaptability.
The only rules to the test were no interfering with other applicants, and that quirk usage was to be kept to a bare minimum.
"But why?" One of the potential students asked, flexing an arm as he did. "Why can't we use our quirks?"
"We saw your quirk in action during the practical, now we want to make sure you're all physically capable of handling the strain heroics puts on the body." The teacher answered. "It's all well and good your quirk lets you carry a literal kilo of weight, but what if you are hit with a quirk-inhibitor of some sort? You might not be able to carry that kilo anymore, but it won't do anyone any good if without your quirk you can barely pick up a carton of milk."
Shoto saw nods come from several people, and the man who had asked the question gave a nod and thanked the teacher for her answer. After asking if there were any more questions, and finding none, the teacher explained how the test would work, before blowing a whistle to signal the start.
First would be your standard fitness testing – push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and so on.
Second was more strength and agility based – carry testing, weight lifting, sprints, hurdles and similar challenges.
Third would see students put against an obstacle course that had been borrowed directly from a pre-quirk era fitness challenge that would require one to use everything they knew to try and defeat, or get as far into the the course within a five-minute period. Shoto saw more than one person blanch at the sight of the course, a section known as the 'salmon ladder' in particular making several flinch.
When the testing started, everyone seemed to be on equal footing. But the more the test went on, the more Shoto noticed many of the others were starting to lag. It was only himself, Midoriya, and two others who seemed no worse for wear. At first, he was impressed with his competition, but those feelings quickly went south as he realized that he had underestimated Midoriya. He was one of nine applicants who broke a hundred in the two minute push-up challenge, and the only one to cross the hundred threshold in pull-ups. Sure he only did a hundred-and-two pull-ups, but it still broke the mark. Shoto himself had broken the hundred mark in push-ups, but only mastered to do seventy-two pull-ups.
In the second part of testing, Shoto found himself to be on equal footing against Midoriya when it came to speed, and was able to beat him when it came to showing off their strength. While he took some pride in that, it was quickly lost when it came to running the obstacle course. It was here that he really got to see exactly what Midoriya was capable of. By this time, most of the applicants were worn out and couldn't even make it halfway through the course. Shoto himself had to admit he felt slightly winded as he finished the rope climb and rang the bell to signal his success. Midoriya however? The guy had moved through the course with the ease most people moved through a field of flowers. He was barely sweating as he made his way down from the top of the climb to go mingle with some of the others.
The sight of someone so 'gifted' doing so well left a bitter taste in his mouth. That bitter taste turned sour as the teacher dismissed them, and he overheard Midoriya wishing several of their fellow competitors well.
"Hey, good job out there!" Midoriya had appeared at his side again, the damn smile still in place. "You really gave me a run for my money on the warrior course." Midoriya had finished it in four minutes and twenty-five seconds. Shoto had done it in four minutes, thirty-two seconds.
Not in the mood to socialize, Shoto gave a hum of acknowledgment as he carefully put his regular clothes in his bag, figuring it would be easier to stay in his track suit for the upcoming Combat test. Fortunately, before Midoriya could say more to him, the guy got called away by another applicant. Taking the opportunity, Shoto quickly exited the locker room and made his way out of the gym and back towards the main building.
"Freedom..." He closed his eyes and took a breath, enjoying the cool freshness of the outside air compared to the stuffiness of the gym. "According to the teacher, there's a hour lunch break now, then I'm to report to facility D for the combat test against one of the heroes." He turned his attention then to some of the other members of his test group and followed them at a distance to the cafeteria.
...
[April 15th, X041 – 12:00 P.M. Ultra Academy Cafeteria, Musutafu.]
...
Despite how Endeavor had talked it up, other than the quality of the furniture, and the impressive array of fitness equipment. Shoto really hadn't seen anything that set Ultra Academy apart from any other school. Even the cafeteria, though the quality of the tables, trays, and dishware was much higher, seemed to speak of UA's high school roots. Given that he had heard the cafeteria was run by the Pro Hero Lunch Rush, and that the food was supposed to be legendary, he had to admit he had expected more from the room itself.
However, Shoto soon found himself eating his assessment as he picked up a tray and joined one of the lines that lead to the counter. The variety of food, and several non-food items for those whose quirks required a more unique diet, surpassed anything he had ever seen in high school. It seemed UA catered to all kinds of dietary laws and restrictions, and had clear notes and information available about everything.
"If you don't see something you like. Just ask, and it will be made for you!" Lunch Rush's voice rang out, the man giving a thumbs up as several potential students nodded. "And don't forget, everything is on the house today. So take all you want but please, eat all you take!"
Shoto watched as some took full advantage of this and were walking away with trays loaded with a variety of dishes. He considered those applicants foolish, especially if they still hadn't taken the fitness or combat portions.
"Maybe some need an extreme amount of carbs or protein, but for most I think having a full stomach would do more harm than good." He shook his head as he took a seat, eyes looking down at his own meal of choice: A plate of cold soba noodles and a bowl of sauce to dip them in. It was a simple dish compared to some of the other items being offered, but it was his favorite food. Shoto ate slowly, savoring the simple mix of flavors the sauce granted the otherwise plain noodles.
Originally, his gesture of opting to sit at an empty table near one of the corners of the cafeteria sent out a signal that the majority of people understood was his way of saying 'leave me alone'. However, it seemed some didn't, or chose not to understand, get the message and he suddenly found himself with some unwanted company.
"Hey, it's you again." A familiar sunny voice met Shoto's ears then, and he looked up to see Midoriya standing before him. This time however, the green-haired miracle child had someone else with him. A young woman with dark hair and gentle eyes that Shoto felt certain he had seen somewhere before but couldn't quite place.
"A friend of yours, Izuku?" The woman asked, her eyes going between the two men.
"Not yet." Midoriya replied, the innocent smile and reply seeming out of place on the young man. "But if we end up being classmates, I'd like to hope we could be friends."
"What the hell is wrong with this guy? He's acting more like a new student in elementary school than a potential hero..." Shoto kept the thought to himself and just rolled his eyes. He noticed then that Midoriya's female companion had a done the same, though hers seemed to be more out of affectionate exasperation at her friend than actual annoyance.
"Forgive him, he's a little socially awkward." The woman gave a tiny apologetic nod.
"That's an understatement..." He kept the thought to himself and took another bite of his soba, giving a nod of accepting her apology at the same time.
"And apologies again, but do you mind if we sit with you?" She asked, moving to set down her tray.
"I do actually." Shoto reached out a hand, stopping her. The woman looked oddly offended at his refusal, her mouth twitching slightly.
"What? Why?" She frowned, expression just slightly more mature than a spoiled child denied a toy. "I mean, I know Izuku can be a little much bu-"
"Momo?" Midoriya's voice cut into Momo's rant. "Let it go. I think...I think our fellow applicant might, want to be left alone."
"Finally, he gets it." Shoto gave a nod, sending a silent thank you to whatever power decided to cut him a break. "I do, so I would thank you both to go sit somewhere else." He punctuated his words by taking another bite of his noodles. The two annoyances exchanged a look with each other, but after a moment complied and moved a few tables away from him. Letting out a sigh, he finished his meal in peace and returned his tray, taking that time to ask one of the cafeteria workers for directions to reach Testing Facility D.
…
[April 15th, X041 – 1:10 P.M. Ultra Academy "Testing Facility D", Musutafu.]
…
Testing Facility D turned out to be a smaller gymnasium reserved for basketball or volleyball matches with pull out bleacher seats for spectators. Shoto had stepped inside, surprised to find the room currently empty, save for the large yellow bag someone had left sitting in the center of the gym. Assuming it belonged to whichever Heroics teacher he'd be fighting, Shoto set his own bag down on one of the seats.
A dull thump sounded as his bag fell over, followed shortly by a familiar monotone voice addressing him.
"Todoroki-san, we meet again." It took him a moment to realize that the yellow bag was now standing vertically, and he couldn't help but stare as Aizawa emerged from it like a butterfly from its cocoon.
"Aizawa-san?" Shoto blinked a few times, trying to fathom what he just witnessed. "What are you doing?"
"I was taking a nap before dealing with you for Combat testing." The bored expression that had marked Aizawa's face during the interview was now replaced with one of tired amusement. "That's right, I'm your opponent."
"Forgive me, but..." Once again, Shoto found himself trying not to offend the man. "I thought you were just one of the general studies teachers."
"Really? Huh, most people just assume I'm a bum who broke into UA." The older man took a moment to stretch. "Anyhow, I can tell you're just as eager as me to get this over with." Aizawa cracked his neck, one hand moving then to put on a pair of goggles that had been hidden underneath his scarf. The bright yellow of the frames seemed at odds with the rest of his outfit, but Shoto wasn't about to question the man's choices. "You can consider this a simple test, as all I want you to do is fight me. You'll have five minutes to take me down, though don't worry if you can't. I'd settle for you landing a few good hits on me."
"Are you sure?" Shoto blinked, trying to size up Aizawa. Far as he could tell, the man wasn't as muscle-bound as Endeavor, and if his lazy display of climbing out of his sleeping bag was any indication of his speed... "Then again, it could all be an act. You don't even know what his quirk is..."
"I am." Aizawa nodded, eyes sweeping over Shoto a moment. "Just let me know when you're ready, and I'll start the clock." He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small remote that controlled the electronic scoreboard. Shoto looked up, seeing the timer set for five minutes.
"I'm ready." Shoto took a fighting stance, watching as Aizawa gave a nod and hit a button on the remote, starting the clock. Shoto didn't wait for his opponent, instead he aimed his right hand towards the ground, intending to convert the wood floor to ice to hasten his movements and hopefully slow down Aizawa's. He felt the familiar touch of cold radiate from his palm, a fine icy mist starting to form around it. However, before he could even think about releasing it, the sensation faded. "What the-"
He flicked his hand, trying to get it to do anything. He looked then to Aizawa, seeing the man's eyes glowing red behind the goggles, his hair floating around him in a way that defied gravity. The tired expression Shoto had come to associate with the man was replaced with something more sinister. "What did you do?"
"Nullified your quirk." The odd calm in Aizawa's voice seemed at odds with his current appearance. Shoto barely had time to react as Aizawa ran towards him, expertly throwing a punch that struck him in the shoulder. A panicked desperation kicked in once he registered the pain, and Shoto found himself focusing more on evasion than actually fighting. However, the older man proved just as nimble and easily kept up with Shoto's movements, forcing him into a corner of sorts. With no other choice but to stand and fight, Shoto began to throw a few punches of his own.
Aizawa blocked every punch with ease, even using some of Shoto's own strikes to get in a few of his own. Shoto tried kicking him, but instead found Aizawa's leg had entangled his own and dropped him to the floor. The minute he hit the floor, Shoto rolled over and once again tried to put distance between himself and Aizawa. He mastered to get to his feet and move behind Aizawa's back, noticing then that he could feel the coldness returning to his hand. "So his quirk is line of sight based. Maybe..."
Before Shoto could finish his thought, he found himself back on the floor and incapable of moving. Glancing down at himself, he realize he was wrapped up in Aizawa's scarf, the binding cloth effectively pinning his limbs. He looked up at Aizawa, whose eyes were still glowing as he stopped the clock with three minutes and forty-seven seconds remaining on it.
"We're done, you failed."
"What?!" Shoto's eyes went wider than Aizawa's unblinking gaze. He had thought that results of the tests were only given out at the end, so to hear Aizawa state so flatly that he had failed...
"Can you get out of that?" He asked, still not looking away and not blinking, seeming to ignore the actual question.
Thinking that his current situation may still be part of the test, Shoto grunted and squirmed against the bindings, unable to even lift a finger against the cloth. The lopsided grin on Aizawa's face told Shoto the man already knew the answer to his own question. There was no doubt in the younger man's mind that the cloth currently binding him had probably held villains just as strong, if not stronger than Aizawa himself.
"Fail." Aizawa finally closed his eyes, hair returning to rest against his shoulders. The grin slipped away as he opened his eyes and removed his goggles with one hand while taking out a bottle of eye drops with the other. Only after applying the medication did he once again look at Shoto. "Like all the rest, you are too dependent on your quirk." Though his quirk wasn't active, Shoto could feel the pressure of Aizawa's gaze as the man released him from the bindings. "The recommended test is meant for the best of the best hero applicants. Those who are just as competent with their quirks as they are without. Those who can use their surroundings, use various resources or tools available to them."
Aizawa gathered the cloth and set it back around his neck, the goggles once again safely protected beneath them. "No doubt you're good with your quirk, but to be a real hero in today's world you can't just be content to sit back thanks to a flashy quirk."
The Todoroki heir seethed. For a moment he felt his father's temper flare inside of himself. Just as quickly he smothered it before anything could come from the building aggression.
"Thank you." Shoto managed to not growl out, "Where is the next examination?"
"In the Administration Department, part of the main building. When you enter a set of signs should be set up. The testing won't start until three, but you will have to get there quick if you don't want to wait in line for an examiner to be available."
Shoto grabbed his things in a silent huff and quickly moved to leave.
His pride was bruised and it was showing. Neither said anything as Shoto marched out the door and let it slam shut behind him.
…
[April 15th, X041 – 3:05 P.M. Ultra Academy "Testing Facility E", Musutafu.]
…
When Todoroki heard that his final test was on Philosophy, he was expecting to be placed in a room similar to the one he had taken the written exam in. He expected that he, and any others taking the same test, would be given a packet of questions that they would need to answer that made them consider the line between good and evil. He had seen a few of those questions before in his studies, along with sample answers and knew what to expect. Knew what kinds of answers they apparently were looking for.
"Question: A friend who saved your life, the love of your life, and a deathly ill man are waiting at a bus stop in the rain. You've only got enough room in your car to take one of them along ahead of the bus' schedule. Who are you taking with you?" He had scoffed at the question, wondering why someone who is deathly ill is out in the rain at a bus stop in the first place. And don't get him started on the friend or lover part of the question. The book's answer? "You give the key to your friend to drive the sick man to the hospital while you stay behind with your love."
"Then again, maybe they want you to challenge it. Call an ambulance for the man. Give your friend a ride. Just get the phone number of your love and call them later." He shook his head as he arrived in front of a door that had "Testing Facility E, Examiner N." written on a piece of paper that had neatly taped to the door. "Let's just get this over with..."
He opened the door, expecting to see a lecture hall. Instead, he was greeted with the sight of an elegant oak desk, a plush chair behind it and an equally comfortable one before it. A chaise lounge and additional chair were against another wall, while a small bookcase rested beside the door. The final wall was dominated by a large window, the blinds drawn, but open enough to let in some natural light. All in all, the set up reminded Shoto more of a psychiatrist office than anything.
"Not what you were expecting, right Todoroki-san?" Though the voice was soft and gentle, its sudden presence coupled with the use of his family name startled Shoto. The boy looked over at the desk again, now seeing the white rat? Dog? Man? Sitting there, a small tea set next to him. "Please, have a seat." The rat gestured to the chair across from him. "Would you like a cup of tea? It's my own special blend of ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. I find it helps me focus and relax after a long day."
"Just a small cup, please?" Shoto gave a bow as he took the seat, seeing the rat fill one of the cups up halfway and the other to nearly the brim. He nodded his thanks as the rat handed him the half-full cup and gave a small sip. Maybe it was the chance to sit down again after his last physical test, or maybe it really was the tea, but Shoto had to admit he did feel a little more relaxed. "Hmm, it's good. Thank you."
"You're welcome." The rat took a long sip of his own cup before addressing him again. "And now, let me apologies for not introducing myself sooner. I am the Chancellor of Ultra Academy, Nazu." He held out a hand-paw for the younger man to shake, which he was quick to do so.
"So you're Nezu, excuse me...Chancellor Nezu. I've heard my father talk of you a few times from his days here at UA." There was a mischievous glint in Nezu's eyes as Shoto spoke. "Though forgive me, but I thought you were the principal here?"
"Perfectly understandable confusion. I was the principal when UA was a high school. I became a Dean when it was converted to a university. I've been promoted a few times in the last five years," Nezu smiled, the glint never leaving his eyes as he looked at a clock before grabbing a folder to rest before him. "But enough about me and my accomplishments...We're here for the final part of your Recommended Exam; the Philosophy portion of the test."
Shoto nodded, seeing Nezu open the folder before him.
"This test is quite similar to the practical you took this morning. I'm going to ask you a question, or give you a scenario." He picked up a pen and flipped it through his finger-like digits. "I want to hear your honest answers to these questions and scenarios. For example – Do you prefer coffee or tea?"
"Tea." He answered, taking another sip.
"Do you genuinely prefer tea?" Nezu took another sip of his own, "Or are you just saying that because its what you think I want to hear?"
"If those are my only options, I do prefer tea. However, I usually drink water over anything else."
"Then why didn't you say water when I asked?"
"Wasn't one of the options." Shoto responded, seeing Nezu nod and accept his argument of the semantics.
"True, but in hero work...Is everything really that black and white? Or are there shades of gray?" He watched Shoto's eyes narrow slightly. "Keep that in mind as we proceed with the test." He flipped a page or two into the packet. "That aside; first question..."
Despite the rat's warning advice, the first few questions were simple, almost childish ones that showed good versus evil.
Is it wrong to kick a puppy? Yes.
Is helping up a child who fell down a good action? Yes.
Is it wrong to punch a villain to prevent them from killing someone? No.
Shoto couldn't help but scoff at some of the questions and scenarios as they got, what he assumed Nezu considered, a little harder. He even laughed when Nezu had asked him the 'Bus Stop' question.
"Something you find funny about that question?" Nezu raised what passed for an eyebrow on his face.
"Just wondering why someone whose supposedly deathly ill is waiting for a bus instead of taking a cab or calling an ambulance." He gave a tiny bow of apology, "forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive," Nezu refilled his cup of tea. "I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this..."
"I give the keys to my friend to drive the man to the hospital and I stay behind with my lover."
"I see you read the textbooks in preparation." Nezu nodded towards one of the bookshelves, "I suppose that would make you more prepared than others. Let's try a different course of questions then."
The Chancellor dramatically paused, peeking over his notes with keen eyes touched by madness. From his lips came an elderitch question, one that had driven men insane for years.
"Is the ocean soup?"
"Excuse me?" Just when Shoto thought nothing else could catch him off-guard more than Aizawa's emergence from a sleeping bag, Nezu pulled it off.
"Is the ocean a soup?
"What...What does that have to do with any of this?" The Todoroki heir held his arms out to the side, confusion clear.
"It's a philosophical debate." Nezu answered calmly, hands caging before him. "Some argue that it is because it has salt, meat, and vegetables. Some will say its not because soups are served hot and the ocean is cold in the majority of spots." The dog-rat smiled. "Which technically makes it gazpacho." he stage-whispered.
"It's not...It's a body of water that covers seventy-two percent of the Earth. Nothing more." Shoto shook his head, annoyed.
"Fair enough." Nezu nodded, accepting the answer. "Moving on. There's a large chunk of debris falling, and three people are underneath where it is going to land – two children, and one pregnant woman. Now, you only have enough strength to either save the two children or the woman. Who are you going to save?"
Shoto couldn't stop his mouth from gaping like a fish out of water. He knew heroes of all kinds had to make decisions like this. Ones that would, could, and usually did haunt heroes until their own dying day.
"I'm...saving the kids." He answered after a moment, "better that only one family has to grieve as opposed to two."
"But is it really one family to mourn the loss of the woman? What about the father of the unborn child's family? What if the father had passed away, and that baby would have been the last reminder they had of him?" The rat held up a digit with each question.
"But what if the father wasn't in the picture? What if he left her because she was pregnant and wouldn't get rid of the baby? What if she didn't have a family?" He answered, eyes focused on a point behind Nezu, turning his own argument against him.
"But what if she did?" He pressed again, "is it really fair to them? What if those kids were actually street urchins with no home? No family to mourn them? Just more nameless victims to the life of the streets?"
While he had felt certain of his original answer when he first gave it, Nezu's views were starting to make him doubt his choice.
"There's no way of knowing." Shoto answered after a moment. "At that moment in time, all you can do is make the call. And then live with the consequences."
"So you're standing by your decision to save the children?"
"Yes." He answered, a single nod cementing his choice.
"Very well," Nezu made another note. "Moving on..."
The questions didn't get any easier. Anxiety started to seep into Shoto's answers as he kept peeking at the an analog clock mounted on the wall. The passage of time didn't help either. As the debate of topics went back and forth, the examinee would swear time was moving faster and slower at random. It wasn't until he felt the buzzing of his phone in a pocket that he had an excuse to double check the time.
"Pardon me, but may I check my phone?" He glanced at his pocket, "It might be important."
"Not a problem, go ahead." Nezu leaned back in his chair, seeming unbothered by the interruption.
The text was a late 'good luck' from his sister. But it was the time listed that revealed another trick.
His phone said 4:24 P.M.
The clock on the wall read 5:32 P.M.
He recalled seeing a time of 3:05 P.M. on his phone shortly before he entered the room.
"Sir, are you aware that the clock on the wall is the wrong time?" Shoto pointed to the time piece in question.
"Yes, I am." An odd expression made its way onto Nezu's face.
Shoto frowned, "and you didn't correct it?"
"Of course not."
"Why not?"
"Because it is part of the test." Nezu held his arms out to the side in a lazy shrug.
That took Shoto aback, "Wait... how?"
"Hero work requires vigilant awareness. Just like how the first test was a show of academic progress and creativity with your quirk, there are hidden aspects to each test." The rat-man's eyes drifted back over to the bookcase. "This test was not only on philosophy but also on environmental awareness."
"So, not only was I suppose to talk to you but I was to notice something was wrong?" Shoto's eyes followed Nezu's gaze, before returning to settle on the rat's face.
"Correct." There was a calm smile on the rat's face. "Heroes must always be alert to things that might be slightly off. These can be hard to notice when your brain is focused on something else."
"But I didn't see anything wrong, except the clock." Once again, Shoto pointed at the offending object.
"There are many things wrong with this office, young Todoroki." Nezu was now standing on his chair, slowly turning with his arms out to encompass the room. "You just failed to notice them."
Shoto held back a flinch at the word 'failed'. A sinking feeling in his gut began to get heavier and heavier as Nezu listed various things wrong with his office.
A suspicious stain on the floor, peaking out from behind the desk.
An increased temperature in the room.
The clock being off.
A low frequency humming, hard to hear but one that was known for causing agitation and fear responses in humans.
A document openly laying on the desk that mentioned a shape-shifter on campus.
A smell of industrial cleaning products, recently used, lingering in the room.
A discarded knife peeking out from behind a bookshelf.
With each item pointed out the weight of Shoto's hubris dragged him deeper and deeper into a pit of dread.
"There are still a dozen other little details to list, mostly to specifically set off certain quirks." Nezu sat back down. "None the less... Be thankful young Todoroki. You didn't reach the time limit at least!"
"Time limit?" Shoto's body suddenly seemed at war over its temperature. He could feel heat rising from suppressed embarrassment, but at the same time the cold dread of what this meant.
"Exactly, from the moment you entered the room you had an hour and thirty minutes to recognize that something was wrong." Nezu looked at a watch on his wrist, which Shoto could see was set to the right time.
"So I passed?" There was an air of hope in his voice.
"No, no. You failed." Nezu's voice was gentle as he opened a drawer on his desk. "The criteria to pass required you to notice something wrong with the office within thirty minutes. You're well over double that time."
The feeling of hot embarrassment suddenly won. "So what happens now?"
"Now I hand you a pamphlet for the public admissions exam." Shoto took the tri-fold pamphlet Nezu was currently holding out to him. "Then I wish you good luck on your way out."
"What?! Why?!" Shoto was on his feet, seeing Nezu had produced a tablet computer from seemingly nowhere and was tapping away at something on it.
"Because you have failed three out of five of the recommendations tests." Nezu held the tablet out so Shoto could see his file. He didn't bother reading the notes, only focusing on the red or green boxes next to each test. "Failing even one of them disqualifies you from the slots we set aside for recommendation students."
"I failed..." The heat was suddenly replaced with the cold of an existential void.
"Yes, I believe that was clear." Nezu's voice was still gentle, though Shoto could detect an odd air on it as he took the tablet back.
"Oh." The heterochromatic man didn't know what else to say.
The faintest hum came from Nezu as he picked up his cup of tea again. "Now, at the risk of being rude, I must ask you to take your things and leave. I have other applicants to test."
That small command was enough to get Shoto moving, his hands surprisingly stead as he gathered his things for a final time and left.
The pamphlet in his hands looked like a devil's contract in Shoto's eyes.
This time the door closed behind him with barely a click.
…
[April 15th, X041 – 6:47 P.M. Todoroki Residence.]
…
The trip home from UA's campus was a quiet experience for Shoto. He had expected to return home surrounded by an air of triumph. Instead, he found himself showing even less emotion than he normally did. His eyes burned into the pamphlet, and he was almost thankful that the fire-side of his quirk couldn't be activated by sight. On the one hand, it was a second chance to prove himself worthy. Another chance to show everyone what he could do. But on the other, it was a physical manifestation of his failure.
He didn't remember hearing the conductor announce his stop. Had no recollection of getting off the train and onto the bus that lead to a stop closest to his house. Couldn't recall the squeak of the bus' doors, or the scuffing of his own shoes as he walked the short distance to his house. He did recall hearing Fuyumi say something as he had walked through the door, but didn't understand her words.
Instead, he had gone up to his room and threw his bag down, before shedding his regular clothes in favor of a new pair of sweatpants. With the pamphlet still in hand as he made his way to the training room. Setting up a couple of training dummies and punching bags, Shoto allowed himself a quick warm-up, before he started taking his frustrations out on the equipment.
He didn't know how long he had been at it. His only intention was to keep hammering at the padded targets. His only indication of time passing being the change in the lighting coming through the windows.
The doors to the training room opened smoothly, letting his father enter unhindered.
It wasn't the first time Shoto wished the doors wouldn't open.
"Ah." The man known as Endeavor said, genuinely taken aback. "I expected you to be resting after your tests."
"I couldn't rest." Shoto said tersely, throwing a final punch at the bag before him. "I failed. According to the Chancellor, I failed the Interview, Combat, and the Philosophy test."
Shoto expected fire and fury, instead "Hmm. I expected the interview and philosophy...Who was your combat examiner?"
"Aizawa Shota." He answered, recalling his meetings with the man. "Looks like a bum, carries a white scarf as a hero tool. Can shut off quirks."
"Ah, yes. Eraser Head." Endeavor gave a tiny nod. "That makes sense, his fighting style would counter yours."
"Is that all?" While part of Shoto argued that he should keep his mouth shut, another part was almost wishing Endeavor was yelling at him so he could have a proper opponent to vent his frustrations against.
"All?"
"Why aren't you angry? Shouldn't you be pissed that I lost? That I ruined your legacy?" The younger Todoroki blinked, noticing that his father still had the same calm expression he had when asking about the tests.
"I've told you before my son, there are other ways to create a legacy. " Endeavor answered, expression unchanging.
"You still won't tell me what that means!" Shoto stomped his foot, fists clenching at his side.
He saw a muscle twitch at the hinge of his father's jaw. "You will understand when you have matured and calmed yourself."
"You've been saying that for months!" Shoto gestured to the training room, to the small calendar to hang on one of the walls. "What is the point of all of my training if I'm not going to be your great legacy anymore."
It took all of Shoto's restraint to not flinch or strike out as he saw Endeavor's hand come down to rest on his shoulder. "You are going to be my legacy, hero or not. Great or not. I won't make my mistakes with Toya a second time."
"No, instead you're fleeing from hard choices then using him as an excuse!" Shoto shrugged his shoulder and pulled away from his father's hand.
"Shoto!"
"No, its true! I get it, we've had the discussion a million times." The heir raked his hands through his hair. "Toya killed himself being reckless with his quirk, mom blamed herself, and you feared I'd do the same."
"Son!" Though Endeavor's exclamation reached his ears, Shoto didn't let up.
"Now Mom's locked herself up in a psych ward and won't come out, and you throw yourself into work to avoid us, and only stop when you agree to train me to a borderline abusive level!"
"Enough!" Enji roared, the fire finally coming out. "I know you're upset but taking stabs at my mistakes will not ease your own failures!"
An icy calm descended on Shoto and made its way into his voice. "That's the father I expected."
The Fires went out.
"Shoto. I-"
The Son faced away from his father, "Whatever. Go crawl into a bottle again, drink yourself numb." He reached into the pocket of his sweats and pulled out the now folded and rumpled pamphlet. "I have to get ready for the public tests if I'm still going to get into U.A."
Endeavor left without another word, only the opening and closing of the door signaling his departure.
Shoto stood alone with his impotent anger, the silence in the training room his only companion.
By morning the training room was covered in thick ice, as if a winter hurricane had erupted inside its walls.
In the center was Shoto, coated in flame and sitting in a puddle of water.
Literally stewing in a fog of his own creation.