U.A. High.
The place where champions like All Might and others were molded.
The place where some of the finest heroes of Japan are made.
And it is the place where Iruka Sumūsufin would strive to become the next big hero.
"This is it...", thought Iruka, tightly clutching the straps of her black backpack, "Here we go..."
She took some deep breaths, and began walking towards the large, curtain walled building that resembled an H.
This girl had a very colorful appearance; she had smooth gray skin, similar to a dolphin, as well as vibrant blue eyes, and long locks of natural blue hair. A blowhole was located directly on her forehead, covered up by her haircut.
She also wore a dark blue coat, a baby blue scarf wrapped around her neck, a black dress skirt, dark gray leggings, and a pair of black dress shoes.
"Today's the practical exam, Iruka. It's the second big exam at U.A.", she thought to herself, "Just try to focus, and act natural. Like, really natural. Not like, cool girl natural, but, like...um...something, something...natural. Y-Yeah! Something something natural is good! That'll, uh, that'll definitely help ease the nervousness! So let's go ace this thing, and hopefully pass. Yeah!"
Unfortunately, while she thought this, her blowhole started spewing out small puffs of water vapor, a sign of her nervousness reaching an all time high.
The girl went inside the building, and saw a directional sign that read "U.A. High School Hero Course-Exam Orientation". Then, she opened the nearby doors, and went inside a dark auditorium. She saw many different candidates sitting down in various rows, all of them probably nerve wracked as she was.
She went into one of the back rows, and awkwardly walked past a few students, trying to see if there was a free seat. After a few seconds, she spotted one, and sat down.
"Excuse me? Um...miss?", asked a nearby voice.
Iruka turned to see another candidate sitting next to her. From what Iruka could make out in this dark room, the candidate was really furry, and had an almost beast-like face.
"Hey, uhhh...you're here for this exam too, right?", asked the candidate.
Iruka silently nodded in response.
The candidate awkwardly scratched the back of his head, and said, "Yeah, I figured. That was a really stupid question. Sorry. I...um..I'm just really nervous, and I didn't know what to say."
Iruka said, "Nah, it's okay. I'd probably ask the same thing. I mean, if that sign wasn't there, that is."
The candidate chuckled, "Yeah. This building is pretty huge."
Iruka nodded, "Yep."
The candidate then placed a hand on his chin, trying to think of what to say next.
Iruka smiled, "I'm Iruka, by the way. Iruka Sumūsufin."
The candidate said, "Nice to meet you, Sumūsufin. I'm Mark. Mark Morgan."
Iruka raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you're American?"
Mark replied, "Yeah. Grew up in a section of New York State, and we moved all the way over to Osaka when I was 10."
Iruka asked, "Wait, don't they have hero schools over in New York?"
"Well yeah, it does have a few hero schools, but...um...I...uh..."
Iruka questioned, "What is it?"
Mark nervously replied, "N-Never mind. It's a...kinda dorky reason."
Iruka smiled warmly, "Hey, I won't judge. I'm a big dork myself."
Mark chuckled again in response.
He then sighed, "Okay. The reason why we came here is because I..."
Mark took a deep breath, and let it out, "...I was kinda always fascinated by Japan. Ever since I was little. So, I...I thought it would be really, really cool to live here. I also wanted to feel closer to All Might, who is my favorite Japanese Pro Hero."
Iruka happily said, "Aww, that's a really sweet reason!"
Mark perked a brow, "Wait, you're not turned off by my stupid story?"
Iruka shook her head no, "I don't think it's stupid at all. It's really wonderful how you-"
Suddenly, the pair's conversation was interrupted when the lights near the front of the room flickered on, one by one. Then, a projector screen flashed on, showcasing the U.A. logo.
"What's up, U.A. candidates?!", exclaimed a blonde haired man with orange shades, "Thanks for tunin' into me, your school DJ!"
He spread his arms out in an enthusiastic manner, "Come on, and let me hear ya!"
The DJ placed a hand to his ear, awaiting large amounts of applause from a crowd of brand new candidates. However, all he heard was nothing but pure silence, and a few coughs here and there.
Mark whispered, "This is awkward..."
Iruka whispered back, "No doubt about it..."
"Keepin' it mellow, huh?", the DJ smirked, "That's fine, I'll skip straight to the main show. Let's talk about how this practical exam's gonna go down, okay?"
"ARE YOU READY?!", shouted the DJ , as he did an extravagant pose with his hands, "YEAH!"
Both Iruka and Mark held back chuckles, and they each thought, "This guy's so ridiculous!"
The DJ explained, "Like your application said, today you rockin' boys and girls will be out there conducting 10 minute mock battles in super-hip urban settings!"
The U.A. logo on the screen then flipped around to show various sections, labeled A through G.
"Gird your loins, my friends!", exclaimed the DJ, "After I drop the mic here, you'll head to your specified battle centers, sound good? Okay?!"
Iruka and Mark looked at their respective cards. Iruka was in B, while Mark was...also in B.
Iruka smiled, "Well, looks like you and I are in the same sector!"
Mark grinned, "Awesome! Could be a nice way to get to know each other more!"
"Okay, okay, let's check out your targets!", exclaimed the DJ as the screen showcased several new images, "There are three types of villains in every battle sector. You'll earn points based on their level of difficulty, so better choose wisely!"
A video game stylized demonstration of the test played onscreen, with the DJ acting as a placeholder avatar for the student.
"Your goal in this trial is use your Quirk to raise your score by shredding these foes like a midsong guitar solo! But, check it! Make sure your keepin' things heroic! Attacking other examinees is a U.A. no-no, ya dig?"
"Excuse me sir, but I have a question.", called out a candidate, who stood several feet away from Iruka and Mark. He was rather tall, and wore a pair of glasses.
"Hit me!", exclaimed the DJ.
A spotlight centered on the candidate, "On the print-out, you've listed four types of villains, not three. With all respect, if this is an error on official U.A. materials, it is shameful. We are exemplemary students! We expect the best from Japan's most notable school! A mistake such as this won't do!"
Mark rolled his eyes and muttered, "Oh geez, this type of student? Give me a break."
"Yeah...", sighed Iruka, "He's acting a little excessive for this event."
They saw the glasses-wearing candidate turn around, and point to some messy haired candidate that was standing behind him, "Additionally...you with the unkempt hair! You've been muttering this entire time! Stop that! If you can't bother to take this seriously, then leave! You're distracting the rest of us!"
"Sorry!", nervously exclaimed the messy haired candidate.
"Alright, alright! Examinee #7111! Thanks for calling in with your request!", exclaimed the DJ, who gave a thumbs up.
The glasses-wearing candidate respectfully bowed, "Thank you very much. Please continue."
The spotlight turned off as he sat back down.
A new image flashed onscreen, "The fourth villain type is worth 0 points! That guy's just an obstacle we'll be throwing in your way! There's one in every battle center! Think of it as a hurdle you should try to avoid! It's not that it can't be beaten, but there's...kinda no point. I recommend you listeners try to avoid, and focus on the one on the top of the charts!"
The DJ happily said, "That's all I got for you today! I'll sign off with a little present, a sample of our school motto! As General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down, 'A true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes.' Mmm-hmm! Now that's a tasty soundbite!"
He then grinned, "Are you ready to go beyond?"
The DJ spread his arms out, and shouted, "LET'S HEAR A 'PLUS ULTRA'!"
Like before, no one responded.
"That's the spirit!", called out the DJ, "Good luck! Hope you practiced more than just books!"
With that said, all of the auditorium lights came on, and everyone was let out of the room.
As Iruka put her backpack on, she turned to Mark (who was doing the same thing), and observed his appearance; The boy had thick white fur, peach skin, yellow sclera with black pupils, and a sharp set of teeth. He also had four fingers on both of his hands. In terms of clothing, he wore a simple puffed up jacket with sweats, and large black boots.
Overall, based on his appearance, Iruka assumed that Mark was a member of the Yeti species.
"Umm, is there something wrong?", questioned Mark, who was now confused as to why Iruka was staring at him.
The girl's eyes widened in shock. Once again, her blowhole spewed out small puffs of vapor.
She nervously looked away and rubbed the back of her head, "N-No reason! I was just curious about what you looked like! Sorry about that!"
Iruka then respectfully bowed and said, "Please forgive me for my rudeness!"
"Nah, no worries, dude.", said Mark with a smile, "Well, I'm gonna go change now. Can't wait to see you at the event!
Iruka replied, "Yeah, same here!"
As the Yeti boy walked off, he thought to himself, "Man, that girl is kind of...cute."
Mark quickly backtracked on that thought, "I mean, cool! She's cool! Yeah, that's what I meant!"
Every single one of the candidates were now at the entry gate for the exam.
All of them had changed into more exercise style clothing; Iruka in particular was now wearing a gray hoodie, dark blue track pants, and black sneakers; while Mark was now wearing nothing but a pair of gray shorts.
Iruka questioned, "Wait, since you're almost covered in fur, why did you need a jacket in the first place?"
My mom didn't want me to look rude. She said I needed to look like 'a responsible young man', or whatever...", said Mark, who let a annoyed sigh.
He then gained a smirk on his face, "Thankfully with all that crap off, I can move much more freely now!"
"Um...excuse me?"
The pair turned around, and saw that it was the same messy haired candidate from earlier (and it turned out that his hair was actually green).
He was now dressed in a light blue tracksuit with red sneakers.
"You two are also Section B, right?", asked the green haired boy.
"Uh, yeah.", replied Mark, "Why'd you ask?"
The green haired boy awkwardly replied, "I...um...I was just curious. Sorry for the random question."
He took a deep breath, and silently thought to himself.
To both Iruka and Mark, this candidate looked extremely nervous, even moreso than anyone else here. It was almost like he was about to spontaneously combust!
Iruka asked, "Are you alright?"
The green haired boy snapped out of his thoughts, and nervously sputtered, "Oh! Um, I...uh...I'm okay! I was just thinking about...about a lot of stuff..."
Mark asked, "You nervous about the exam?"
"Uh, y-yeah.", the boy replied, "I guess you can say that..."
Iruka smiled, "It's alright. We're also kinda nervous."
"Really?", questioned the boy.
Mark replied, "Ooh, yeah. Definitely. You're not alone here."
Iruka clenched her fist, raised it in the air, and proudly declared, "So, let's all try to pass this thing! Hopefully!"
Mark grinned, "Hell yeah! You said it, dude!
A small smile formed on the boy's face, "...Thanks."
Iruka said, "No problem. What's your name?"
The boy replied, "Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya. What are your names?"
"Iruka Sumūsufin."
"Mark Morgan."
Midoriya politely bowed and stated, "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Iruka and Mark bowed back.
"Likewise.", they each said in unison.
"RIGHT! LET'S GO!, shouted the DJ, who was standing on a nearby tower, "GET MOVING! THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL BATTLES! RUN, RUN, RUN, LISTENERS! YOU'RE WASTING AIR TIME HERE!"
As the rest of the candidates ran past the entrance, Iruka exclaimed, "Let's go join the others!"
Both Mark and Midoriya nodded in agreement, "Right!"
Iruka began sprinting towards the entrance, while Mark ran on all fours. Midoriya hurried alongside the pair.
The small group went into the city-wide battlefield. They ran past a few buildings for a bit, when suddenly, a giant, green, one-wheeled robot came crashing out of a nearby gray building!
"Gah! A one-pointer!", fearfully exclaimed Midoriya.
The giant robot spotted the group with its singular red eye.
"TARGET ACQUIRED. COMMENCE THE ATTACK.", it said as it began racing towards them.
Midoriya shivered with fright, while Mark glared at the one-pointer.
The Yeti boy leaped out at the giant robot, and shouted, "SCREW MY NERVOUSNESS!"
He landed on its neck, and quickly ripped off its head in an impressive show of super strength. He then jumped onto the body, and repeatedly bashed down on it with his bare fists, over and over, destroying the massive mechanical creature in the process.
The one-pointer toppled over in a fiery heap.
Mark jumped off the robot, and landed next to the group.
The Yeti boy thought, "Holy crap! That was...that was kinda exhilarating!"
Iruka smiled, "Nice job, Morgan!"
Mark smiled back, "Thanks!"
Midoriya stated, "Your attack kind of robbed me of points though..."
Mark winced at this response, "Ah, dang it. Sorry about that, Midoriya!"
Midoriya shook his head, and said, "It's fine. I just gotta try and find points some other way."
"SIX MINUTES AND TWO SECONDS LEFT!"
Midoriya fearfully yelped, "Not good! We gotta hurry! Fast!"
Both Iruka and Mark nodded, "Right!"
The group continued running down the various streets of the large cityscape, and they saw the remains of several destroyed robots lying around the sidewalk and pavement.
Near the group, a two-pointer's body was kicked inwards, destroying it completely.
That attack was caused by the glasses wearing candidate from earlier!
"Alright, that puts me at 45 points!", the candidate said to himself, who then ran off past the group.
Several other candidates were suddenly announcing how many points they had, simultaneously destroying their respective robots in the process.
"32!"
"45!"
"50!"
Upon crossing two blocks, Iruka saw another two-pointer in the distance.
She pointed towards it and grinned, "Now's your chance, Midoriya! Earn some points for yourself!"
Midoriya nodded, "Okay!"
He stopped in the middle of the street, prompting Iruka and Mark to stop in their tracks.
They were curious to see what his Quirk was like...
The green haired boy took a deep breath, and concentrated intensely.
He thrusted his fist towards the distant two-pointer.
Several seconds passed by, and nothing happened.
Mark questioned, "Uh, is your Quirk doing alright?"
Midoriya nervously gulped, and replied, "N-No! It just needs a bit more time to activate!"
He tried concentrating in an even more intensive manner, and thrusted his fist towards his target. Again, nothing happened.
The two-pointer noticed the group, and started coming towards them, saying the same message from before. At the same time, more robots started to come towards them from other blocks, such as another one-pointer, another two-pointer, and a three-pointer.
Unfortunately, Midoriya still hadn't activated his Quirk yet.
Midoriya exclaimed, "Darn it! It's not working! And I don't know why!"
He tried thrusting his fist once again towards the approaching group, but for the third time in a row, nothing happened.
"Crap!", groaned the green haired boy.
Mark bashed his fists together, and said, "Then I'm gonna gather some more points for all of us!"
Midoriya nodded, "Thank you, Morgan!"
Iruka added, "I'm joining in!"
Mark raised a brow in confusion, "Wait, are you sure? Some of them look tougher than the last one."
Iruka nodded, "I know. I just want to push past my nervousness too, and utilize my Quirk training to the best of my abilities."
Mark smirked, "Right on, dude."
The two of them glared up at the robots, which were now directly in front of them.
Midoriya awkwardly stated, "Um...I'm gonna go hide in one of those buildings..."
Mark replied, "Alright. Good luck, man."
Iruka also replied, "Be safe."
The green haired boy nodded, and quickly ran off for cover. The pair began their respective attacks on their adversaries.
Iruka sprinted towards the one-pointer, while Mark leaped outwards at the two-pointer.
Iruka fired out several watery blasts at the one-pointer, short circuiting the entire mech.
Mark landed on the two-pointer, and tore both it's head and tail off.
Iruka slid underneath the second scorpion-like robot. Using both hands, she fired a massive geyser-like blast straight through it, destroying it completely.
Mark leaped towards the last robot, the three-pointer. He was about to ram his fists against the massive mechanical being, when it swatted him away with its forearm, sending the Yeti boy plummeting towards the sidewalk.
Mark shook his head, and got back up to his feet. He was about to leap out at the large robot, when suddenly, dozens of watery blasts fired straight towards the three-pointer's forearm, disabling it.
A certain blue-haired girl somersaulted through the air, and landed in front of the Yeti boy.
She then fired out several more watery blasts straight into the three-pointer's head and body, short-circuiting the giant mech.
Iruka let out a few deep breaths, and thought, "Th-That...was really intense. But thankfully, Morgan is safe, and we now have 29 points under our belts. Thank goodness..."
"Dude!", happily exclaimed Mark as he walked towards Iruka, "That was awesome!"
Iruka bashfully smiled, "Thanks, Morgan."
The pair then saw Midoriya run out of the building, and towards the both of them.
"Are you guys okay?", the green haired boy asked in a worried manner, "That last one kinda got in the way of my field of vision..."
Iruka smiled and replied, "We're fine, Midoriya. I just saved Morgan from that last three-pointer."
"That's good to know.", said Midoriya, who then let out a sigh, "I don't know why my Quirk hasn't activated yet. It's just so frustrating."
He quickly gained a determined look on his face, "But, no time to reflect on that now! We gotta continue!"
Iruka and Mark nodded, "Right!"
Over the course of the next few minutes, the group proceeded to destroy several more robots, and help out as many fellow candidates as they could (well, in reality, it was Iruka and Mark who did all the work, while Midoriya hid in various buildings).
The group soon arrived in the middle of the cityscape.
Mark fell to the floor, and panted, "Are...w-we...done...with this test yet? I'm...I'm starting to...get tired..."
Iruka stretched her arms and sighed, "Thankfully, there are only two minutes left..."
Just then, thunderous rumbling was heard throughout the entire battle zone.
Mark exclaimed, "What's happening now?!"
Midoriya looked upwards, and shrieked, "Oh no!"
The pair followed suit, and they each saw a massive green robot, one that was even LARGER than the ones that came before, as it towered over several buildings.
Iruka nervously said, "I...I think this might be a four-pointer!"
Mark groaned, "Ah, great..."
The four-pointer raised its fist, and struck down onto the battlefield, causing a massive shockwave of dust and debris.
Every single one of the other candidates ran off to fend for themselves.
Iruka looked at Mark, "The three of us should find some cover!"
Mark nodded, "Right. Let's go!"
The pair started running off, but stopped when they turned to see that Midoriya wasn't following them.
He was still in the center of the battlefield. Midoriya was so stricken with fear that he couldn't move.
"Midoriya! What the hell are you doing?!", exclaimed Mark.
"Follow us!", added Iruka.
Midoriya snapped back to life, and stammered, "R-Right!"
He was about to run off, when suddenly:
"OW!"
The green haired boy turned around to see another candidate in the distance. It was a girl with light brown hair, and she was lying on the ground, clearly struggling to get herself up.
Neither Iruka or Mark recognized this girl...but Midoriya apparently did.
Iruka stated, "Midoriya, I understand that you want to help her, but we should save ourselves first!"
Mark nodded in agreement, "Maybe she can use her Quirk to get herself back up!"
But Midoriya did not move an inch.
Instead, the green haired boy ran forward, and made a gigantic leap towards the four-pointer, much to the shock of both Iruka and Mark.
While soaring in the air, Midoriya clenched his hand into a fist. His arm was enveloped by bright golden energy, which completely vaporized his sleeve.
Then, without uttering a single word, he sent a powerful punch at the center of the giant robot, taking it out. All in one go.
Iruka and Mark were both speechless at witnessing this unreal event.
Was this Midoriya's Quirk all along?!
If so, then this was a pretty awesome power!
"JUST ONE MINUTE LEFT!"
This amazement at Midoriya's Quirk was unfortunately short-lived, though, as the green haired boy began falling towards the ground.
He didn't appear to be slowing down either, as his right arm, and both of his legs, were visibly broken.
The pair shouted in horror, "MIDORIYIA!"
Mark exclaimed, "I'm gonna go get him!"
Iruka nodded, "Okay!"
Mark proceeded to run on all fours down the road.
Upon gaining enough momentum, the Yeti boy leaped out towards Midoriya, and he quickly caught him with both arms.
Mark landed with a loud thud, imprinting his feet on the ground in the process.
He asked, "You alright, Midori-"
The Yeti boy was taken aback when he saw that Midoriya was unconscious.
Mark looked over at the rest of the green haired boy's body; his right arm was entirely purple, swollen, and broken. His legs were severely mangled up as well.
Mark winced at the sight of his fellow candidate's injured state, "What the hell did you do to yourself, man?"
"I-Is he...?", asked a voice unfamiliar to Mark.
He looked over and saw the brown-haired girl, now resting on the head of one of the robots.
The brown haired girl asked again, "...Is he okay?"
Mark replied, "He's fine. Just unconscious."
The girl sighed, "That's goo-MMPH!"
She barfed out a small puddle of rainbow colored vomit.
Mark, disgusted, quickly closed his eyes, "Nope. Nope. Not lookin' at that!"
"TIME'S UUUP!"
Iruka ran all the way over to where Mark was.
"How is he?", asked Iruka once she arrived.
"Ehh...He's kinda knocked out cold.", said Mark as he showed Midoriya's injured body to the blue-haired girl.
Iruka gasped, "Oh my goodness..."
"Well done!", called out a voice from several feet away.
The pair, as well as the other candidates, turned their heads to see a small elderly woman. She was dressed in some sort of medical hero getup, and she was also holding a small cane.
"You're heroes in my eyes, every one of you!", exclaimed the woman in a cheerful manner, who then walked over to a blonde haired candidate.
"Here, reward yourselves. Have some candy!", she smiled as she gave some small gummy bears to the blonde candidate.
She then calmly walked over to Midoriya's body, muttering something to herself, although Iruka and Mark couldn't hear what it was.
The woman puckered her lips, and proceeded to kiss Midoriya's head. Green energy flowed throughout his broken body parts, mending and restoring them back to normal in an instant.
Everyone was collectively shocked by this.
Well, almost everyone.
The blonde candidate spoke up, "That mademoiselle's Quirk is a Super Healing Factor. It's in large part thanks to her presence that U.A. dares to host such wild exams."
Mark replied, "Um...okay? Thanks for that information, random dude."
The blonde candidate winked in a playful manner at the Yeti boy.
The woman stated, "This one will be fine. Any other hurt children?"
Iruka answered, "No. We're all okay. We don't really have any injuries."
"Alright. Then, you are all free to go! I hope to see most of you future heroes at our school!", said the woman with a hearty smile.
With that said, she proceeded to quietly leave the cityscape.
Most of the candidates followed suit, making Iruka, Mark, a still unconscious Midoriya, and the brown-haired girl to be the only ones left on the battlefield.
The three candidates all circled around Midoriya.
The girl questioned, "What do we do now? We can't just leave him like this!"
Iruka proposed, "What if I spray a little bit of water on him? Maybe that could wake him up?"
Mark smirked, "That's a smart idea! Go for it, dude!"
Iruka nodded in response. She aimed her finger at Midoriya's head, and sprayed out some small amounts of water at the green-haired boy.
Midoriya slowly stirred awake, and he looked up to see his three peers staring down at him, "U-Um...hello?"
The three sighed in relief, deeply happy that Midoriya was okay.
Mark helped Midoriya get back up to his feet, and smiled, "Welcome back, ya big hero. The exam's all finished. We beat it!"
Midoriya sighed, "Thank goodness."
He ruffled through his now soaked up hair.
Iruka awkwardly said, "Yeah. Sorry about that."
Midoriya smiled, "It's alright. I can just dry this off later."
Just then, the brown-haired girl spoke up, "So, thank you for saving me back there...um..."
Midoriya awkwardly replied, "Uh...it's...M-Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya."
The girl happily said, "That's a nice name!"
Midoriya blushed a deep crimson, "R-Really?!"
The girl nodded, "I'm Ochaco Uraraka, by the way. I mean, if you didn't know my name before."
Midoriya smiled, "It's nice to meet you, Uraraka."
He quickly backtracked himself, "Oh! I-I mean, re-meet you, as we technically have met already."
"Y-Yeah. We...we have...", said Ochaco, who brushed her hair bang behind her ear, and let out a soft chuckle.
Both Iruka and Mark gave each other a knowing look, as they had a feeling where this was going...
The Yeti boy turned to face Midoriya and Ochaco, "Hey, uh, Sumūsufin and I are gonna head out now..."
Midoriya questioned, "Wait, what about the points?"
Iruka replied, "Since the three of us collectively earned 45 attack points and 30 rescue points, that means you have 15 attack points and 10 rescue points."
Mark nodded in agreement, "Yeah. What she said."
Midoriya happily said, "Ah thanks, guys!"
The pair replied in unison, "You're welcome!"
Iruka then said, "Well, in case we don't see you when coming out...it was nice meeting you!"
Midoriya smiled, "Same here. Hopefully, we'll all manage to get into U.A."
Iruka nervously chuckled, "Y-Yeah. Hopefully..."
Mark happily waved, "Welp, see you guys later!"
"Bye!", said Midoriya and Ochaco in unison as they waved their fellow peers farewell.
As the pair proceeded to head out of the cityscape, Iruka asked Mark, "So, after we change in the locker rooms, do you want to meet me outside? Or, do you want to leave before me? Or..."
Mark replied, "Meh, I'm going with the first option."
"Also, do you wanna head to the train station together? Y'know, just to chat a bit more?", asked Iruka.
"...Y-Yeah! Sure thing, dude!", smiled Mark, with a faint blush.
Several minutes later, the two candidates were back in their casual clothes.
They proceeded to leave the U.A. gates, and onto the sidewalk.
Mark let out a big yawn and said, "What a morning..."
Iruka added, "Indeed."
"So...uh...how was the written exam for you?"
"It was fine. I mean, there were one or two questions I got stuck on, but I feel like I did well. How about you?"
Mark replied, "Yeah, I think I did alright."
Iruka smiled, "That's good."
The pair continued walking for a bit, then stopped at a crosswalk sign, which was currently on red.
As the two of them waited for the light to change, Mark spoke up, "I wonder..."
Iruka raised a brow, "Hm?"
"How does your Quirk work, again? I mean, I know I saw it before, but...how does it really work?
Iruka explained, "Well, with Aqua Morph, I can manipulate any amount of water that comes out of my hands, and morph it into anything I want. Although, I have to drink a large bottle of water in order for it to work."
Mark asked, "How come?"
Iruka replied, "I'll end up tiring myself out quickly if I don't do it."
Mark nodded, "Mmm. Makes sense."
He then smiled, "From what I've seen so far today, I think your Quirk is pretty cool!"
Iruka bashfully smiled, "Thank you. Again."
The light turned green, and the two of them quickly looked both ways before resuming to walk down the next sidewalk path.
Mark awkwardly said, "I, uh, I would've given you the full details of...of my Quirk, but...you can already tell it's just super strength. And...jumping really high. Th-That's it. Sorry."
Iruka nodded, "It's okay."
The two proceeded to walk past some stores, coffee shops, and restaurants. All of which were hustling and bustling with excitement and loudness, so the pair just kept quiet until they were away from all of that.
All the while, Mark was angrily thinking, "Idiot! You stupid idiot! Why would you say things like that?! Now, she's gonna think you're a boring freak!"
Simultaneously, Iruka thought, "Oh, great! He's feeling insecure about himself, and it's all your fault! Now, he's gonna act all nervous around you!"
The two of them had one thought going through their heads: "I gotta make things less awkward! But what do I say?!"
Once things were quiet again, the two of them simultaneously spoke up:
"S-So, uh, Morga-"
"U-Um, Sumūsuf-"
Mark quickly stopped himself, "You go first."
Iruka nodded and continued, "U-Um...so...uh...m-moving on from our Quirks...what are your, umm, favorite shows?"
Mark thought about it, then awkwardly replied, "Um...the only one I can name off the top of my head right now is..uh...Doctor Who?"
Iruka's eyes widened in shock, "Wait, really?"
Mark shrugged, "Yeah..."
The girl grinned, "I...I love Doctor Who!"
Mark exclaimed, "Holy crap! That's really cool! I haven't met anyone in my school who watches that show!"
Iruka happily replied, "I haven't either!"
She added, "Well, okay, to be honest: I don't love ALL of Doctor Who, just moreso Modern Who."
Mark smiled, "Yeah, I agree."
Iruka then asked, "So, who's your favorite Doctor?"
Mark smirked, "I know his run ended centuries ago, but the Twelfth Doctor. Twelve's my favorite."
"YEEES!", squeed Iruka as she shook her hands in a giddy manner, "He's so cool!"
Mark happily said, "I know, right?! I love how his character was so philosophical and wise! And his finale-"
"Don't remind me!", exclaimed Iruka, "His finale made me cry! I mean, like, HARD!"
Mark sighed, "Yep. That last episode of his was really...emotional. I mean, I didn't cry-cry, but I felt an emotional knot in my stomach for a few hours. If that makes any sense."
Iruka grinned, "Oh, it makes sense, my fellow fan! It makes sense!"
She then said, "Now, as for my favorite...I kinda have to go with all the modern Doctors. Sorry, I can't decide! They are all so interesting in their own unique ways!"
Mark nodded, "That's fair. I mean, all the Doctors are very, very distinct from one another. It's no wonder the Doctor's one of the most lovable characters in all of sci-fi."
"Speaking of sci-fi...are you into Star Wars too?", asked a curious Iruka.
Mark shouted, "YES! I LOVE ME SOME STAR WARS!"
Iruka smirked, "Okay, then! Question: where is Episode I set? In terms of timeline?"
Mark grinned, "30 years before Episode IV. Around 32 BBY. Starts at the Trade Federation ship, and ends on Naboo. I know my facts, dude."
Iruka excitedly giggled and thought, "YES! I found my people!"
She let out a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. I finally found someone who actually enjoys Star Wars!"
Mark perked a brow, "Wait, what? But, isn't the franchise well loved, like, worldwide?"
Iruka replied, "It is, but I'm referring to my current school. See, none of my fellow classmates have watched any of the movies, or the shows, or even CARE about the franchise. I've...I've had to keep my SW geekiness to myself, as a result."
Mark frowned, "Ah, dude. I'm sorry to hear that. That sucks."
Iruka sighed once again, "Yeah, it does."
Upon stopping at another crosswalk, the pair saw that the train station was close by.
Mark said, "Welp, we're almost there."
Iruka smiled, "Yeah..."
"It was really nice, having this geeky chat with you."
"Yeah. I kinda wanna chat with you again sometime."
Mark rubbed his arm, "Um, so if one of us doesn't get into U.A-"
Iruka interrupted, "Please don't make me nervous..."
Mark winced, "Sorry!"
He cleared his throat and continued, "...Do you wanna stay in touch? Just in case?"
Iruka replied, "Sure! Let me just get my phone."
Mark nodded, "Yeah, I'll do that too."
Iruka placed her backpack down, unzipped the front section of it, and pulled out her blue-colored smartphone.
At the same time, Mark went into his right pocket, and pulled out his green-colored smartphone.
Iruka put in her password, and immediately went into her contacts.
Mark followed suit, and went into his own contacts.
Iruka showed her number to Mark, and he quickly typed it into his phone.
Mark said, "I'll text my number to you, and you can just add it in."
He proceeded to do just that.
Iruka instantly received the message, then added Mark's number to her contacts.
She put the device back into her backpack, and zipped it up.
Iruka sighed, "Alright, now that that's settled, let's continue."
The pair resumed walking towards the train station.
Upon arriving inside one of the station buildings, they each pulled out their cards, briefly placed them on their respective turnstile, and passed through.
Afterwards, they walked onto the platform, and the two of them looked up to see the various train times.
Iruka said, "Mine is the 11:00 train, heading for Hosu City. What about yours?"
Mark replied, "I'll just get on the same train, seeing how it'll take me back to Osaka as well."
Iruka smirked, "Nice. We're train buddies!"
Mark chuckled, "Yeah, we are!"
The pair then stood in silence, and started waiting for their train to arrive.
A new question then struck Mark's mind. Although, he was rather unsure on how to say it.
Mark spoke up, "U-Um...Sumūsufin?"
Iruka said, "Yeah?"
The Yeti boy bit his lip, "I...I don't know if I should ask you this. This might be a really weird, and awkward question..."
Iruka smiled warmly, "Morgan, it's okay. You can ask me anything."
Mark took a deep, nervous breath, and asked, "Can you...um...can you speak...I mean, are you capable of speaking...English?"
"Yes. Yes, I can.", replied Iruka, in fluent English.
Mark's eyes widened, "Oh. Oh, crap. I...uh...I wasn't expecting that."
"Then, surprise!", grinned Iruka, who then let out a soft giggle.
Mark inquired, "So, how long have-?"
Iruka explained, "My father homeschooled me for a very long time on English, ever since I was little. There wasn't really any big goal in mind. He just thought it would be useful for me."
Mark said, "Huh. Well, that's kinda cool."
Iruka nodded, "Yeah. He actually attended a college in New York City, and came back here when he finished his bachelor's."
Mark smirked, "Your dad must be really fond of the US."
Iruka chuckled, "H-He kinda is!"
"Oh, wow!", exclaimed Mark, who then chuckled, "That's funny."
After a few more minutes of silent waiting, the train finally arrived, and its doors opened up. Thankfully, there weren't a lot of people getting out, so the pair got on with ease.
The doors closed up, and the train proceeded to leave the station.
Inside, Iruka and Mark sat down, placed their respective bags on the floor, and they both let out tired sighs.
Mark said, "Man, I can't wait to get home, and, like, sleep. It's been a looong morning for me."
Iruka smiled, "Same here. I would love to just...just sleep in for the rest of the day! Not have to deal with anything else!"
Mark nodded, "I agree. Actually, y'know what would be even better?"
"What?"
"I hope I can watch some anime, and chill in my jammies. 'Cause I'm lazy, and tired, and DONE."
Iruka smirked, "Yep. I hear you."
The two of them happily shared a laugh, and continued chatting about more of their geeky, tv show-based interests as the train traveled towards its next stop.
One Week Later...
Iruka came racing back into her room, and did a little celebratory dance. She then collapsed onto her queen-sized bed.
"You did it, Iruka. You finally got into U.A!", thought the blue haired girl as she gleefully smiled to herself.
Her phone vibrated on her desk nearby. Iruka quickly went over and grabbed it.
She saw a new message (or rather, her first message) from Mark:
Hey, Sumūsufin. Just wanted to check up on you. I got into U.A! Did you manage to get in, too?
Iruka grinned and texted back:
Hey, Morgan! It's so nice to here from you! And, YES! I managed to get in! I'm so happy right now!
She sent the message, and waited a few seconds.
Then, Mark texted back:
AWESOME! So, I guess I'll be seeing you in April!
Iruka: Yeah! Until then, take care!
Mark: Thanks, Sumūsufin! You too!
Iruka: And I'm always here to chat, if you want!
Mark: Sure thing, dude!
Iruka then placed her phone back on the desk, and laid back down.
She smiled and thought, "This is it. Here we go..."