With the sun beginning to rise on the horizon, Mei was already on the sandy shores of Takoba Beach, waiting for Izuku to appear. It was 6am, and she was cross-legged in the empty space of land they had cleared together a few months before. Her anticipation for the day ahead only grew stronger as the minutes ticked by.
When Izuku finally appeared, he found Mei with her eyes fixed on the ocean. "You're here already?" Izuku called out from the path. "How long have you been awake?"
Mei's eyes sparkled as she turned to face him, a grin spreading across her face. "Who said I slept?!" she said excitedly. "I was way too GIDDY! Today's the day we get to do our own quirk assessment test!" She sprinted towards her friend and, without skipping a beat, began to pull him towards the beach. "We should get started right away, before school starts."
Izuku, taken aback by Mei's infectious enthusiasm, stammered out a slightly nervous response. "R-right, I guess we should, yeah. What's um... What's first?"
His question caused Mei to pause, her enthusiasm momentarily replaced by contemplation. She tilted her head, her eyes staring into the distance as she pondered their options. "Well, we could begin with some endurance tests, or I could take some blood samples, or maybe we should see how conductive you can get, or perhaps-"
"Mei! Mei! You're doing a me!" Izuku interjected, laughing nervously. "You're getting ahead of yourself again."
"-Oh! Right, sorry!" Mei exclaimed, snapping back to reality. "First things first, have you managed to turn your finger into a screwdriver again since the last time we spoke?"
"I, uh, haven't actually tried," Izuku admitted sheepishly.
"Izuku!" Mei replied, her tone a mixture of frustration and disbelief.
"I was worried people might see me doing it! Or it might not turn back to normal and I'd get stuck like that. Or, you know, it might have been a one-time thing, a fluke…"
Mei slapped herself on the forehead, exasperated by Izuku's hesitance. "Just try it now, while we're alone!" she urged him.
Inhaling deeply, Izuku steadied himself and raised his right hand, focusing all his attention on his index finger. His mind honed in on the image of a screwdriver, visualising every minute detail of the common tool. He thought of the specific shade of its colour, the precise shape of the handle and the metal shaft, and the texture of the plastic grip. Izuku considered the various applications of the tool, recalling the countless times he had tightened a screw or disassembled an object. With a vivid image etched in his mind, he gradually closed his other fingers into a tight fist and watched intently.
Eyes widening in amazement, he observed as his finger shifted and transformed into the shape of the screwdriver. A wave of immense relief washed over him as he realised he'd successfully replicated the quirk's initial manifestation.
"I did it!" He exclaimed, looking to Mei for her input
She hummed curiously, leaning closer and gently tapping the metal tip with her pen. "Can you feel that?"
"Sort of?" he replied, "It's like I can tell something is touching it, but I can't really feel it. It's like tapping on the tip of a fingernail, or someone touching your hair." He tried to explain.
"Interesting. Can you bend it, like a regular finger?" she inquired further.
Concentrating again, he tried to bend the screwdriver, to no avail. "No, I can't do it. It's a weird feeling, like I can feel my finger bending in my mind, like it's still there hidden behind the screwdriver."
"Oh, so it's like how people with limb differences can sometimes feel phantom movements?" she suggested.
"Yeah, exactly. Or at least, I think so, anyway." he agreed, still marvelling at the unusual transformation.
As Izuku held out his transformed hand, Mei reached out and carefully took hold of it, her fingers curling around his palm beneath the screwdriver. With a gentle touch, she began to press her thumb into various spots on his hand. "Can you feel all of that?" she asked.
Izuku nodded. "Yeah, the rest of my hand feels exactly as normal," he confirmed. He paused for a moment, the full weight of the situation suddenly dawning on him, before continuing, "Hah, wow. This is so bizarre." He shook his head, "I have a quirk. I actually have a quirk."
Mei's face lit up with delight for her friend, "Have you thought of a name for it?" she asked.
Furrowing his brow, Izuku considered the question. "I guess it would have to be something like 'screwdriver', right?" he suggested, finding the name appropriate for what it was capable of.
However, Mei looked back at him, her expression a mix of confusion and amusement. "Wait, hold on, hold on a second…" she said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Izuku, did it not occur to you at any point that it might not be limited to screwdrivers?"
The sudden realisation hit him like a brick, and Izuku's face flushed with embarrassment. Why hadn't he considered that? It must have just been the shock of it all, but there really wasn't anything to suggest he only had the one transformation. "I… Didn't think about it," he admitted sheepishly.
"Well, think about it now, doofus!"
Relaxing his hand, Izuku willed the screwdriver to revert back to a regular finger (though he was surprised to find his nails looking cleaner now), and concentrated intensely on manifesting something new. With his eyes narrowing in determination and his jaw clenched, he eventually relented and looked back at Mei, a hint of frustration evident in his gaze. "…I can't think of any other tools."
"I'm going to go walk into the ocean, be right back," Mei declared dramatically, feigning exasperation.
"Wait, Mei! Come on, help me out here! It's like performance anxiety or something!" Izuku laughed, reaching out to grab her hand and prevent her from walking away.
"Fine, fine! Try something bigger then, I want to see what you can do. How about a hammer? But a huge one!"
Izuku hesitated, but nodded. "I'll give it a shot, but don't get your hopes up."
He took another deep breath and concentrated again, envisioning a hammer in his mind. The smooth red handle, the heavy black head, he thought of how it would feel in his hand, the weight of it as he swung it through the air… Then he felt a strange sensation pulling down his arm. He glanced down and saw that, this time, his whole hand had transformed.
His quirk was not only more versatile than screwdrivers, but also more expansive than his fingers.
"Woah." He exclaimed, twisting the hammer to view it at different angles. The handle blended perfectly into the skin on his wrist, as though it was a natural part of his body.
"Izuku." Mei said, looking between the hammer and his eyes, "This is really fucking cool."
"...Let's see what else I can do."
—
7am.
The students of Class 1-A buzzed with anticipation, unsure of what their first training exercise with All Might would entail. The unmistakable aura of excitement radiated through their tight-knit group as they gathered near the front gates of the school. Assembling at this location and awaiting further details was the only instruction they had received.
Denki Kaminari, a student blessed with an electrifying quirk and a hairstyle that reflected his ability, couldn't contain his curiosity. Turning to the beast-like boy standing next to him, he asked, "Do you think we're going off school grounds for our training?"
His hair puffing out even more than usual, likely due to his close proximity to Kaminari's static, Jurota Shishida pondered the question before responding. "Hm, perhaps that is the case." As he pushed his glasses up his nose, he added, "I have heard from my elder brother that UA has many off-campus facilities."
At that moment, Mina Ashido, an energetic girl with an acid-producing quirk, cut in excitedly, "I kinda figured we'd be doing some fighting!" She began shadowboxing the air in preparation for the potential battle, enthusiastically declaring, "Let's get into some action!"
Uraraka, still feeling motivated from her chat with the support students yesterday, flexed the hand that was finally free of its cast as of that morning and joined Ashido in practising her fighting stances. The sight of their spirited display caught Kirishima's attention, who couldn't help getting caught up in the excitement. "Yeah! Whatever the training is, we're gonna smash it!" he yelled, as the three of them continued to make animated punching noises.
The ever responsible Tenya Iida tried his best to calm down his overzealous classmates. But even he couldn't deny the infectious energy that filled the air as they awaited the arrival of their teacher.
"Listen up, young heroes!" All Might's voice thundered across the meeting spot, instantly capturing the attention of the gathered students. Anticipation raised once more, as the class hastily lined up to await the arrival of the icon.
On cue, All Might descended from the sky and landed with an earth-shaking slam, sending dust particles flying through the air and a blast of wind at the students. "I am here! To teach you to be heroes!" he proclaimed, his frame casting an impressive shadow.
Every member of the class felt an involuntary urge to straighten their backs and stand tall, attempting to match the greatness before them. Indeed, All Might's mere presence radiated an aura of strength and confidence among the students.
As the dust settled, he reached behind his back and, as if by magic, produced a box. With a flourish, All Might revealed 19 gleaming bracelets nestled within.
"For today's exercise, you are to wear these stylish accessories!" All Might announced, as he began to distribute the bracelets to each student. Doing as they were instructed, they donned them under the watchful eye of the world's greatest hero.
One of the students, the resourceful Yaoyorozu, asked, "These bracelets are designed to nullify our quirks, correct?"
"Astute observation, young Yaoyorozu." All Might praised her with a beaming smile.
Pony Tsunotori chimed in with a curious tone, "So we can't use our quirks?!"
"All in good time, my young friends!" The hero responded with a hearty laugh. "Your training is nearly ready to commence!"
On cue, the previously hidden Cementoss used his extraordinary power to manipulate the nearby ground, causing a massive tower to rise approximately 100 feet from the student's positions. The building wasn't overly designed by any means, but had been given protrusions on the sides to give the illusion of window sills, and reached 22 storeys tall. The tip of the structure had large letters U A, as a sort of sign. The sudden appearance of the towering structure and the accompanying shadow it cast left the students awestruck, jaws hanging wide.
"Your challenge for today," All Might declared, "is to scale this skyscraper and meet me at the very summit!"
Determination ignited in the eyes of the aspiring heroes. This challenge seemed like another opportunity to showcase their abilities. Uraraka, brimming with confidence, exclaimed "Piece of cake! I can float all the way to the top, no problem!"
All Might looked at her with an approving smile, clearly pleased with her enthusiasm. "That's the spirit, young Uraraka! However..." He paused for a moment, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a small, circular disk. With a swift and powerful throw, he launched the disk towards the towering structure. It struck the centre point of the tower with a loud thud, adhering itself to the surface. "That device is a quirk nullifier that is linked to your bracelets! It will activate every six minutes, rendering your quirks temporarily unusable!"
A collective gasp and a murmur rippled through the group of students as they processed this unexpected twist. The challenge that had initially seemed manageable had just become exponentially more difficult.
"Your task, my young heroes," All Might continued, his voice booming with authority, "Is to reach the top before the nullifier activates. Speed will be crucial. Those of you whose quirks are not suitable for vertical traversal will need to rely on your cunning or work together as a team."
The frog-like Tsuyu raised a hand to ask, "Can't we have someone go down to grab a student if they get left behind?"
Shaking his head, All Might answered. "I am afraid not! This challenge must be tackled head-on. Once you begin your climb, there is no turning back! The path ahead lies forwards!"
The usually silent Shoto Todoroki, his expression stoic, nodded in understanding. "What is our time limit?"
"You have the entire day! Show me what you are capable of, and I shall meet you at the top!" With those words, All Might performed a swift and awe-inspiring movement, rocketing from his position on the ground and landing effortlessly at the top of the towering structure.
—
Somewhat reluctantly, Mei and Izuku had no choice but to set aside their morning training in order to attend their costume design and applications class, which was now gradually nearing its conclusion.
"And that, my dearest darlings, marks the pivotal distinction between the realms of DRAB and GLAM!" Midnight's lecture crescendoed to a climax with an extravagant and theatrical gesture, leaving her audience of students in complete silence.
Costume design was far from Izuku's strong suit. In his younger years, he had dabbled with the concept while still attempting to pinpoint the specific area of support that truly resonated with him. However, all his sketches ultimately ended up being mere variations on All Might's costume. The most ludicrous of these ideas was likely the concept for an inflatable "Ball Might" suit, which he thought would be great for buoyancy. Despite his lack of affinity for the subject, Izuku diligently took notes in preparation for the inevitable exams, all the while knowing that he would not be selecting this particular class as his elective.
Casting a glance to the friend sitting beside him, Izuku found himself captivated by the fervent determination with which Mei took notes. Her pencil was moving so swiftly as she scribbled page after page it seemed as though it might burst into flames. Due to the incredible speed with which she wrote, her handwriting was a chaotic mess of indecipherable squiggles, something she had always defended as a precautionary measure against idea thieves. As a result, Izuku was left in a constant state of confusion, ever unable to fathom the contents of her notes.
As the classroom bell's chimes marked the conclusion of another lesson, Mei abruptly slammed her notebook shut and flung it into her backpack, eager to continue that morning's endeavours. "Come on, screwdriver boy," she said to Izuku. "We've got work to do."
"Screwdriver boy?" Hana interjected, overhearing. Her raised eyebrow mirrored the inquisitiveness of her tone.
Even though he wasn't sure if that was a euphemism or not, Izuku's face flushed, his embarrassment evident. "Oh, well, you see," he stammered, finding the right explanation to throw her off the scent. "She calls me that because… Because I'm always borrowing screwdrivers! Yeah, that's me! I'm just the guy always in need of a darn screwdriver! Screwdriver boy, that's me!" He chuckled nervously.
Hana's gaze intensified, her narrowed eyes seeming to delve into the depths of Izuku's mind, searching for hidden truths. Yet, almost instantly, her expression softened and she smiled brightly. "Okay!" she cheerfully replied, apparently satisfied with the response. She then followed a yawning Yamashita out of the door.
As they made their way outside the school, Mei utilised the video camera on her phone, ensuring it recorded their surroundings. She intended to use the footage to develop a mapping software that would help in navigating the labyrinth that was UA. They were already both tired of getting lost, and were determined to find a way to prevent it.
Thoughtfully, Izuku turned to mei and offered, "I could let you borrow the scanning software I uploaded to Deku, if you want. It won't provide anything detailed like room numbers, but it might be a good starting off point?"
Suddenly, a question tugged at Mei's mind, diverting her attention. "Hey, wait a second, where is Deku anyway? I haven't seen the little guy since the entrance exam!"
"Oh gosh, I completely forgot to tell you! I've been following them on their gps tracker, They're always in principal Nezu's office." his expression softened, a touch of pride in his voice. "I was going to go and get them later, but, I don't know, they seem happy there."
Perplexed, Mei asked, "How can you tell they're happy?"
"A father knows, Mei." he answered with a proud expression.
As they finally neared the front entrance of the school, Mei abruptly extended her arm across Izuku's path, halting him in his tracks. Her gaze was fixed intently on the scene unfolding outside the doors. Izuku recognized this expression all too well, and he inquired, "What is it? What do your elf eyes see?"
Mei posed a question, already aware of the answer. "How many towers are there at this school?"
"Four, why?" Izuku responded, curiosity piqued.
"Well now there are five. Come on! Let's go see!" Mei exclaimed, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling him out of the school gates. They joined a throng of students who had congregated to witness the ongoing hero training exercise.
Utilising her quirk tailored for this exact purpose, Mei zoomed in on the newly erected tower, providing a play-by-play commentary. "There are some people at the top, I guess they passed?"
Standing on the roof of the building were an assortment of Class 1-A students, including Shoto Todoroki, Kojiro Bondo, Jurota Shishida, Mezo Shoji and more.
Izuku marvelled at the sight, musing aloud, "Oh wow, do you think it's a race, or there's some sort of penalty?"
Just then, Mei's attention shifted. "Oh! That black-haired girl in the Ultraman costume is almost at the top!"
Even without the benefit of Mei's enhanced vision, Izuku could discern the colossal bolt that the hero-in-training was enlarging to propel herself upward. However, before she could reach the summit, a red flash emanated from the side of the tower, and she started to plummet.
"Woah! Is she okay?!" Izuku cried out, concern etched on his face. He observed Mei, who seemed poised to sprint into action, suddenly halt herself.
Relief washed over Mei's features as she reassured her friend, "Yeah, yeah, she's okay. There are safety nets to catch her."
—
Frustration permeated the air as the students continued their relentless attempts to conquer the towering challenge before them.
Kirishima, his frustration boiling over, once again assumed his formidable rock form, his claw-like fingers digging into the side of the building. Emitting a primal scream of determination, he began his ascent, edging ever closer to the pinnacle. Six intense minutes passed until, just as he was about to carve out another groove in the concrete, the quirk nullifier activated, leaving him defenceless. Inadvertently striking the solid wall with his bare hand, pain surged through him, forcing him to plummet. "Aggh! So clooooose!" he exclaimed in anguish as he plummeted to the floor.
Undeterred, the next student to seize the challenge was Manga Fukidashi, his mind seemingly brimming with the perfect plan. With a running start, he leaped into the air, directing his mouth toward the ground, and bellowed, "BOING!" Instantaneously, the words materialised before him, imbued with a trampoline-like texture. Hurtling into the vibrant letters, he was propelled skyward, arms and legs flailing as he ascended. However, a near-miss with the top of the tower seemed inevitable, until Todoroki swiftly reached out, seized Fukidashi's arm, and swung him back onto the roof's surface. Exhausted yet triumphant, another student had conquered the daunting tower.
—
"Oh, I get it," Izuku mused, his mind actively dissecting the situation. "They have to reach the top before the nullifier activates. But why is that group having such a difficult time? There must be something we're missing."
Mei smirked mischievously "Because, Izuku my friend," she chimed in, playfully sarcastic, "These hero students are so used to relying on their quirks that they've become complacent!"
Izuku nodded. "They should be trying to team up. They're all attempting this individually, but if they combined their strengths they could be up there in no time."
"Would probably be really easy if they used your tether gun, huh?"
—
Meanwhile, in the midst of the trial, Jiro had her earphone jack firmly embedded in the ground, and found herself growing increasingly frustrated. Her concentration faltered, replaced by a mixture of disappointment and realisation. "Wow, for a group of hero students, we sure are being dumb."
"Guys!" she shouted, with a sense of urgency. The group turned their attention towards her. Among them were Kodai, Uraraka, Ashido, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Iida, who had chosen to stay behind to provide support, not yet attempting his own ascent.
"We're going about this the wrong way," Jiro declared, her voice gaining confidence with each passing word. "Instead of struggling to get up there one by one, we need to come together and work as a team! Find a way to get us all up there at once!"
Kaminari scratched his head, a perplexed expression crossing his face. "I don't know about that," he confessed, uncertain. "If we can't make it on our own, how are we supposed to all do it at once?"
"Well, I could make everyone float up there," Uraraka suggested, "But even with that, we won't reach the top within the six-minute time limit."
"Indeed," Iida interjected, his voice resonating with logic. "And even with my enhanced speed, carrying eight other students up the wall would be a formidable challenge."
The group fell silent, their minds whirring with possibilities. However, it was Uraraka who broke the silence, her eyes lighting up with a spark of inspiration. "I have an idea!" she exclaimed.
—
The bewildered group of bystanders watched with confusion as the remaining students dismantled a safety net to build a rope. The remaining class A students huddled themselves together, each one clutching the rope as though their life depended on it. Yui Kodai meticulously placed an object on the ground, and Iida lay down on top of whatever it was with a long stretch of the rope secured around him.
Uraraka, determined, tapped each of her classmates in turn, imbuing them with weightlessness. The students held their breaths, waiting for the 6 minute mark nullifier to go off, fully aware that they had the exact same amount of time to make their ambitious ascent in one swift, coordinated motion.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Izuku turned to Mei and asked, "What do you think they're trying?"
Before Mei could even attempt an answer, the students' plan unfolded before their eyes like a well-rehearsed performance. Kodai, using her quirk, enlarged a bolt she had placed on the ground earlier. The bolt expanded and pushed the group of students, with Iida at the centre, upwards with an unbelievable force. The crowd could hear one of the students yell "NOW!" at the top of their lungs, as if signalling the climax of their daring act.
Iida's engine legs roared to life, carrying the entire group into the air with a speed that rivalled a rocket taking off. At the apex of their ascent, Uraraka, eternally grateful for the glove that allowed her to deactivate her quirk with one hand while holding on to the rope, shouted, "Brace yourselves, everyone!" With a clenched fist and a resolute expression, she uttered the word "Release!"
The group, now united in their goal, fell as one onto the roof of the building. Lying back breathlessly, they caught sight of the smiling face of All Might.
"Excellent work, young heroes."
Gasping for breath, the group of hero students gradually rose to their feet, their bodies still reeling with the adrenaline of their actions. With every passing moment, the exhilaration subsided, but Uraraka could not suppress the wave of nausea that washed over her, a weakness she hoped training would eventually rectify. Clutching the concrete barrier around the edge of the roof, she sought a stable place to lean and regain her composure.
"...Woah." She managed to utter, her eyes widening in awe as she gazed out across the vast expanse of the city spread before them. The urban landscape was a magnificent sight, with the city's labyrinth of buildings reaching towards the sky, mirroring the hero students' towering aspirations. As more students gravitated towards the breathtaking view, they came to realise that this was the very essence of what All Might had intended for them to experience.
"This is our city," The hero began, emphasising the importance of their surroundings, "Not just the buildings and streets, but the lives of countless individuals who depend on our actions. Ours is a difficult task, and the weight of responsibility can be too much for some to bear."
Class 1-A could feel the gravity of his words, sinking into their hearts and minds.
"Take a moment to observe the vibrant city beneath our feet. Each life we touch, each smile we bring, serves as a testament to the impact we can have on this world." His voice became increasingly enthusiastic and filled with vigour, "Embrace the view before you, let it ignite the fire within your hearts and reaffirm your purpose! This city, this world, needs heroes who understand it's not just about fighting villains, it's about being a beacon of hope. It's about inspiring those around you, and to never give up."
"Plus ultra." Yui Kodai whispered softly, her voice becoming an invitation for the other students. One by one, they echoed her words, their voices blending together in a powerful affirmation that resonated throughout the rooftop.
"PLUS ULTRA"
—
CLANG!
CLANG!
The sounds of metal striking metal echoed through the air as Izuku Midoriya stood, panting heavily, over the mangled remains of a car. The vehicle now sported enormous dents on the hood, a testament to the power of his quirk. He glanced at the sledgehammer where his hand used to be, a strange sight that was becoming more familiar as the day progressed. With a deep breath, he willed his fingers to stretch and reform, feeling the sensation of his hand rematerializing before his very eyes. The more he practised, the more adept he became at reverting his arm back to normal and managing faster transformations.
"Absolutely brilliant work, Izuku!" Mei Hatsume praised him enthusiastically. "So, you still don't feel anything from the impacts once you revert back, right?"
"No, not a thing," he assured her, wiping sweat from his brow. "But I have to admit, I'm getting kinda dizzy."
Mei tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I have a theory for that. I think your transformations are using up a lot of your energy. Remember that creation girl from the hero class earlier? Her quirk is somewhat similar to yours, and it uses up her lipid reserves. So there's a chance something like that is happening for you too." She rummaged in her bag and tossed him a banana, adding, "Eat this and you'll feel better."
Grateful for the sustenance, Izuku began to eat. "You know, I think I'm getting used to the feeling of my arm being transformed now. It's an odd sensation, but it's kind of like knowing where your feet are even when you can't see them. You know what I mean?"
Mei nodded in understanding, settling down next to him in the sand. "Any success in manifesting something on both hands at once?"
He shook his head, disappointment evident in his expression. "No, no luck. I think it's just one thing at a time."
"That's a shame," Mei mused. "If you could dual wield, you could be an incredible hero."
Izuku's brow furrowed, and he looked at her seriously. "No, I can't. Don't say things like that."
Mei raised her hands defensively. "What's the matter? I'm just saying–"
"I don't want to be a hero, Mei. I'm happy where I am. I like doing support work, being a hero looks… way too stressful."
"Well, I'm just saying, if one of the hero students catches wind of this, they're probably going to try to get you in that class."
Izuku's face turned pale. "You don't… really think they'd do that, do you?"
"Pfft, probably! Your quirk is more versatile than half the people in those classes."
They sat in silence for a few moments, both watching the waves on the beach, lost in thought. Eventually, Izuku spoke up. "I, um, I have to get home."
"One more thing before you go?"
Izuku smiled slightly. "Sure, what do you want to see?"
"A lighter."
Holding out his thumb, Izuku focused intently, and transformed it into the shape of a lighter. "I can't seem to make the fuel, and the parts don't move, but there you go."
The sight of it sent Mei into fits of laughter, barely able to contain herself.
"What?! What is it?" Izuku said, also starting to laugh.
"You're like Inspector Gadget!"