27/09/2022

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The Emperor's Dragon
Emergence 11 - Hero Entrance Exam

"There's lots of talent this year."

From where he was lying, cocooned in the warmth of his sleeping bag, Aizawa rolled his eyes and tuned out the Number One Hero. What would he know about true heroic potential? He thought somewhat snippily before Scarab's voice told him he was being unfair. Even so, from what he could see of the examinees, there were only 3 or 4 who had heroic potential and he could already see that 3 of them weren't going to make it.

The fourth… she might make it. She was taking out the robots herself by the simple, but effective, method of making them float into the air and then letting them drop. More importantly, she was helping out other examinees, even if he could see she was a bit annoyed when that action cost her points. But at least she was doing it.

There were a few potential underground heroes in the mix but… he sighed to himself. They weren't going to make it. They just weren't inflicting enough damage, and weren't getting enough rescue points.

And then there were the examinees that Mr Number One was focusing on. They were going to make it, on villain points alone. And shouldn't that really tell people something? But no… all most other people saw was that the potential student could use their quirk combatively to do the most damage. That wasn't what being a hero was about but it seemed to be what everyone thought it was.

Aizawa closed his eyes for a few moments, as he took several deep breaths. He'd be able to weed some of them out when they inevitably got into his class. So that was something.

Again, Scarab's voice berated him and reminded him that Mr Number One would be looking for different strengths than he would. And that Mr Number One did, in fact, have a teaching degree, and hadn't that been a surprise to all the faculty!

Nezu had casually mentioned that he'd tutored All Might through the degree course last year so that the Number One Hero could teach at UA. He might have passed the course, but Aizawa was certain he'd used his position to get out of the practical requirements of it. In a crisis, All Might knew how to handle people but he sure as hell wouldn't know how to handle overpowered teenagers with delusions of grandeur. He was getting a headache just thinking about the issues that were coming in the next school year.

"Oh, look at that kid go!" someone exclaimed.

The kid in question was blasting his way through the robots with stupidly overpowered explosions. He was even pushing other kids out of the way. That wasn't to help them. It was to get them out of his way and what he was shouting… Aizawa could lip read. Frankly anyone could when the kid was shouting that loud and 'Die' was not exactly a reassuring phrase for a hero to use.

He sighed as Mr Number One nodded approvingly at the kid's actions. The man had so much to learn. The kid, unfortunately, would make it, on points alone, given that he still hadn't convinced Nezu to implement his scoring system which would take points away for damage, and deliberate interference with other examinees, while awarding more points for cooperation, and helping others. That wouldn't guarantee them students who could be good heroes, but at least it would guarantee students who could both use their quirks and potentially be trained into the right thought patterns, rather than those who could just blow things up.

Scarab's voice in his head just sighed and inwardly Aizawa made a face. Only those who really knew him would even notice. He had to be fair to Mr Number One. When they'd first been introduced, All Might had given him a look, like he wanted to say something but couldn't. Aizawa thought he knew what it would be about and… if he was honest with himself, and those underground heroes who weren't honest with themselves about their abilities and issues, tended not to live long, he was probably happier that Mr Number One had said nothing. He had a suspicion he knew what it was about.

Toxic Chainsaw. One of All Might's greatest take downs that wasn't. Of course, Scarab had told him that Toxic Chainsaw was covering for someone else and she'd later told him… nothing actually, she wasn't allowed but in the way that underground heroes gossiped, she'd told him that the guy Toxic Chainsaw was covering for was even worse.

He wasn't sure what he thought of that. Even worse, told him the villain was probably a normal part of society, someone respected but who had knowing dealings in the underworld. Those types were the worst. They had public trust. Making them disappear… Or declaring them villain was problematic. And apparently All Might had to deal with one of them because he was the only hero strong enough.

Yeah, he really didn't know what he thought about that.

"Isn't it time to release the Zero Pointer?"

Inwardly he groaned at the question. It was time to see how self centred the candidates were. Sure, the robot was worth nothing in the points table but it represented quite a few things psychologically. The first was obviously a hazard to avoid. The second was one of those dangers that popped up during hero work that hindered you from reaching your goal. And it was another test for candidates. If some of the candidates cooperated, they could take it down, which would show a willingness to work together for the greater good and would get his approval. For all that it was worth.

And if they did that, they would find the cache of three pointers that were hidden in the Zero Pointer which would be released only if a group took the robot down together. Maybe that's why Nezu didn't adopt his scoring system… he was waiting for someone to properly finish this exam. That would be like the rat.

On the screens, the candidates began running as they noticed the Zero Pointer. So far, so normal, especially with the way Explody was knocking others out of the way. That kid was going to need a lot of work before he was even vaguely ready…

Tensei's little brother was running away too but at least had the good taste not to knock others over. Plus he had to give the kid some credit, not a lot after the pompous showing he'd made during the instructions but some. The Iida's could have gotten into UA on recommendation but instead chose to go through the exam system.

"Oh no," someone said. He thought it might have been Cementoss.

Aizawa looked at the screen the large hero was looking at. One of the candidates he'd noted earlier was stuck under some debris and couldn't get free. The Zero Pointer was approaching but was a fair distance away and more tellingly, for him, there was no one helping her. Other Candidates were just running past, even Tensei's little brother. Aizawa sighed. Points deduction for all of them. They could have at least tried to help. They had time. And there was enough debris around that someone could have tried to lever off the block of concrete pinning her.

He watched as she touched the concrete and then visibly went green in the face, her hands flying to her mouth. Ah… so that was a weakness of her quirk. He knew she could lift the concrete. He'd watched her do it with the robots but she must have overused it earlier.

Aizawa saw as the rest of the faculty turned their attention to the girl. Most of the other candidates had either run from the Zero Pointer or had hidden and were now behind it. She was the only one stuck in its path and still no one helped her. No one even made an attempt, which said plenty about their natures. He knew most of the candidates required a lot of work but this was ridiculous!

He caught Nezu watching the drama. His little beady black eyes were glittering with excitement. What did he expect? He couldn't be hoping she'd get free, was he? Or was he hoping someone else went back to help her. Aizawa could admit to himself if someone did then they'd regain some dignity in his mind but a glance at the other screens showed that no one was even contemplating it. Some had run past her and weren't even aware she was there.

As for the girl, she was scrambling as much as she could, still trying to push off the concrete. Probably if she calmed down she might have been able to control her quirk enough to work through the weakness to move the debris a bit but… that's what training was for. He'd have to review the tape to see how she'd gotten stuck there in the first place. Needing to be rescued yourself was unforgivable for a hero but if say, someone like Explody had knocked the debris on to her then he could understand a bit how she'd been caught. If she lost control of her quirk at the wrong time then… this was self inflicted.

As the Zero Pointer got closer, within metres of her, and it became evident that no one was going to attempt to help, Aizawa saw Nezu sigh and paw the deactivation button. The rat let the Zero Pointer take one more step, and the girl's face blanches as she realised the next step would come down on her before the Principal hit the button, ending the exam.

"Well, that was interesting," Nezu said.

Aizawa rolled his eyes, knowing the rat would see it. Predictable is what he'd call it and he knew he was going to be saddled with another bunch of kids that… None of them had potential and since he'd expelled his class last year, he knew he couldn't do it again this year. UA had freedom of teaching styles but you actually had to be teaching someone. And he sure as hell didn't want an apprentice.

He had a headache just thinking about the school year to come. Aizawa crawled off to the side. He could say whatever he wanted but he knew most of his opinions would get over ridden by politics of the situation. As he snuggled more deeply into his sleeping bag he consoled himself with the thought that at least he'd be able to expel a few of them. The worst ones at least.

As an underground hero, he owed it to the civilians to save them that much. And that was a nice thought that accompanied him into dreamland.

-ted-

Izuku stood with Hitoshi and Mei as they waited for Ochaco. Mei had come back from her practical exam skipping with a long list of ideas which she'd regaled them with. All the different ideas for her babies! Izuku had laughed at Hitoshi's expression. It was obvious his purple haired friend had no idea how to deal with Mei, though he had nodded along at the right times.

Ochaco had apparently needed a check up after her exam but the official had assured them it was nothing serious. So they were now waiting at the medical tent, which was to the side of a building that apparently all the hero candidates went through after the exam to make sure they were okay.

Eventually she emerged and Izuku felt a stab of worry when he saw her. He'd known Ochaco for a long time so he knew she was usually pretty optimistic but she didn't look like it now. She looked tired, and defeated and sad.

"What's wrong?" Hitoshi asked before he could.

Ochaco stood before them and her expression changed. Izuku could tell she was holding back tears but it didn't last. She sobbed. "I think I failed," she managed to get out.

"Why?" Izuku asked gently, noting that this time, it was Mei who appeared as if she wasn't quite sure how to behave.

Ochaco cried for a little bit before she gulped, visibly gathering herself. "The test was robots. They were worth different points and we had to destroy them, competing against the others."

Izuku nodded at that information, unconsciously filing it away. The test would have been useless for Hitoshi but he wasn't the friend Izuku was focused on now. "So what happened?" he asked for further information.

"There was a huge robot that was worth no points," Ochaco said before she started crying again.

He glanced to Hitoshi and Mei but neither of them seemed to have gotten anything more from what Ochaco had said. They waited for her to say more and eventually Ochaco realised that they hadn't understood.

"I got trapped," she said. "Some concrete fell from a building and I was trapped under it."

"You couldn't move it?" Hitoshi asked.

"It was too heavy!"

Izuku shook his head slightly. It probably wasn't too heavy, he realised, rather Ochaco was too tired or had over used her quirk on the earlier robots. That was understandable. "So what happened?" He asked, without correcting or clarifying her previous statement. That could come later.

"The robot almost squashed me but they stopped it just before it did," she cried.

He frowned. "There were other students around right?" Izuku asked. "You weren't tested alone?"

Ochaco shook her head. "So why didn't anyone help you?" he asked. Weren't these meant to be hero students, or potential hero students. Wasn't helping people what a hero was meant to do?

"They didn't," she cried.

"They should have," Izuku said coldly. The timbre of his voice was enough to break through Ochaco's tears and she looked up at him. He was aware that Mei and Hitoshi were also looking at him. Mei with curiosity, though she had heard these sentiments before via text and Hitoshi with a long standing fondness. "They were in a test to see how good they would be as a hero, so they should have helped you! Even if they couldn't lift the concrete, they should have at least tried! What type of heroes are they going to be if they can't even help one person?" Izuku asked. He shook his head. "This is why I think the system will hurt you. It doesn't want heroic people. This very test encourages people to think only of themselves and once they do that-" he shook his head. "They start protecting the system."

Ochaco took a deep breath at his words before she shook her head. "Are you sure about that, Little Dragon, or is that your Dad's interpretation?" she asked pointedly, reaching up to wipe her eyes. "I might have failed but I can see what the test was for. The test does encourage people to think only about themselves, because you have to have the points to pass, but it also shows UA those people who can get enough points and those people who want to help - even if they don't get enough points."

"That's the problem," Izuku pointed out, though he was wondering about her question. Was he just giving the interpretation his dad expected? Or did he believe it? "Those who only think of themselves will get a lot of points, but are they the type of people you want as a hero? Those who want to help people are hobbled by the fact that they won't get enough points if they help, and so they are trained then, from this test, to think of themselves first."

"Or they are trained on how to reach both goals," Ochaco countered. "This is a test, Little Dragon, not actual heroics, so it's going to be different. And… I would have helped me!"

Izuku smiled at that before he nodded. "Regardless of if I'm just parroting what dad would expect, that fact remains, Ochaco. No one helped you, and they should have," he said firmly. "That bit is all me," he added.

Ochaco sniffed as she nodded. Then she took a deep breath. "There's still the transfer from General Studies," she said.

Hitoshi laughed. "You better pray you passed," he said.

Both Mei and Ochaco looked at him oddly. "If you really didn't pass, he's going to work you to the bone to make sure you whip their asses!" he said, jerking his head at Izuku.

For a second Ochaco paled, before her expression became determined and Izuku was reminded again of the optimistic girl who had been his friend almost forever. This was more like Ochaco. She turned to him and he grinned at the expression. She was still sad, he could see that but the fire in her eyes was back.

"Bring it on, Little Dragon. Bring it on!"

He laughed and gave her a grin before holding out the small green scale he carried around. "If you need it, you have a deal," he said, adding the qualification.

Ochaco pulled her scale out and touched it to his. "Deal." They were both surprised when Mei and Hitoshi touched their scales in, signifying that they'd help out as well.

Izuku smiled. Even if Ochaco failed… this felt like a new beginning.

-ted-

If you have a look at Ochaco's score in canon, it's not that high, especially if you remove rescue points. And yes, she's been training but training and actual situation have completely different stress profiles. Ochaco did well but we'll see if she did well enough... or the Sport's Festival better watch out 'cause she will slaughter them with Izuku's training if she doesn't get in. :D

My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out. It's a year old now! YAY!

-ted-

Loved it? Hated it? Found a spelling mistake? Let me know please!