A Fool's Bonds
Chapter 4
-Izuku-
Taking in a deep breath, Izuku stepped through the UA gate, finally ready to take the entrance exam. It had been almost a year since that day when Aizawa had saved his life, since Izuku had started to truly accept the quirk he'd been born with. "This is it." Izuku let out a breath, "It's time to show the world what I can do." Straightening his back, he strode through the gate, noting Bakugo walking past but not recognizing Izuku. Then again, they hadn't seen each other since his last day at Aldera. Back then Izuku had been smaller, frailer, and more timid. Now he was taller, broader, stronger, and more confident…most of the time.
Glancing up at the windows of the building, Izuku wondered if Aizawa was watching him right now. The man had made it abundantly clear that he wouldn't be pulling any strings for Izuku, that the verdette would be passing or failing upon his own merits alone. Still, that didn't mean the Erasure Hero would keep from watching, or hoping Izuku passed. Nodding to himself one more time, Izuku walked into the building, ready to take his test and get accepted to his dream academy.
-Shota Aizawa-
Arms crossed, Shota gazed at the security cameras, observing the various students to look for any who might be an issue or need assistance. He certainly wasn't looking for his pupil, no matter what anyone else said…even if it was only Nezu who was aware of Midoriya at this point. "What ya lookin at?!" Nemuri asked eagerly, leaning on his head as she walked up from behind where he was sitting, "You look even more serious than usual."
"It's nothing." Shota grunted, asking yet again why he was friends with Nemuri and Hizashi…or at the very least why he allowed them to interrupt his naps so much.
"Oh?" at hearing Nezu's eagerly sadistic little voice Shota felt his gut drop "Calling your pupil nothing? So cold Shota."
"You have a pupil?!" Nemuri squealed "Oooooh, tell me! Which one is it!" she began eagerly looking from screen to screen as if one of them would be wearing his capture scarf or something.
"No." Shota grumbled, slumping further into his seat.
"Screen three, the boy with green hair." Nezu ignored him and told the Dominatrix like heroine anyway.
"Oh, he's a cute little thing!" Nemuri cooed, "He going to go underground like you are?" the derisive snort that he let out wasn't one he could stop.
"Kid could work underground but no, he intends to be out in the day. Right in the thick of things. Trust me, you'll see what happens when we get to the practical." Shota felt a surge of pride as he thought about how far his pupil had come.
"Assuming he gets through the written." Nemuri pointed out, the tests run through a machine so only those who got a high enough academic score were even allowed to attempt the practical.
"Oh, trust me, he'll pass." Shota had full confidence on that regard.
"I quite agree." Nezu nodded, "After seeing the work he did with those analyses last year I'd be stunned if he didn't pass."
"Wait, someone not even old enough to enroll at the time made those?!" Kan sat up shocked "You're shitting me."
"Kid's got a talent for analysis." Shota stated, "I gave him a task to study the quirks of my class from last year in the sports festival and make break downs of how it worked and could be improved. It was just supposed to be a test for him, but they were good enough I paid him and gave his work to the students."
"So, what's his quirk?" Nemuri tried pulling it up only to hear an error message.
"Now, where's the fun in spoiling the surprise?" Nezu cackled happily.
-Izuku-
Taking his seat, irritatingly next to Bakugo who seemed close to putting the pieces together, Izuku eyed the stage as he waited for whoever was going to explain the practical. "WASSUP LITTLE LISTENERS!" the Voice Hero Present Mic shouted, sliding onto stage and doing finger guns at the students, "CAN I GET A HEEEEEEEY?!" Izuku could swear he could hear crickets in response, and feel Aizawa cackling within his caffeine fueled soul. "KEEPIN IT CHILL, I CAN DIG IT!" the proctor didn't miss a beat though, "And today you cool cats are here to prove you've got what it takes to join the ranks of the future Pro Heroes and UA graduates! Now, our entrance exam is rather simple…in theory!" as the man spoke, he clicked a button, a screen coming down which displayed a basic labyrinth like grid, looking like a 'find the exit' maze on the back of a kid's menu.
"You all will be divided into groups and released into Urban City mockups to fight against the 'villains' of the test." Present Mic continued, clicking a button as a Chibi hero course student image walked through the maze before finding what looked like a Goomba of all things "There are multiple types of robots you'll be encountering but they can primarily be broken up into three sections. A one pointer, a two pointer, and a three pointer. Each one will have their number painted onto their chassis and the more point's it's worth, then the stronger it will be."
"EXCUSE ME!" a blue haired student with glasses shot up, a spotlight shining on him, "YOU JUST SAID THREE ROBOTS BUT THIS PAMPHLET CLEARLY DISPLAYS FOUR! THIS KIND OF ERROR IS UNACETPABLE FOR AN INSTITUION OF THE STANDARD OF UA!"
"Chill little listener, chill!" Present Mic looked more bemused than anything at getting scolded by a teenager "I was getting there. I did say the bots could primarily be divided into three groups. The last one isn't worth any points at all." The Chibi hero encountered a whomp block "It's more of an obstacle to avoid. Something that'll rampage and just get in the way, ya dig?"
"I THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERUPTION!" the blue haired boy, who Izuku was pretty sure was just nervous, gave a deep bow, still shouting.
"IF YOU'RE SORRY THEN SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!" Bakugo, on the other hand, was less understanding about it all "SOME OF US ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE THE FRIGGIN EXAM ALREADY!"
"Okay, everybody CHILL!" Present Mic's voice shook dust from the ceiling as the entire hall went quiet "Thank you! Anyway, if you look on the ID card placed at your seat it will tell you what battle arena you'll be going to as well as the rules you need to know for the practical itself. Go through the door there and to the buss lot. Each bus is marked with the field it'll be going to so find the one that matches your card, read the rules, and give it your all. PLUS ULTRA!"
"PLUS ULTRA!" most of the students echoed back, moving quickly to get to the busses. Quickly joining the throng of students, Izuku got out of Bakugo's sight before the volatile Chariot bondee could recognize him.
Getting to his bus, Izuku got settled in, going through the card which listed the rules where were admittedly rather basic.
No attacking the other applicants.
No beginning before the ten-minute timer had started and they were allowed into the city.
No continuing to fight after the ten-minute period ends.
And if the proctor tells you to stop, you stop.
"Maaaaaaan this is gonna get intense." Hearing a new voice, Izuku looked up to see that while he'd been reading, the bus had started moving and a guy with spiked up red hair had sat down next to him, "Name's Kirishima by the way."
"Midoriya." Izuku grinned, shaking his potential future classmate's hand, "But at least the rules are fairly simple."
"I guess." Kirishima shrugged, leg bouncing with nervous energy "I'm just worried, my quirk is pretty basic and there's a lot of competition here."
"You don't need a complicated quirk to be a good hero Kirishima." Izuku reassured the redhead "Look at All Might. His quirk is just a basic enhancer, but he pushed that to the extreme and is the number one hero in the world. It's not how complex your quirk is but how well you use it and what you do with it."
"I have never heard someone call All Might basic before." Kirishima laughed, the nerves thankfully alleviated. Up front Izuku noted Present Mic, who was driving them to their battle arena, was snickering.
"A lot of the top heroes actually have pretty simple quirks if you think about it." Izuku shrugged as he continued, "Mirko has the traits of a rabbit, Beast Jeanist can just control clothing fibers, Edgeshot can fold up his body like origami, and Endeavor can shoot flames. Apart from endeavor, the others don't sound like the quirks of a hero on paper, but they took what they had and pushed it to incredible heights through their raw determination. That is what made them the heroes they are now, not being 'born blessed' with some already powerful quirk."
"Alright little listener, it's a good speech but we've arrived." Present Mic called out, Izuku having not noticed the bus having come to a stop as he talked with Kirishima, a few of the other potentials having listened in as well to what he said to calm down the nervous redhead. Rubbing the back of his head nervously, Izuku stepped out, noting that some of the others were still eyeing him appraisingly, the most intense looks coming from a tired looking guy with purple hair and the bluenette who'd called out Present Mic earlier.
Stepping out, and nodding to Kirishima who walked off to prepare, Izuku focused his breathing, wanting to hold off on transforming until it was time to actually begin. Through all the training he'd done with Aizawa, admittedly not as much sa he'd have liked given quirk laws and the man's own schedule, Izuku had found the limits to how his quirk worked currently. His body had a pool of energy that sustained the transformations and seemed to be getting larger the more often he used his quirk, rather like a muscle. More than that though, is that different forms drained him in different ways. He could use his Momotaro form without too much difficulty but could only hold the form he got from Aizawa for a short time, even if he still had energy afterward. He'd compared it to exercising different limbs when Aizawa asked him about it, that even if he was tired after doing a lot of weights with his right arm, his left arm doesn't have that burning sensation and would still be able to move.
Seeing the gates opening, Izuku took off, focusing his power "Number Zero, The Fool! Momotaro!" Izuku shouted as he transformed in a burst of cerulean flames, most of those here to apply looking stunned and still waiting by the gate. As he ran, the animals upon his armor peeled themselves off and tore through the area, looking for robots to smash. Given the legends stated they were able to handle Pirating Ogres Izuku wasn't all that worried.
Hearing Present Mic shouting at the others to get going, Izuku picked up the pace, his sword ready and slicing through the first robot as it appeared. "That's one." Izuku smirked "Not for more."
-Aizawa-
"Your kid's racking up quite the score." Nemuri grinned as they saw Izuku and his animals tearing through the robot horde, saving the other applicants when they looked to be in trouble.
"I have to say his quirk is…weird." All Might coughed, the other staff members confused when they saw the kid be covered in blue flames which transformed him into another form.
"You're an inflatable stretch Armstrong that gives bad one liners." Shota shot back, feeling a surge of irritation at the slight against his pupil, "One with a 'basic quirk' as one of the applicants put it according to Mic."
"Can we give hero points for that comment?" Recovery Girl asked with an amused smirk as All Might sulked petulantly.
"I'll consider it." Nezu joined in at teasing All Might.
"I still don't get what his quirk is. A change of clothes with animals?" Kan frowned in confusion.
"It's Momotaro." Shota explained, "it's a transformation quirk that's tied to the Arcana. That's number Zero, the Fool, and Midoriya's personal form. He unlocks others as he makes bonds."
"Wait…you took a pupil who has the power of friendship?" Nemuri gaped before she fell out of her seat laughing hysterically
"So, how many forms does he have?" Kan asked, at least trying to muffle his own snickers.
"Four in total." Shota's response killed any mirth as the other teachers process that the kid only had three real bonds "One was his mother, one was a childhood friend who isn't a friend anymore, and the other is…well…"
"You?!" Nemuri squealed "Oooooh, I knew you were a big softy Shota!" his empty juice back bounced off her forehead "Rude!"
"Hmmm, well I want to see what these students can really do!" Nezu cackled as he flipped open the case for 'The Button', the rodent having insisted capitalization for that was very important. A slammed paw and the ground rumbled in the testing sites.
-Izuku-
Steadying himself as the ground rumbled, Izuku looked around, noticing buildings falling to the ground in clouds of rubble as the ground began to split open, a massive metal something rising out of the ground. "OH FUCK IT'S THE WHOMP!" the voice of Kirishima shouted in a panic as the metal goliath continued to rise.
"RUN FOR IT!" another applicant shouted, people starting to run from the colossus in utter terror. Looking towards the goliath Izuku saw the same tired looking person with purple hair trapped under some rubble, right in the path of the massive zero-point robot. Kirishima had seen him too and was trying to lift up the large rubble pinning him, but it was no use, it was too heavy for the boy to get up so far.
If the robot wasn't stopped then they would both die.
Izuku refused to allow it.
"NUMBER FOUR," Izuku's shout echoed as his cerulean flames reappeared, "THE EMPERROR!" as he spoke, his voice deepening, becoming darker and more powerful "VLAD TEPES!" as the flames died down, Izuku stood tall and dark, blood red eyes shining as he had taken the form of the ancient Warlord of Wallachia, the most brutal folk hero in history and birth of the origin of Dracula. This form was draining and Izuku knew as he was now, he could still only manage a single attack before he'd revert, "LANCE OF THE DRAGON!" Izuku roared, hurling a spear glowing with a blood like aura. The glowing crimson spear shot like a shooting star, impacting the robot as the front concaved in, a hole showing where the spear had entered and then blasted out of the back. At this point though, Izuku lost his grip on the Emperor form and reverted back, panting and feeling all but fully drained of energy. From within the metal monstrosity Izuku could see and hear Explosions taking place as the Zero Pointer fell apart, some pieces falling towards Kirishima and those the redhead had gotten to help lift the rock pinning the person with purple hair.
Seeing those, Izuku knew right away the only way to stop them from being crushed, something he hadn't wanted to do. 'A hero is to be there for the people' had been Aizawa's words though, an acknowledgement of what a hero should be from the first person who had believed he could do it.
"Number Twenty, Judgement." Izuku's voice wasn't shouted to the heavens this time, but spoken softly, searching within his own soul for the form he hadn't shown anyone since he first found it, not even Aizawa. As he did so, he remembered the words his quirk had declared when he first made the bond with his mother.
I am thou, thou art I. Thou hast acquired a new vow. I shall become the ruler eternal, he who would sacrifice anything to achieve my ambitions. With the birth of the Judgement Persona, you have obtained the power of determination that shall lead to glory and newfound conquest.
"KRONOS!" Izuku's powerful shout echoed through the crumbling buildings as he mustered the last dregs of his energy for one more move. As the flames faded away, he was revealed to be tall and powerful, bare chested with golden hair, beard, and eyes. A sickle in one hand with the other held out to the falling rubble, the metal pausing in mid-air and beginning to rust.
Kirishima and the others chose to gawk later as they hurried, getting the purplette out just before Izuku's energy faded and the now rusted metal resumed its plumet to the ground. Hearing it crash, Izuku dropped to his knees, reverting back even as his vision faded to black.
AN: To those wanting to know what these forms look like I haven't found a good form for Momotaro yet, although I am fond of one reviewer's suggestion that he looks like a slightly older and altered Izuku. As for Kronos and Vlad Tepes (bet nobody saw THOSE coming) Vlad looks like the Netflix Castlevania Dracula and Kronos looks like 'Father' from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.