Katsuki barely made onto the first few steps of the second descending staircase before a rush of wind echoed throughout the stairwell. Upon looking up, he saw a familiar tuft of tousled red hair descending, and a thick, reptilian tail trailing behind it. As quickly as the noise had interrupted Katsuki's thoughts, Daisuke landed three steps below him… or rather, almost landed. A furious rush of green streaks swirled around both of Daisuke's feet and hands, allowing the boy to hover just above the step as his hair was blown about wildly. After taking a moment to stabilize himself in midair, Daisuke dropped down and dispelled the summoned wind to stand before Katsuki, looking calm as ever.

"…'sup?"

"…not afraid to use your Quirk in public? If you're seen by one of the professors, it'll be your ass," Katsuki reminded as he simply stepped around Daisuke and continued his descent.

"Stairwell looks empty to me, and it was just a tiny burst," Daisuke said with a shrug as he began to walk after Katsuki, his tail thumping against the steps behind him as he dragged it along. "Besides, that sounds like a 'me' problem, if I'm caught. I needed to catch up to you, and straight down from the top railing was the quickest way."

Katsuki paused as he reached the door to the bottom floor hallway and shook his head.

"…I don't see any reason we should talk, until we're both confirmed to have made it as first year students. I've got nothing against you yet, but if you keep getting in my way…"

Daisuke sighed and rubbed at his forehead as he adopted an expression that suggested he had a particularly unpleasant headache to deal with, literal or otherwise.

"Listen, man, Uraraka and Ashido just wanted you to meet Ashido's boyfriend, so I volunteered to get you to wait up. From the way she said his name, it sounded like you were looking forward to meeting him, or something. That's all."

Katsuki's lip twitched into an annoyed sneer.

"…I don't hang out with couples, especially the kind that think the sort of shit they just pulled in the hallway is normal. If you want to wait for them, knock yourself out. I'm headed to the auditorium."

Without another word, Katsuki pushed his way through the door and exited into the hallway. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his school uniform and shook his head as he breathed a sigh of relief. A mere second later, a familiar dragging sound occupied the space directly behind him, before he saw that Daisuke was matching his pace as the tailed boy let out a wide yawn.

"Yeah, I'm with you on that one. It's just kinda annoying, you know? Save the touchy-feely stuff for the dorms, or a broom closet. Or the back of a car."

Katsuki stared at his unexpected companion for a moment as the two boys continued to walk, before turning his attention back to the path ahead. The lobby was once again packed with students, and the noise level steadily raised as he continued to move forward.

"We're not here for that kind of thing, and especially not today. I'm not going to let myself get distracted by pointless stupidity. I'm here to get a spot in the first year class, and nothing else. Anyone here focused on anything else right now is an idiot."

"Right on," Daisuke agreed, raising his voice slightly as the pair made it back into the crowded lobby. "So, what's your story? Always wanted to be a hero? How about your Quirk?"

Katsuki rolled his eyes as he passed by the glass doors to the entranceway.

"…not interested in talking about any of that," he warned. "I've got to focus on the fights coming up."

"Gotcha. I'll shup up, then. Silence is fine by me," Daisuke offered with a shrug. "Auditorium it is."

Katsuki exhaled through his nose, ready to snap at the other boy as they continued along. Much to his surprise, he never got the opportunity. Daisuke remained true to his word and totally quiet as they walked, right up until they found the auditorium door at the base of the tower opposite the one where they had taken their tests. Katsuki pulled open the heavy door and stepped into the gigantic circular room, before pausing and holding the door open behind himself as he was assaulted by the noise of pounding club music.

"…thanks, man," Daisuke said over the music with a subtle smirk.

Katsuki said nothing in return as he finally let go of the door and stepped forward to take in the sights.

The room itself was an impossibly large, semicircular arena that almost didn't seem like it would fit properly inside of the tower. Stadium seating took up much of the space, though the stage itself was large enough to occupy the entire back wall. There in the center of the platform was an unreasonable amount of speakers and DJ equipment, in the middle of which stood a single adult male, bobbing his head along to the beat that thumped throughout the room.

Hizashi Yamada, better known by his professional hero name of Present Mic, was clearly enjoying his work as he played to a crowd of just over a dozen people. The man's bright blond hair was done up in a swooping wave almost as tall as he was, and he wore an outfit of black leather. Upon his neck was a bulky brace of some sort fitted with embedded speakers, which Present Mic was known to use to amplify his Quirk. To top off his look, he had on a pair of tinted yellow sunglasses despite being indoors and very much in the dark.

"U.A. Universi-tay!" Present Mic shouted as he scratched a record, breaking up the improvised beat. "Are you ready to rock!?"

Katsuki stared on with the most disgusted expression he could manage, feeling incredibly embarrassed just to be in the same room as the man. He opened his mouth to speak, only for Daisuke to beat him to the punch.

"…I'm already missing the whole 'shut up' thing, myself…"

"…yeah. Yeah, I'll give you that one," Katsuki grumbled as he turned and stomped his way toward one of the aisles before beginning to shuffle deep into the row. "Is this really necessary?"

"Is half the stuff in hero society necessary?" Daisuke asked rhetorically. "Sometimes unnecessary things like latex suits and hero names can be fun, and then there's… this."

Katsuki sank into a seat in the middle of the aisle and folded his arms, just as Present Mic let out an enthusiastic "Alright!" while pumping a hand in the air with one raised finger.

"Whatever this is. And he's a professor," Katsuki lamented. "I'm sure I'll end up having him first thing in the morning…"

"Pff, probably. Well… just nudge me when more people get in here and things actually get started, I guess," Daisuke instructed as he heaved his tail up and into his lap before setting his ankles up on the back of a seat in the next row down. "Might as well get a nap in."

Yet again, Katsuki could only stare as Daisuke quietly folded his arms behind his head and shut his eyes. Within seconds, his breathing slowed, and the boy appeared to be very much asleep amid the deafening noise pounding from center stage.

"…you can't be serious…"

"Get a load of this chode! I mean, really!"

Katsuki's head snapped to his right just as an unfamiliar girl vaulted his row of seats, landing right next to him and standing just under his height as she landed. Amaya Kan had her leathery wings flared out behind her, a row of golden rings pierced into their bottom fringes. She folded her arms in contempt as she looked out at the stage with narrowed eyes, before quite suddenly flopping down into the seat on Katsuki's other side and brushing her hair out of her face with her hands.

"Looks like I'm late to the party. Has this been going on the whole time, even with so few people done with the written exam?"

"Seems like it," Katsuki said with a sigh. "Please tell me more people are on their way. Quickly."

"Yeah. They're funneling people through the lobby now, so it shouldn't be too much longer before we get some directions on the combat exam. Amaya Kan."

Katsuki watched as the girl offered him a hand, and he hesitated while looking her over. Amaya's hair was cut into a short bob, primarily white with a red fringe. Her crimson eyes seemed to almost glow within the darkened room, and her skin was pale enough to have quite the same effect. She wore a blue school uniform with too many buttons open at the top to be up to dress code, exposing her rather large cleavage and lacy black bra for all to see.

"…Kan. Vlad King's daughter, I'm guessing?" Katsuki asked as he finally took the hand and shook. "Katsuki Bakugo."

"Sounds like you know your heroes," Amaya pointed out before she nodded across him to the slumbering boy in the opposite chair. "Who's that, and how is he asleep right now?"

"…some guy," Katsuki said with a shrug as he pulled his hand back. "So, you're the daughter of a professor, but not in with the recommendation students?"

Amaya bristled immediately, and her wings flared slightly in annoyance.

"No. My asshole dad was afraid we'd get backlash for nepotism if I got in, regardless of talent," Amaya spat. "But I do still have an advantage. We're fighting robots. Big ones."

Katsuki sat up a bit straighter at the words, before sparing Daisuke a quick glance. Suddenly, he elbowed the other boy in the ribs, causing him to jostle awake with a start as his feet slipped off the back of the seat in front of him.

"Wh-… oh, come on, man!" Daisuke whined as he blinked awake and looked around at the other students filing in. "We're not even at half capacity, yet! And… oh. Uh, hey there," he added as he gave Amaya a wide-eyed look.

"Shut up and listen to this. She's Vlad King's daughter," Katsuki informed as he leaned back in his seat to let Amaya crouch down into the aisle in full view of both boys.

"So, you're both the type that will capitalize on whatever advantage they can get? I like that in a man," Amaya cooed. "Amaya Kan."

"Daisuke Aki," the boy offered. "Do go on. What are we up against, exactly?"

"Building-sized robots," Amaya repeated. "Each of them has point values assigned, but I have a feeling they're partially bullshit. The biggest ones are 'zero', so that's either a lie, or there's a method of scoring beyond just smashing them. I'd bet my tits they're playing at something else, so be ready for a twist once things kick off. They wouldn't make an entrance exam as simple as robot opponents with point values here at U.A., and I've watched every single one of them in person since I was a little girl. There's always a twist."

"…interesting…" Katsuki admitted as he folded his arms across his chest once again. "So, you've got all sorts of insider information…"

"More than you can imagine," the girl confirmed with a toothy grin. "Keep my attention by being worth a damn in a fight, and I'll keep it coming. I don't care what the professors do and don't want us to know ahead of time. Several of them have made an enemy of me, so I'll say what I want in return."

"Fair trade, especially if it benefits us," Daisuke praised. "So, robots worth points, and something else going on behind the scenes. I wonder what Present Mic is going to tell us, by comparison…"

"A load of bullshit, probably," Amaya guessed as she slipped back into her seat. "I've got no reason to lie to you. He does."

"I'll keep it in mind," Katsuki acknowledged as he cast his eyes off to the side, where countless students had begun to enter the auditorium. "Shit…"

"Karma always catches up, huh?" Daisuke asked as he sat up a bit straighter and followed Katsuki's eyes.

"There you are!" Mina yelled as she hurried toward the aisle, dragging Eijiro along. "Bakugo! This is Eijiro Kirishima! We were talking about him earlier, remember? With the incident at the mall?"

"…yeah. I remember," Katsuki said uninterestedly as Eijiro was pushed in front of Mina to stand before him. "Hi."

"Uh, hi!" Eijiro said with a guilty grin as he scratched at the back of his hair. "Sorry if Mina's been a little pushy or scaring you off."

"I am not pushy!" Mina insisted as she cuffed Eijiro upside the back of the head, earning an exaggerated cry for her efforts.

"Gah! Stop hitting so much!"

"Stop making me sound awful!" Mina shot back as she put her hands on her hips.

"Can everyone just stop yelling and sit down?" Daisuke pleaded. "It's loud enough in here as it is…"

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Present Mic called from center stage, his voice cutting through the music and echoing off the walls to drown out nearly every other sound within the room. "Take your seats, so I can hit you with the deets! It's almost time to throw down, hero style!"

"We're starting already?" Eijiro asked, wide-eyed as he took the seat next to Daisuke.

"Oh, crap!" Mina exclaimed as she looked around. "Where are Uraraka and Midoriya? She left to go find him, but I haven't heard from her since! Anyone see them?"

"…who?" Amaya asked, arching a brow.

"Bakugo and I came straight here," Daisuke said with a shrug. "Didn't you and Midoriya come here together, this morning? Maybe give him a call?"

Katsuki shifted in his seat, seemingly ignoring the question.

"Aren't you concerned at all?" Mina asked as she threw her arms out to the sides. "You and Uraraka are friends too, right? And if you came here with Midoriya, th-"

"Whatever Deku's gotten himself into is his problem," Katsuki snapped as he kept his eyes ahead on Present Mic. "If he gets here on time, he gets here. If he doesn't… then that's on him. He knows what's at stake, and he has more than enough advantages going in…"

Author's Note:

The crew of misfits expands. Check out the AO3 version for Daisuke and Amaya's designs/hero suits, if you're interested!

-RD