Angel: Like I said last week, this early upload is to commemorate over 600 reviews, and we're almost at 300 favorites as well. We are getting close to this story beating out my TMNT 2003 story and Owl House for most comments and favorites, which is crazy in a good way. And now that I think about it, we're getting close to this story to being the longest one I've ever done too, huh. Almost forgot about that lol. Exhausting is an interesting word to describe Bakugo, though. And it's not the first time he's been mad at Izuka. I will agree that the back-and-forth tension with Katzuka might be exhausting for those who don't like drama, but it will be resolved soon.
Will I put the MVA arc before the Endeavor Agency one in this story? I'm gonna respectfully say no. I've already written events that happen directly after the Endeavor Agency arc in the MVA episodes. So it would not make sense to put the MVA arc first because the events I wrote directly address the Endeavor Agency arc specifically, and those events can't happen without the Endeavor Agency arc having been a factor in them if that makes sense. So I can't in good faith switch them (and the MVA arc is not my favorite anyway, I'm sorry to say). And to me, it's not something that really bothers me with what they did between the anime and the manga, so I was aware of it, but I have yet to read the manga to see how they handled it. People can come for me if they want, but it's just a matter of how I personally wanted to handle that arc. And Izuka suggests art for the school festival, but that's all I'm gonna say because I don't want to spoil that arc specifically.
The provisional licensing exam is upon us.
And it's been...quite a test.
"Alright. For the 101 of you who passed the first test, please turn your attention to the screen," Mera instructed to the group of students. They all looked to see the city part of the arena.
"It's the test arena," Izuku murmured in a bit of interest.
"What happens next?" Ochaco asked as Izuka looked up.
"Maybe it'll change again like it did when we started?"
Suddenly, an explosion occurred, affecting every single area. They all looked up in utter shock. "Why?!"
"Wait. Does that mean...?" Izuku didn't get to finish the question.
"There's only one more round to the exam," Mera started to explain to the group. "Your goal is simple: undertake rescue exercises and save the bystanders who are trapped in these disaster sites."
Both Denki and Minoru were confused, since they didn't see any bystanders out there. And they didn't encounter any during the first test either. "Save the what now?" They both asked in unison; they also had no idea what Mera was talking about.
"Bystanders," Toru pointed out to them. "We learned about them in class, remember? They're people at a disaster scene."
"It can also simply refer to innocent citizens on the street," Momo chimed in, looking up towards the screen again.
"Use this time to show us how you will carry out successful rescue procedures once you receive your provisional licenses. Treat this as though it were the real thing," Mera instructed all 101 examinees, Izuku's eyes shaking a little. He thought about All Might's debut and the heroes at the Kamino incident. He then let out a sigh.
"Rescuing," He murmured, since they would be doing what the heroes did.
"On the screen," One of Mezo's limbs directed and Rikido stepped up. He then gasped sharply at the sight.
"Little kids and old people?!" He screeched as several people were crawling out of the rubble caused from the explosions.
"That's so dangerous—why're they here?" Minoru yelped a little.
"These specialists have been trained as professional 'persons in need of rescue'," Mera explained as some of them were faking injuries. "They're very popular." One of them held up a jar of fake blood. "Introducing the Help us Company, also known as HUC for short."
"So they're basically actors, I guess?" Hanta assumed as he, Tsuyu, and Mashirao continued to watch them.
"It's the kind of job you never think about," She commented, a finger on her chin.
"But a necessary one in our world," Mashirao gave her a small smile. "Since they support our hero training."
"The HUC bystanders have dressed up like injured victims and will be located throughout the disaster site. We'll be judging how well you keep them safe as you go about your mission. Oh, by the way. We'll be scoring you on a point system," Mera told all of the examinees. "If you have more points than the benchmark at the time the exercise comes to an end, then you pass the exam. We'll start in ten minutes. Take care of any necessary preparations now."
Tenya stepped up to Izuku. "This looks familiar..." He murmured and Izuku gulped a little.
"It's like Kamino Ward. I wonder if they based it off that," The green-haired boy stated, not noticing his sister right next to him.
Izuka bit her lip a little, clutching at her skirt. She could still remember what happened in the League of Villains' hideout because she could've died if they weren't messing with Katsuki...and the look on his face when she was dragged into the fight with All for One. As much as they weren't on the same page today, seeing his expression...it made her wish that he would talk to her. It wasn't like they could avoid it either...
"It's true that the situations are similar," Tenya pointed out, looking towards the screen. "But our only goal then...was to rescue Bakugo and Mido from the villains. We let the pros handle search and recovery," He then glanced down at the twins. "And you'll recall...there were many casualties."
Izuku narrowed his eyes in determination. "Not this time," He declared as he wanted to tackle this the best way he could.
"It's going to be an entirely different feeling being the one doing the rescuing this time around," Izuka mused, a finger on her chin in thought. "But it is being part of a hero, so I have to focus on how it is on the other side of things."
"Oh! We didn't mean to bring up Kamino, I promise!" Izuku waved his hands rapidly at his sister, as he didn't know she was listening.
"I apologize for my insensitivity as well-Oh my goodness, were you injured?!" Tenya rushed over to Izuka, examining her.
"I had blood on me. It belonged to someone else," She answered and he recoiled back in shock.
"Why did you have someone's blood on you?! Did you tell someone?!" The class rep looked down at her wide-eyed, shaking her a little. "You've already been through enough as a UA student!"
"I'll be fine, but thank you for your concern, Ida-San," She replied while trying to recollect herself. The girl then removed his hands gently. "Momo helped me out, though."
"I was meaning to ask about that. Did you get into a fight with someone?" Ochaco walked over while looking over her bandaged sleeve. Izuka beckoned her to come closer and once she did, she whispered into Ochaco's ear, looking over to Camie. The Shiketsu girl herself had a small bandage over her cheek, and her suit had a small tear in it. The brunette gasped sharply and looked back at her. "I'm so proud of you! You're a bruiser, huh?"
"Uraraka!" Tenya yelped at her in disbelief.
"We shouldn't encourage violence, remember?" Momo looked over in disapproval.
"Oh, right, my bad," Ochaco chuckled nervously and then waited until neither Momo or Tenya weren't looking. Once they weren't paying attention, she low-fived Izuka. Hanta had listened in to their conversation, though.
"Guys," He went over to Minoru and Denki in excitement. "You gotta listen to this story. It's pretty juicy."
"What's the rating?" Minoru glanced up suspiciously. If it was something tame, he wasn't interested in hearing it.
"Triple X," Hanta whispered and Minoru turned around in interest.
"Go on..."
He then bent down to whisper. "That fox in the bodysuit from Shiketsu," He started off, referring to Camie. "The one over there with the bruises."
"Yeah?" Denki glanced up towards her in interest and then his eyes widened in realization as he had seen her earlier.
"If you're just gonna say she's hot, that's obvious. Although whoever laid a finger on her is gonna pay," The shorter boy looked annoyed that she was injured because it meant they couldn't appreciate her entire beauty. "I've had my eyes on her since the moment we crossed paths."
"Well..." Denki giggled a little with a blush on his cheeks since he knew who fought Camie.
"Well, get this," Hanta had a sleazy look on his face. "I saw her hiding in the rocks with Midoriya, buck naked! And our very own Mido's the one who got into a fight with her!"
"MIDORIYA AND MIDO!" Denki and Minoru shouted angrily, getting the attention of the twins.
"What were you two doing while the rest of us were just trying to stay alive, you bastard and secret-keeper?!" The latter demanded from the two of them.
"Was this entire test nothing but a joke to you? You're telling me the details of that fight, Mido! I could've been happier against that gross dude if I knew everything!" Denki yelled at them next.
"You knew they fought and you didn't tell me?!" Minoru glared up at his pervy comrade.
"Oh, stop it!" Izuka screamed in agony, looking up towards the ceiling. She already had gotten lectures over it, and the girl pissed her off by acting like Izuku was hers to claim. So this was the last thing she wanted to talk about.
"Guys, cool it!" Izuku tried to calm them down. "What's going on?!"
"Don't play stupid with us!" Minoru had tears in his eyes while pointing towards Camie. "What devious things were you doing with that uber hottie? And what kind of fight was it, I need all of the details right now, Mido!" Camie was very confused staring at the four as they all just looked at her. She then giggled with a wave towards Izuku specifically. Minoru let out a horrified shriek. "The casual greeting exchanged between a man and woman whose sexual relationship has advanced several bases!"
"Just how Plus Ultra did you end up going with her? And was there any slaps or accidental touching?!" Denki clenched an angry fist.
"Uh-" Izuku blinked in realization on why the two were being interrogated.
"Huh?" Izuka looked up at him in bewilderment, since this was the first time she was hearing it. "What are they talking about?"
"Now I get it. Sero talked, but he didn't see any fight with you," He glanced down at his sister, who looked freaked out.
"He wasn't with me," Izuka looked up at him. "He must've overheard me talking about it—and I wouldn't even do anything like that!" She frowned deeply, crossing her arms at her classmates. "My lack of a growth spurt doesn't support your weird fantasies."
"Listen, guys. Whatever he told you is wrong, and so is whatever you're thinking," Izuku explained, Izuka nodding sharply in agreement. "It was a side effect of her Quirk. Actually, I had no idea what was happening and almost failed the test."
"But you did see her naked? And Mido, you gotta give us more than that!" Denki demanded eagerly and Izuka's mouth dropped open.
"Did he see her what?!" She held her head in a panic and then smacked him in the arm. The first thought that came to mind was Ochaco's crush on her brother, so she was not happy to hear him being with other girls like that. "Why are you seeing naked girls, little brother?!"
"Well, sorta," Izuku confessed as he rubbed his arm in pain and she sagged her shoulders, her brain breaking. "It's not like I meant to see her naked!"
"Ahhh..." Izuka then realized now why Camie was so...protective over Izuku in the first place. The naked thing must've happened before she even met Izuka. It made sense now...but that didn't mean she was a fan either.
"Don't you lie to us!" Minoru turned around to Camie still waving.
"Why is she still waving at you?!" Denki screamed again, shaking the two.
"Give us details, you guys, I beg you," Minoru pleaded with the two while Ochaco watched them nearby.
"I told you, nothing weird went down!" Izuku protested, but they weren't letting up.
"I'm not telling you anything about the fight, okay?!" Izuka covered her head with her arms, looking terrified and annoyed. "Isn't it enough that she's the one who started the whole thing?"
"Over what?!" The two shouted in her ears and she looked between the two, trying to calm them down as well.
"Look, just think about this for a second! Don't you think we'll stop once you tell us?" Denki huffed towards the girl.
"Sure, but-"
"Even though it's a betrayal to both of us for not letting us see it, isn't it?!" Minoru demanded and she looked down at him.
"W-Well, I don't think so-"
"Yes or no?!" The shorter boy interrupted and she flinched with shaking eyes.
"Let her tell us the fight!" Denki grabbed Izuka's arm gently.
"You were the one who didn't say anything!" Minoru pointed up at Denki angrily.
"Can we stop this now?" Izuku pleaded with the both of them, noticing that Izuka looked very uncomfortable. Their thoughts of the fight should she tell them wouldn't be good for them. Plus, they were her classmates, and she didn't want to give them any satisfaction of telling them. Something told her that they would keep fantasizing about it and it creeped her out.
"No! I want details now, I didn't get to hear much besides there was blood involved!" Denki interrupted, not noticing Izuka's stance.
"And I wanna know everything!" Minoru shook his fists angrily.
I'm painting, I'm painting, I'm painting... Izuka thought to herself to try and stay relaxed, hoping that they'd stop. She held the sides of her head while trying to stay calm.
"Mido, you're our friend, you're helping us out by telling us," Denki pointed out, and she whined a little.
"Tell us right now!" Minoru screamed and suddenly an explosion separated them from Izuka. She looked up to see Katsuki sending them a death glare. The two boys shook in fear towards him as the girl did a double take.
"Whatever the hell you're doing, you're freaking out the mouse. I'll kill you if you do it again, you hear me?" He threatened furiously, Denki and Minoru shedding tears while hugging each other. The twins stared at him, wondering what just happened.
He noticed that they were making me uncomfortable...?
Eijiro just stood nearby eating some bread as he looked up, as the interaction spoke for itself. So he didn't feel the need to step in. "Oh hey, it's Shiketsu," He noticed, getting their attention before Izuka could say anything to the blond. Katsuki looked over his shoulder as Camie, Inasa, and some of their other classmates approached.
"Bakugo, Izuka Midoriya," The one with all the hair spoke up. Izuka blinked as she straightened up, joining Katsuki's side.
"What?" Katsuki asked in a bit of annoyance.
"W-What is this about?" Izuka wondered while dusting herself off.
"I think you met Shishikura in the test. My classmate with the flesh-molding power?"
So much hair Eijiro thought as he stared at the student. Although the three did remember who he was referring to.
"Yeah. I took him out," Katsuki answered without any regret.
"I thought so." Eijiro gasped a little from this response. "I'm guessing he may have acted rudely, or perhaps offended you." Izuka blinked rapidly at this. "He has a tendency to try and push his own values onto others. He probably couldn't help it in your case, since you're pretty famous. I apologize for him," He then glanced past the hair to look at them. "I'd like to build a good relationship between our schools."
Izuka glared a bit towards Camie, who returned the sentiment. Clearly, that wasn't going to be easy considering their actions toward one another...She then stepped back a little to stand next to Izuku.
"I-I guess he wants us to be friends?" Minoru asked nervously, shaking a little as he felt the tension between the girls.
"So he says," Izuku could sense it too. "But the way they were fighting, it didn't seem that way."
"Something's very off about her..." Izuka narrowed her eyes at Camie.
"Uh!" Izuku looked at her in shock. "So wait, it's her blood that was on you?"
"Pretty much..." She huffed while closing her eyes.
"I see…Shouldn't we do something?" Izuku glanced up nervously at the groups.
"Yeah, never piss off Mido..." Denki commented as he walked by.
"Probably stay away from her for now. We don't know why she's doing this, and I don't think I'd care to at this rate," Izuka told her brother, who nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, makes sense, but she's the one seeking me out."
"If she approaches you again, I will handle it," Izuka gave a look of annoyance. "Not until after the exam is over."
Shoto stared at the twins and then at the Shiketsu students. I see...so it wasn't just that student they're talking about. That girl managed to rub off Mido the wrong way. It's most likely that she said something about Midoriya to make Mido upset. That would be the only reason why she got into a fight. But a good relationship...? But then there's that guy.
He still remembered the glare Inasa gave him once Shoto had passed the first test. Something about it wasn't right, even though Shoto was sure that he never met the boy. He would've remembered doing something to anger him.
"Anyway. That's it," The Shiketsu student with all the hair stated and walked off with his classmates.
"Hey. You with the collar," Shoto called out to Inasa, who came to a stop. Izuka glanced towards the two curiously. "Did I...offend you somehow?" He walked up to the boy, who gave him an angry glare. Shoto came to a stop as he noticed the look, it was a look of hatred. Izuku looked towards them as well, wondering what was going on.
"Oh no," Inasa replied back sarcastically. "Did I hurt your feelings? Well, the thing is, son of Endeavor..." Shoto gasped at being addressed this way, wondering if that had something to do with it. "I just can't help but hate both of you. You've changed a little bit since the first time our paths crossed. But you definitely still have your father's eyes."
Shoto gasped again, as he felt like that was something that definitely suggested that he had met Inasa before. Izuka gave a small gasp herself towards the two.
He doesn't like Shoto...because of his father?
"Something wrong, Yoarashi?" His classmate called out to him.
"Nope, not a thing, sir!" Inasa quickly changed his attitude and walked off like nothing happened.
My father's eyes?
Izuku's eyes softened as he approached his friend. "Todoroki..."
Izuka clenched a small fist, remembering the times Shoto stood up for her and supported her. He even said that she was already a good hero despite still being in UA. And as far as she knew, he wasn't opposed to her facing All for One. So she felt like she needed to say something on his behalf since he was her friend too.
"Hey, wait!" Izuka called out to Inasa, who turned and smiled at her.
"Hey there!"
"It seems like you have a sense of who Todoroki is as a person, but you're misjudging him based on his family," Inasa blinked at her assumption and she frowned in disapproval. "I don't know what his father did to you, but if it's something he did, that's no excuse to take it out on his son! He is not Endeavor, but you can't see past that. Shoto's in fact really nice and caring once you get to know him."
Izuku and the others listening blinked at her in shock for her standing up to Inasa. Shoto's eyes slowly widened at her defending him. But he didn't want to get her involved into something that was between him and Inasa. Who was pretty surprised as well as he clamped his mouth shut, staring at her.
"Mido, it's okay," Shoto placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up. He had a tiny smile on his face as Inasa walked away, thinking about what she said. "You don't need to defend me. I appreciate it though."
"I had to. You'd do the same for me," Izuka confessed to him, sighing a little. "But I guess I'll trust you to handle it. Just tell me if he's taking things too far, though."
"Thank you," He gave her a grateful bow and she smiled towards him.
Katsuki stared at the two and growled. What the hell? Why is she defending him? I saved the ungrateful mouse's life, I don't even get shit. And he shouldn't care given what she said to him, but he did.
Camie gave a flirty smile towards Izuku. "See you out there."
He flinched, turning around with a strained smile. "Yeah! Sure!" He yelped while Denki and Minoru popped up from behind. That interaction certainly didn't help matters...
"See you out there?!" Denki was pissed while Minoru was crying. Izuku waved his hands nervously. "What is that supposed to mean?!"
"You're an insatiable deviant!" Minoru cried out and Izuka pinched her nose. At least they remembered Katsuki's warning, but still...
"I told you, it's not what you think!" Izuku protested towards the both of them. "That girl is actually super scary. Besides, if my sister fought her, that means it was for a reason!"
"Please," Momo looked annoyed by the two. "You're acting disgracefully. This test isn't over. You need to focus!"
"Just look at her!" Minoru protested while Camie was walking away. Izuka then noticed that Ochaco was staring at the Shiketsu girl. She glanced over to the tall girl and then walked up to her best friend.
"Have you even begun to strategize?" The Class 1-A vice rep questioned them, and Izuku was very grateful for the assistance. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take the interrogating, and he also hoped that Camie didn't try anything again.
Ochaco clenched her fists, a small frown on her face. The fact that Camie was alone with Izuku...it bothered her so much. It was a similar feeling she had with Mei, actually...and she didn't know why it was even plaguing her mind. I don't like this. Why do I feel so flustered? I was fine when I was fighting earlier. She glanced away sadly to Izuku, who was still trying to explain things to Denki and Minoru. But now...
"Ochaco," Izuka came to a stop next to her, surprising the girl. "Are you okay?" Her eyes softened a little. "You look upset."
"Oh, Mido...thank you, but I'll be fine. I'm just...do you ever feel anything when Bakugo is with...other people from school? In ways that you don't agree with?" She bit her lip, wondering if she should even be asking Izuka, since she was Izuku's sister. At the same time, though, she felt like Izuka was the best person to even ask the question.
Izuka glanced at her brother and then Camie. She gave a small hum while looking back up ahead. "The best way to not feel as upset in a situation like that...would be to talk to whoever you're worried about," She smiled a little as she got the gist, though she was internally happy. If there was any girl she'd want for Izuku, it'd be Ochaco—and NOT Camie. "To be honest, that was why I fought that girl earlier. I don't like the idea of being possessive over someone you don't know that well. But compared to her, my brother is good friends with you. I'm sure he'd understand your concerns if you just talk to him."
Ochaco blinked at her as she didn't address Katsuki, but still understood what her friend was getting at. "I knew you'd get it," She smiled just a little. "Thank you, Mido. Dek-" A bell rung, interrupting her before she could get to the point. Everyone stared at the screen again at all of the damage.
"Villains have performed a large-scale terrorist attack spanning all of Insert City Name Here," Mera explained to the examinees. "Since most buildings collapsed, there are many injured."
"Guess that's the background story," Tsuyu assumed while looking up.
Kyoka gasped while turning to her. "So, then..."
"We're starting," Tsuyu turned to the girl with a serious expression.
Just like when they started the first test, the anteroom's walls and ceiling started to move apart. "Due to heavily damaged roads, the first responders have unfortunately been delayed for the time being."
"What is with these rooms?!" Denki couldn't help but ask.
"Until emergency services arrive, the heroes in the area will lead the rescue efforts. Your task is to save as many people as you can and help the injured," Izuku looked up with resolve to pass this part as well. "And with that...begin!" An alarm blared and everyone took off.
"Saving lives is the greatest ambition a hero can have!" Tenya told Izuku as they ran side by side.
We have to do this properly. And succeed!
Yo had a small smirk on his face. He mentioned points, but he didn't say anything about how we'd actually be scored.
Since we're in the dark, all we can do is follow our training Shoto thought while running, since this portion had vague instructions compared to the last one.
Inasa had a huge grin on his face. "Come on, come on, come on, let's do this!" He urged while using his wind to fly into the air.
"Let's start by heading to the closest urban area," Tenya informed all of his classmates. "We'll work as a team as much as possible."
"Right!"
Katsuki saw Izuka nearby and got closer to her. "You're coming with me," Katsuki grabbed Izuka's arm yet again, getting Mina's attention.
"Wh-Katsuki, would you stop dragging me around please?! If this is because of earlier-"
"Just do it!" He retorted back and she groaned loudly as he moved away from the group.
I wanted to follow my brother so I could keep an eye on that girl from Shiketsu...I can't keep doing this with him.
"You're going on your own again?" Mina wondered and then gasped sharply, her eyes shining. "Are they going off on their own to have some alone time?"
Izuku froze in shock and then fell face first to the ground, shocking Tenya. He shook a little imagining his sister and Katsuki doing that sort of thing. I highly doubt that's what they're doing since they're both not getting along well today...
"Are you alright, Midoriya?!" Tenya looked down at his friend.
"I'll be fine," He stated as he got onto his feet, dusting the dirt off him.
Katsuki looked back with a growl. "Why are you damn extras always following me?" He demanded to Eijiro and Denki running after him and Izuka.
"We just wanna!" They answered with no regrets.
At least they'll be here with me... Izuka looked up ahead in relief.
"Right, so, uh...try to get this over quickly for me, yeah?" Mera wondered as he still needed a nap.
"Rescue exercises," Mr. Aizawa murmured as he and Ms. Joke watched.
"Even though this is just a test, it feels pretty real," Tsuyu commented while running on all fours.
"Stay alert!" Mashirao warned all of his classmates. "Be careful of falling debris and explosions!"
Izuku came to a stop, gasping as he could hear someone crying. It was coming from one of the fallen buildings.
"What's wrong, Midoriya?" Tenya called out to him.
"I hear someone!" He informed, fully facing the building.
"Help me, please!" A HUC child was crying as Izuku and the others rushed over.
"Look! There he is!"
"My grandpa! He's been crushed," The HUC child informed while in tears. "I think he's hurt!"
"Oh no," Izuku looked down at him in a panic. "This looks bad. Where is he?"
"This looks bad?!" The HUC child looked up, having fake blood on his head dripping down his face. Izuku was baffled by his reaction. "That's points off your score!" Izuku let out a yelp from this response. "The first thing you should do is see how bad my injuries are and if I can walk. I'm breathing kinda weird too, aren't I? And didn't you even notice that I'm bleeding from the head? People with hero licenses should be able to judge a victim's condition in an instant!"
Izuku's eyes shook as he realized something—that he messed up badly. Are the members of HUC the ones who are gonna be scoring us?
"Your gross lack of training is all too apparent right now," The HUC child scolded all of them. "You better shape up and pay attention, newbies!"
"Alright! Let's rope this area off as a hazard zone," One of the examinees suggested, using his skin as it expanded.
"No! That's not enough," Another one warned him. "Think about it. This whole area's unstable."
"I'll clear a path and make a helicopter landing spot," The Shiketsu student with all of the hair stepped back. "Watch out!" His arms grew in size as they moved away all of the surrounding debris.
Shiketsu High, 2nd year. Nagamasa Mora! His Quirk: Extend-o-Hair! He can grow all the hair on his body and manipulate it at will. The only bad thing is how easily it gets tangled.
"That was awesome, Mora!" Inasa exclaimed in excitement as there was now enough room. "You're amazing!"
Yo planted a white flag while Shikkui carried a HUC victim over. "Here's the first-aid station!"
"There's a lot of space," Shikkui looked over to his classmate. "We can make part of this an evacuation zone."
"Good," Yo nodded sharply in agreement.
"I'll be in charge of triage," Tatami offered with a small smile. "Leave the setup to me!"
"When it comes to saving innocent lives, experience really does make a difference," Mr. Aizawa rubbed the back of his head.
"You're not just here to provide aid. Until the police and firefighters show up, you need to exercise authority and make sure this goes off smoothly. Think of the victims here. They must be terrified," The HUC child informed Izuku and his team. "There are many aspects of being a hero. But take note. There is one thing to keep in mind above all else. Anyone who needs rescuing is having the worst day of their lives," He rubbed the fake blood a little. "And the first thing you said was 'This looks bad'? Seriously?"
Izuku let out a small breath as he realized he was going about this the wrong way. It wasn't just about saving people...but making sure that they didn't have to worry about anything.
"Fear not, citizens!" All Might carried several people while standing on top of the bus. "Hope has arrived!" His smile then widened. "Because I am here!"
He gritted his teeth, growling in frustration with himself for not seeing it sooner. He then slapped his cheeks, to the shock of Ochaco. I've got to get it together. I need to do my best. Passing this test and getting my license aren't just things I have to do to succeed at school. They're essential if I'm going to become a real hero. The kind I want to be. Steps towards achieving my dream!
He then looked up at the HUC child and gave a big smile. "Hey! It's fine!" He then recollected himself as the HUC child got back into character.
"Over there! My grandpa!" He cried out again.
"Don't you worry," Izuku smiled while bending down to him. "We'll definitely save him." He glanced over to the others. "I can carry this boy to the first aid station myself. You guys, go on without me!"
"Right!" Tenya nodded, as did Minoru.
"Let's do this!" The latter shouted as the others ran off aside from Ochaco.
"Yeah!"
She watched Izuku carry off the HUC child in his arms. "It'll be alright! It'll be alright!"
"Is that your only line?" He looked up in disbelief, still crying. "You're terrible at this."
"I'll save you! I promise I will!"
"Shut up!" The HUC child screamed up at him.
Ochaco had a small frown, remembering what Izuka said. There wasn't a proper time to talk, not when they had other things to worry about. And she didn't want him to be concerned about her the whole time, since he made his motivations very clear. The last thing she wanted was to distract him from his goals. This buzz in my chest. What am I doing?
"Is it...because you like him?" Yuga asked her during the practical.
"It's love!" Mina shouted happily and Ochaco gasped, blushing with a wide-eyed look. Izuka gave a confused sound.
The wind blew in her hair as she continued staring at the boy. I've gotta push these feelings down. Deku is giving his all to reach his goal. No room for anything else. I don't wanna change that.
"You've got a crush on someone, right?"
Ochaco gave a nervous sound, as it was the same feeling she had when Yuga pointed this out. However, coming from a villain, it was in...a much different way. And the last thing she needed was to confirm anything to Himiko. "So do I. And I bet you also wanna be exactly like that special person, huh?"
Ochaco felt like she couldn't move or speak.
She wasn't going to be a distraction for Izuku. Even though she agreed with Izuka's advice earlier, she couldn't do it right now. I'll put these feelings away. I'll focus on working just as hard as he does. She turned around, narrowing her eyes. And reach my dream! She then ran off to go help her class. She had her own dream to fulfill, and so did Izuku. If she had to wait to tell him...then she would.
Mera was watching from the podium still. "It's been ten minutes since we started. Everyone's doing well for the most part. But there's still a ways to go. What's a test without a few surprises?" A group of people were walking down a hallway, heading towards the area. "I hope they didn't think things would be straightforward..."
"Inasa Yoarashi, a Shiketsu first year!" Inasa introduced himself eagerly. "My Hero name is Gale Force!" A wind tornado suddenly appeared while two HUC actors just stared at him. "Rescue exercises get me pumped up," He then lifted the two into the air. "You're gonna be safe with me!"
"Inasa!" Nagamasa called out to him.
The HUC baby let out a chuckle. Wind, eh? Seems like a sloppy approach at first. He then looked around all of the debris. But in reality he's manipulating countless airstreams to adapt to all the people and debris he's moving. Hah. His subtle control is unbelievable. Inasa let out an excited yell. "But it's still reckless!" The HUC baby called out to him. "Minus points!"
"Ah!" Inasa flinched as he didn't realize that this wasn't safe for bystanders.
"You shouldn't move anyone or anything unless you've checked on the condition of the injured. You could make things worse," Nagamasa informed his classmate.
"Of course. I apologize!" Inasa cried out while slowly stopping his wind.
"Hey," Another classmate scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Camie ran off again. What's her deal lately?"
The two HUC victims fell into Inasa's arms. "Are you alright?"
"Reckless!" The HUC baby pointed up at him in disapproval, shocking Inasa once again.
"The quality of one's training is most apparent in their initial response to a situation. Take Inasa. He petitioned to take the test even though it's normally reserved for second-year students, and was strong enough to be accepted," Seiji stated while watching from the stadium. He was still injured from his fight with Katsuki, Eijiro, Denki, and Izuka. "He even passed the first round. However...he's acting far too impatient. His lack of experience is obvious."
A man sitting next to him was baffled by his assessment. "You realize you're sitting in the stands because you're the one who failed. Right, Shishikura?"
"Yes, I am aware."
"Just checking..." The man looked away awkwardly. "You should use this as a chance to analyze what went wrong. Reflect on your bad influences."
"What do you mean?" Seiji didn't seem to understand still that his way of thinking was flawed.
"Seems to me you've taken Stain's words to heart."
"Me?! Influenced by a villain? Absurd," He denied, even though what he was doing was Stain's actions in almost the same exact way.
"No, it's not..." The teacher turned away nervously. "Listen, what he taught wasn't necessarily all bad. Between Stain's fundamentalist ideas and All Might's retirement, there are many who wish to reform the role that heroes play in society. That's just fine. But if negativity and hate take over, like they did for you during the first round of the exam, they can impair your judgment and keep you from your potential."
"There's someone in here," One of the examinees reported to a team. "But they're not responding when I yell. It's way too dark for me to see."
"I can at least check their pulse and breathing," Another one held up an arm, as a third was pushing debris away.
"I'll make some room for treatment."
Hanta looked at the other examinees getting things down like actual heroes would. "They're so good at this."
"Everyone! We should be moving quickly as well," Momo instructed the rest of her class, bent down in front of debris. Inside was a trapped HUC victim. "This old man's conscious. He needs help."
"It hurts!" He cried out from inside the trap. "What are you waiting for?"
Ochaco ran over, preparing her hands. "He's trapped by debris. I'll float it away!"
Poor girl The HUC man thought to himself, since that wasn't the right reaction. Nor did she notice what would happen if she did use her Quirk. She's gonna lose points that way.
Momo used a stop bar to prevent Ochaco from moving further. "Please wait a moment." Ochaco turned to her in confusion. "Look at the way the walls have collapsed around him. Right now, the structure is balanced precariously, like an intricate puzzle. Everything will topple if we're careless with our movements. We have to do this strategically."
"Now I see," Ochaco looked at her hands wide-eyed. "You're right."
"First, let's use a support beam to prop up this wall," Momo created one using her power. "It'll take some time to get everything into place, though."
"No worries," Hanta offered as Rikido consumed some sugar. "You can leave that to us!"
Once the support beams were in place, Hanta used his tape to wrap around the top. "How's that for a brace?" Rikido wondered while putting down a rock.
"I've reinforced the wall, too," Hanta informed as there was tape all over it.
"Now then. Your turn!" Momo looked to Ochaco, who was bent down in front of the structure.
She nodded and looked over her shoulder. "Move the debris that doesn't affect the structure and make a path! On it!" She crawled forward to get inside and tapped a rock with her fingers. She started moving debris towards the others, the HUC man watching them.
It's not perfect, but it's not a horrible plan, either. When there's a large-scale disaster, there are never enough rescuers to help those in need of saving. That means the work should be as fast and efficient as possible. If someone tries to do everything themselves, they'll lose time in the long run. Yo was escorting a HUC man away from debris with a smile, assuring the actor. What's important is being realistic about what your own Quirk can and can't do. Shikkui was carrying off a HUC person. And then figuring out how you can divide the labor with the other heroes. Focusing on your role during a test where you're trying to stand out takes courage. Ochaco continued moving over debris as fast as she could. Rikido put them on the ground. Momo directed Hanta to use his tape. It's something you can only do if you really understand the situation. But there is still a lot of wasted effort here. If they keep going like this, we won't be able to grant them licenses.
"This isn't good," Minoru frowned a little to Mezo and Tenya. "We're just standing around and watching."
Mezo grunted a bit in frustration. "Several people already went off on their own. Unlike in the first round, we may need to split up for this one. We could move in smaller groups."
"In that case, I'll be of much more help if I head to the river," Tsuyu pointed out to them.
"I'll join you," Shoto offered to the girl.
"Me too!" Toru raised an eager hand.
"Guys, work together?" Mashirao asked Fumikage, Mina, and Koji.
"Cool beans!" Mina cheered, pumping a fist.
"Sure," Fumikage nodded his head in agreement. Koji nodded as well.
"Yo, Koda," Mina turned around to him with a smile. "Can you use animals to look for people who need rescuing?"
He nodded at the girl.
"I'll keep my eyes open," Mezo offered to Tenya and Minoru. "Mineta, will you help me?"
"Sure thing!" He answered in determination.
"Good," Tenya clenched a fist. "Depending on the situation, we should also work together with other schools. That's how we'll save lives."
"Right!" Everyone else agreed with him.
"Did you say it was too dark in there?" Yuga ran over to some examinees. He laid on his back to activate his laser. "Allow my twinkling to save the day!"
"Perfect. Thanks!" The examinee gave him a grateful thumbs up.
"That's a shocker?" Minoru looked at his classmate wide-eyed. "I didn't think you'd be the first to help. But then, you do love that pose."
Yuga just gave a small wink in response. "Yaoyorozu," Tenya called out to the girl. "We'll disperse across the field and get to work."
"Roger that!"
"I think his right leg is broken," Ochaco was carrying a HUC man, Hanta looking over. "Sero! Tape him up!"
"I got him," He held out his arms as the brunette floated the man over.
"Alright, Jiro," Momo turned around to her friend. "Look for the next person in need of rescue."
"I'm on it!" She searched the debris with her earphone jacks. "Gimme a sec."
"Help. Someone!" A HUC man called out from the mountain zone. A familiar shoe stepped up, seeing two people holding their arms.
"My arm hurts pretty bad."
"Mine too. Save us!"
"Shut up!" It was Katsuki who found him, and he looked pretty annoyed. "Save yourselves, you whiners!"
His friends, Izuka, and the two HUC people all yelped at him in disbelief over his behavior. "Man, you've gotta work on your rescue style," Denki commented in a bit of dismay.
"They might be really hurt—we can't just leave 'em here," Eijiro pointed out while Izuka dragged a hand down her face.
"Do you not just wanna be a hero anymore or are you just that stupid...?" She muttered to herself towards him.
"Wait," The HUC lady looked over to her partner. "We are supposed to be low-priority victims with only minor injuries."
"So you think...that he figured it out? And that's why he told us to go off on our own?"
"You're kidding me," Denki recoiled back in shock. "They took it in a way that made it sound okay?"
Izuka looked past the two adults and noticed something no one else seemed to. She gasped as it was pink fabric sticking out of some rocks. "A child!" She jumped off the cliff and landed safely by sliding. This shocked everyone as she ran over, bent down and picked up the 'child'. "It's okay, it's okay," She assured while placing down the female in front of the two HUC victims. "I've got you, you'll be alright. You're safe now," She bent down to the girl, gesturing to herself. "My name is Callista, I'll check on your wounds before they get worse."
"Don't bother!" Katsuki shouted to her and she turned around, having had enough.
"Look, whether or not you do what you're supposed to be doing, that is on you, not me," She retorted back and he gave a shocked sound. "So I'll handle this myself if necessary. I'm sorry if I caused you to be this way, but there's no time to dwell on that." She then turned around to the trio. "Are any of you able to walk?"
"Yes," The woman nodded at her, impressed by her ability to stay calm. Katsuki growled angrily, clenching a fist.
"Hmm, there doesn't seem to be any major injuries, that's good. But those scrapes look like they hurt," They watched as Izuka opened up her palm, making a cast out of water to wrap around all of their injuries. "There. It's the best thing I can do until we find you someplace to get those checked out, but you're in good hands," She smiled a little at them.
She checked over injuries, conditions, and even noticed one of us was hiding when no one else did. She may be a first-year, but she's definitely checking all of the boxes so far.
"Red Riot, Chargebolt," Izuka glanced over her shoulder. "Let's find a way to mark this place as unsafe to be around. We can all escort them to the first-aid station together."
"Right!" The two nodded sharply at her as Eijiro jumped down first.
"We'll get you guys somewhere safe."
"Yeah!" Denki slid down after him while Katsuki turned around. While the HUC people did make it seem like it was a natural decision, they couldn't overlook one thing.
"His tone was wildly inappropriate," The HUC man pointed up at Katsuki. "Minus points."
Izuka blinked as she glanced at them, wondering if that was how they were being scored. Because if so, then Katsuki wasn't going to get that much points the way he was acting... "What the hell did you say?!" He growled out while looking over his shoulder. The HUC trio yelped while hugging each other in fear.
"Katsuki, either help or don't, but you'll freak them out if you keep being like this!" Izuka retorted back calmly and sighed, turning to the three. "I'm really sorry for...him, he's not having a good day today...but please don't be afraid, we're here to help!"
"Don't put words in my mouth, you damn mouse!" He screamed down at her, but she ignored him. She created three star platforms for them.
In the City Zone, Mezo was using lots of duplicate ears to listen for bystanders. "I hear a voice. Coming from over there!"
"Excellent!" Tenya nodded a little. "I'll go first to check on the conditions of those who need to be rescued."
"Sounds good," Minoru replied as Tenya sped off.
Even if this weren't a test, I would still reach out to save those looking for help. Because I'm sure that's what my brother, Tensei, would've done. Tenya gave a determined expression while keeping his eyes forward.
"Let's head to the mountain zone," Mashirao stated as his team ran. "There should be animals over there!"
"Smart! Then Koda can use his Quirk!"
"Todoroki!" Toru called out to her own team. "Tsuyu! Over there!" She pointed to a HUC boy holding onto a rock.
"Help! I can't swim."
"I'll be right there," Tsuyu assured while rushing over, diving into the water.
"We might need to warm the boy up," Shoto suggested to Toru. "Let's gather firewood."
"Leave it to me!" She ran off to go find some.
Izuku was still escorting the HUC boy to the first-aid station. "We're almost to a safe space, don't you worry," He smiled softly down at the actor. He looked up and gasped, seeing that he had made it there. Not only were there examinees, but there were lots of HUC actors too. "There are so many..."
An examinee flinched while noticing them. "You there! Let me see that boy!" She ran right over to them.
"Yeah, of course," Izuku put him down safely. "His head got hurt somehow. He's bleeding quite a bit, but his wounds don't look very deep." She bent down to examine the fake blood. "He responds to questions clearly."
"Hm. He should be fine. Take him to the space over there on the right," She directed after looking him over.
"Yes, ma'am!"
The HUC boy gave a small smile from these interactions. Good.
Meanwhile, the examinees were about to get an unexpected surprise. "In the short time until emergency responders arrive, heroes must act alone," A voice spoke up to the group still hiding. "Helping the victims and performing first aid. Once the professionals show up, the transition should be seamless," He then pressed a hand to his ear. "How goes it?"
"Let's see..." Mera looked at the current results from his computer. "During their initial response, there was some poor judgement. But the points taken off by HUC members are still pretty minimal. The students are doing better than expected. Less incompetence than usual, I would say."
The leader put his hand back down. "Wonderful. But in order to protect citizens in need, heroes must multitask. They can't just rescue. They must adapt."
The ground shook, and an explosion went off. Izuku gasped while hugging the HUC child close. "What happened?" The other examinees looked over in alarm. Another explosion occurred, Eijiro, Denki, and Izuka running away from it.
"Whoa!"
"We're gonna die!"
"Explosions?" Shoto looked up, carrying the HUC boy on his back.
"What?" Toru was utterly confused by this.
"Wait. Could this be...?" Ochaco gave an uneasy look.
Izuku opened his mouth in shock at what he was seeing. "A villain has completed another large-scale attack."
"Everyone!" Izuku turned to the other examinees. "This is part of the exam."
"You think so?" Yo looked over his shoulder.
"That means..."
"Hey, look!" Someone called out and Izuku gasped at the sight. Gang Orca was there, but not as a hero today. Instead, he would be playing the attacking villain, along with his sidekicks. He was even dressed like a villain.
"Tell me, wannabe heroes. Can you rescue people and fight at the same time?"
Izuku flinched at his appearance. "That's Gang Orca!"
Mera stared at the arena, wondering what the students would do. During the search-and-destroy mission against the League of Villains, Gang Orca fought alongside Endeavor and Best Jeanist. He's a strong pro, currently ranked number 10. Impressive. He's also ranked third in the list of heroes who look as though they should be villains.
Gang Orca clenched a fist as the gang ran down the pile of debris. "The terrorists have appeared and are beginning to sweep the area. Hero candidates at the scene should continue their rescue efforts while also suppressing the newly-arrived villains." Most of Class 1-A were very uneasy after hearing about this.
"We're gonna have to save people and battle?" Tenya looked at Mezo and Minoru.
"Are they serious?!" The latter held his head in annoyance. "Jeez! Come on! Aren't they expecting too much from us?!"
Mr. Aizawa and Ms. Joke were surprised by the change as well. "Even for a pro, this would be difficult. They're going a little far, I'd say."
Izuku looked towards the HUC actors as Gang Orca approached from the smoke. "Now. How will you react? Will you fight or protect? Help or run away? What would a hero do?"
Izuku then narrowed his eyes at them, knowing that his decision-making would be tested...