Chapter 2
Today, Izuku is silent in the midst of his rowdier classmates, smiling slightly on the outside and filled with vigor on the inside. He hasn't felt like this in forever.
Hours pass by without him even taking notice.
Before he knows it's, the bell tolls, signaling the end of school for the day, and Izuku gathers his things.
"Oh- and one more thing, class! Don't forget to fill out your application papers. I'll need them before the week is over."
Izuku rummages through his bag, finds the crinkled paper with UA scribbled proudly in the first-choice section, and promptly hands it over to the teacher on his way out.
Izuku's still in a euphoric daze as he meanders home, Marco's words ringing in his mind.
You can become a hero.
"-Oi, Deku!"
Kacchan's unmistakable gruff voice sends icy water shooting through his veins, freezing Izuku in his tracks.
When he turns around, he finds Bakugou with his ever-present scowl, glaring murderously.
"K-kacch-"
"You better not have put down UA on your papers, ya damn useless nerd." A crackling burst of explosions follows his words, near frightening enough to make his own heart explode.
"I'm the only one from this shitty school who's gonna make it in, understand? Don't you dare try challenge that, you bastard."
"I-I'm not trying to ch-challenge you, Kacchan, you've g-gotta believe me."
You don't need a quirk to be a hero.
Izuku feels a spark of defiance ignite within.
"B-besides, if I'm so useless. What does it m-matter that I take the exam?"
Bakugou grits his teeth. "Just the mere thought of some quirkless extra like you trying to stand on the same stage as me, is infuriating."
Izuku feels his own hackles rising, fists clenching stubbornly. "I-I'm going to t-take the exam, Kacchan, whether y-you want me to or not!"
"Huh?!"
"It's my dream. A-and I won't l-let you stop me from t-trying."
Bakugo stalks up to him menacingly, the palm sized explosions in his hand sparking a vicious yellow and orange.
"Listen closely, Deku." Katsuki snarls the word contemptuously, and Izuku's eyes squeeze shut when he sees the hand reaching for his collar. "You better learn your pla-"
Then, his collarbone feels warm. And not the usual blistering, searing heat from Bakugou's quirk, but a gentle, soothing warmth.
"What the fuck?!"
Kacchans outburst has Izuku tentatively opening one eye.
H-he's gaping. What is he...?
His own eyes trail downwards to see what has his classmate so stunned.
Brilliant blue and yellow flames burn brightly where once his throat and collarbone would've been.
Flickering licks of flame twitch outwards, ripple, shudder, and suddenly they're gone, leaving unblemished skin in their wake.
Katsuki's hand falls limply, and his face is the very picture of disbelief, as if a core principle of his world has just been shaken to its core.
Before Izuku knows it, he's sprinting down the street, his surroundings nothing more than a blur.
When Izuku enters the doorstep, his mother peeks her head out of the kitchen and welcomes him as per usual, but the ~what do you want for dinner, sweetie~ goes unspoken when she notices the panicked look on Izuku's face.
He bolts up the stair and into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
His backpack dropped with not a thought spared for all the stuff inside, and then he's standing over the bin.
~staaare~
"Izu, what is it. What happened?" Inko asks when she finally catches up.
"I-it's nothing, Mom."
"But you looked so worried. Are you sure you're alright?"
.
.
"Yeah, nothing to worry about. Just tired is all." he lies unconvincingly.
"Well, if you say so... Just make sure to come down for dinner, Izu. I've made katsudon."
"Yes, I'll be down in a moment."
Izuku seats himself on the bed when the door finally shuts after his mother, lifting a hand and staring at it intensely.
He wills the fire to re-emerge, but to no avail.
Had it been his imagination? No, Kacchan had been just as surprised as he was. He must've seen them too.
Was- could that have been my quirk?
Why now though? After all this time? Quirks usually appeared at the tender age of four or five. People who developed quirks after that were called late bloomers, but never had he heard of someone developing a quirk at 14!
Thinking it over for a second, he remembers that some people are born with what're called 'invisible quirks'. Like having a quirk that permanently alters eye color, or makes hair grow just a smidge faster. Quirks that did so little that their very presence went unnoticed.
His flames, however, couldn't be one of those. It was way too noticeable.
Had he had it all along? Had he been born with one, activating it only now?
What had triggered it, though?
He went over the situation that had led to its sudden emergence.
It had manifested when Katsuki had tried to use his quirk on him... but that happens every other week! Surely, it would've appeared long ago if that were the cause.
He scratched his head, thinking furiously.
It had to have been the fruit, there was no other explanation!
He takes a bite out of some mysterious fruit given to him by a complete, albeit nice, stranger. And then, the very next day, he wakes up with a quirk, and the fruit gone.
Which meant the fruit had contained a quirk! The flipping fruit had a quirk! There was no record anywhere of fruits having quirks!
Izuku had scoured every nook and cranny of the internet in his pursuit quirks and ways to gain them and turned up nothing. It was extremely rare for even animals to have quirks, but fruits?!
Then it hit him, with all the force of All Might's weather changing punches.
"I have a quirk..."
Chapter 2
Izuku found himself at the beach for the second time this week. Vaulting over the railing, he landed with a soft thud, the sands shifting beneath his feet.
Public quirk usage was technically illegal. Kind of like how a person would drive five kilometers past the speed limit. Illegal by the strictest definition of the law and liable to any damages it may cause, but people usually wouldn't mind it as long as you didn't cause any problems.
The beach and all its garbage heaps would serve to hide his not-so-legal activities from view. The stench alone was enough to keep people away.
He placed his backpack by a rusty freezer and grabbed the small, unused notebook he'd brought.
He flipped it open to the first page. At the top, it read; Quirk analysis, subject: Izuku Midoriya.
The sight was enough to make his eyes sting with unshed tears. He rubbed an arm over his eyes and sniffed.
For so long, he'd held onto his dream of becoming a hero, despite being quirkless. Well, now he had one.
The revelation of his newfound power had lit a fire within him that burned stronger with each passing second.
As a start, he'd done some research and jotted down thoughts on his quirk.
Quirk manifested on the 4th of September 2XXX, after school, at the age of 14.
When hit by a minor explosion to the throat/chest area, the affected area burst into flames. The fact that I felt no pain when hit by Katsuki's quirk, and my chest returned to its previous unharmed state, leads me to believe that my quirk is regenerative, or perhaps, damage negating in nature. I'm unsure how the fire aspect plays into it, however.
In a way, it could be likened to heat therapy, which is used to improve circulation and blood flow, and raise the temperature around a specific area that has been injured or is experiencing pain of some kind.
I read that heat can relax injured muscles, heal damaged tissues and improve flexibility. It's also known to calm pain flare-ups, soothe muscle tension, stiffness, and even chronic back pain.
My best guess is that the fire and pain negating effects of my quirk are linked. Something like a hyper charged version of heat therapy.
My fires are blue and yellow. The color of a flame, is a result of either the fuel or the heat. When caused by heat, they should burn at around 1000 to 1600 degrees Celsius. The other possibility, the more likely of the two, is that the color is a result of the fuel.
Through a quick search on the net, I learned that fires can turn blue and yellow if you use carbon as a fuel. Considering the fact that humans are carbon based life, this seems very much possible. What puzzles me, is that I felt no heat when using my quirk. And if I remember correctly, neither did Katsuki. My clothes weren't damaged either.
Me not feeling the heat could be chalked up to a heat resistance that comes with the power itself. My clothes have no such protection though.
Izuku put the notebook down with a thoughtful frown. Having a quirk that healed him was awesome, regenerative powers were rare, but in and of themselves, they weren't all that powerful.
The pain negating effect made up for it though. He was essentially unkillable as long as he could keep up the regeneration. How long that was, remained to be seen. Putting the notebook down, he stepped closer to the shoreline, and prepared to summon his flames.
He lifted an arm, palm facing out over the water, and willed the flames to emerge.
For a moment there was utter silence, Izuku staring intently at his hand.
Minutes passed with no result, and he closed his eyes, brows knotted together in concentration. He visualized the flames in his mind, blue like the summer sky and yellow like the sun.
For a heartbeat there was nothing, before he felt the slightest tingling race through his arm. He reacted instantly, eyes shooting open.
Licking up his knuckles and shimmering in the fading light of the afternoon, was a small bluish flame speckled with yellow.
He smiled. Smiled so hard his cheeks hurt. That was his quirk. His quirk!
Gingerly, he brought the hand closer, and prodded it gently with a finger. True to his observations, it didn't burn. No warmth whatsoever.
When he noticed the flame getting weaker, he tried to recall the feeling that had heralded its resurgence.
Slowly, it grew... And grew... Engulfing parts of his limited edition All Might hoodie' sleeves.
"Wha-" ShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShit.
He flailed his arm about frantically until the flames died down, revealing unburnt sleeves.
That's right. They don't burn, do they.
He chuckled sheepishly, feeling silly for overreacting.
Absently, he wondered if getting wet would have any affect on him. Endeavor didn't have any such weakness, but his own flames seemed to adhere to rules of their own.
He unlaced his shoes and put them to the side, removed his socks, and drew up his pant legs.
The water felt cool on the skin, and the wet sand shifted smoothly beneath his feet. Small waves sloshed against his shins, and he took a second to just enjoy the sensation. Crouching, arms elbow-deep in the water, he drew a breath to center himself, but before he could even think to draw out his powers, he felt the strength leech out, and tiredness wash over him.
He panicked, jerked onto wobbly feet and stumbled backwards, almost tripping over in his hurry to get back on shore.
Once out, the strength returned to his limbs, and he steadied himself warily.
"What was that..." he whispered.
Some type of weakness to water had been expected, but not this.
Washing his hands at home hadn't affected him any, so maybe it had to do with the amount of time he could spend in contact with water? Or did the weakness kick in when a certain amount of his body was drenched?
He creeped closer to the sea, and tried again.
.
.
Nothing. No affect.
So it had to do with how much of his body was submerged. Interesting.
Some time later, his phone rang. His mother warned him it was getting dark, asking him to be back soon. So, he tugged the socks back on and stepped into his shoes, grabbed his bag, and headed home.
The door clicked shut behind him, at the same time as his mother appeared in the corridor.
"Izu, you're home late, you know I don't like you staying out after dark." She scolded.
"Yeah, sorry, lost track of time."
She waited patiently for him to remove his shoes, "Izu, why'd you go to the beach? You said you were there yesterday too, and you were acting a bit strange as well." she eyed him worriedly.
"Yeah... About that." He met her eyes and grinned. Before he lifted a hand and summoned his flames. "Mom, I have a quirk."
Chapter 4
A morning can be so perfect, when the all-encompassing light of the rising sun illuminates the cloudy sky. Strikingly vibrant colors reach all the way across the heavens, ranging from a deep purple to a light blue.
He'd woken up early, so the streets were relatively empty. Without people rushing to work and cars speeding by, everything felt calm. As if the world itself was asleep.
It was damp outside, the air fresh, and he could feel the lingering moisture from yesterday's downpour. He breathed in a lungful of clean, fresh air. The feeling of the morning cold spreading in his chest almost intoxicating.
The malachite-green trees planted along the road were speckled with dew, the grass drenched, and small pools of water littered the road to Aldera Junior High.
The weekend had been spent celebrating with his mother, followed by an entire day of experimenting with his quirk. It'd been a lot of fun. His mother had even accompanied him to the beach for a couple of hours, watching him try figure out every aspect of his newfound power.
Today was his first day at school after discovering his quirk, and Izuku felt equal parts nervousness and excitement. All these years everyone had known him as 'the quirkless kid'. He'd debated with himself over whether or not he should tell everyone at school, and to be honest, he saw no reason not to. He didn't really stand to lose anything from it. Most treated him the way they did because of his status as quirkless. Maybe he could finally be just another student, and not 'Deku'.
The school had been pretty much empty when he'd arrived, except for the teachers and other staff.
Students started steadily trickling into the classroom as the clock ticked, nearing the start of the first class.
He'd wanted to show off his quirk immediately, but quickly realized he didn't actually know how to initiate the conversation, nor who he would tell. While not all of them bullied him or even approved of Kacchans behavior, none of them were his friends. And he knew for a fact that they all thought of him as weird.
The solution to his problem, came in the form of Katsuki Bakugou. The moment the door to the classroom slammed open, his own eyes met Kacchan's. They'd both frozen, and in that singular moment, he'd observed his childhood friend turned bully go through a myriad of emotions. Surprise, confusion, then contempt, before settling on silent fury.
Izuku watched Katsuki take measured steps towards him, and belatedly he realized the classroom had gone deathly quiet, as if sensing their explosive classmates barely restrained anger. Kacchan stopped before his desk, eyebrows knitted together.
"Explain." was the only word that came out of his mouth.
Izuku thought for a moment. "I got my quirk..."
"Yes, I realized. Any idiot with eyes could see that, moron. I meant how, why now."
Izuku frowned. "I don't really know myself. It just happened. I was as surprised as you were."
Katsuki held his gaze for a moment, and Izuku could see he was searching for something. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, perhaps finding no hints of a lie, Kacchan scoffed, breaking eye contact.
"…What is it?"
Izuku's mouth quirked up into a small smile at the hint of interest in Kacchan's voice. "Regenerative quirk based on fire." Izuku replied. "I don't really have a good grasp on how it works or what it can do. Haven't had enough time to study it properly."
Kacchan nodded before he strode wordlessly over to his desk and seated himself.
Then the class react as one.
"Midoriya has a quirk!?"
Izuku could hear everyone chatting in hushed tones.
"Is he for real, Deku has a quirk?"
"Since when?"
"Are you sure he's not just making it up?"
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Tomoka, one of his classmates, turn to him with a questioning look.
"Ne, ne, Midoriya, do you really have a quirk now?"
She was pretty, her hair long and colored a pale blue. Her quirk, he remembered, let her control her hair, each individual strand of it, as though it were a limb. He pointedly avoided looking her in the eyes. Talking to girls had never been his forte.
"Y-yes, I do."
From his seat in front of Izuku, Borudā turned to look.
He can grow rocks up to ten centimeters from any part of his body. Definitely a quirk suited for hero work if he can learn to cover his entire body.
Tomoka brought a finger to her lips, gazing at him curiously. "What does it do?"
Izuku fidgeted a little, nervousness settling in at having become the center of attention.
"I- I haven't had it for long. B-but from what I've been able to discern, it's a regeneration quirk."
"Aren't those really rare?" someone in the class whispered.
"Didn't he say something about fire though?" another asked, Matsuda most likely.
"Really? Can you show me?"
"Huh?" Izuku replied, caught a little off-guard.
"Your quirk, can you show us?" Tomoka tried again.
He hesitated a little, and in his periphery, he could see Kacchan turn slightly to watch.
Izuku lifted an arm and focused. She eyed the appendage curiously, then startled when it caught fire. A mixture of blue and yellow flames dancing on his extended arm.
"Oh wow" she breathed. The others had similar reactions.
Borudā raised an eyebrow. "But didn't you say it was a regeneration quirk? All I can see is fire."
"W-well, yes, but t-the fire doesn't actually burn. When Ka-" Izuku risked a glance at Bakugou, but he wasn't paying attention any longer, having turned away to glare out of the window.
He was about to continue when the teacher abruptly entered. Seeing as the entire class was facing Midoriya, he raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong, class? Why are you all turned towards Midorya?"
"Midorya got his quirk, sensei. We were just asking him about it."
That made the man pause, eyes flitting over to the student in question, and the flames licking up and down his arm. "R-really? A quirk at this age?"
Izuku nodded, albeit shakily, not knowing if the teacher would approve of him using his quirk in class.
"Well, I'll be damned. Congratulations Midorya." then the man straightened, gathering himself. "I can understand that you're excited, but do remember that public quirk usage isn't allowed, alright."
"Yes, sensei."
The man nodded, satisfied. Then class started.
When Izuku finally returned home, he immediately set upon the task of creating a training regimen.
His goal was UA, the most prestigious hero school in all of Japan. Thousands took the entrance exam each year in hopes of being part of the two hero classes UA boasted.
The statistics from last year revealed that only one in three hundred made it into the hero course. Two classes divided into twenty students each, meant there had been approximately 12000 applicants. It was crazy to even think about!
There was a minimum prerequisite grade point average required to even take the test, though Izuku didn't have to worry on that front. His grades being top-tier and all.
No, that wasn't what worried him.
The exam was divided into two parts. One written, the other practical. The written exam he could study for, but the practical exam was one that focused on your quirk and skill with it. Something like an apprehension test to gauge your potential as a hero.
Even ignoring the quirks, Izuku knew he was unfit for any physical exam, especially one with UA's standards. Hence why he was trying to come up with a training regimen.
He stared down at the open notebook and started feverishly scribbling notes.
... 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, 10km...
Izuku dropped bonelessly on the couch, sweaty and tired after having returned from another grueling ten-kilometer jog.
His mother stood by the entrance to the living room, watching him worriedly.
After two weeks of arduous, back-breaking training, Izuku had finally concluded that this wasn't going to work.
What was I thinking when I came up with that stupid plan? I can barely run a hundred meters without breathing heavy.
"Izu, are you alright?"
"... I feel like I'm about to become bald..."
"You're overworking yourself, Izuku." his mom chided.
He pushed himself upright so that he was facing her, then smiled. "Yeah, I guess I need to come up with a better plan."
After a moment of thought, his mother spoke up again. "Say, Izuku, why don't you start at a gym? I'm sure you'll get more out of your workout if you have proper equipment."
Izuku blinked. "That's... a good idea. Why didn't I think of that."
The very next day Izuku signed up at a local gym in Musutafu.
He found some videos on the internet that detailed workout exercises for each part of the body and decided to stick to it no matter how tedious it got. Along the way he also made considerable changes to his diet to include as much healthy, nutritious, and protein-rich food as possible.
He went to the gym every other day, and soon enough he started seeing results, small as they were.
His quirk was the real problem here. While you could easily make up for a weak constitution with a strong quirk, the reverse was almost impossible. And he knew there'd be all kinds of strong people like Bakugou gunning for UA, with amazing quirks to boot. To compete with them, he'd have to find some way to bridge the gap in experience.
The first month of quirk training was terribly dull. He spent hours trying to control the flames at will, which worked to some degree. He was able to make the flames appear and disappear from anywhere on his body.
Trying to shoot them in controlled beams like endeavor, unfortunately, failed. No matter how hard he tried, the flames just wouldn't budge, clinging to his body like a second skin.
Testing the strength of his healing factor was a painful process. It didn't take long to realize that the pain negating part of his quirk responded to intention. When deliberately harming himself, the wound remained unless he healed it consciously.
Somewhere down the road, he was hit by the idea of trying to heal not just himself, but others as well.
"Mom could we test something?" Izuku asked.
"Hm? Sure Izuku. What is it?"
"Well, I was actually wondering if my quirk could be used to heal others."
Her eyes widened a little, not having thought of the possibility, then nodded.
Opening a drawer, she picked up one of the smaller kitchen knives and cut the tip of her index finger.
Seeing she was ready, Izuku summoned a small patch of fire in the palm of his hand. He covered the small cut with his fiery hand, and when he let go, it was gone, replaced by unblemished skin.
The entrance exam is eight months away and I've yet to find any real combat application for my quirk besides being able to tank hits. And, even then, I don't know how much I can take. Can I heal a broken bone? Can I take a gunshot or stab wound and survive? Will my healing work then?
He desperately wanted to know, but short of actually getting shot or stabbed, or breaking a bone, there wasn't much he could do to find out. It didn't help that his mother had expressly forbidden him from trying something so dangerous.
Better now while there's no real danger, than in a life-or-death situation.
Up until this point, he'd focused mostly on control, seeing as raising the temperature of his flames and finding a way to shoot fire-blasts had failed.
Today, he would be trying to create flames all over his body simultaneously. It would perhaps serve as a viable method of intimidation. No one in their right mind would want to get in close to someone covered in fire.
Unless they have a counter quirk that is.
Yet again, Izuku found himself at the beach. It had become a favorite spot of his. The sight of the ocean, the calm setting, the comforting sound of waves, the cool breeze ruffling his hair. They all resonated with him, making him feel at ease.
It also helped that the mountains of garbage obstructed anyone's view of his training, giving Izuku some measure of privacy.
His backpack and sweater were placed near the same old freezer, leaving him in shorts, his trademark red shoes, and a simple white t-shirt.
He felt for his quirk, searching deep within himself. Finding the usual feeling that he associated with his quirk, he grasped it with all he had, pushing it to its utter limit. Stoking the flames until they were a raging inferno threatening to swallow him whole.
Tentatively he opened his eyes. Only to notice everything looked a bit... smaller. Or perhaps further away?
That's weird. It's as if I'm taller.
He glanced down at himself, wondering if it'd been successful. Only to find his arms and legs gone, replaced by fiery wings and talons.
.
.
"huh?"
Chapter 5
"Izuku! It's already six, you need to wake up! Else you'll be late for your entrance exam!"
His eyes snapped open at his mother's shout, then flitted over to the All Might themed clock on the bedside table. Four minutes past six.
Izuku sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He'd had difficulty sleeping last night, nerves keeping him up.
Today was the day. Today, he'd be taking the UA entrance exam. Today, he'd take his first step towards becoming a hero.
Standing up, he grabbed his usual school uniform and dressed, mind whirling with thoughts.
Eight months ago, he'd learned the truth about his powers. His quirk wasn't just fire or healing, no. His quirk... turned him into a phoenix!
Naturally, he'd scoured the internet for everything related to phoenixes. Every myth and every legend.
They were all different, depending on which culture or country the stories originated from. But there were some recurring themes in all of them.
The phoenix was a mythical bird thought in many cultures and religions to be the true spirit of fire or the physical incarnation of the sun. Said to have a 500-to-1000-year life cycle, it's a symbol of longevity and rebirth. Near the end of its life, it'd build itself a nest of incense and sacred materials that it then ignites and is reduced to ashes, from which it arises again, reborn anew.
Ashes.
Ashes had been the only thing he'd found of the fruit after he'd thrown it away.
Even with all his research, there were some things he didn't have an explanation for. For instance, his healing powers.
Another curiosity was his fire. In all myths and legends, phoenixes were said to have fires that burned with unrivaled intensity.
Which was the exact opposite of his 'non-burning' flames. 'Just another mystery of quirks, I guess... Or whatever this power is.'
On another note, his training from that point on, had gone better than he could've ever hoped for.
The power he'd once thought to be just a supportive quirk, had turned out to be better suited for combat and hero-work than anticipated.
First thing he'd done after finding out about being a Phoenix, had been to learn how to fly.
Lifting off the ground was the easy part. Learning how to maneuver himself at high speeds and quickly change directions, was a work in progress. Hindered by the fact that he wasn't allowed to fly as he pleased.
It was especially difficult during strong winds, rain, and bad weather in general.
He still had little clue about how to fight in his phoenix state. Of course, his beak and talons were good weapons, especially coupled with his speed and superior mobility. But too dangerous to use without proper training. It wouldn't do to accidentally spear someone through.
Fully dressed, he descended to the kitchen, where his mother had already prepared a bowl of katsudon.
"Do you have everything ready, sweetie?" his mother asked.
"Yeah, I did it all yesterday."
He ate quickly, inhaling the katsudon, then washing it all down with some juice.
His backpack sat by the corridor, packed with notebooks, clothes for the physical part, and food.
At seven, he decided to depart. He grabbed a jacket from the wardrobe against the February chill, then tugged on his shoes and made to leave.
"Izuku," came his mother's soft call and he turned. She stood smiling by the door to the living room, her eyes warm. "I'm proud of you. Good luck out there."
He felt a smile blossom on his own face. "Thanks, mom."
Izuku took steadying breaths as he approached UA Academy. The place was packed with hopeful high schoolers, all radiating equal parts nervousness and excitement.
Carefully avoiding bumping into anyone, he walked through the gates and towards the large doors with UA emblazoned on them.
During his short walk, Izuku observed some of his fellow applicants. The ones who stood out most were those with mutation quirks. His eyes flitted to a horned, pink-skinned girl with hair just a shade darker than her skin, then to a guy with a bird-like head.
Briefly, Izuku wondered what their quirks might be. The guy, perhaps he could sprout wings, like Hawks, or talk to birds?
Distracted, he bumped right into a fellow student standing ahead of him.
"Ow... S-sorry, I didn't see you there. Are you okay?" Izuku apologized. The person he'd walked into, stumbled forwards, then quickly regained his footing.
Immediately, Izuku noticed the tail sticking out from the guy's lower back. He turned to face Izuku, a small smile on his face.
"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. No harm done. Was a little out of it myself to be honest, nerves and all that." he chuckled and extended a hand. "I'm Ojiro Mashirao."
Izuku took it, returning the smile. "Midoriya Izuku."
Ojiro, Izuku observed, had short blond hair swept to the front of his head and thin eyes with no lower eyelashes. He stood maybe an inch taller than Izuku himself, and with a solid build. He wore a white shirt tucked into brown pants, a normal school uniform, and pale grey sneakers. Poking out from behind him was his tail, muscular and completely hairless save for the tip.
"Not long now," Ojiro said "the written exam starts soon."
Izuku nodded and took a quick look around. "There are so many people."
"Right, but it's UA, so I guess it's to be expected."
Izuku took out his phone, double checking the registration confirmation he'd gotten from the school. "I'm supposed to be in room E, how about you?"
"C. And I think E is that way." Ojiro pointed to a sign hanging overhead.
"Oh. D to F, ahead and to the right." Izuku mumbled.
"Well, I'm off to my own room. Good luck."
Izuku was left scrambling for words. "Y-yeah, you too." He replied sheepishly, then headed for his own room.
He entered room E quietly and was greeted by none other than the pro hero Cementoss himself.
'Oh my God that's Cementoss! The 58th ranked hero! He's quirk is cement- and he's standing right in front of me!'
"Let's see..." the hero muttered, checking his Clipboard "Your name, please."
"M-Midoriya Izuku, sir!" Izuku answered promptly, straight backed and at attention.
Cementoss chuckled, bemused. Then rifled through his papers until he found the name.
"Ah, here you are." He handed Izuku a ticket. "You just go in and find the seat with your number on it, alright?"
Izuku took the ticket, nodded, then left to find his seat.
'2232... 2233... There, 2234!"
He looked up and met red, glaring eyes.
"Deku..."
Izuku startled. "K-K-Kacchan?!"
A tick mark formed on Katsuki's forehead. "Shut up, ya damn nerd!" then in a calmer, but gruff tone, asked, "So, you came anyway... Thought you might chicken out at the last second."
Izuku gathered himself. "I'm taking this exam for myself. I'll be a hero, no matter what."
After a tense silence, Izuku took his own seat in front of Kacchan's. He picked out the ticket he'd received and read through it.
Name: Midoriya Izuku
Examinee number: 2234
TIMETABLE:
Written Exam Location: Room E, 08:00~12:00.
Practical Exam Orientation: Auditorium A, 12:45~13:30
Group Practical Test Location: Ground Beta 14:15~15:00.
Individual Practical Test Location: Battle Centre B, 16:00~16:15.
Twenty minutes had passed when the first announcement came.
"Heya little listeners! Listen up, 'cause I'll be going through the rules for the written exam. You ready... Good! The written exam is going to be a combination of math, history, science, language, and quirk law."
"There's a portion with multiple choice questions. And pay especially good attention here, 'cause you might regret it if you don't. There can be one or several correct answers to a single question. But! Know that crossing out all answers will not earn you a full score. A correct answer will earn you one point. A wrong answer will see you deducted one point. This only applies to the multiple-choice portion. So be smart with how you answer those."
"The exam will take place over the course of four hours, with a total of 40 questions, and a grand total of 100 points. The only things allowed during the exam are pens and calculators."
There will be a teacher present during the examination. If you're caught cheating, you'll be disqualified immediately and unable to take the exam next year. That's all. The exam starts in five minutes. If you have any questions, address them to the teacher assigned to your room. GOOD LUCK!"
Izuku winced at that last bit, Present Mic's well-wishing yell having made the speaker screech annoyingly.
"Alright, kids. Like Mic said, the exam starts in five minutes. Please remove anything not permitted from your desks." Cementoss said, taking a stack of exam papers and placing one face-down on each examinee's desk. "Don't turn it over until I say so."
Izuku took steadying breaths while waiting. He knew he was ready. Besides, he was more worried about the physical than the written.
Five minutes passed quickly.
"Alright, you may turn over your papers." Cementoss announced and the exam was officially underway.
'14.' Izuku read. 'Give a short summary on the first appearance of quirks and the impact it had on society.'
He thought for a moment, then put pen to paper.
The appearance of quirks started with the birth of the 'Luminescent baby' approximately XXX years ago, in Qing Qing, China. A child born with a quirk that allowed them to emit bright light from every pore on their skin. The event sparked uproar throughout the world and had lots of consequences.
Practitioners of various religions believed the child to be a messiah or prophet sent from their God. Others believed the child to be a doomsday omen. That it heralded the beginning of the end.
Within the next twenty years however, the number of children born with these supernatural powers increased exponentially, forming the very foundations of the Hero-Villain society we know and live in today.
In the early days, people born with such powers were shunned by the general public. There was widespread fear of not only the supernatural powers they possessed, but also the strange and disturbing appearances of those born with mutation quirks.
As the number of people born with quirks increased and scientists discovered the quirk genome, such fear dwindled.
At around the same time, legislation prohibiting the usage of quirks was passed.
With the increase of quirks, the rate and severity of crimes increased to heights previously unseen. It became too much for the police to handle alone. Law abiding citizens prohibited from using quirks had little chance of fighting criminals with powerful quirks.
That was when the first vigilantes appeared. Perhaps the most well-known vigilante from that time, was Spiderman, who guarded the streets of New York City. It was as a consequence of his heroic actions, and the safety he was able to provide, that resulted in the US government later establishing the Hero Association.
Not sure what else to write, he left the question for later. He didn't want to spend too much time on one question and wind up with no time for the others.
'15. Explain what the QD-scale is.'
Another moment of thought. The Quirk Danger scale. He'd read about it on several occasions. Wasting no time, he wrote.
The Quirk Danger scale is, as the name implies, a scale used to categorize quirks that might potentially cause disaster on a larger scale. Quirks that can directly affect the economy, cause natural disasters, etc.
There are five levels to this scale. The higher your quirk is ranked, the more dangerous it is.
One such example is the Disaster Hero: Thirteen, who's quirk makes their body into a black hole.
'17. While pushing a very heavy box, Tobio notices that it was much harder for him to get the box to start moving, than it was for him to get the box to continue moving once it had started. This is an example of which mechanics principle?'
He read the alternatives.
A. Law of universal gravitation.
B. Newton's third law.
C. Newton's first law.
D. Law of frictional force.
E. Newton's second law.
'This... This is an example of Newton's first law, isn't it? An object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion in that direction, unless acted upon by an outside force.
Since Inertia is effectively nature's way of trying to avoid change, it explains why the box is hard to move while it's still; it requires force to get it to move from rest to motion. And It's easier to continue motion when it's moving because it requires much less force to keep it moving in the same direction.
Mathematically, this principle dictates that the coefficient of static friction will always be greater than the coefficient of kinetic friction.'
Izuku made a ring around option C, then went through the others just for safe measure. He immediately ruled out the law of universal gravitation.
He knew Newton's law of universal gravitation was about each particle attracting every other particle in the universe with a force depending on the product of their mass and the distance between their centres.
'The third... That's the one about all forces between two objects being equal in magnitude and in opposite directions.'
So that one was out, as well. And he couldn't recall the second law.
The law of friction was a possibility, but again, he wasn't too sure on how that one worked. Risking being deducted a point just for a minor chance, was unwise.
Satisfied with his answer, he went for the next question.
"Alright, pens up! Time's over!" Present Mic announced. Izuku put down his pen, looked over his answers, and nodded satisfied. He'd done the best he could.
"Hand in your papers, and remember, you'll be briefed on the practical examinations in Auditorium A at exactly 12:45. If you don't know where that is, just check overhead for any signs or ask one of the adults nearby, they'll give you directions."
As Present Mic talked, Cementoss gathered the exam papers, muttering a few words of comfort to those who looked particularly stressed.
Izuku stood up and stretched his stiff body. Exhaling, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The knot in his stomach loosened a bit.
Everyone else in the classroom had already packed and were moving towards the exit.
"Oi, Deku... How'd you do?"
Izuku turned to Katsuki, taken slightly aback at the sudden question. Kacchan had never cared enough to ask him about test scores in school.
"I-I think it went well. I did my best. Though, I'm not too sure about the language portion." Izuku answered. "How about you?"
Kacchan grunted. "I fuckin' aced it, of course. Nothing too hard."
A slight awkward silence hung between them. Not sure what to do, Izuku rubbed the back of his head.
"Uhm, so, I'm going to head for the Auditorium."
Bakugou just grunted and started packing up his belongings. Izuku took that as his cue to leave.
Auditorium A was massive. As big as a football stadium, with rows upon rows of seats. It took Izuku a while to find, but his seat was situated almost directly across the stage, only a little elevated, so he had to look slightly downwards.
He could see Kacchan a few rows below, and even spotted Ojiro near the front.
A tall, slim man, with long, blond hair spiked upwards in a large tuft behind his head, and a small brown mustache, took the stage.
He wore a black leather jacket with a very tall collar, upturned and complete with studs, and matching black pants and knee-high boots. His neck was obscured by a directional speaker. And to finish up the ensemble, were a set headphones with the word 'HAGE' written on the headband and a pair of orange-tinted shades.
"For all you little examinee listeners tuning in today, welcome to my show!" the man began. "Everybody say HEY!".
Absolute silence.
"What a refined response... "
Izuku almost squealed in delight. That was present Mic! He listened to his radio show every day!
'His quirk is Voice, and it allows him to increase the volume of his voice, giving him an ability similar to a sonic scream. The sound is strong enough to cause people's ears to bleed from far away!'
'The only known weakness, is that the sounds don't travel well underground, making his Quirk ineffective against anything that's underground or separated from him by layers of earth. His superhero moves are DJ Punch and Sonic Boom!'
"Oh wow, I didn't know that."
Izuku startled, head whipping around to see a girl with hair a darker shade of green than his own, and a grin made up of sharp teeth.
He realized his mistake at once. 'I was muttering aloud again!'
She leaned closer and whispered, "You a fan of his?".
Izuku turned beet red. 'She's so close!'
"I l-listen to his radio show." he replied, nervous.
She nodded. "I'm Tokage Setsuna, by the way."
"M-Midoriya Izuku."
"Now, as you might have noticed from reading your tickets, the practical is divided into two parts this year." Present Mic continued. "One a group examination, the other individual."
Behind the hero, a large screen lit up.
"For the group practical, once you reach the assigned test locations, you'll draw lots from a box. Which means that the make-up of your group will be random."
The screen showed a pixel like animation of students picking lots.
"The objective will be to capture or subdue a person in a chosen area. The test will be forty-five minutes in length. Fifteen to plan, and thirty to capture or subdue. You'll be graded based on your performance."
Mic took a deep breath.
"Afterwards, you'll have a one-hour break before the individual practical commences. This one will be fighting robots acting as villains. There are four types of robots, one-pointers, two-pointers, and three-pointers. The zero-pointer is just an extra, so you're better of avoiding it."
The screen displayed pixel-art of the four robot types.
"That's all you really need to know regarding the exams. For the time and locations, check your tickets. Any questions?"
Izuku briefly considered asking why they'd changed the exam this year. Though, on second thought, a group practical would shed light on the examinees ability to work in teams. Which heroes often had to do. The random selection was probably to make it more realistic. You never knew who you might have to work with in the field.
Izuku joined the throng of examinees heading out and took a peek at his ticket.
"... Ground beta, at 14.15..."
He found a map of the school grounds outside the main building. 'Ground Beta, hmm... Straight down the road and to the left on the second intersection. Alright, not too far then.'
With an iron grip on the straps of his backpack, he set out towards the ground Beta.
Chapter 6
Izuku entered the cafeteria with nearly an hour left until the practical feeling slightly peckish. Despite his hour-long stroll, he still hadn't been able to gleam even a small portion of the place. It was simply enormous. As large as a city, if he had to guess.
U.A was lauded as the greatest hero institute in Japan, cracking the top five worldwide, but he still couldn't wrap his head around the sheer size of it. A high school as big as a city. He smiled, shaking his head at the absurdity. What did something like that even cost? Millions? Billions?
Even the cafeteria was big. Hundreds of students were seated at rows upon rows of long tables.
The sight actually made him grimace. He had never gotten accustomed to being around crowds of people.
Spotting a queue over on the other side, he quickly got in line before it could get any longer. And from there time passed slowly. Mostly with him taking out his phone and flipping from one page to another, entering and exiting apps, trying to look like he was doing something despite not actually doing anything. And it totally wasn't because there were two girls standing in line right in front of him, chatting amicably.
At last, it was his turn.
"What'd'ya want kid." The man at the register asked, hair netting slightly lopsided.
"Um," he looked at the list of items. "Soda and a ham sandwich, please."
"Right, that'll be 182."
He handed over the money and took his food and drink. Now, where to sit?
Finding a place wasn't easy, but as he was about to take his lunch outside, he spotted a free spot beside a teen with what looked like a black bird's head. Raven? Or is that a crow?
"Is this seat taken?" He asked, and the teen looked up from his meal.
"No, you may take it if you wish."
Thankful, he sat down and was about to take a bite out of his sandwich when he noticed the guy next to him was still watching from the corner of his eye.
A bead of sweat rolled down Izuku's forehead, and putting down his sandwich, he turned to meet the other's eyes uncertainly. "Um, I'm Midoriya Izuku, it's… it's nice to meet you."
The boy nodded, facing him now, "Tokoyami Fumikage, the pleasure is mine." He coughed into his fist. "I apologize for staring. It was rude of me."
While Izuku had met heteromorphs before, he couldn't help but examine the other boy's face. A yellowish beak, very reminiscent of that of a crow, tiny jet-black feathers covering his face, and piercing red eyes. The combination was slightly intimidating.
And yet despite the avian head, the rest of Tokoyami's body was distinctly human.
Realizing he himself had been staring, Izuku quickly made to move the conversation along.
"A-ah, it's fine… Are you ready for the practical, or?"
A nod.
.
.
"I would not want to come across as arrogant, but I am quite confident that my quirk is well suited for heroics." The boy answered, staring seriously down at his hand while he clenched it. Izuku wondered if he always spoke so… traditionally. Like someone from the middle-age.
"Well. That's good. I'm a bit nervous. But… I'll just have to do my best." Tokoyami nodded at him.
They passed the time occasionally exchanging small talk and otherwise eating their fill. About half an hour before the practical they wished each other good luck and left for their respective sites.
Izuku exited the bus feeling more nervous than he ever had before. This was it. The practical exam. The first real combat application of his quirk.
He gazed about in search of any proctors, and although he didn't see any, the other applicants were wandering towards the gate, so he joined them.
When nothing happened, Izuku felt a surge of panic in his gut. What if he'd gone to the wrong site? What if he wasn't supposed to be here, but someplace else? This was battle center B, right?
In the end, it didn't matter, because the speaker suddenly buzzed to life, and they heard the voice of Present Mic.
"Attention listeners! 'Cause I'm 'bout to explain the practical!" There was a short pause, most likely to make sure to give everyone time to focus. "There are four different types of faux villains inside the battle center. The one-pointers, the two-pointers, and the three-pointers. You can gain points by immobilizing these robots. The zero-pointer is more of an obstacle. And while you could beat it, there's no point in doing so. For those of you who don't have combat-oriented quirks, rest assured, each robot has at least one way of being stopped that doesn't involve outright destroying it." Present Mic took a breath then continued. "Of course, attacking other examinees or any other unheroic misdeeds are strictly prohibited. The exam starts in five minutes! Good luck! And go beyond! Plus, ultra!"
Izuku took it all in. Faux robot villains. Metal, then. How big would they be? How durable? Would he be able to destroy them? He knew his quirk increased his strength, but would it be enough? He was pretty certain he wouldn't be able to do any real damage to metal by punching it. So he'd most likely have to hit it at speed. Fortunately, he could fly. Maybe swoop in like an eagle, ram his talons into them. If they were small enough, or light enough to be more exact, he could also lift them off the ground and drop them from a height.
Thinking furiously, he almost missed it when Present Mic made the call to begin.
"Well, what're you waiting for?! There are no countdowns in real life! Go! Go! Go!"
The others were already moving before Izuku had the time to process anything. A desperate cluster of students shoving each other, fighting their way through the crowded gateway.
Feeling a surge of panic at being left behind, he hurried to catch up, until he realized that he could fly. He felt like smacking himself in the face. He had to keep his cool! Without wasting any more time, he transformed, wings of flame bursting to life, and took to the air with a mighty flap of his wings.
He soared over the struggling examinees. Already some had pushed their way through, running at incredible speed. He paid them no mind though. His focus was on one thing and one thing only. I need those points!
Fortunately, Izuku didn't have to search for very long. He spotted his first two villain bots down a rubble-strewn street. He couldn't make out how many points they were from this distance, but it didn't matter anyways.
Both robots were large, although one was much bulkier looking, with tank-like belts for wheels. Perhaps twenty meters apart, though it was hard to tell from this height. Not giving himself any time to hesitate, he dashed towards the bigger one, feet turning into sharp talons mid-air. The bigger one was probably worth more, maybe a two- or three-point bot. And almost certainly more dangerous as well.
His speed coupled with the increased strength, durability, and wickedly sharp claws courtesy of his quirk proved too much for the bot. With one lethal blow, it was left headless, protruding wires sparking as it fell.
The blow however threw Izuku off balance. He'd come in too quick and this near the ground he didn't have enough space to veer upwards. He landed clumsily, flailing as his wings turned to hands again to brace for the landing. He stumbled a bit but managed to stay upright in the end. Turning back to the robot, he saw the number 'three' painted in bold red and felt his mouth stretch into a wide grin. I- I did it. Three points! I got three points!
"Target acquired. Prepare for extermination, human."
*Zzmm, CA-LICK!*
His eyes widened as soon as he whipped around. Met by a fucking minigun protruding from the robot's right arm aiming directly at him. Izuku froze, as if an icy hand had gripped his heart, fear locking his body in place.
All he could do was close his eyes and raise his arms to shield his face as sound roared to life around him.
His breath stuck in his lungs and in the back of his mind, he felt his body shifting.
He didn't dare open his eyes for the next couple of seconds.
When the sound finally died down, Izuku tentatively opened one eye to peek through his arms.
The robot stood still, gun barrel slowing down.
He blinked. Looked down.
Dozens of blazing holes in his body. His chest and stomach were almost entirely gone! A second later it was knitting itself up, his body reforming.
He turned around.
The ground behind him were littered with bullets, where they'd bounced off the wall after going right through him.
His eyes lingered on them.
Rubber… They're rubber bullets.
He gasped, exhaling in one big, relieved breath. Of course UA wouldn't use real bullets on students! This was a high school exam, not war! He felt so stupid!
Something clacked off the ground, and he jumped to face the robot. Parts on its arm were moving and an empty bullet chamber lay on the ground.
"Oh no you don't!"
He took off into the air again before dropping on top of its head with both legs using crushing force.
This one was a two-pointer.
Five points.
There was a crash behind him, and he saw that other examinees had already caught up with him. Racing as fast as they could to be the ones to take down nearby robots. While each person had a target, to Izuku it looked like they were firing quirks around haphazardly. Pure chaos.
Except for the occasional schoolyard fights or hero-villain altercations in the streets, he had never seen so many people using their quirks simultaneously.
"Three!" One called out. "Five!" another yelled.
Right, points.
Zooming in on the target, Izuku dropped on top of another flying one-pointer.
These bots were small. They could fly unlike the two- and three-pointers and moved far quicker as well. They were numerous and easily dispensable but kept enough of a distance that most with close-range quirks couldn't reach them.
And they were harder to spot as well. Usually high up in the air, right around the corner of a building. Popping out of their hiding places as soon as someone ran by them.
In general, it meant the one-pointers were perfect for Izuku. While the other bots were worth more points, they were much harder to get to with all the examinees targeting them. Those in the air however were less fought over, and prime targets for one who could fly.
That said, as he was about to ram through another, it suddenly dodged his strike like a puppet on strings yanked away by its master.
One look to the side revealed a red-haired guy with steampunk goggles, his arm extended towards the one-pointer and hand clenched in a grabbing motion. He did a one-eighty turn, and the one-pointer smashed right through the concrete building next to them.
Izuku stared. Telekinesis? Or magnetism? Whichever it is, it's strong.
The guy turned back to him; smug smirk plastered on his face, very similar to that of Bakugou, Izuku noted, then huffed a mocking laugh and ran off.
"One minute remaining!" Present mic called out in the distance.
It's already been nine minutes? Midoriya thought, time had flown by surprisingly quickly. It filled him with a sense of urgency, and he mustered every last bit of his strength for one last effort. He had to do everything he could, push himself to the limit. Go beyond Plus Ultra!
~Rumble rumble rumble
His concentration broke. His mouth dropped open and all thoughts of the exam fled his mind as he craned his neck to take in the sight of the towering behemoth. A titan, standing at least 20 meters tall with such bulky armor that it had to weigh at least several hundred tons. It approached them slowly, but unrelenting. Ramming through anything in its path, leaving only crushed buildings in its wake.
His eyes slid down to the dark red number on its body, the ominous zero that so sharply contrasted its green carapace.
… Zero… That's the zero-pointer…
Slowly the noise of his surroundings that he had blocked out in the wake of this giant's emergence, came back to life. The other examinees were panicking, fleeing left and right, scrambling to get out of the zero-pointers way.
Gulping Izuku decided his next course of action. There was no way he could take that thing on. And why would he anyway? It was a zero-pointer. Worth nothing even if he by some miracle managed to take it down.
He turned on his heel, ready to fly away when a pained cry reached his ears.
"Owww…"
Acting purely on instinct, Izuku's head turned on its own in a mechanical fashion. He scanned the place the noise had come from, searching, when his eyes caught on a mop of blond hair.
A girl. Partially buried under rubble. Possible injured. And directly in the zero pointers path.
Everything else melted away. The fleeing students, the exam, UA. All he knew was that he had to save that girl.
In one swift motion, his body turned back towards the zero-pointer. Another second and he was in the air, body bursting into blue and gold, and next he knew, he was at the girl's side.
Everything was happening too quickly- or maybe it was in slow motion- he didn't know. Regardless the zero-pointer was almost upon them. Its massive tank-like leg only a second away from crushing them into paste beneath its treads.
With no time for delicacy, he grabbed her arms in his talons and ripped her straight out from the rubble. She let out a cry of pain, but it didn't really matter, she'd live.
Izuku entered the front door of their apartment feeling exhausted. The written exam coupled with the practical not a short while after, all his prior nervousness and excitement, had all left him feeling utterly drained. Yet despite all this, he felt lighter than he had in a long time. Ever since getting his quirk, the thought of the U.A entrance exam had lingered in his mind. Like with any important exam, the stress of his shortcomings, like the massive chasm that was the gap in experience with his quirk, between him and all the other examinees, had been building the nearer the exam drew.
That night before the exam he'd spent hours awake in bed, afraid he wouldn't wake up in time, that he wouldn't hear his alarm, that there was some subject he hadn't studied well enough, or that he would fail the exam all-together.
Now, knowing he'd done his utmost, studied until the last, and spent every waking moment preparing, he found that the possibility of failure didn't scare him all that much.
That was not to say that the wait for the results would be anything but maddening.
Izuku felt as though he'd done well on the practical. Although he wasn't sure of the exact number, his score had been in the high twenties or low thirties. That was decent, wasn't it? He'd even helped a couple of others who'd gotten stuck in rubble or been in the line of fire.
And that girl he'd saved from the zero-pointer. For that one moment. He'd felt like a true hero. As if all his hopes and dreams had been fulfilled in that one fleeting moment.
His mother appeared in the hallway before the door had even shut behind him.
He met her eyes for an instant. She seemed to be searching for any hint of how it might've gone by his face. "Izu… honey, how did it go?"
He smiled tiredly as he kicked off his shoes and dropped his bag by the doorway. "I did my best."
She returned the smile with a sharp nod; hands fisted at her side. "You'll get in, dear. I know you will!"
Chapter 7
The early morning sun cast a golden hue over the quiet suburban neighbourhood as Midoriya Izuku returned from his usual morning jog. He was a bit sweaty and tired, but the rhythmic exercise had become a comforting routine for him. As he approached his house, he noticed the familiar sight of the post-box and couldn't resist checking it, just as he had done every day for the past month. Hoping, dreading, that today would be the day it finally arrived.
He slowed down as he reached it. For a moment he just stared at the post box. Trying to get a grip on his nerves, that tingling foreboding sense in the pit of his stomach that kept returning every time he looked at the damn thing.
He took a deep breath, battling down whatever doubts he had, and opened it.
For a moment, he couldn't believe his eyes.
There it was—a white envelope with the emblem of U.A. High School emblazoned on its back.
His heart skipped a beat as he gingerly picked it up, taking care not to crumple the letter, and beheld it in all its glory. The emblem shone resplendently in the bright rays of dawn, a mark of the spirit of heroism and excellence that each aspiring student aimed to embody on their journey to becoming true heroes.
His first instinct was to run inside and tell his mother. They'd been getting on so much better than usual lately. Ever since he'd gotten these powers. He'd been happier. His mother too.
I'm sorry, Izuku. I'm so sorry.
But something made him halt just outside their front door.
He looked down at the envelope.
This was the moment he had been waiting for all his life, the culmination of his dreams and hard work.
His heart was pounding in his chest, and slowly, with trembling hands, he tore it open and began reading.
Dear Midoriya Izuku,
We are delighted to inform you that you have been accepted into U.A. High School's Hero Course. Congratulations on your outstanding performance in the entrance exam. Your dedication and potential as a hero have not gone unnoticed. Welcome to U.A., the prestigious institution that has produced many of Japan's greatest heroes.
Enclosed within this letter, you will find your student ID card, which is required to enter UA grounds, as well as your student account details for UA's website. There, you will find everything you need to know and do before the start of the school year. Make sure to keep track of important updates and announcements.
Once again, congratulations, and we look forward to seeing you on your first day at U.A.!
- Principal Nezu
The words on the page began to blur, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. He leaned against the wall, allowing himself to slide down its surface until he was seated on the ground. Closing his eyes, he pressed the letter against his chest, a mixture of relief and euphoria coursing through him.
Accepted. The word reverberated in his mind, a beacon of hope fulfilled, a dream come true.
"Mom!" His voice carried a mixture of exhilaration and urgency, summoning his mother to his side. She appeared in the doorway, curious and concerned.
"Oh, Izu, back already? I'm just finishing up breakfast, come –" she began, her words halting abruptly as her eyes fell upon his tear-stained face. "Izuku, what happened? What's wrong?" Concern etched itself into her words as she moved closer.
His fingers gently lifted the envelope, giving her a good view of the U.A. logo. "I got in," he declared, unable to suppress the wide grin that stretched across his face.
Inko Midoriya's ladle clattered to the floor as her hands flew to her mouth. For a fleeting moment she stood motionless, her eyes glistening, before she closed the gap between them with a rush of energy. Her arms enveloped her son in an embrace, squeezing him so tight he felt the breath leave his lungs.
"My little hero," she whispered, her voice a tender reassurance that melted away any lingering doubt. "I'm so proud of you."
Izuku sat in his room hunched over the computer, his anticipation palpable. The soft glow of the screen cast a light blue hue on his face. His heart raced as he typed in his credentials and watched as the progress bar loaded.
A triumphant chime indicated his successful login, and his eyes were immediately drawn to a colorful popup that materialized on the screen. The excitement within him intensified as he read the message:
"Welcome to U.A. High School!"
He clicked on the popup, and the screen transitioned to a video player. The sight of the iconic U.A. emblem filled him with a mixture of awe and wonder. The video began, and a familiar voice filled his room, resonating with energy and enthusiasm.
"Hey there, future heroes! I'm Present Mic, and I'm here to give you the ultimate tour of U.A. High School! Buckle up, because you're about to get the full scoop on everything that makes this place legendary!"
As the video rolled on, Izuku's attention was captured by the vibrant visuals. He marveled at the mess hall, a bustling hub of activity where students gathered to refuel their bodies and bond over meals. Present Mic's narration filled in the details, explaining how students with specific dietary needs could fill out forms for Lunch Rush, the Food Hero, and his kitchen staff, to ensure they got the sustenance they required.
The video seamlessly transitioned to showcase the array of gyms and training grounds that dotted the U.A. campus. Each setting catered to different quirks and training requirements, and Izuku's eyes widened as he absorbed the immense possibilities these facilities offered. Present Mic's enthusiastic voice outlined how students honed their powers and skills in these specialized environments, adapting them for various real-world scenarios.
A sweeping aerial view of U.A. campus revealed a sprawling expanse of buildings and lawns.
Present Mic's narration continued, "There's the Hero Costume Design Studio, where you'll be crafting your signature outfits that'll become your second skin in the field,"
"And check out the Support Gear Lab, where you can dream up gadgets and gear to enhance your quirks. Our library is a treasure trove of knowledge, and the gym facilities? Oh, they're top-notch!"
The video showcased each facility with a vibrant montage of students using their quirks to their fullest potential. Izuku watched in awe. It was as if his dream was taking on a tangible form before his very eyes.
As the video concluded with a final flourish of the U.A. emblem, Present Mic's voice brimmed with encouragement. "So there you have it, future heroes! The journey begins here at U.A. High School, where you'll learn, grow, and shine brighter than you ever imagined. Get ready to unleash your full potential and make your mark on the world! Plus Ultra!"
The screen faded to black, leaving Izuku sitting in his room, a whirlwind of emotions coursing through him. The room seemed to buzz with energy, echoing Present Mic's words.
In the days that followed, Izuku found himself immersed in the depths of U.A.'s online resources. The website unveiled a trove of invaluable information—orientations, curriculum details, and a meticulous list of required materials.