All Might couldn't help but think that U.A.'s safety standards had changed a lot since he was at school.
Once, when he'd been a young man himself, he'd been told that they had to attend a safety briefing, before they could commence with their first lesson in combat with the use of Quirks, much like the young zygotes he was responsible for looking after had done, this very morning.
The difference was, the near-thirty minute briefing he had just sat through, had been a thorough explanation of the behaviour that was expected from his students, as well as detailed instructions on what to do in the event of an emergency, as well as visual aids to ensure that they all knew of the various exit points, including the processes for what to do if a fire, or any other disaster, occurred while you were mid-exercise.
Meanwhile, his 'briefing' - if it could even be called that - had consisted of Gran Torino looking out at his remaining students and saying the words, "Don't die".
In his defence, they had been far too scared of him to even consider disobeying.
Despite himself, All Might couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled up in his throat as he thought back on his old schooldays, before turning it into a booming laugh, as his students emerged from the changing rooms, dressed to impress in their hero costumes.
It was the third time he'd seen them in their costumes now: first had been their movement and manoeuvres exercise in their first week; and second had been during the USJ fiasco, but the sight of the new generation preparing to stand up and act as the guardians of the new age, never failed to leave him feeling just a little breathless.
Only the embers of One For All remained with him now, and every day, no matter how little he made use of his Master's Quirk, a little less of them remained and with them, a little less time for All Might to remain.
One day, whether it was in a day, a week, a month, or even a year, the embers would burn out and only Yagi Toshinori would remain.
But right now, looking out over the future of the world's defenders, his worries about what came after the 'Era of All Might' were replaced with a profound sense of peace.
The future was bright.
"You all look… so cool!"
The words burst out of his mouth before he could stop them but given the way his students seemed to perk up, each of them perking up and standing taller, he couldn't find it in himself to care.
"Welcome everyone", he greeted them properly, as they rushed to line up before him, "to Training Ground Beta", he gestured to the fake building and street behind him, "the location of your very first combat exercise".
As one, the class seemed to straighten up before his eyes, some of them seeming to tremble with anticipation, before hands began to fly up into the air.
"So, tell me, young zygotes", he grinned, "are you ready to begin?"
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
Melissa hadn't known that she would feel this nervous.
After a week with only Gran Torino for company, she felt that her nerves were frayed and that she shouldn't have still been able to feel any kind of trepidation, but now, standing in front of the tall building that was presumably what their first combat exercise was going to take place in, her old familiar nerves settled themselves back into her stomach.
She didn't know if she could do this.
Gran Torino-sensei would kick her in the face, if he knew she was still hesitating.
He'd spent the last week beating the ability to use One For All into her - and he'd succeeded.
Sort of.
She was nowhere near Uncle Might's level and honestly, she knew she never would be, but Gran Torino-sensei had succeeded in pushing her to finally grasp the basics of her Master's Quirk, and with it, she was comfortable that one day soon, she'd be ready to start making good on her vow to become the Second Symbol of Peace.
But first, she had to get through basic training.
"So, tell me, young zygotes… are you ready to begin?"
"Sir!" Ida's hand was quick to snap up, "we're in one of the Battle Centres from the Entrance Exam. Does that mean we'll be fighting robots again?"
All Might simply continued to grin, even as he shook his head, "Not today, Young Ida, because we're going to move two steps forward!"
"Erm…"
"Most people", her uncle continued, acting as though he couldn't see their concerns written on their faces, "believe that fighting villains mostly takes place outside, but if you look at the total numbers, villains appear indoors at a higher rate", he paused, and Melissa took a quick look, glad to see that people were agreeing with the statement that she knew to be true, "there is imprisonment, house arrests, backroom deals… in this society filled with heroes, the truly intelligent villains hide in the shadows", he warned, his tone deepening even further for a moment, before he straightened back up, "so, for this class, you're going to be split into teams of heroes and villains and fight two-on-two indoor battles".
Melissa blinked.
She wasn't ready for that.
If she lost control and hit one of her classmates, especially-
"Without basic training?"
Asui spoke up before she could but based on the way the other girls (and a few of the boys) were nodding, they agreed with it too, but All Might was already waving her off.
"It may seem scary, but this is a real battle to help you understand those basics and to help your teachers understand how much you already know. There is no robot you can just beat up; this is as much a test of your control as it is your power and skill".
She knew that her uncle had intended for his words to comfort them, or maybe give them a challenge to focus on, but Melissa still felt nervous, and based on the looks on the faces of some of her classmates, she wasn't the only one.
Thankfully, Uncle Might seemed to have picked up on it as well.
"I won't lie to you", he told them, his usually booming voice dropping down to a more normal level, "this lesson would normally take place after the summer break, closer to the annual Sports and Culture Festival, but then the incident at the USJ happened".
Some of them shivered, "You have fought back and survived a villain attack. The media will remember that and the amount of scrutiny on your performances will be higher than those faced by other First Years. The staff have agreed that the best thing for you, is to begin preparing you now. It may seem scary, but Ipromise you, by beginning your training now, you will be ready when the time comes", he looked at each of them in turn, holding everyone's gaze for a moment, and Melissa could practically feel them all swelling up with determination, before he finished by turning his gaze to her.
She couldn't stop the smile from tugging at her lips, even as she gave him a small nod, and when she did, he grinned like a madman, "Ha! Now… prepare yourselves!"
Yaoyorozu's hand flew up, "How will wins and losses be determined?"
"Can we beat them up anyway?"
"Will the punishment be expulsion like with Aizawa-sensei?"
"How will we be split up?"
"Isn't this cape très chic?"
"Hang on a moment, young zygotes, and all of your questions will be answered, now…", reaching behind him, he pulled out a set of flash cards, "listen up, pay close attention and memorise the scenario for your task today!"
Asui frowned, "Is that a script?"
He ignored her, "The situation is as follows: a team of villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout. The heroes need to dispose of it; either by catching the villains or getting their hands on the nuclear weapon within the allotted time. The villains need to protect the nuclear weapon until time runs out, or they can capture the heroes-"
Kaminari grinned, "Sounds like a good movie!"
"-the teams and the opponents will be determined by drawing lots-"
Ida nodded, "Like the need to team up with heroes from other agencies in the field".
"-all of you will be provided with earpieces for the exercise to allow you to communicate with your partners and myself. Excessive force will not be permitted and will result in an immediate disqualification, but losing will not mean that you're to be expelled… and Young Aoyama?"
"Yes, Sensei?!"
"Yes, your cape does indeed look, très chic".
The boy grinned, "Merci!"
"Now", reaching behind his back once again, he appeared to produce a large green box out of nowhere, "line up and choose your teams!"
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
"Now that you've all grabbed a letter… Team B will be the Heroes! Team I will be the Villains! Members of Team I, please head inside for you only have ten minutes to prepare yourselves!"
Shoji didn't know if being partnered with Todoroki was meant to be a blessing or a curse.
The guy was powerful - no doubt about it - everyone had heard the tale of how he tried to freeze the lake at the USJ from Aoyama and Mineta, even if the strain of the effort had left him unconscious.
There were rumours that he'd developed frostbite from the fallout, but when the school had reopened a week after the attack, he'd returned to school to find Todoroki was back sitting in his chair, acting as though nothing had ever happened.
Having that kind of power on his side should've been incredibly reassuring for a team-based match, but Todoroki wasn't exactly rushing to prove himself to be the ideal teammate.
"You want to talk about a plan yet?"
Todoroki turned his head slightly, just enough to be able to look at him out of the corner of his eye, before turning back to face the building.
"I'm going to assume that's a no".
Todoroki continued to say nothing.
"They're on the fourth floor", he noted, using the enhanced hearing granted by his Quirk's ability to grow additional body parts on his multiple arms, "north side. As far away from us as they can be, without being on the top floor. Hagakure's always invisible and Sato will wait until the last second to eat his sugar, meaning that they've spent the last ten minutes setting up whatever defences they can. Given that we won't be able to tell which direction Hagakure's coming from, there's no sense in splitting up".
Shoji didn't consider himself to be a particularly verbose person, but he thought he'd done a good job of laying out the facts, and Todoroki's response was… well, it was no response at all.
"Hero Team", All Might's voice crackled to life through their earpieces,"you are now clear to engage the villains".
Shoji nodded, before turning back to face his partner, "Are you-"
"Stay here".
"Hm?"
"It's going to be dangerous".
Shoji felt his eye twitch at the sheer amount of condescension that could be put into one sentence, delivered in a deadpan tone of voice, "Is that so?"
"I'm sure our opponents intend to fight a defensive battle", Todoroki continued, acting as if he hadn't heard him, as he stepped up to the building and placed his right hand on the nearest wall, "but that doesn't matter to me".
Then, all Shoji could feel was cold.
Todoroki had just flash-frozen the entire building.
From the point at which his hand was making contact with the building, ice snapped out in an instant, growing outwards, wrapping itself around the building, and though it was probably nothing compared to his attempt at the USJ, Shoji couldn't help but feel awe at the sight of it.
"It's over".
Shoji felt himself nod dumbly, before he began to follow Todoroki inside.
The interior was just as frozen as the exterior, with solid ice lining all of the walls and floor. Todoroki simply held out his left hand and Shoji watched on, numb to the surprise, as a bout of white-hot flame burst into existence, warming everything from the palm of his hand.
He hadn't known Todoroki could do that.
Was he supposed to know that Todoroki could do that?
Just how strong was he?
"What the hell!"
"Oww… my feet!"
Even without his advanced hearing, Shoji could hear Sato and Hagakure complaining, no doubt caught up in Todoroki's attack, their voices growing louder, as the two of them climbed the stairs towards the top of the building, but Todoroki waited until they could see their opponents, before he bothered to speak.
"You can try moving if you want", he told them, seeing that his ice climbed high enough to warp around their ankles, "but the skin on your feet will tear off, so you won't be able to fight me at your best".
"That's so mean…"
"Yeah", Sato agreed, "but there's one thing you didn't think of".
Todoroki cocked his head to the side, "What's that?"
"I'm stronger than I look and unlike her, I'M WEARING BOOTS!"
With a yell, Sato ripped his legs free and threw himself at them, his right hand already pulled back, prepping to swing his haymaker. Shoji felt his own arms swell up in response, the muscles reorganising themselves to maximise his physical strength, only for Todoroki to slam his right foot down.
New ice - more ice - burst forth, enveloping Sato from head to toe, and in the blink of an eye, he was completely immobilised, with only his right hand left free.
"No, I thought of that, I just didn't think you'd still be foolish enough to try to attack me".
Calmly, Todoroki continued to walk towards the bomb, without breaking his stride, and placed his hand upon it. For good measure, he then wrapped a length of capture tape around each of their wrists; Hagakure didn't even bother to try resisting, seconds before All Might's voice boomed across their communicators.
"HERO TEAM WINS!"
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
Having to mark people on the quality of their heroic actions was a new challenge for All Might, and he knew that it formed an integral part of his new job as the Heroics teacher, yet…
How was he supposed to mark this?
Todoroki hadn't caused any undue damage to his teammate, the villains or the 'nuclear weapon' they were supposed to be guarding. He'd secured the 'bomb' in such a way that he hadn't disturbed it, and on top of that, he'd weakened the enemy using a method that left them immobilised, but now, as he watched the boy generate fire to melt their binds, he realised that he'd also used a method that wouldn't cause any form of lasting damage.
"He's so strong".
"Sensei?"
He blinked, not having meant to say that aloud, before he decided to do what he always did when he realised that he may have made a slight PR error: throw his head back and cover it up with a laugh, "Ha ha ha! Well, it seems our young team of heroes have won the day! Once they return, we'll take a moment to rest, before the next teams go. And be warned - we'll be having a debriefing session during your next class together with Eraser Head, so please, take a moment to think about what we all just witnessed".
His words may have been a slip of the tongue, but Toshinori had meant them. He'd been all around the world, but he couldn't think of any other kid that had the kind of power that Young Todoroki had just shown them.
The closest that he could think of was Cathy, but she hadn't had any real power until she'd joined the military and spent a year training to understand and control her own power.
He also didn't doubt that Endeavor had spent time personally training his son, but still, to be this strong and at such a young age…
He couldn't help but wonder how the Flame Hero would react if he asked him for tips on training the next generation?
And yet, it also hadn't escaped his notice that Todoroki had gone out of his way to eschew any form of teamwork. He hadn't just completed the exercise alone, but he'd done so by ignoring his teammate and taking solo action.
Maybe he should ask Aizawa or Nezu about docking points from his final score for failing to work as part of a team?
Perhaps that was a little hypocritical coming from him, but that was why he was here, wasn't it?
To teach them to do better.
Looking out at his class, he could already see their various reactions: most of them shocked and serious, but he found his gaze settling on two, in particular.
Young Bakugo had his head turned to the side, away from the rest of the class, and he would have taken it for a complete dismissal of what was being said, if he hadn't been able to see the small tablet that he had slipped out of the side of his wheelchair and was tapping notes away with one hand.
Given what Power Loader had told the staff about the boy's plans to build a mobile armoury, he could already imagine the kind of notes he was making after that performance: anti-freeze pipework, changes in tyre design and thermal shielding were just his own guesses, but someone as driven as Young Bakugo would no doubt find many more.
And then there was Melissa.
His beloved niece and successor, but he couldn't take it easy on her.
He'd already done that with One For All, and having failed as a mentor, his lack of action had almost gotten her killed - it had gotten her injured - and if Gran Torino hadn't straightened her out, she'd still be languishing under his mediocre guidance.
He had to do better!
And he recognised the look on her face - the very same look he had once worn, as he asked himself, can I ever catch up to them?
His class at U.A. had been smaller, only twelve students to begin with, before Gran Torino had whittled them down. People had transferred in and out, always trying to reach their own dreams of becoming a Pro Hero, and with each new student he had met, he'd been forced to ask himself if he could ever learn to wield his Quirk at their level.
Unlike Melissa, he'd been able to use One For All's full power without any drawbacks, but then, he had been a head taller and a shoulder wider, wielding a Quirk that held only half the power it did now. His issue had been control: with every exercise he'd done, he'd almost broken everything, and Gran had beaten into his head, the need not to level the city block he was meant to be saving, until regulating his power had (eventually) become second nature to him.
In a way, Melissa had the exact opposite problem: she'd need to learn to control smaller amounts of its power, before she'd be able to wield it to its full potential.
Hopefully, she'd prove to be a better student than he was.
She couldn't be a slower one, at least.
But right now, she was wielding a Quirk that she hardly had any experience with, against nineteen of the best hero student candidates in the world, each of whom had most likely had their Quirks for over a decade.
He couldn't hold back on her as her teacher - he wouldn't hold back on her as her Master - but she needed to overcome that first hurdle and decide for herself that she could do this - that she would do this.
Only then, would she be ready.
A ping on his screen notified him that the building had been successfully thawed, and he nodded to himself, as the first four students rejoined their classmates.
"Well done to our young heroes, but the day is far from over. The course has been reset", he told them, almost laughing as they all snapped to attention, and he hit the random draw button on his screen, letting it show him the results, "this time, Team A will be the Heroes! Team D will be the Villains! Members of Team D, you may now head inside, as your ten minutes to prepare starts now!"
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
"Ida's fast and Bakugo's strong", Uraraka pointed out, "and with their manoeuvrability, we have to be prepared to face them anywhere".
"Psh", Ashido waved off her concerns, "Bakugo might be able to manoeuvre his chair, but you saw the building during the first attempt - did you see an elevator anywhere?"
Uraraka frowned, "No…?"
"Exactly!"
"Erm…?"
"If Bakugo can't use an elevator, then his chair basically means he's stuck on one floor. So, he'll have to guard the flag. Our best bet is to take down Ida together, then use your Quirk on Bakugo's chair to stop him from moving. Then all we need to do is capture the flag!"
"It's a bomb".
"It's not a real bomb".
"I don't think that's- oh, never mind".
"I never do!"
Uraraka sighed, "That tells me so much about you".
"Thanks!"
"That wasn't a compliment".
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
"With my expertise in speed, and your constrained mobility, I do believe that our best chance of victory comes if I seek the heroes out. Your explosive power should remain here, guarding our weapon should it be the case that-"
"Fuck. That".
"So vulgar", Ida shook his head, "my plan makes the most sense. You are in a wheelchair. You won't be able to get up and down the stairs, if they-"
"I'll beat them while they're down there then, won't I?" Bakugo asked him snidely, already heading towards the door, "And I can get up and down the stairs just fine, Four Eyes. I'm in a wheelchair - I'm not a fucking invalid".
"You may-"
"Stay here; guard the bomb; and you can wait to hear All Might call out my victory".
"Bakugo, I don't think-"
"No", he interrupted, "you think too much".
"Bakugo-", he began, but the door to their guardroom of choice slammed shut, his words falling on deaf ears.
===== ===== ===== ===== =====
"Hero Team, you are now clear to engage the villains".
They'd had a plan.
Or, at least, they'd had part of a plan.
Bakugo had apparently decided that a common-sense battle strategy was beneath him and gone on the offensive.
"STAY FUCKING STILL!"
The clustered rooms and columns of the building had worked out in their favour, Uraraka noted, as she tucked herself behind a column, while Ashido moved through another door, both of them ducking for cover, as an explosion rocked the hallway behind them.
Bakugo had gotten back down the stairs and waited for them. Somehow, he'd known that they would take the direct route, and the very moment that they'd turned the corner, he'd unleashed his explosions on them.
If Ashido hadn't tackled her out of the way, Recovery Girl would probably already be treating her for some very nasty burn marks.
"Go for the bomb", she barked to Ashido, who was peeking around the door, "I'll hold him here".
"Right!"
"Pfft- Hold me here? Round Cheeks, you have no fucking idea just how out of your league you are".
"I'm not scared of you, Bakugo".
"That's what you think".
What followed was the worst game of cat-and-mouse that Uraraka had ever played.
She had to force herself to duck, dash, dodge and weave, while Bakugo chased her down with all of the relentlessness of a great white shark that could smell blood in the water.
Yelping, she shoved herself behind another pillar, as the wooden box she had been using for cover exploded into pieces.
All she needed to do was get one hand on his chair. If she could lift him into the air and take away his sense of gravity, then he'd be stuck, unable to move and defeating him would be a breeze.
And now, he was closer to her than he'd been since the moment the exercise had started.
She could hear his breathing on the opposite side of the column she was using for cover; he had to be less than three metres from her in a straight line. She just needed to move out of cover and cross the distance, before he could bring his arms up to bear and let off another explosion.
"Girl, I'm about to get Ida. Hold on a bit longer and we'll have this in the bag".
She didn't dare respond, or let herself get distracted, but she did feel herself frowning.
'…hold on…'
She wasn't a damsel in distress just waiting for someone else to swoop in and save the day. All she needed was something to use as a distraction, and she would have Bakugo in the bag. She didn't need to hold on-
Hold on… like, with your hands…
Or better… her gauntlets?
Which were sort of bulky and heavy and also coloured the same bright shade of pink as the rest of her uniform.
She grinned, her fingers already at work, undoing the clasps and slipping the gauntlet of her left hand free.
She took a breath to steady herself, her eyes closing for a brief moment, before tossing her gauntlet out to the side.
It had barely hit the floor, clacking against the concrete, before an explosion rocked it, kicking up dust and debris, but Uraraka paid it no mind. She was already on the move, sliding on her knees, even as Bakugo realised the trick. All Might's voice crackled to life in her ear, but she ignored it, too focused on Bakugo's body, as he desperately tried to turn himself around, but it was too little, too late for him.
Her hand snaked out, fingertips smacking against the frame of his chair as she went, and she heard his angry growl, as he was lifted into the air.
"Yes!"
She'd done it!
Panting, she reached for the wall, using it to push herself back up to her feet, as the rush from her brief burst of adrenaline faded, and she found her limbs feeling shaky.
But it was worth it.
Reaching up, she tapped the comms line in her ear, "Ashido, I've got him. You can-"
"Think you've got me, do you?"
Hearing a voice beside her, she spun around, as a swing from Bakugo's ridiculous grenade gauntlets connected with the side of her head. She hit the wall with her shoulder, falling to the ground, as her mind struggled to catch up.
Bakugo was leaning against the wall, clearly using one of his arms to help prop himself up, but she looked down to confirm, and felt confused when she saw him standing on two shaking legs. Her head fell to the side, and she saw his wheelchair, now empty, floating in the air.
"Wha-"
He let himself fall on top of her, using his bodyweight to pin her down, even as he clamped his left hand on the side of her head - a clear warning of what he'd be able to do to her, if she even considered trying to fight back - while his right hand looped a stretch of capture tape around her wrist, and after a moment, she heard All Might's voice in her ear once again.
"VILLAIN TEAM WINS!"
They'd lost?