Chapter 29 - 14-15

Chapter XIV

Ochaco Uraraka hated mornings. The whole process of waking up, going through the usual morning exercises (from push-ups to whatever pull-ups she could achieve) and rushing towards school had gotten old really fast. Actually, it felt more of a chore than anything. Even though she was attending U.A. and she was on the path towards becoming a Pro-Hero, Ochaco was sincerely no fan to the effort she was putting, especially at the expense of precious time on her bed. Worse yet, it seemed that was all she had been doing: dedicating herself entirely to her Hero career.

It was exercise, training, doing homework or studying some fighting technique or another. Was there any free time? Ha, she wished. Even now, in the train towards U.A., she was fixated on her career. The rest of the crowd inside the train might have the opportunity to doze off, laze around or do something else. She didn't have that luxury. She had to focus on making the best impression at the Sports Festival – she just had to, even if it meant studying old mock fights between heroes like some kind of hero nerd or fan boy... well... just like Rumi and Izuku.

However, the closer she got to U.A. the less tired she was, and the more she felt the mounting stress. In fact, each time she stepped across U.A. gates, she wondered if she wasn't doing enough. Ochaco would even admonish herself for not doing enough pull-ups, for tiring to quickly with the burpees or for some other reason. There was always something to berate herself for.

I just wish we can get this thing over with, bemoaned Ochaco as she made her way towards her classroom.

If that wasn't enough, every other student was twitchy or stressed and that was definitely far from comforting. Most had taken to snapping at everyone for the slightest things at random moments or treat everything with suspicion. Traversing the halls of U.A. felt like venturing into a minefield more so than a school. Thankfully, it seemed mostly empty at the moment so Ochaco tiredly rubbed her eyes and allowed herself to finally slow down somewhat. Exhausted, Ochaco shook her head and tried to keep a cheerful attitude… only to bump into someone.

"Oy, can't you watch were you are going?!"

Ochaco recoiled at the harsh tone, and winced at the tall, wide-shouldered student she was facing. Tall, muscular and with a pronounced chin, Ochaco grimaced. This was the last thing she needed to deal with at the moment.

"Oh, you are one of those Hero kids" the student scoffed. He sized her up. Ochaco did not like that sardonic glint in his eyes, like she was a pushover.

"She doesn't look like much" a girl, one with an annoyed face, remarked as she stepped from behind the boy's back. With black hair and pony-tails, Ochaco got the immediate dislike for her. Perhaps it was that sneer of hers.

Oh, just great, I just had to come across with General Studies kids, Ochaco mentally grunted. She was too tired for this.

"Sorry" Ochaco mumbled, trying to walk around the boy. Sadly, they weren't done with her and blocked her path.

"Wait, I remember you" the big guy smirked. "You are with the fox guy, the one with the shape-shifting quirk".

"Look, I am sorry for bumping into you, alright?" Ochaco politely said, bowing respectfully. "I should have watched where I was going".

"Oh, I get it, I am not worth noticing, huh? Is that it?" The boy angrily muttered.

"I didn't mean it like that…" Ochaco said, growing frustrated. Instead, she offered a sheepish smile.

"Please, look at him" the girl huffed, disgruntled, with a finger pointed at the boy. She wasn't wrong. He was rather huge for his age. "How could you miss him?"

Could this get any worse? Ochaco mentally moaned.

"You hero types are all the same" a new voice chimed in.

Ochaco felt a shudder run down her spine. She couldn't pinpoint the exact reason, but something about that voice, or the presence of the newcomer, was making her Creep-o-Meter blow off the charts. She turned around and, once again, shivered.

Ochaco had never seen that messy indigo haired boy before. Dark purple eyes with white pupils bore into Ochaco and straight into her soul. There was something distinctively off-putting about his entire demeanor. Perhaps it was those dark bags under his eyes or the way he looked at her with half lidded eyes, but he looked like he was at the brink of collapse from sleeplessness. At the same time, something dark lurked in the boy's gaze.

"Look guys, I am sorry" Ochaco insisted with a friendly smile. "It was just an accidental bump".

"So pushing us around is alright, isn't it?" The tall boy huffed.

"Typical" the pony-tailed girl scoffed.

"Are you sure you'll remain in the Hero Department next week?" The indigo hair said, and once again everyone listened.

He walked over to Ochaco, towering over her (how she hated being so short) and looked down on her. There was something definitely creepy about him. "Your quirk… it involves touching, doesn't it?"

Ochaco hid her hands in her pockets. He must have seen the pads on her fingers. However, it seemed her reaction was all the evidence he needed as a confirmation. He smirked in triumph.

"The robots at the Entrance Exam were easy, weren't they? They are dumb things you can slip behind" the boy drawled. "I wonder how you'll fare against us…"

"Look at her Hitoshi, she is already scared" the girl snickered.

"This is the best Hero Department got?" The tall guy huffed.

"I do not like the vibes going on here, dear listeners!"

The four students stiffened and snapped their heads towards the newcomer. There, ten feet from them, was Present Mic, with his usual smirk and black leather costume. He looked more akin to a DJ or singer than an actual Pro-Hero. Then again, that strange speaker thing around his necklace had Support Gear written all over it. Ochaco, though, was surprised to find none other than Rumi next to him. Had she brought him?

"So what's going on here?" Present Mic asked.

"It was nothing" the tall guy harrumphed, averting his eyes.

"Y-yeah…" the girl muttered.

The two departed without another word, disappearing behind a door labelled 1-C. The third boy, the Hitoshi guy, though, stood squinting at Present Mic, only to grunt and turn towards Ochaco.

"Tell that fox friend of yours that he better be training hard… or he'll lose his seat in 1-A" the boy muttered, before he put his hands in his pockets and leisurely walked away.

Once gone, Ochaco sighed with relief. She turned to Rumi and Present Mic with a grin. However, just as she was about thank them, she noticed a pair of green fox ears on the blond teacher. It suddenly clicked in her mind and she found herself chuckling.

"Thanks for the save, Izuku" Ochaco giggled.

The Fox-Eared Present Mic gave a thumbs up, before his form turned hazy only to be replaced by a smirking Five-Tailed Midoriya. His uniform looked strange, hanging from his body by how oversized it was. He didn't stay long in that form for long, though, turning into the Nine-Tails.

"You're welcome, Ochaco" he said with a confident smile. Ochaco felt her heart flutter at that. "Come on, we don't want to be late now, do we?"

He turned towards Rumi, and a knot formed on Ochaco's gut.

"See you at lunch, Rabbit Girl" Midoriya said, giving her a playful nudge.

His tails brushed against Rumi, enveloping her in a mass of furry tendrils. She chuckled and playfully smacked the tails aside.

"Don't get into any trouble, Fox Boy" She said with a grin, nudging him back.

The two locked gazes for two seconds, two seconds of pure torture for Ochaco, before they broke away. Izuku walked towards Ochaco, a dumb grin of his face, while Rumi waved at her.

"You too, Infinity Girl" Rumi said before turning around and marching off.

"You alright?" Izuku asked, standing next to Ochaco.

"Y-yeah!" Ochaco exclaimed. "Those guys from Class 1-C were rather mean, you know?"

"Can you blame them?" He sighed with a grimace. "Everyone is getting pretty intense, aren't they?"

The two walked towards their own classroom, which wasn't thankfully that far.

"Yeah… but really, that Hitoshi guy looks like he has you in his sights. Oh! Do you know what that means?" She gasped, eyes shining "You have a rival. It is going to be a fateful battle of men!" She waved an excited fist.

"I don't think that is how it works" Izuku sweatdropped. He frowned and glanced back at the door of 1-C. "Although… I wonder why he has targeted me of all people".

"Enough people are after Mineta's seat?" Ochaco joked.

The two guffawed at that. Their poor petite classmate had already been targeted by General Studies a couple of times. Not that Ochaco could laugh. Some other students could smell the blood in the water, and had no so subtly hinted she too was at risk of demotion. Something about being short, bubbly and far from intimidating made them targets.

"Can't we all just do our best?" Ochaco wondered all of a sudden. "All this intimidation is really creepy and, like Iida would say, not something you would expect in U.A. right?"

Izuku opened the 1-A's door and stepped aside. He remained by a side, thoughtful.

"Yeah… but this Sports Festival isn't just a competition, is it?" Izuku morosely replied. "To them, it is their only chance, perhaps in the lifetime, to actually get into U.A. hero's course, the most prestigious Hero Course in all of Japan".

"I just hate how we care so much about being Pro-Heroes than we do about becoming actual heroes" Ochaco sighed, shaking her head. Then again, who was she to talk? Hadn't she tried to get into U.A. because she knew it could bring the best career opportunity to make money?

She grimaced at that and eyed a perplexed Izuku. Hadn't he intervened in the exam and taken the Zero-Pointer, enabling her to save him from the fall, Ochaco doubted she would have been entering Class 1-A at the moment. She glanced down the corridor, morosely wondering if, were it not for Izuku's bout of heroism (and ferocity) she would have ended in Class 1-C, bitter and resentful – perhaps even desperate – to get into 1-A. Who was she kidding? She would be just like them, wouldn't she?

A clawed hand on her shoulder broke her out of her reverie. Her face heat up as she looked up, only to find a smiling Izuku.

"Don't worry, Ochaco, I know you'll do Plus Ultra at the Sports Festival" he told her.

And for once, Ochaco believed him. She nodded at him and walked into the class, followed closely by the fox boy. They spotted Iida, already seated and with his array of utensils ready for the day, and went straight towards him.

"Hello, Tenya!" Ochaco happily exclaimed.

Iida looked up from his notebook, where he had neatly written the date and page number in fine handwritting, and gave one of his enthusiastic smiles.

"Ochaco, Izuku, glad you could make it! I was sincerely starting to worry you might be late" Iida said, mechanically waving a mechanical hand at the round clock hanging over the blackboard.

The two sweatdropped at that, but smiled nonetheless. It was just Iida being Iida after all. Amused, they went to their seats, Ochaco sitting in front of Izuku and both on the row next to Iida's. By the looks of it, the entire class was seated and waiting for their homeroom teacher.

"Sorry about that… I was hanging with Rabbit Girl and lost the track of time" the Fox Boy sheepishly chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

Ochaco hated the way her gut twisted at that. She wanted to be a hero, not to have some god-damn crush, especially not before the Sports Festival! However, instead of showing her inner turmoil, she grinned at Iida and spoke.

"And I had a run in with General Studies kids from 1-C" Ochaco retold. "They were really mean and intimidating".

"Ah yes, they have grown bolder, have they not?" Iida hummed, robotically stroking his chin. "Perhaps it is the shortening period of time left until the Sports Festival". He seemed apprehensive. "Two days left of school and then, on Monday, one of our most momentous days in our careers! Who knows? Perhaps it shall be the first step towards our goals!"

"Do you think they could try anything?" Ochaco asked Izuku.

"Maybe?" Izuku shrugged.

"What could they do, though?" Iida asked. "And bodily injury could be quickly fixed by either Recovery Girl and any attempts at sabotage would no doubt be discovered by Principal Nezu".

"That wouldn't stop them from trying" Izuku pointed out. "And if they do anything, it will probably be to psych us out. Then again, I am more worried about what they might do during the Sports Festival itself".

The door to the class slid open and in marched Aizawa. Immediately, everyone quieted down and looked ahead. By the time their homeroom teacher made it to his desk, he was greeted with an attentive bunch of seemingly well-disciplined teenagers. Appearances, of course, were deceptive.

And thus another boring day at U.A. began. Aizawa scared them a bit before roll call. Soon Ectoplasm replaced him and they started their classes with a very dull lecture on math.

Truly, Ochaco still could not comprehend the disconnection between their career choice and the rather ordinary nature of their classes. Except for Fundamentals of Heroics (or just Heroics), everything else was – well – mundane. Now more than ever, as the Sports Festival got closer, Ochaco could not comprehend the point of math. How could anyone concentrate with so much stress mounting up? Why couldn't they give them more leeway and allowed to spend their time training?

All Ochaco could think about were the General Studies students. Would they try anything? Would they gang up on her and Mineta to sabotage their performance? School wasn't supposed to be so intense!

It doesn't matter, Ochaco huffed. They won't stop me!

She stared dead ahead, nodding with determination and bearing a fierce face.

I am going to make my parents proud and become a hero. Right, enough of that! Ochaco thought, gently slapping her cheeks. Focus on the numbers and formulas and… when did Ectoplasm write on the entire board?!

Panicking, Ochaco momentarily forgot about her problems and, instead, hurried to write down the equations and figures before Ectoplasm could erase it all. Wouldn't be the first time, sadly.

Ochaco loved lunch time. What was there not to love about lunch? They were allowed to escape their classroom, could finally unwind from their classes and, most importantly, there was food! It was thus not surprising she hummed a cheerful tune whenever they waited in line.

She blinked, startled, realizing she had stopped listening to his friends' conversation in the line towards Lunch Rush.

"-in Hozu City" Iida sombrely finished saying.

"Well, at least they spotted him before an attack this time" Izuku reassuringly said.

"I just hope my brother acts reasonably" Iida said, grimacing. He looked miserable at the ground. "Sadly, he does have a propensity to find trouble".

Oh no, what did I miss?! Ochaco swore, frantic. It sounded like they had been talking about something important.

"Ehm… what was that guys?" Ochaco tentatively chimed in. "Sorry, lost in thought there" she sheepishly added.

"Oh, we were talking about Hero Killer Stain" Izuku told her. He raised an eyebrow. "Tenya was telling me he was spotted in Hozu City".

And just like that, Ochaco's good mood vanished and she shuddered. Hero Killer Stain, one of the most nefarious villains that had reared its ugly face to date. Perhaps it was the fact All Might pretty much dissuaded most people from villainy, but none was like Stain. Instead of just committing crime, Stain was a villain who was on a one-man crusade to eradicate Pro-Heroes. Why? No one was sure, although most people believed he was a hired assassin or he was a villain seeking fame and glory.

The three reached Lunch Rush and walked away from the counter, trays of food on their hands. Together, the trio marched towards a certain Rabbit Girl on the other end of the hall.

"Really? Hozu City?" Ochaco asked, confused. "I thought his last attack was in Tokyo".

"I actually read he was in Kyoto" Izuku admitted. "But Tenya's brother claims he is in Hozu".

"He informed me that multiple witnesses and trusted sources suggested as much" Tenya corrected.

"Wow, that's where your brother is, isn't – ARGH!" Ochaco was saying, only to trip on something.

Ochaco wasn't sure what had suddenly grabbed her foot, but what she did know was that she was falling. It was somewhat poetic, in a sense. She had a gravity nullifying quirk, and now gravity was going to make a mess of her face – and her food! Someone save the food! Worse, however, was that Iida and Izuku were also falling.

However, before Ochaco could react, a bushy tail had wrapped around her waist, another tail had taken hold of the tray and she found herself suspended in the air. She blinked, surprised, before turning towards Izuku. He was growling at a nearby table, held up from falling by two tails while the rest of his furry extremities were keeping an indignant Iida from meeting the ground. The same troublesome group of students, the very same that had been absolutely insufferable the last few weeks, laughed at them.

Ochaco blushed as Izuku placed her upright and handed her tray. He kept an eye on the perpetrators, though. After baring his sharp teeth at them on last time, he led his friends away.

"Ufff, that was close" sighed Ochaco with relief. She grinned at her food. Thank goodness that had been saved.

"Those rascals" muttered Iida. "What exactly did they even do? One moment I had perfect control of my motor functions, the next…" he glanced at his feet. "It was like a hand was grabbing my foot".

Ochaco nodded, that was exactly what she had felt.

"Oy, you guys alright?" Rumi asked as they approached her. She looked pissed, ready to bash some faces.

"Yeah. We are still figuring out what we were hit with" Izuku admitted.

"Shadow hands" Rumi said. "The dark-haired one, created this long, thin shadow from his feet that went towards you. I am not sure what I saw but it looked like some kind of dark hands sprouted out of it and grabbed you".

"Sounds like Shadow-Weaver" Izuku hummed, remembering that hero. He frowned. "I think I have him in my notes…"

POOF.

Tenya and Ochaco ignored their friend as he turned into the Zero-Tails. No sooner had he turned himself into a quirkless, plain-looking boy, Ochaco heard him mutter under his breath. "Notebook Nº5, pages 67 to 69… right, his quirk was Shadow Tendrils".

"Nah, it looked more like Black-Wing's Shadow Anima" Rumi corrected.

Izuku sat down without speaking, but Ochaco could see him move his lips, remembering another entry in those notebooks of his. Ochaco was sincerely impressed by the memory he had for heroes and quirks. A pity it was lacking when it came to other subjects, or else he would have beaten the likes of Yaoyorozu or Iida in exam results. Ochaco had to admit, though, she was a bit jealous by Rumi's own abundant knowledge on heroes. Between the Fox Boy and the Rabbit Girl, they could spend hours talking about heroes.

"What did they expect to achieve?" Iida harrumphed. "To embarrass us? Absolutely outrageous!"

"They are just messing with us" Izuku said. With a POOF and a cloud of white smoke, he turned into the Nine-Tails.

Ochaco glanced at the table of troublemakers. The students there were acting rather confident and happy about their little attempt of a prank. However, one thing did trouble her.

"That is a very useful quirk" she said, frowning. "How come he is in General Studies?"

She could imagine such Shadow Hands being perfect to catch villains and criminals, if not to outright distract them in a fight.

"Remember the Entrance Exam" Izuku pointed out. "I don't think his quirk would have been that useful against those robots. I mean, they were kind of big, weren't they?" He hummed, thoughtful. "I wonder if that quirk has offensive capabilities..."

"Don't forget the drawbacks" Rumi added. "Those shadow hands could have a very limited range or some weakness, right? If it is like Pro-Hero Black Wing's Shadow Anima, he might get hurt if his shadow hands are injured".

"Still, I agree" Izuku nodded at Ochaco. "It sounds perfect for Hero work, right? But I guess that is a common theme for General Studies. I bet they all have powerful or useful quirks that could be perfect for hero work, but were useless against robots, or maybe they just couldn't compete next to faster and more powerful quirks".

Or didn't have the chance to gain rescue points, Ochaco solemnly thought.

She had been lucky, hadn't she? If she had been anywhere else… twenty eight points couldn't have done much of a difference. Without the forty five rescue points, she would have probably never even made it into U.A. Guilt and shame swelled in her chest. Did she even deserve to be next to others? Iida, Izuku, Rumi… they had all earned their place. True, Izuku had needed Rescue Points, more so than her – but Ochaco doubted the school would have looked away from someone who performed such self-sacrifice as standing up against the Zero-Pointer (although he has been a bit rabid-looking at the time). That and Izuku's quirk was way too unique to squander it.

The thought that there could be people amidst the General Studies with more powerful quirks than hers, both troubled her and made her feel worse. That guilt she had in her gut… it wouldn't abate. It sounded almost cruel to keep those students away from the Hero Course, forced to a mundane ordinary education, when they knew their quirks probably were meant for more.

"Sorry about that"

Ochaco shuddered and looked up from her meal, only to find a familiar indigo-haired boy. This time, however, he looked friendlier, although the disturbing aura still surrounded him. Although he was offering a kind smile, there was something… else… lurking in those purple eyes of his.

"Those guys tend to be a bit rowdy… and they are kind of nervous" Hitoshi calmly said. He turned towards Ochaco. Their eyes met and she had to make an effort not to shudder. "I wanted to apologize for this morning. I might have come off as a bit of a jerk".

Ochaco blinked at him, surprised. That was… awfully nice of him. She found herself smiling at him.

"Oh, it is alright. Should have been watching where I was going anyway" she chuckled with a sheepish face.

"Nah, we were on the wrong" Hitoshi insisted. His eyes swept across the four gathered friends. Ochaco did not miss the way his gaze lingered on Izuku. "I'm Hitoshi Shinso, by the way. You probably already know what class, I guess".

"Did you want anything?" Rumi bluntly asked, squinting at Hitoshi.

"Usagiyama, that is most disrespectful!" Iida, being Iida, exclaimed. He stood up and bowed at Hitoshi. "I apologize for her behaviour. She might be a tad abrasive – but she is a good person… for the most part".

"Please, you are here to scout Fox Boy here, aren't you?" Rumi scoffed, glaring at Hitoshi. "Beat it, Sleepy Boy".

Ochaco might have imagined it, but a face of annoyance flashed across the indigo-haired boy. However, before she knew it, he maintained his rather friendly demeanour. Rumi, though, seemed agitated. Izuku, on his part, looked… unsure, perhaps visible upset by something. Ochaco could see the tell-tale sway of his tails and the way his ears weren't upright. Something was troubling Izuku.

"Please, do not be so rude!" Iida harrumphed. "There is more than enough animosity between fellow U.A. students without being suspicious of each other".

"It is no problem" Hitoshi said with a tired smile. "You don't have to tell me anything, nor was I going to ask" he said, looking at Izuku. "I just came to apologize" he added, sending an apologetic nod towards Ochaco.

While she accepted that, she couldn't shake the feeling he was half-arsing the whole apology. Could Rabbit Girl be right?

"See you around…" Hitoshi dismissively said, turning around. He paused, sending one last glance at the table, or rather, Izuku "…Fox Boy".

And with that, he marched off, hands in his pockets. Rumi and Izuku followed him with their eyes, the former with anger, the latter with a disturbed look. Iida, however, remained indignant.

"The world is not after us, Usagiyama!" Iida exclaimed.

"No, but General Studies kids are" Rumi retorted. Her ears dropped, looking somewhat fearful. "I don't like that guy. Something about him just… rubs me the wrong way. I can feel it in the back of my head".

"Yeah, me too. I think it is his quirk" Izuku hummed, stroking his chin. "He must have some kind of mental quirk".

Was Ochaco missing something? Yes, he did have creepy vibes, but by no means did she feel anything that could suggest that. Something in the back of their heads? She shared a confused look with Iida.

"Like the villain Psychotia?" Rumi wondered. She shuddered. "I hope not. She had an awful quirk".

"Maybe… but I was thinking more of the villain Omnissiah. If I don't remember wrong…" Izuku hummed.

Ochaco, and probably the others, sweatdropped at that. When had memory failed their friend when it came to quirks, heroes and villains? Frustrated, Izuku turned himself into the Zero-Tails.

"Right, I remember now. Everyone could tell whenever she was around because of this strange feeling they got" Izuku remembered. "It was described as a tingling in the back of your head".

"Wasn't Omnissiah the one who tried to take over All Might with a hive-mind quirk?" Iida remembered. Ochaco wished she had a better grasp of the hundreds if not thousands of Pro-Hero and villains like his friends.

"Yes, after she possessed Endeavor. It was not much a fight, from what I remember. All Might kind of shook her off… somehow" Izuku said. "I still don't understand what happened. She seemed capable of taking over any hero but then she tried to possess All Might and she just… well… broke apart". He offered a sheepish smile. "I remember it made people believe All Might's quirk has some kind of psychological facet we aren't aware of".

"It's All Might. It is a proven science you just don't try to understand him" Chuckled Rumi, nudging Izuku.

"Maybe he's super sense of duty and justice just overwhelmed that villain's quirk?" Ochaco proposed.

Rumi laughed at that, while Iida seemed to ponder if, perhaps, that hadn't been the case. Izuku was caught between chuckling and sweatdropping.

"In any case, that guy really has something against you" Ochaco pointed out.

"Yeah…" Izuku frowned and looked around. Hitoshi Shinso was nowhere to be found. "But I don't understand why! What have I ever done to him?"

"He's just a General Ed kid" huffed Rumi. "He probably is wallowing in self-pity…" she rolled her eyes "'oh, look at me, I wanted to be a hero but couldn't make it'. Just look at the guy. He looks scrawny and like he has a bad sleeping habits. It is just resentment, Fox Boy. Some people need a scapegoat to blame for your own failures."

"It could be his quirk" Izuku suggested, scratching his head. "We don't know what his quirk does but it could have some awful drawback we don't know about, something that makes him restless or always tired. I rather not judge someone I don't know".

"You do that, Fox Boy, and you'll find a villain stabbing you in the back" Rumi grunted.

"That's a bit harsh" Ochaco stated. "We can't just assume the worst of people, right? Heroes are kind of supposed to see the good in all people."

"We want to be heroes, not social workers" Rumi muttered. "We are going to be the fists of justice, to bash evil in the face and protect the weak, and that means keep an eye out for any trouble. And that Hitoshi? That guy feels like trouble".

Izuku didn't deny it. Ochaco, on her part, did not like that attitude from Rumi. As much as she admired the rabbit girl's devotion to her career path, Ochaco sometimes found Rumi a tad too aggressive. Weren't heroes supposed to inspire people and to be beacons of hope?

"I just want to get over this whole Sports Festival before we start dropping dead" Ochaco confessed.

The four of them had a peaceful lunch, for the most part. Ochaco would have preferred to talk about something other than Hero Killer Stain. Whereas Izuku seemed intrigued by the potential quirk of the assassin, Rumi was hell-bent on discussing the use of blades in combat. Ochaco could only grimace at the thought of facing such a monster. Iida seemed interested, if not outright disturbed and pale. His brother, after all, could come face to face with said monster.

By the end of the lunch, they bid their farewells to Rumi and returned to their classroom. Much to their own excitement, it was Fundamentals of Heroics. Ochaco loved Heroics. Well, everyone did. It was the whole reason they had chosen their career and school: to put on silly costumes and use their quirks for the greater good.

"Do you think we'll get All Might?" Ochaco heard Kaminari say behind her.

"I wish. We haven't had a full class with him, have we?" Kirishima grunted.

Ochaco crossed her fingers and closed her eyes, praying to the heavens above that they would get All Might. It wasn't that she disliked their homeroom teacher, but All Might had a way of adding levity to the whole class. Aizawa… well… was Aizawa. He sucked the fun out of everything. True, they weren't heroes to be fun… but they were Freshmen, for God's sake! They couldn't be expected to act like child soldiers, right?

"Ah yes, today you will test your new costume" Iida said with a smile.

Ochaco, surprised, found herself grinning and snapping her head towards Izuku. Iida was right!

"Uh, the super-secret new costume!" Ochaco exclaimed. "What will it be? I know! I know! A Shinto Priest costume, right?"

"Rabbit Girl suggested the same thing" Izuku sheepishly laughed at that. "No, it is something… different".

"It isn't another jumpsuit, is it?" Iida hummed, thoughtful.

"Nah, I think I found something that suits me better" Izuku chuckled with a confident smile.

Ochaco wasn't going to say it aloud, but she was thankful he wasn't going to wear another jumpsuit. The last one wasn't bad, per se… it just – well – looked like something a fanboy would take to a costume party. Then again, there were a few heroes with questionable attires…

The door to Class 1-A opened, and everyone quieted down. There was a moment of silence, every student holding their breath. The moment of truth: would they get taught by Aizawa in another tense and serious class, or have some more fun learning with All Might? As it so happened, they got the short end of the stick.

"So irrational…" Aizawa grunted, marching into the class. He held a cup of what everyone guessed was coffee.

Class 1-A swore under their breaths or sat straighter, stiff and attentive. Ochaco, probably like others, gulped. Aizawa looked ready to strangle someone, with those bloodshot eyes of his. He probably had been napping somewhere and had been forced to give the class. Just what was the deal with All Might anyway? Ochaco guessed that it was to be expected, being the Number One Hero and all.

"It is my displeasure to inform you that I shall be teaching this class…" Aizawa muttered, taking a sip of his steaming cup "…again".

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if mustering his patience and energy.

"Alright, last class we went over the hostage infiltration scenario. Today, we'll go over the same with the added complication of-" Aizawa was saying, when the door was slammed open.

"I AM HERE!" All Might shouted, rushing into the classroom.

The giant stood surprised upon realizing he was, as a matter of fact, late. His gaze swept across the class, only to land on an annoyed Aizawa.

"I apologize for my tardiness" All Might bellowed with his voice. "Unfortunately, there was a-"

"Irrational" Aizawa hissed, squinting at the Number One Hero. "Whatever scenario you wasted your precious time in could have been handled by other Pro-Heroes, firefighters, police or, given the circumstances, other competent people, including civilians".

"I apologize again, Eraserhead, but I cannot stand aside as someone requires assistance!" All Might proclaimed. "No matter how small a cry for help, it is my duty to always answer!" He added with his winning All Might smile and a thumbs up.

Ochaco, like the others, stared at him, in awe. All Might was so cool… she wished she could be like him, helping people and making everyone feel safer.

"The world isn't made of children" Aizawa spat "and coddling everyone will breed complacency. The rational and logical strategy would be to spend your… time… and energy where it is most needed". He stretched out a hand towards the students. "Perhaps educating the next generation of heroes".

What a hard-ass, Ochaco mentally sighed, although a part of her was flattered by Aizawa's last statement. She glance at All Might and was surprised by the change in the man. All Might's smile had turned somewhat forced, looking almost constipated. In fact, All Might looked a bit flustered and embarrassed. It was so strange to see THE All Might like that.

"Yes, but perhaps we should carry such discussion with a tea and crackers" All Might said, clearing his throat. "In any case, I am here!" He regained his trademarked smile. "We can start the class".

"I suspect you will require my assistance" Aizawa muttered. "If you don't have the… time… to be a teacher, perhaps you should simply inform me beforehand".

"Now, now, Eraserhead, I understand your frustration but there is no need to admonish me any further in front of the class" All Might sounded frustrated, and irritable. In fact, if Ochaco didn't know any better she would have assumed Aizawa had touched a nerve. But that wasn't like All Might! He was always grinning and inspiring… right?

"And enough of this talk about my – ehm - time. That is something I have already discussed with the principal" All Might harrumphed.

There was an awkward pause in which Class 1-A kept glancing at their teachers, wondering who would talk next.

"So, young ones, are you ready to go Plus Ultra?!" All Might exclaimed, towards the students. He waved a fist in the air, and the class, as usual, jumped with glee.

"Hell Yeah!" The class chorused.

"Then you know the drill!" All Might laughed.

He turned towards Aizawa, giving him a commanding look. The homeroom teacher squinted at the blond giant, before turning towards a side wall and pulling a remote control from his pocket. One button later, the costume suitcases slid out of the wall. The students wasted no time and grabbed their suitcases with glee.

"Meet me in Battle Ground B. Today we shall have a special class" All Might announced.

"Really? What are we going to do?" Ashido excited asked.

"Why, considering how close we are to the Sports Festival, a most important event for you, I thought it would be best to repeat an exercise to assess your growth in this last month" All Might said, puffing his chest with pride.

A sense of dread washed over Ochaco and the others.

"You don't mean…" Yaoyorozu wondered.

"The Battle Trial!" All Might said. "Same rules, same objectives, with one difference: the teams. We shall see if you truly learned from last time".

"Oh yeah!" Kirishima cried out, happy. Others weren't so enthusiastic.

Aizawa looked annoyed by All Might's announcement, but did not comment. Instead, he shook his head and set off. The students all hurried to the changing rooms, eager to get into their costumes. It was, at least for Ochaco, one of the best things about Heroics: to wear something other than a uniform.

None of the girls talked as they changed into their costumes. As much as All Might gave them some leeway regarding the time, Aizawa was probably timing them all. He had done that before and threatened with expulsion if anyone took more than five minutes to change. Thus, with great and practiced speed, they were in Grounds B observation room in no time, a bit out of breath, next to the boys.

The observation room was just as ominous as Ochaco remembered, and just as creepy. All twenty students expectantly grimaced at a stoic Aizawa, who held a chronometer. All Might stood next to him, shaking his head and standing with arms folded with visible disapproval.

"Acceptable" Aizawa hummed with a nod, sparing a smile of approval.

The students released a sigh of relief.

One of these days we are going to have a heart attack, Ochaco mentally muttered.

"Wow, not bad Midoriya" Ojiro said.

"You look cool, man" Kirishima remarked.

There were many comments of agreement. Ochaco looked at the gathered boy, only to freeze, wide-eyed, when he spotted Izuku. When Izuku had said he had been reworking his costume, she had expected mostly a few changes: maybe instead of a jumpsuit go for something more like Kaminari and Jiro, with rather civilian-looking attires. She hadn't expected such a radical change.

For starters, Izuku had thrown out all hints of green. He had long black baggy army cargo pants, its many pockets carrying different utensils and gear. Over his chest, he had a dark-blue skin-tight shirt beneath what looked like a light samurai-styled padded armour with heavy pauldrons. Around his neck and covering the lower half of his face was a long crimson red scarf. All in all, he looked like a strange cross between Spec-Ops, Ninja and Samurai. At least, that was the Nine-Tails' costume.

Izuku had hinted his other forms would have different costumes. Ochaco didn't remember the exact explanation, but apparently some people at the Support Department took onto themselves the challenge of creating a multi-costume that fitted Izuku's forms. Allegedly, it had something to do with using his tail fur in the costume but Ochaco was no costume designer, so most of the explanation just went over her head. At the moment, though, Ochaco had to agree with Kirishima; Izuku looked cool and ready for combat.

"Alright, young ones, are you ready for some hero actions?" All Might asked with a grin.

"Yeah!" The class chorus, excited.

All Might stepped aside, allowing the students to look at the screens.

"Then let us begin! You will find your teammate and engagement on the screens. Have a look!" All Might pressed a button from a remote control, and names popped on the screens.

Ochaco searched the screen for her name. It didn't take long. To her surprise, she had been teamed up with Asui. She turned towards the frog girl, and traded happy thumbs up. Ochaco felt she had been fortunate. Their opponents were Aoyoma and Koda Koji. Well, it seemed she had gotten a rather decent team and opponents, although Ochaco would have preferred to be on the hero team.

Curious, Ochaco searched for her friends' names. When she found Izuku's, her eyes widened. She snapped her head at Izuku. By the looks of it, he had already spotted his name, because he was already facing his teammate, or rather, he was glaring with contempt at none other than Bakugo Katsuki. It was far from obvious that the feeling was mutual.

Oh boy, this is bad, Ochaco thought with a gulp.

Chapter XV

Katsuki Bakugo should have fucking known. He should have seen it coming. Someone must had screwed him up. There was no way he got Deku as a teammate out of random chance. If that wasn't coincidental enough, he was up against Scar-Face and Ponytail, the two least extra of the extras. No, Bakugo wasn't complaining. He just knew someone was screwing with him, and he hated being screwed with. Sadly, there was nothing he could do than stand next to Deku and wait to crash the losers.

So there he was, standing near the nerd, outside Lair C. Like all other Lairs scattered across Battle Ground B, it was basically a tall building that might have been mistaken for an apartment complex. Of course, Bakugo knew there was a maze and mostly empty rooms inside to confuse the extras. When Bakugo turned towards Deku, he found him kneeling on the floor, the building schematics spread on the ground. As it was, Deku taunted him with that quirkless nerd look of his.

"They are going to expect you to rush in alone" Midoriya bluntly stated.

"I already know that!" Bakugo spat, hands crackling with little explosions. Admittedly, he was going to do so regardless.

Deku winced, warily staring at Bakugo's hands, before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Bakugo, on his part, scowled and tried to count to ten. He had to play Aizawa's stupid game, lest he got another of those god-damn Strikes. Bakugo would not give Aizawa that pleasure. He could be a team-player alright… if only it were that easy…

"Why the fuck are you in that pathetic form?" Bakugo asked, an eye twitching with annoyance. This team-player thing was harder than he thought.

"I-I can think and- and analyze better in this form" Deku explained with a weak smile. "G-guess it is the nerdiest, huh?" He sighed and shook his head. "L-look, Kach- Bakugo, I just want to win this, alright? I know that you also want that. S-so why d-don't we just… ehm… set aside our differences just this once?"

Like he was ever going to lose against Half-and-Half and Big-Tits, Bakugo mentally muttered. However, he wasn't stupid, differently from what the extras probably believed. He was well aware Aizawa would be on his case if he blew a gasket and went off on Deku. No, he had to play nice with fucking Deku or he might end up with Strike Two... God damn Aizawa and his stupid strikes...

"Fine" Bakugo hissed. He went on one knee, glaring at the schematics. Tentatively, he glanced at Deku, only to find him staring at him. "What the fuck is with that look?"

"I-I am just- ehm… it's nothing" stammered the nerd. He shook his head again and, with newly found determination, concentrated on the schematics. "We probably don't have much time left to plan anyway. Right, so they'll probably hole up in any of these rooms…"

Bakugo, much to his chagrin, agreed with the nerd. The indicated rooms were big enough for an indoors fight but small enough to limit Bakugo's and Midoriya's mobility. Additionally, they were lined up across long, narrow corridors, perfect to set up traps or an ambush. Or worse, if Scar-Face was halfway intelligent, the corridor would be perfect to trap and freeze them in one move. However, Bakugo would rather die than openly agree with Deku.

"Shit. Scar-Face will be waiting to turn us into popsicles" Bakugo muttered, squinting at the schematics.

"Probably" Deku hummed. He tapped at different parts of the schematics. "He might wait behind any door, ready to freeze us in an instant… but first we must figure out their hiding place".

"Can't you use your Fox form to catch their scent?" Bakugo asked.

"Yes, I-I could do that…" Deku mumbled, frowning.

Bakugo felt like slapping himself (or rather punch the nerd). Of course Deku never bothered using the Fox form's obvious superior senses to his advantage. Did Deku not know how to use his quirk or what? Stupid nerd...

"Heroes, your time starts now!" All Might's voice echoed across the Battle Ground.

Bakugo stood up, ready to rush in. He paused and glared at Deku. The nerd winced and hastily transformed. One POOF latter, Deku had taken his one-tailed fur-ball form. However, Bakugo was not expecting for that form to actually appear with pieces of his costume. The Red-scarf remained around his neck, alongside the black samurai pauldrons. Around his stomach, there was a belt with equipment. Before Bakugo could yell at Deku to get a move on, the fox leapt forward and into the building, sniffing the air as he went. The battle had begun.

As the two delve deeper into Lair C, Bakugo studied Deku, unable to contain the flood of thoughts that ensued. Deku's quirk was one hell of a mystery – aside from being fucking weird. At the same, Bakugo had to admit it was rather impressive… and that was just wrong. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Deku was never supposed to just step on his dreams with some impossible quirk. Since when could quirkless nerds sprout a powerful quirk like nothing? And why fucking Deku of all people?

Their suspicions had been correct. The scent of the villain team led the unlikely allies to one of the corridor they had predicted. Now came the real test. They paused by the entrance, taking in corridor for any visible traps. Deku stretched leisurely for a bit while Bakugo checked his grenade-shaped gauntlets, and smirked. They were almost full.

"You aren't going to use that, are you?" The fox yawned with a bored (or was it sleepy?) voice. Bakugo didn't doubt one instant the stupid nerd had figured out how his gauntlets worked. "Aizawa will skewer you alive if you use those things indoors".

Bakugo hated to admit it, but the stupid fox was correct. He swore. That was twice now he had agreed with stupid Deku. Why did he have to be teamed up with the nerd?

"I wasn't planning on using them!" Bakugo hissed, lying through his teeth.

"Oh no, of course not" deadpanned the fox, before yawning. He turned towards the corridor. "Why do I get the feeling we are heading straight into a trap?"

"That's because it is, nerd" Bakugo muttered. Of-fucking-course he had to be against the likes of Half-Ice in an enclosed space.

"Then it is obvious what we must do" Deku sighed in the most laid-back voice Bakugo had ever heard from the nerd. It made Bakugo's eyes twitch with annoyance.

There was a faint POOF, and Bakugo found himself staring at the two fox-brats. Once again, Bakugo was baffled by the change in clothing. Their costumes were different that the Nine- or Zero-Tails, looking more like ninja than anything. They lacked the armour on their torso, instead wearing some kind of black shozoku over their chests and arms, giving them an entirely ninja-like look. The red scarfs, apparently, would be a common theme of the forms.

One of the Fox Brats hurried towards the nearest wall, and crawled across like ninja squirrel… an odd sight to be sure. The other one nervously stayed behind. Bakugo, on his part, prepared himself to jump or flee. At any moment, Half-Ice could freeze the entire place.

One by one, Deku opened each door, hastily turning the knob and hurrying away. So far, they had found no traps or signs of life. The entire process sure tested Bakugo's patience. Just as the brat was about to open the third to last door it happened. Within the blink of an eye, the temperature dropped. First, that door was covered by a thick wall of ice. Then, before anyone could tell what was going on, an ice statue of Deku-Brat slammed onto the ground and the world turned white. Bakugo barely had any time to jump as the wave of ice almost enveloped him.

When the explosive teen landed on snow, both fox brats had been encased in a thick layer of ice. Apparently, not even the one standing next to Bakugo had been quick enough. Perhaps now he could deal with the situation on his own. However, just as he was about to step forward, the frozen fox brat next to him exploded into blue flames while the second one vanished from his entrapment. Bakugo blinked, dumbfounded, as Three-Tailed Deku stepped back, gasping for air.

Deku panted, looking shocked and terrified. For a moment, Bakugo saw a face of utter confusion cross Deku's face, as she studied herself. The costume had gone back to that of the Nine-Tails, if only with less armour and lacking the pauldrons. Other than that she looked intact and a bit scared. If Bakugo had to guess, the nerd hadn't intended to turn into the Three-Tails.

Shit, Bakugo thought. He glared at the frozen corridor and the thick barrier of ice on the wall. What the hell could they do? They clearly couldn't approach the door. Big-Tits probably had some way to detect them if they got close (maybe someway of listening through walls like Weird-Ears). That meant they had to attack from afar, and do it with a boom. A big boom if possible. His eyes wandered down to his gauntlets. With a smirk, he raised his arm.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" Deku exclaimed, outraged. "That thing is too dangerous to use!"

Bakugo felt his temper rising. Did Deku have the gall to tell him what to do? Him? Someone needed to teach that bastard a lesson and to show that stupid fur-ball his place! However, before Bakugo could release his anger on the fox tranny, an image of an unimpressed Aizawa flashed across his mind.

That motherfucker is going to get on my case if I do anything… Bakugo reminded himself. He had to think about his own future, one without that son of a bitch breathing down on his neck. Thankfully, that was enough to dissuade Bakugo from exploding right then and there. He scoffed and looked away from Deku.

Time to play the goodie-two-shoes, Bakugo thought with derision.

"Oy, teach, can I use my gear here?" Bakugo asked, a finger on his ear-communicator. He looked up, wondering if they were being watched. In any case, he gestured at his gauntlets.

"It is too risky" Tranny-Deku insisted, glaring at him. "You could bring down the entire building!"

And that is a bad thing? Bakugo thought. That would actually be pretty awesome. It would teach all the extras a lesson. Nah, his gauntlets couldn't be that powerful. They were only meant to concentrate his explosive sweat for a five-fold output. At least, that was the estimated power. It could very well blow on his face… not that an explosion could actually harm him. Deku on the other hand…

"Hero team!" All Might's voice cracked in their ears. "You have permission to use your gear, although with caution. You are NOT allowed to use it directly against your fellow students, however".

"What?" Deku asked, caught between indignant and shocked.

Deku looked like she had been slapped. Bakugo, on his part, grinned viciously at the bastard. Served that tranny right. He raised his arm again, excitement filling in his gut. For a brief moment he thought of disobeying All Might and aim straight towards the frozen door and the two extras behind it. He decided against it, in the end, aiming at the far room instead, at the other end of the corridor. Deku, on his part, stepped back, staring at the gauntlet with fear. Bakugo took a moment to enjoy that look on her face.

What a pussy, Bakugo huffed, only to grin at the corridor. He cocked the gauntlet backwards, and a pin clicked out from a side. He saw Deku scurry away like a cockroach.

"Oy, Scar-Face! Ponytail! Say hello to my little friend!" Bakugo cackled, and pulled the pin.

One second later, hell came to earth.

Bakugo had had his fair share of explosions. After all, his quirk allowed him to make a wide array of them. Be it small and mostly smoke or noise, or large and destructive, Bakugo felt like a demolition expert. However, nothing prepared him for the explosion that came out of the gauntlet. To say it was powerful would have been the understatement of the century.

The raw force pushed Bakugo backwards a few feet, all while a thunderous inferno rushed out of his gauntlet. Instead of a deafening roar or blinding light, however, Bakugo heard nothing – as he usually did with his explosions – and his eyes adjusted well. His entire body, after all, was physiologically adapted for that kind of thing. Even so, he felt his entire body shake like never before, down to the bone and, for the first time in his life, Bakugo found the light of an explosion a tad too bright. The exhilarating sensation of power swept across his body like an intoxicating elixir. Bakugo had never done any drugs, but he was damned sure that was how it felt like.

This was his true power! The power of the next Number One Hero! Bakugo could only imagine the look on the faces of those extras, awed and shocked, or of any Pro-Hero, gasping with amazement. With such power, who could ever deny him?

And just like it came, hell vanished back whence it came and, in its wake, Bakugo only saw destruction. And Bakugo was damned satisfied by it. In front of him, the corridor was gone. Doors had been blown out of their hinges and the room that had been straight ahead was completely gone. The second and third to last rooms hadn't fared much better. In fact, they were missing their outermost walls. On the ceiling and floor, long cracks suggested the building was close to collapse. The building next to Lair C had it worse: it had collapsed entirely into debris.

"Oh hell yeah!" Bakugo exclaimed, grinning like a maniac. He laughed, unable to contain the excitement.

A hiss broke his attention. There, huddled in a corner like a wild animal, was Deku. She was in all fours, fox ears pressed against her head. The fur of her tails was standing up on end, making them look fluffier. The one thing that baffled Bakugo were the emerald eyes: slitted dark eyes bored into his. While Bakugo could say she probably was ready to bite him, she seemed absolutely terrified, like some kind of wild cat. The strange part was the lack of any humanity in her entire being, especially those eyes. All in all, Deku had apparently gone feral or something.

"Oy, Deku, what the hell is wrong with you?" Bakugo asked, annoyed. The stupid tranny was not about to ruin his moment of glory. He wanted to enjoy everything.

Strangely enough, that did the trick. With a blink, Deku's eyes went back to normal and she dumbly stared at Bakugo, confused. That was when blue flames sprouted in her ears and she fell back on her butt, squirming in pain.

That's more like it, Bakugo thought.

"H-holy – SHIT!" Deku shouted all of a sudden, with tears of agony in her eyes.

Bakugo savoured the moment. It felt good to be back like the old days... back to normal. He laughed, finally feeling his life go back into track. Deku was back to being a little pebble, a cowardly nerd scurrying away and terrified of Bakugo's power.

YES! This is how it is supposed to be! He thought, overwhelmed by sadistic mirth.

Pale and with quivering hands, Deku pressed her fox ears against her head, blue flames healing something there. There were also flames on her back and neck. Bakugo, though, just cackled. His blood was pumped with adrenaline and the thrill.

"These are awesome!" Laughed Bakugo. Unfazed, he walked towards the now open room where the villains hid. "I had no idea the explosion would be THAT strong!"

If Bakugo had been satisfied by the results of his gauntlets, he had yet to see how it had affected the extras. For starters, both had literally been blown backwards and thus weren't far from the bomb. Half-Ice was on his knees and his face was scrunched with visible pain. Blood poured out of his ears as he agonized on the ground. Ponytail, on the other hand, was on her back, hands pressed against her head. Tears of pain rolled down her face as she gritted her teeth. The explosion was over, so why were they still on the ground?

Pathetic, Bakugo derisively thought as he triumphantly marched in. He ignored the suffering extras, and decided to move into a calm saunter towards the massive papier-mâché bomb. He chuckled when he saw the broken door encrusted on the far wall, missing the objective by a few inches.

Bakugo studied his gauntlets, a sadistic grin in place. With those gauntlets he was invincible! What villain would dare challenge him? Oh, if only he could use them more often. It suddenly occurred to him that he was still being watched. Did that mean all the extras finally got to witness his true power?

Good. Maybe now they'll understand the power difference, Bakugo thought. His smile widened at a sweeter thought. He had won all by himself. He hadn't need of stupid Deku. His raw power had been enough… just how things were supposed to be. All Deku had done was cower like the pathetic nerd he was.

For the first time in over a month, Bakugo felt back in control. His life truly was back in track towards greatness. He no longer was just another extra in a stupid class. He was THE hero mixed in with a bunch of losers. With that thought, he casually touched the bomb, smirking at the still suffering villain team.

Silence. Bakugo frowned and looked up at the cracked ceiling. Shouldn't All Might have announced his awesome victory? Ah, right, he might have shaken the place a bit. Bakugo chuckled, studying his gauntlets again.

"Are you alright guys?!" Deku asked, rushing into the room. Deathly pale, she looked disgustingly pathetic.

"Ha, did you see, Deku?" Bakugo grinned. "I didn't need your useless ass after all".

Deku ignored him. Instead, she jumped to Ponytail's side. A grave expression covered her face as she studied Ponytail.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever" Deku hastily retorted. She took a deep breath and tentatively grabbed Ponytail's hands, still pressed against her ears. Blue flames sprouted into life and danced on each side of Big-Tits' head. A look of relief flooded across Ponytail's face.

"Bah, some broken eardrums and shockwave bruises, nothing the old lady can't heal" Bakugo derisively dismissed.

"You imbecile, she can't heal broken eardrums!" Deku shouted. She focused her flames on Ponytail's head. Taking a deep breath, Deku closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Of course the old nanny can heal them, nerd!" Bakugo insisted.

"You moron, don't you know her quirk?!" Deku spat, focusing on Ponytail. "She speeds up the healing process. She doesn't work out miracles".

Shit, Aizawa will be all over my case now, Bakugo mentally swore. Of course the extras couldn't handle a little explosion!

Ponytail seemed to recover quickly. Her pained face ebbed away and, slowly, opened her eyes. She blinked, flummoxed, at a smiling Deku. When the blue flames died out and Deku released her hold on her, Ponytail slowly sat up, flabbergasted. She reached to her ears, eyes wide with amazement.

"Midoriya – just what…?" Ponytail asked. She looked at the bomb, then at Bakugo, and she scowled. "Just what in the world was that explosion?"

"That son of a bitch's gauntlets" Deku explained. "Bakugo's quirk allows him to oxidize a nitro-glycerine like sweat he produces so-"

"The gauntlets accumulate them for one powerful discharge" Ponytail concluded, wide-eyed. She turned towards Bakugo, pale and terrified – just like Bakugo liked it. "Are those even legal?!"

Deku struggled to her feet and tumbled over to Scar-Face, who was currently on the ground, unconscious. Ponytail walked towards them to assist, only to pause halfway and reach to an ear, or rather the communicator there.

"Yes, we are fine" Ponytail said. Apparently, All Might must have lost feedback at the observation room.

Bakugo looked at the building next to Lair C. Without the wall in the way, he was allowed to take in the marvelous sight. An entire apartment complex… brought down by his own might. He ignored Ponytail and Deku, studying his handiwork.

"Yes, he reached the bomb. Midoriya is currently healing Todoroki…" she faced said teen. "No, no, I think Midoriya has it handled. He – she – might need assistance afterwards, though, after the healing I mean".

No soon after, Half-Ice was sitting up, groaning. Deku collapsed to a side, making Ponytail rush over to her. Bakugo, in the meantime, focused on Scar-Face. That incredulous face of his soon twisted to realization, only to morph into indignation.

"How does it feel to be a loser, Scar-Face?" Bakugo taunted with a grin. "Bet you don't think you are better than me now, huh?"

Half-Ice, though, ignored the taunts and stood up. He sent a frown of concern towards the unconscious Deku but other than that, he decided to ignore his surroundings and angrily stomp out. He paused, though, when the spotted the destroyed building. Scar-Face turned towards Bakugo, a dark expression crossing his face. It was clear that Half-Ice was displeased by the destruction – that or it just hit him just how close he had been to death. Bakugo, though, was too giddy with his newly displayed power to care about the bastard.

Bakugo knew he should have tried to keep it humble, if only to avoid Aizawa's ire. However, he was relishing the way the extras warily glanced at him, pale and pathetic. They stood feet away, apprehensive of his awesome power, and constantly eyeing his gauntlets. Yep, even if Aizawa took away his gauntlets, Bakugo thought it had been totally worth it. At the moment, Bakugo basked in the fear, once again being the center of everyone's attention. Heck, he chose to stand at the middle of the room, right in front of the teachers, to scare the shit out of his fellow students.

The students of class 1-A were caught between shocked and shaken, except for Midoriya. He was held up by Iida in his Nine-Tailed form, staring at their teachers with dark bags under his eyes and a drowsy look on his face. Uraraka stood next to him, eyeing him with concern. Todoroki too seemed somewhat unfazed, if only coldly glaring at Bakugo with a murderous scowl.

"I must say that was a short fight" All Might hummed. "I suppose I must commend both teams for displaying teamwork. Young Bakugo, young Todoroki, you both communicated and worked with your teammates, a step in the right direction. You've clearly learned from last time. That last explosion, though, was…" All Might trailed off for a moment "…quite the surprise".

"Surprise? That crazy nut-job almost blew Yaoyorozu and Todoroki to smithereens!" Kaminari exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, it was a most outstanding strike if I have ever seen one" All Might nodded. He sent a thumbs up to Bakugo "I am sure such firepower will serve you well as a Pro".

"Huh? He nearly killed our classmates and you praise him?!" Jiro indignantly yelled.

"He is not entirely wrong" Aizawa stated. "The world of heroes is no playground, filled with dangers. If you expected anything less, then you chose the wrong profession". The class stared at their teacher, horrified. "That being said…" he turned towards Bakugo "…you'll ask for new gauntlets from the Support Department with reduced output, at least for training".

"Indeed! While impressive, such raw power should only be directed towards villains and even then with the utmost caution!" All Might eagerly agreed.

"Additionally" Aizawa harrumphed, squinting at All Might. Said hero's smile faltered, turning sour. "It was irresponsible to allow such firepower regarding the task. It is illogical to permit explosives when the students are meant to retrieve a bomb".

"W-well, that is a good point" All Might begrudgingly conceded. "But given the circumstances, I was under the impression the hero team were being held back by their imposed restraint. Young Todoroki's ice and Young Yaoyorozu's steel reinforcements made it nigh impossible for the hero team to break through without substantial fire power. Moreover, I was under the impression those gauntlets would produce a far smaller explosion and mostly heat, or at least that was what the Support Department assured me".

"That's it?" Jiro, indignant, spat. "That guy is a psychopath!" She pointed at Bakugo, who smirked in triumph. "He didn't even apologize for almost hospitalizing Momo!"

"Do you want me to punish Bakugo when he was given permission by All Might, his teacher? When said weapon was supposed to be less destructive? Had Bakugo shown any less restraint, I might have agreed" Aizawa stoically asked. He sent a reluctant nod towards Bakugo. "But he did ask for permission and thus the fault is not his but ours. You ARE supposed to use your quirks and gear to your full potential. It is our job to assess the potential risks involved…

"Perhaps I'll discuss with the Principal the use of untested gear for combat" Aizawa grumbled. He addressed the rest of the student. "Today could have ended with tragedy. Whether you like it or not, accidents like this have happened during training in U.A. and in other Hero schools. I have witnessed grievous injuries as a teacher, some resulting in death".

The gathered students shuddered and stared, wide-eyed. There was a faint murmur of disbelief that swept across the teenagers.

"Don't act so surprised. There is a reason people still support the restriction of public use of quirks. Whether we like it or not, quirks can be rather unpredictable and bring about unintended consequences. This may be because of poor understanding of one's quirk, a lack of proper counseling or perhaps an odd circumstance that brought about unforeseen consequences. Quirks that might be believed to be rather straightforward could have unexpected effects in very particular scenarios".

"Wait, people have died in this school?!" Ashido exclaimed, horrified.

"Not under my watch…" Aizawa replied "…yet". He glared at All Might.

"I had no idea that could happen!" Mineta squawked. "How is that even legal?"

"It is all in your terms and conditions for U.A. Education" Aizawa pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Hold on, that huge mass of papers two hundred pages long we were supposed to have signed by our parents?" Sato wondered, confused. Aizawa nodded. "There was something about us maybe dying in all of that? And we agreed to it?!"

"Ah, you forget that it includes a myriad of accidents and injuries! Principal Nezu is a very thorough negotiator" All Might corrected.

"This is nuts!" Hagakure spluttered.

"Wait, didn't we sign something similar for the Entrance Exam?" Kirishima recalled. He stroke his chin. "I remember there were all these paperwork to fill and sign with our parents…"

"Why of course, young Kirishima!" All Might responded. "Everyone who wishes to attend a Hero High School generally accepts that they might be permanently incapacitated, maimed or killed, including the Entrance Examination". He offered a reassuring thumbs up. "The Sports Festival has no less a risk. In fact, I've been told most injuries suffered by students happen mostly at the games".

Midoriya grimaced. He did recall a few incidents... but now that he thought about, he never bothered to learn more about what had happened. It was so easy to lose yourself in the excitement of the Sports Festival and all the quirks being used...

"So that thing we had to get our parents to sign for the Sports Festival…" Uraraka gasped, paling.

"I thought you were all aware" Iida, confused, stated. He scratched his head, baffled. "Did you not read through your agreement? Your parents at least must have been made aware".

Koji Koda morosely nodded, while a sparkling Aoyoma posed, flashing a thumbs up. By the looks of it, Tokoyami and Shoji had always been aware of their perilous high school education. The rest, however, seemed utterly perplexed.

"I know my parents did" Yaoyorozu tentatively said "but then again…" she offered a sheepish smile "…my family has people for all legal matters".

"So anyone could die at the Sports Festival?!" Mineta screamed.

"Or during training" Aizawa nodded. "Do not be so illogical and emotional" he grunted, addressing Mineta. "The mortality rate in this course is less than 1% of all overall incidents, and even those tend to be few in numbers. U.A. won much of its prestige for its facilities that greatly reduces the risk".

"W-what… what would have happened had Midoriya been unable to heal us?" Yaoyorozu asked.

Silence. All Might awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, a forced smile in place. Aizawa, as calm and cold as always, slowly turned towards the girl. Whilst not indifferent, his eyes spoke of the harsh reality.

"I would suspect you would have required immediate hospitalization. Most of the fees would have been covered by the school. U.A. has a proper insurance for any accident or incident of the kind. However, given the damage of the explosion…" Yaoyorozu's eyes widened and Todoroki frowned "...your hero career would have ended today" Aizawa stated.

Yaoyorozu stared, mortified. She wasn't the only one. They all exchanged anxious faces. Was this for real? They all shot terrified glances at Bakugo, who smirked. The bastard sure was enjoying himself.

"How come the school hasn't been sued then, ribbit?" Asui asked, blunt as always. There was, however, an underlying hint of fear.

"Like I said, the rate of incidents is low to begin with, and nothing Recovery Girl cannot heal. Other than that… you are mistaken if you think people haven't tried suing U.A. There have been a few cases… but Principal Nezu is not one to go lightly on anyone who does. Most cases end with non-disclosure agreements and insignificant settlements" Aizawa replied.

"So that's why we hear so little about it" guessed Sero.

"That has more to do with our present society" Aizawa huffed. "You shall see next week, at the Sports Festival".

The gathered students grimly exchanged nervous faces. If the Sports Festival wasn't intense enough, now they had to add potential death or injury.

"Yes – well" All Might coughed, clearing his throat. He flashed a reassuring smile. "You have nothing to worry about, young ones. Today it was a mere unfortunate accident! Indeed, I should perhaps encouraged prior tests of such dangerous equipment before pushing you all into such perilous confrontation. It pains to admit it, but even I can underestimate your amazing strength! Let us take this near tragic misfortune and learn from it. You have my word that no true harm shall befall you. At least, not while I AM HERE"

And with a thumbs up, the worries of the students evaporated. Something about All Might's presence and his abundant dauntless joy was infectious and some of the teenagers found themselves smiling back. He was right, after all. It wasn't like they all carried explosive gear, right? And their quirks were not like Bakugo's.

Izuku felt ready to lean back and fall sleep on the train back to Mustafu. The day sure had been eventful, with Bakugo nearly bringing down an entire building and destroying another one. If that hadn't been bad enough, Bakugo had reinserted himself at the centre of everyone's attention. Throughout the last month, everyone had either ignored Bakugo or dismissed him as some kind of angry kid. Now… now they seem terrified. Who could blame them? They would all have to compete with him the next week.

"And Aizawa didn't chew him out?" Rumi asked, surprised.

"Why would he? All Might gave him the all clear" Izuku chuckled, nodding with shared disbelief. "He wasn't that wrong either. Todoroki and Yaoyorozu had worked a lot to reinforce the door against us, apparently. That, added to the fact All Might had been told Bakugo's gauntlets would be far less destructive and I kind of see how it ended as such a mess".

The train rattled as the two friends sat side by side. After a long day at school, the pair were more than ready for the training at Dagobah. Just thinking back at that explosion, and the way his body had been inundated by raw fear and adrenaline… Izuku was still shaking. There was, however, that strange moment in which he had lost himself. Just what had that been all about?

"That bad, huh?" Rumi wondered, frowning with concern.

"You weren't there. An entire building… and he still had the other gauntlet" Izuku sighed, shaking his head. "And then… I have no idea what took over me… it was… was some kind of-"

"Primal fear" Rumi interrupted, grimacing. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It happens when you have Animal Quirks, or a similar quirk. We have this stronger fight-or-flight instinct than most people, y'know? You should see my younger siblings whenever there is a sudden loud sound".

Izuku frowned at her. He had never heard of such a thing before. He knew some people had distinctive behavior patterns based on their quirks. For instance, a few enhancement quirks required certain food and thus induced certain odd cravings. Izuku remembered a guy that ate dirt for a Rock quirk.

"So it isn't just fear?" Izuku asked, confused.

Rumi, in turn, raised an eyebrow at him.

"Haven't you have any weird… urges?" Rumi tentatively asked.

"Some I guess" Izuku thought back to all those strange behavior he had in his tailed forms. "Like how I drool when I smell meat or how…" he paused and looked at his claws. Hadn't he had urge to claw at things… and people? He remember his days in rehabilitation, and he shuddered.

"Animal quirks aren't just for looks, you know?" Rumi huffed, grinning. "They have a whole bunch of instincts and weird stuff. Most people don't talk about it, though. Remember my sex drive?" Izuku's face lit up at the mention of that. "That is just one of those things that come from having my rabbit good looks".

The train stopped at a station, and people walked out. In the noisy chaos, Izuku was lost in thought. He had known he behaved differently in his tailed forms and the psychologist and quirk counsellor had warned him about oddities arising… but animal instincts? Things he could not control? Had that feral anger towards Bakugo as the Nine-Tails been part of it? Izuku grimaced, only to shake his head.

The train lurched forward, and the less crowded train became bearable again, enough to continue their conversation.

"It doesn't matter. I can't let that stop me" Izuku said, mostly to himself.

"Atta Boy" Rumi laughed, nudging him. "You sure are learning".

"What can I say? I am learning from the best, Rabbit Girl" Izuku said with a smirk.

"You are god-damn right, Fox Boy" Rumi chuckled, only to mocking gag towards Izuku. "It still sounded way too cheesy".

Izuku merely shrugged.

"Are you up to it then? Or do you want does the fox want to have his fox-nap?" Rumi teased.

"Oh hell no!" Izuku insisted with a grin. "I have to put all the training I can. We are so close to finishing at Dagobah…"

"Well, look at you, Fox Boy!" Rumi laughed. "Almost died and now you are all fired up. Not bad".

"Of course I'm fired up. I can't let Bakugo win. He already regained his inflated sense of self. If he wins the Sports Festival…" Izuku shivered at the prospect. "That… and I want to win. I want to be number one".

"But will you make it, Fox Boy?" Rumi taunted with a playful smirk. "You've got the megalomaniac psycho, a creepy stalker and the son of Endeavour to defeat. Endeavour's kid will be the hardest challenger, right? The psycho won't have access to his special gear and the creep doesn't look like much. That and I am sure Endeavour's kid must have one hell of a pressure to win".

"Actually… Todoroki is holding back" Izuku commented.

"He what?" Rumi asked, outraged.

"I don't know… it is so weird" Izuku said. "He – well – uses half his quirk".

"Half his quirk?" Rumi raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, apparently he can create ice from his right side… and I think he can create flames on his left side. However, he only uses his ice" Midoriya explained. "I don't know why though, but I bet it has to do with that scar on his left eye".

"Well, Endeavour is a bit of a hard-ass. Maybe the kid has a grudge against his dad?" Rumi guessed. "Still, it's pathetic to only use half your quirk, regardless the reason. And come on, Endeavour is pretty cool".

"You like Endeavour?" Izuku asked, surprised. "A lot of people don't like his – well – fiery disposition".

"Do I like him? Hell no, he is a self-aggrandizing jackass and cares too much about the Hero Rankings. Do I think he is cool? Oh hell yeah" Rumi nodded with vehemence. "Endeavour is the sort of guy I can respect. He has an emitter type quirk, one of the most powerful out there, but instead of just being the flashy-hero sort, he worked himself like a beast. Have you seen his body? That guy is ripped and he's the kind to fight no matter the challenge. That and you have to admit he is tenacious as a hero, just like I like them. If All Might didn't have such an overpowered quirk, I am sure Endeavour would have surpassed him in the hero ranking by solved cases alone".

Rumi paused and, for a brief moment, appeared contemplative.

"Guess that's why his son might have a problem with him, right? I can't imagine a happy home life with that guy" Rumi hummed. She grimaced. "Scratch that, I don't want to imagine him as a dad".

However, Izuku thought back to Bakugo's explosion. Endeavour was, to some point, a lot like Bakugo. True, Endeavour didn't cuss and he did try to be decent around people, if only to garner some popularity points for the rankings. However, both Endeavour and Bakugo were equally destructive. Maybe Todoroki didn't want to be like his father, or something bad had happened in his childhood… maybe something relating to his scar. For all they knew, he could barely well be traumatized by something he brought about with his flames.

"It isn't like I'm much better myself, right?" Izuku pointed out. "I am still exploring and manifesting my quirk".

"Yeah, but you figured out your quirk later than most and, let us be honest, your quirk is one hell of a roller-coaster. You are still working on it. What's his excuse?" Rumi huffed.

That gave Izuku reason to pause. Could Todoroki be suffering something similar to him? He stared at his own hands. If his theory of a childhood trauma be correct, then maybe Todoroki might actually be willingly repressing his quirk out of fear… maybe it is self-hatred. Who knew? Maybe Todoroki had some kind of Mental Repression?

SMACK.

Izuku, instead of whining, chuckled. He should have seen it coming. With a smile, he turned to Rumi, who smirked at him.

"Looking too thoughtful?" He asked.

"Yep" Rumi nodded. "And you were doing so well…"

She released a long exaggerated sigh of mock exasperation, before the pair shared a round of chuckles.

"Forget about Endeavour's kid and focus on the here and now. Remember, we aren't that far from ending cleaning the beach, though, are we? What are we going to do after that?"

"I think we might finish by Saturday" Izuku replied, only to hum in thought. "Maybe we could find another beach to clean?"

"Maybe. Maybe we could just hang out and rest" Rumi suggested, wiggling her eyebrows. "You know, so as the make it to the Sports Festival fresh and ready".

"H-hang out?" Izuku's face heat up. As in… a date? Just the two of them? For non-training purposes? He wondered.

Izuku's heart started drumming faster. Oh boy, and with Dagobah beach fully cleaned? Wouldn't that be like out of a cheesy romance movie? Maybe he could finally make a move…

No, bad Izuku! Focus on the Sports Festival! Izuku mentally admonished himself. Thank God he was seated, because his tails were ready to start tap-dancing. Talk about animal instincts.

"Yeah, you know, like a date" Rumi teased. "You could come over my place. We could check old fights… you know, take it easy before the big day".

Oh hell yeah! Izuku thought, face heating up like a sun. Another date with no fighting involved with Rabbit Girl?! That would awesome- No, no, down boy, down I say! Sport Festival first. You'll have time to snog- eh, I mean - to train with Rabbit Girl later.

"You okay there?" Rumi, with a devious smirk, asked. "You look a bit…" she leaned close to Izuku's blushing face, a bit too close "…tense".

Izuku felt a shiver at the way she purred that last word. This was weird in so many ways… but Izuku was not complaining. He had completely forgotten just how exhausted he was and, instead, he found himself more awake than ever.

"You, me, all alone…" Rumi continued, driving Izuku mad. "What do you say…" she once again had her lips hovering near him "…Fox Boy?"

Did she have to say it like that, with such sultry voice and so close to his face?! Izuku felt ready to faint. This was too good to be true. Way too good.

Come on, Izuku, you hanged out with Rumi before, Izuku reminded himself.

Yeah, but it was never a real date – like a date-date. It was always training, a few relaxing moments… without the implications of a date! Izuku responded to himself.

Rumi, on her part, broke out in laughter. Izuku tried to glare at her and look indignant, but he looked constipated instead.

"I am just teasing, Fox Boy" Rumi laughed, only to lean over and give him a peck on the cheek.

Izuku immediately froze, unable to believe what had just happened. Had he imagined that kiss?

"Let us first finish cleaning the beach, alright? Then we can think of making out somewhere…" Rumi continued, chuckling, as she ignored the boy's reaction.

Izuku slowly reached the kissed cheek with a hand. Rumi stared, amused, as the Fox Boy slowly caressed his cheek, a dumb smile forming on his face. Rumi rolled her eyes. However, with all the excitement of the day, Izuku could only do one thing: he leaned back, eyes rolling up, and fell unconscious. Rumi sat there, highly amused by the boy's reaction.

"You really are a silly Fox Boy" Rumi harrumphed at Izuku. However, she could only smile with fondness.